At nine o’clock he got the sack

AKA
First Published 1912
Writer/composer James W Tate Roud RN10701

Music Hall Performers Maidie Scott
Folk performances Collected from the singing of:
Hancy, Charlie ; England : Suffolk ; no date		 

[Transcribed by the author from the YouTube recording below, apologies for the dubious transcription of the last verse]

Now father he's been out of work for five long years or more 
But yesterday to our surprise a knock came at the door
The foreman where he used to work said he could start again
But when he heard the awful news it nearly turned his brain
At six o'clock this morning mother made my father rise
She washed his face and dressed him. Then, with teardrops in his eyes:

Father trotted off this to work this morning
With his little carpet bag upon his back
He started work at half past eight
At nine o'clock he'd got the sack

We'd all been looking forward to a treat on Saturday
My mother pictured father coming home with all his pay
The butcher and the baker and the [poor old grocer?] too 
They let us have some credit until father's pay came through
The Baker wants his dough and so he'll soon be on our track
The butcher man is sure to want his leg of mutton back 

I feel so awful sad because mother's fairly got the hump 
She says if things go on like this  we'll end up on the lump
We've had to sell our  [?'appy ?] home and [move to number?] four
We've got no Eider-down so now we sleep down on the floor 
The landlord's coming 'round to get his rent tomorrow morn
So I suppose this crock of mine will have to go to pawn!


Maidie Scott performed a series of songs about her workshy father – this one, At nine o’clock he got the sack, was written and composed by James W Tate, and first published in 1912.

The first verse and chorus were combined with the first chorus of Gus Elen’s Wait til the work comes round to create a song known as Father’s work (RN:10701). Here it is as collected by John Howson from the singing of Charlie Hancy:

Father's work
[As collected by John Howson from the singing of Charlie Hancy]

Now my father he's been out of work for ten long years or more. 
Yesterday we had a big surprise when a tap came to the door
The foreman where he used to work sent a message round to say,
'If your father wish to make a start he could start work today'
So at six o'clock this morning mother made poor father rise
She washed his face and combed his hair, as the tears ran from his eyes.

So father started work this morning, a little bag of food upon his back.
He started work at half past eight but by nine o'clock he got the bloody sack.

So what's the use of kicking up a row,
When there isn't no work about.
For if you ain't got no work, you can lay in bed,
'Til the school kids all comes out.
If you ain't got no work, then you can't get the sack
It's an argument that's sensible and sound.
With your head upon the pillow, you can lay and read the Mirror,
And wait 'til the work comes round.

You can hear Charlie Hancy sing Father’s Work on Veteran Recording’s  collection Comic Songs Sung In Suffolk, which is available by following the links at https://veteran.co.uk/.

Here’s Maidie Scott’s recording of At nine o’clock he got the sack :

Sources:

  • Kilgarrif Sing Us
  • Sheet Music: not available.