Help one another boys; never push a man when he’s going downhill

AKA
First Published 1869
Writer/composer Harry Linn Roud RN21544

Music Hall Performers Harry Linn
Folk performances Source Singers
Clissold, Charlie 1977 England : Gloucestershire

In this sensation century
Good songs are very few
The words are little cared for. 
If the music it is new; 
And subjects too are nearly done, 
But I have found one still, 
That's "Never push a man because 
He's going down the hill." 

Then help one another, boys,
If fortune on you shine; 
Remember, when you give your mite, 
That Poverty's is no crime 
Though little be the off'ring, boys, 
Give it with good will, 
And never push a man because 
He's going down the hill. 

In this wide world there's many a man, 
With a truly and honest heart. 
To raise his wife and family 
In business makes a start; 
But still his ends don't seem to meet, 
Work which way he will. 
Fate seems to be against him, 
And he's going down the hill.

As we jog along in daily life, 
How many men we find, 
That Poverty's a grievous sin, 
To think they are inclined; 
They meet, in sad adversity. 
Some old friend, Tom or Bill, 
And pass him by disdainfully, 
And push him down the hill.-

If e'er you meet an honest man 
Struggling hard with fate, 
Don't speak words of discouragement, 
Or tell him 'tis too late'
Don't sneer as you pass by him, 
But help him with a will. 
And p'rhaps one day you'll find him 
On the summit of the hill

Another motto song written and composed by Harry Linn which was extremely popular at the time. It appeared widely in song sheets and songsters, and was also widely sung by amateurs, particularly in the sort of respectable, improving evenings of readings and songs that might be run by the local vicar.

We can establish fairly easily that it was written by Linn – I haven’t been able to access the original sheet music, but there are a number of contemporary reports crediting the song to him, for example in 1869 a London newspaper included in a list of sheet music received (we can ignore the typo!), :

Examiner Apr 10 1869

Local newspapers report a number of examples the song being sung by amateurs from Dec 1870 on.

Given its popularity it’s perhaps surprising that it’s only been collected once, from the singing of Charlie Clissold, by Gwilym Davies in 1977.

Sources: