{"id":2299,"date":"2020-04-18T09:29:16","date_gmt":"2020-04-18T09:29:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=2299"},"modified":"2025-12-14T07:56:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T07:56:17","slug":"its-a-bit-of-a-ruin-that-cromwell-knocked-about-a-bit","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/its-a-bit-of-a-ruin-that-cromwell-knocked-about-a-bit\/","title":{"rendered":"Its a bit of a ruin that Cromwell knocked about a bit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>One of the ruins that Cromwell knocked about a bit<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td>Harry Bedford and Terry Sullivan<\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td> Terry Sullivan<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RNV27753<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Music Hall performers<\/strong><\/td>Marie Lloyd 1910s, 20’s<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>??<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
I'm very, very fond of ruins, ruins I love to scan\nYou'd say I'm very fond of ruins if you saw my old man\nI went out in the country for a stroll the other day\nI love to study history and pubs along the way\nI came across an Abbey that was crumbled all to bits\nIt looked a relic of a bye-gone day\nA gentleman said, \"What is this?\" I said, \"Excuse me, Sir\nI'll tell you all about it if I may.\n\nIt's one of the ruins that Cromwell knocked about a bit\nOne that Oliver Cromwell knocked about a bit\nIn the gay old days there used to be some doings\nNo wonder that the poor old Abbey went to ruins\nThose who've studied history sing and shout of it\nAnd you can bet your life that isn't a doubt of it\nOutside the Oliver Cromwell last Saturday night\nI was one of the ruins Cromwell knocked about a bit.<\/em>\n\nI showed him round the ruins and explained to him its charms\nHe said, \"Let us adjourn and call at the common Cromwell Arms\"\nSo in the Cromwell Arms we spent the best part of the day\nI soon found out the Landlord's name was Cromwell by the way\nThe Landlord started arguing on Cromwell and his men\nTill I said, \"Is this Cromwell fellow dead?\"\nHe threw us out, and when I came to, on the grass outside\nI looked up at the Abbey and I said,\n\nAs above or change to: 'I'm one of the ruins etc.'<\/em>\n\nI went back to the Cromwell Arms and doubled up my fist\nThe pot-man's name is Oliver and he's always on the twist\nI said, \"I've come to see the ruins that's all I'm about\"\nHe said \"You'll be a lovely ruin if you don't go out\"\nI told him and the Landlord they'd be better in a home\nI said, \"You've both got Cromwell on the brain\"\nThen something seemed to fall and I thought that I had collapsed\nI murmured as I came round once again.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Marie Lloyd’s popularity as “Queen of Comedy” and her cheeky stage persona were achieved despite several unhappy, at times violent marriages.Years of spousal abuse and a punishing work schedule eventually led to a nervous breakdown. After her comeback she couldn’t disguise her ill-health, and in 1920 she made light of both with this song. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another Marie Lloyd song you may hear in pub singarounds, but which doesn’t feature very often in the traditional folk repertoire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A recording or download of this song can be purchased from Windyridge CDs.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n