{"id":18848,"date":"2023-02-14T16:15:14","date_gmt":"2023-02-14T16:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=18848"},"modified":"2023-02-14T16:20:50","modified_gmt":"2023-02-14T16:20:50","slug":"mystery-of-a-hansom-cab-the","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/mystery-of-a-hansom-cab-the\/","title":{"rendered":"Mystery of a Hansom cab, The"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>Stop the cab<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1888<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>EW Rogers \/ AE Durandeau<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN24210<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Walter Munroe<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
Costello, Cecilia; England : Warwickshire; 1967<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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One night, 'twas in a thoroughfare, well known in London Town\nA hansom cab came driving by, which had the windows down\nIt seemed to be a mystery, and went at such a pace\nThat people stopped and looked awhile, then, shouting out, gave chase.\n\nStop the cab; stop the cab, whoa, whoa, whoa,\nSomebody hold the horse's head, and don't leave go\nNevertheless they had to confess, although they made a grab\nThey couldn't discover the mystery of a hansom cab.<\/em>\n\nSaid one 'I wonder what's inside, I think it is a man'\nAnother fetched his opera glass, the mystery to scan\nA masher standing on the curb, then gave a sudden start\nAnd said 'Bai Jove! I'll take my oath, that cab contains a tart.'\n\nThis firm opinion soon was shared, by more than two or three\nSaid one, 'A man's there squeezing her, she's sitting on his knee'\nJust then a fearful scream rang out, and then they heard a fall\nSaid one, 'He's murdering her I know, here Bobby! Dash it all'\n\n\nThe valiant Bobby stopped the cab, and said, 'what's the to do?\nCabby where are you driving?' Said the Cabby, 'To the Zoo'\nAnd who's your fare? Cabby, it's a monkey, ne'er a doubt\nHe's nearly terrified to death, to hear his brothers shout.\n\nStop the cab; stop the cab, whoa, whoa, whoa,\nSomebody hold the horse's head, and don't leave go\nNevertheless they had to confess, although they made a grab\nThere wasn't so much of a mystery in the hansom cab.<\/em><\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The year 1886 saw the publication of the best-selling crime novel The Mystery of a Hansom Cab<\/em> by Australian Fergus Hume. This 1888 parody was written for Irish comedian and dancer Walter Munroe<\/a> by EW Rogers <\/a>and AE Durandeau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cecilia Costello sang a fragment of this song (the chorus) to Charles Parker and Pam Bishop in 1967. The recording is available on CD: Cecilia Costello \u201cOld Fashioned Songs\u201d<\/em> (MTCD363-4) or you can listen to it on the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library site<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n