AKA | P.C. 49 |
First Published | 1913 |
Writer/composer | William Hargreaves | Roud | RN23312 |
Music Hall Performers | JW Rickaby |
Folk performances | Collected from the singing of: Smith, Bill ; England : Shropshire ; 1981 |
From sheet music: Now when I was out of work the missus nagged so much you see! I went down to the station to see if I could make a 'D' They dressed me in this uniform and then they said to me You're PC Forty Nine. The first time I came out the kids threw mud and spoilt my clothes A dozen navvies looked at me and punched me on the nose I don't suppose Jack Johnson ever stopped so many blows As PC Forty Nine! PC Forty Nine, Anyone can have this little job of mine! They throw me in some melted tar, till I was nearly dead, Then got a big steamroller which they ran across my head When I got back the sergeant cried "Who are you?" So I said: I'm PC Forty Nine One night they held a meeting to advance the suffragette, The Sergeant said "We need a lot of men they can't upset" He looked around the station then he shouted "You can bet For PC Forty Nine" But how those women mauled me when they caught me by the throat! They tore the clothes right off my back, to try and get the vote For all they left me wearing was the collar of my coat With PC Forty Nine. PC Forty Nine, Anyone can have this little job of mine! They ripped my clothes to ribbons, so for help I had to call, The Sergeant looked at me and said, as I stood by the wall "I thought it was Maud Alan but it isn't her at all Its PC Forty Nine" I'm getting used to burglars for I know 'em all by site In fact there's nothing else around, still everything is all right You see I get so lonely that they're company at night For PC Forty Nine They come round and make me hold the ladder down below While they climb through the window and into the house they go I don't know how it is, but somehow they don't seem to know I'm PC Forty Nine PC Forty Nine, Anyone can have this little job of mine! When I got out my handcuffs to arrest the tricky band, They said they give me ninepence for 'em and snatched 'em from me hand And then they stole my helmet, cos they didn't understand I'm PC Forty Nine The sergeant set out one night on a desperado's track But couldn't find this Anarchist so after he came back, He said "There's only one man who can catch Ferocious Jack, That's PC Forty Nine" So I dressed like a woman, twas a good disguise no doubt, Then in the den of Anarchists, I rushed with such a shout In half a minute after there was one poor chap laid out Twas PC Forty Nine. PC Forty Nine, Anyone can have this little job of mine! They tied me to a lamppost and they set me all on fire, I blazed up like a furnace – I was still in girls attire, The sergeant said "It's Joan of Arc!" But I said "You're a liar" Its PC Forty Nine
A big hit in the halls for JW Rickaby in the years immediately before the First World War. It was written for him by William Hargreaves. It was later collected from the singing of Bill Smith by his son -its available on A country life – Songs and stories of a Shropshire man (MTCD351).
As recorded by Arthur Osmond:
Sources:
- Entries in the Roud Indexes at the Vaughn Williams Memorial Library: https://archives.vwml.org/search/all:single[folksong-broadside-books]/0_50/all/score_desc/extended-roudNo_tr%3A23312
- Kilgarrif Sing Us
- Sheet Music: International Music Score Project
Last Updated on November 12, 2024 by John Baxter | Published: January 2, 2024