{"id":23143,"date":"2024-01-07T10:48:37","date_gmt":"2024-01-07T10:48:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=23143"},"modified":"2025-12-08T19:32:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T19:32:12","slug":"aint-it-grand-to-be-bloomin-well-dead","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/aint-it-grand-to-be-bloomin-well-dead\/","title":{"rendered":"Ain’t It Grand to Be Bloomin’ Well Dead!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>Isn’t it grand boys
Old Grandpa
Look at the coffin
Bloody well dead<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1932<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Leslie Sarony<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN31292<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Leslie Sarony<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
unknown mountaineer ; Scotland : Edinburgh ; no date (before 1955)
Modern performances<\/strong>
The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem
Joan Baez
Russ Chandler<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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AIN'T IT GRAND TO BE BLOOMING WELL DEAD, Part 1<\/strong>\nWords and music by Leslie Sarony, \u00a91932.\nAs sung by Leslie Sarony, 1932.\n\nLately there's nothing but trouble, grief and strife\nThere's not much attraction about this bloomin' life\nLast night I dreamt I was bloomin' well dead\nAs I went to the funeral, I bloomin' well said,\nLook at the flowers, bloomin' great orchids\nAin't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!\n\nAnd look at the corfin, bloomin' great 'andles\nAin't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!\nI was so 'appy to think that I'd popped off\nI said to a bloke with a nasty, 'acking cough\nLook at the black 'earse, bloomin' great 'orses\nAin't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!\n\nLook at the bearers, all in their frock coats\nAin't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!\nAnd look at their top 'ats, polished with Guinness\nAin't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!\nSome people there were praying for me soul\nI said, \"It's the first time I've been off the dole\"\nLook at the mourners, bloomin' well sozzled\nAin't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!\n\nLook at the children, bloomin' excited\nAin't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!\nLook at the neighbours, bloomin' delighted\nAin't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!\n\"Spend the insurance\", I murmered, \"For alack,\nYou know I shan't be with you going back\"\nLook at the Missus, bloomin' well laughing\nAin't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!\n\nLook at me Sister, bloomin new 'at on\nAin't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!\nAnd look at me Brother, bloomin' cigar on\nAin't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!\nWe come from clay and we all go back they say\nDon't 'eave a brick it may be your Aunty May\nLook at me Grandma, bloomin' great haybag\nAin't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!\n\n\nAIN'T IT GRAND TO BE BLOOMING WELL DEAD, Part 2<\/strong>\nWords and music by Leslie Sarony, \u00a91932.\nAs sung by Leslie Sarony, 1932.\n\nWhere oh where has our Leslie gone?\nOh where oh where can he be?\nHe promised to be on the other side.\nHa-ha, ho-ho, hee-hee!\n\n[Spoken] I've got me eye on ya! You're the blokes that told me to learn to play the bloomin' 'arp. I 'aven't played a bloomin' note since I've been 'ere.\n\nLook at the florists countin' their profits.\nAin't it grand to be bloomin' well dead!\nLook at the lawyers readin' the will out.\nAin't it grand to be bloomin' well dead!\nTaxes an' rent I'll 'ave no need to pay.\nI've dodged 'em by bloomin' well snuffin' it. Hooray!\nLook at the landlord, bloomin' ol' shylock!\nAin't it grand to be bloomin' well dead!\n\nLook at the bulldog (arf!) bloomin' well barkin'.\nAin't it grand to be bloomin' well dead!\nLook at the tomcat (meow!) bloomin' well flirtin'.\nAin't it grand to be bloomin' well dead!\nPeople said 'e was so good to the poor.\nI said as I thought what they called me before:\nLook at the sexton. Bloomin' great shovel!\nAin't it grand to be bloomin' well dead!\n\nLook at me schoolmates bloomin' well gigglin'!\nAin't it grand to be bloomin' well dead!\nLook at the earthworms bloomin' well wrigglin'!\nAin't it grand to be bloomin' well dead!\nAll my old Chinas I saw them standin' round.\nI said as they slowly lowered me in the ground:\nLook at the tombstones, granite with knobs on.\nAin't it grand to be bloomin' well dead!\n\nNow it's all over. Look at them scarpering.\nAin't it grand to be bloomin' well dead!\nLook at the weather bloomin' well raining.\nAin't it grand to be bloomin' well dead!\nThen I awoke with a really shocking start.\nI found me in bed with the missus of me 'eart.\nI got the milk in. Baby was screaming.\nAin't it grand to be bloomin' well dead!\n\n\nIsn't it grand boys<\/strong> (as sung by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem)\n\nLook at the coffin with golden handles\nIsn't it grand boys to be bloody well dead?\n\nLet's not have a sniffle,\nLet's have a bloody good cry\nAnd always remember the longer you live,\nThe sooner you'll bloody well die<\/em>\n\nLook at the mourners, bloody great hypocrites\nIsn't it grand boys to be bloody well dead?\n\nLook at the flowers, all bloody withered\nIsn't it grand boys to be bloody well dead?\n\nLook at the preacher, bloody sanctimonious\nIsn't it grand boys to be bloody well dead?\n\nLook at the widow, bloody great female\nIsn't it grand boys to be bloody well dead?\n\nLook at the tombstone, bloody great boulder\nIsn't it grand boys to be bloody well dead?\n\nLook at the whiskey, in buckets and bottles\nIsn't it grand boys to be bloody well dead?\n<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A comic song from the 1930s adapted and adopted by Irish and American singers in the late twentieth century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Arguably not a Music Hall song as such, but a great comic song from the variety stage of the 1930s composed, written and sung Lesley Sarony<\/a>. It was also performed and recorded by several other British variety artistes in the 1930s, including: George Jackley, Roy Leslie, The Barmy Brothers and Billy Cotton. The recording of Sarony’s performance given below was released in April 1932 on Imperial Recordings:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A recording or download of this song can be purchased from Windyridge CDs.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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