Peggy O’Neil

AKA Peggy O’Neill
Peggy O’Neal
That’s Peggy O’Neill
First Published 1921
Writer/composer Dodge, Nelson and Pease Roud RN25946

Music Hall Performers Dorothy Ward
Folk performances Collected from the singing of:
Smith, James; England : Suffolk; 1975-1979
Ling, Ruby; England : Suffolk; 1975-1980
Hubble, Pearl; Canada : Ontario; 1981
Showers, Charlie; England: Somerset; 1982
Hall. Mabs; England : Sussex : Horsham 1989

Modern performances:
Slim Whitman, Ruby Murray, Max Bygraves, Danny La Rou

 

Peggy O'Neil is a girl who could steal
Any heart, anywhere, any time, 
And I'll put you wise how you recognize
This wonderful girl of mine.
 
If her eyes are blue as skies, 
That's Peggy O'Neil,
If she's smiling all the while, 
That's Peggy O'Neil,
If she walks like a sly	little rogue,
If she talks with a cute little brogue,
Sweet personality, full	of rascality,
That's Peggy O'Neil.

Ev'rything's plann'd for a wedding so grand,
In the spring I'll bring her the ring,
Then somewhere in town we'll both settle down,
And all thro' the day I'll sing:

A song from the early 1920s remembered by a number of traditional singers.

It was originally an American song written by Tin Pan Alley song writers in tribute to the Irish-American actress Peggy O’Neil. The song was a hit throughout the English-speaking world, in the UK it became particularly associated with Dorothy Ward, a highly successful pantomime and Music Hall performer (see brief biography below).

The song may seem a little sentimental, but it was often performed with so-called “patter verses” which introduced a strong element of comedy, for examples listen to the version by Billy Jones below, though be warned that the additional verses use discriminatory language that would not be acceptable today. The comedy element lives on in the huge number of parodies that remembered by the contributors to this Mudcat thread.

Not to be confused with slightly earlier song Sweet Peggy O’Neil. First published in 1917, famously sung by John McCormack.

A contemporary recording by Billy Jones:

Dorothy Ward (1890-1987) was a music hall performer best remembered as a principal boy in the pantomimes, where she often appeared alongside her husband Shaun Glenville who played the Dame. She was born in Birmingham, and her first appearance on stage was a role in the pantomime Bluebeard at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham in 1915. More to come …

Sources: