When the summer comes again

AKA Three pots a shilling
First Published 1895
Writer/composer Harry Bedford Roud RN32449

Music Hall Performers Kate Carney
Folk performances Collected from the singing of:
Keeping Family ; England : Lambeth ; 1930s-50s

From Music Hall Memories No 16, p132

Oh! won't we save some money, Nell, 
When the summer comes again,
Life will be all honey, gell,
When the summer comes again;
We shall roam all round the country, 
With pretty flow'rs, sunshine or rain, 
Straight! we'll buy up Covent Garden, 
When the summer comes again.

When the summer comes again 
And the pretty flow'rs are growing, 
The sunshine after rain,
The summer breezes blowing; 
Then to roam around the country 
With a girl who's ever willing
I can buy and she can cry,
`Three pots a shilling!' 

Sweet window flow'rs' then you'll cry, Nell, 
When the summer comes again,
Toffs from us will buy 'em, gell, 
When the summer comes again; 
For I knows the best of houses, 
Where lots of profit we can gain,
Splendid clothes they'll give for flowers, 
When the summer comes again.

Oh! won't we turn out dashing, Nell, 
When the summer comes again, 
Folks will talk about it, gell,
When the summer comes again; 
You shall dress in 'broshey' velvet, 
Me a silver watch and chain,
Let coves see we knows our book Nell, 
When the summer comes again.


A big hit in 1895, still sung at Keeping family get togethers in the 1930s.

This song was the first great success for coster comic Kate Carney and was written and composed by Harry Bedford

Elsa Lanchester, the British actress and cabaret performer, performed the song as part of her Music Hall revival act in the early 1960s.

Sung by Elsa Lanchester in 1960, from Archive.com

Sources: