{"id":16213,"date":"2022-06-13T10:36:14","date_gmt":"2022-06-13T10:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=16213"},"modified":"2024-11-30T14:39:24","modified_gmt":"2024-11-30T14:39:24","slug":"things-that-a-man-cant-do","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/things-that-a-man-cant-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Things that a man can’t do"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>That’s what a man can’t do<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1906<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td> Chas Collins and Chas Ridgewell<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN37493<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Whit Cunliffe, Joe Archer<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
O’Donnell, Seamus; Ireland : Co. Clare; 2007<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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From the Weekly Dispatch, which published a song a week between 1903 and 1917: <\/strong>\n\nA woman is a creature who can do a lot of things\nThings that a man can't do\nEvery time I see a woman, to my mind it always brings\nThings that a man can't do\nA parrot talks a little, but a man can talk a lot\nA woman can talk until she drives you off your dot\nFellows think they get the best of women but they don't,\nTo make a woman do a thing when she says she won't\n\nThat's what a man can't do, do, do, do\nThat's what a man can't do\nWhen you see the parson on your wedding day,\nHe says you must get your wife to honour and obey\nThat's all right for him to say - but -\nThat's what a man can't do, do, do, do\nThat's what a man can't do<\/em>\n\nA woman does a lot of things for matrimonial bliss,\nThings that a man can't do\nShe can square the tallyman by giving him a kiss,\nThat's what a man can't do\nWhen the kids begin to cry it makes the father wild\nHe gets the feeding bottle tries to pacify the child\nThe woman picks the baby up, but doesn't stop to think,\nShe knows exactly what to do when baby wants a drink\n\nThat's what a man can't do, do, do, do\nThat's what a man can't do\nWoman with a figure and a lovely face\nAs an artist's  model she can always get a place\nPose as Venus full of grace\nThat's what a man can't do, do, do, do\nThat's what a man can't do<\/em>\n\nA woman she can do her golden hair up in a bun\nThat's what a man can't do\nA woman can declare that she's the mother of a son\nThat's what a man can't do\nA woman is very smart when there's a mystery about\nShe'll try to keep a secret, but she can't she lets it out\nShe can tell you what's inside a sack of coal \nBut cannot tell you what's inside a penny sausage roll\n\nThat's what a man can't do, do, do, do\nThat's what a man can't do\nHe can do a lot of funny things I'm sure\nStop a parrot talking if he throws it to the floor \nBut to stop a woman's jaw - \nThat's what a man can't do, do, do, do\nThat's what a man can't do<\/em>\n\nTo stop a woman going down your pocket for your purse\nThat's what a man can't do\nA woman can always get a job as monthly nurse\nThat's what a man can't do\nAlways let the woman do the shopping if you can,\nShe can do it cheaper than the silly little man\nA woman's only got to show a little bit of lace,\nTo make a lot of Johnnies follow her about the place.\n\nThat's what a man can't do, do, do, do\nThat's what a man can't do\nA fellow goes to work he is the poor old Jay\nGoes without breakfast he hasn't time to stay \nHis wife lies in bed all day - \nThat's what a man can't do, do, do, do\nThat's what a man can't do<\/em>\n\n<\/em><\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A song sung in the Halls by the comedian Joe Archer, though it was also recorded by the well-known music hall star Whit Cunliffe<\/a>. In 1908 the publishers Feldman’s advertised it as a “pantomime song, ” but it appears to have been circulating somewhat earlier than this. Library catalogues suggest it was published in 1906, and there are a number of references to amateur performances of the song between 1906 and the First World War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was remembered by the late Seamus O’Donnell who is shown singing it here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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