{"id":16255,"date":"2022-06-14T08:21:25","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T08:21:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=16255"},"modified":"2022-06-14T10:02:44","modified_gmt":"2022-06-14T10:02:44","slug":"i-do-like-a-snice-smince-spie","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/i-do-like-a-snice-smince-spie\/","title":{"rendered":"I do like a s’nice s’mince s’pie"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>Oh I do like a nice mince pie<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1914<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Worton David and Bert Lee<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN29712<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Jay Laurier<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
Bentall, Brenda; England; 1970<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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I'm so fond of what I like,\nAnd what I like, I like it\nSome like this, and some like that\nSome like lean, and some like fat\nSome like pudding, some like pie\nWith which to fill their phiz\nBut there's one thing I like best\nI'll tell you what it is\n\nOh I do like s'nice s'mince s'pie\nOh I do like s'nice s'mince s'pie\nDon't like lamb, ham or jam\nAnd I don't like roly-poly\nBut when I see a s'nice s'mince s'pie\nThen I ask for a helping twice\nFor I do like a s'nice s'mince s'pie\n'Cos it's s'nice, s'nice, s'nice<\/em>\n\nI've a sweetheart all my own,\nThere's no one else would have her\nHer face I've not tasted yet\nIt's so slobbery and so wet\nWe sat in the Park, last night\nShe nudged my arm and sighed\n'What do you like the best of all?'\nI grinned, and then replied\n\n\nOnce I went to Parliament\nI'd been sent there to dust it\nFound a meeting on inside\nOne young member loudly cried\n'Matters we'll no longer mince\nOur country must be led\nWe can't mince matters' I said 'No\nLets all mince pies instead'<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A war-time hit for Jay Laurier<\/a> in 1914, written and composed by the prolific Worton David<\/a> and Bert Lee<\/a>. In 1970 a fragment of the chorus was collected from the singing of Brenda Bentall by Roy Palmer, whose version can be found on the British library website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
As pointed out by a Mudcat contributor, it was a popular song amongst the troops in the trenches. In his autobiography, the poet Robert Graves recalled the humour and horror of waiting hours to go over the top:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We waited on the fire-step from 4 to 9 o’clock with fixed bayonets, for the order to go over. My mind was a blank except for the recurrence of <\/p>
 …s’nice s’mince s’pie
Don’t like lamb, ham or jam
And I don’t like roly-poly<\/em><\/p>
The men laughed at my singing. The acting CSM said “It’s murder Sir”. “Of course it’s murder I agreed, but there’s nothing else for it\u2026”<\/p>
But when I see a s’nice s’mince s’pie
Then I ask for a helping twice<\/em>…<\/p>Robert Graves, Goodbye to all that, 1957, p144<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
A modern version on Zoom by the London Music Hall Choir<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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