{"id":24480,"date":"2024-05-24T10:28:50","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T10:28:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=24480"},"modified":"2024-05-24T15:50:52","modified_gmt":"2024-05-24T15:50:52","slug":"riley-did-it","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/riley-did-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Riley did it"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This page quotes lyrics which contain offensive language, reflecting attitudes common in the period when this song was first performed.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AKA<\/strong><\/td>Riley, Riley<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1896<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writer\/composer<\/td>TW Connor<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN32810<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>JW Rowley<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
Griffiths, May ; England : Lancashire; 1986<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
RILEY DID IT!<\/strong>
Written and Composed by T. W. CONNOR,\t
Sung by J. W. ROWLEY,

Now Riley was a man who always 
Did as he was told \t
The other night he went home tight, 
His wife began to scold;
He seiz'd the poker, never meant 
To strike her, and she knew it
\"Ah, what! you strike me! 
I'd like to see you do it !\" 

So Riley did it! <\/em>
Riley did it!
Bridget now has got a lump 
As big as a tater on her chump;\t
Don't blame Riley, man's as good as gold
Riley simply did as he\twas told ! <\/em>
[twice]

Now Riley by profession was
A bricklayer's shorthand clerk
One day he took the wrong hod
When he started on his work;
He'd got right up the ladder, when
A man yelled out, \"You'll cop it!
You've sthole my hod, ye blackguard! Hi!
D'y'ear, ye gossoon? \u2014 drop it!\"

So Riley did it!
Riley did it!
The man who bade him drop it, though, <\/em>
Was underneath when he let go ;
Don't blame Riley, man's as good as gold
Riley simply did as he was told!<\/em>

Now Riley went to see a play, 
His wife and children too,
But pacify their youngest boy
Was more than they could do; 
It howled and howled till ev'ry one
Was fairly down upon it,
Then some one in the gall'ry yelled, 
\"D'y'ear, old man? sit on it!\"

And Riley did it!
Riley did it!
When he got up off the seat,
The kid was squashed to sausage meat; <\/em>
Don't blame Riley, man's as good as gold<\/em>
Riley simply did as he was told!<\/em>

A letter came to Riley once
That nearly turned his head
'Twas from his wife's first husband, and, 
To finish up, it said
\"I hope you won't forget to call
On your old 'gossip,' Flynn;
I'm living on the river
If you're down that way, drop in.\"
 
So Riley did it!!
Riley did it!
He dropped into the water, swish!
And poisoned all the poor little fish ;
But don't blame Riley, man's as good as gold 
Riley simply did as he was told!<\/em>
\t
This Riley was a masterpiece
At talking politics;
He got into an argument
With sev'ral other Micks
Says Riley, \"It's a shame they've put
Our Home Rule on the shelf\"
Says his opponent, \"Man, you're mad!
Get out! Go'n' hang yourself!

So Riley did it!
Riley did it!
Took the garter off his leg,
And hung his carcase on a peg ;
But don't blame Riley, man's as good as gold<\/em>
Riley simply did as he was told!<\/em>

<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Another turn of the last century song from the Halls remembered by a traditional singer in the 2nd half of the 20th century. This one was originally written by \u00a0TW Connor<\/a>\u00a0, and performed by\u00a0\u00a0JW \u201cOver\u201d Rowley<\/a>\u00a0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1986 it was collected from the singing of May Griffiths by Nick and Mally Dow – at some point soon it may once again be available to listen to in the British Library Sound Archive<\/p>\n\n\n\n
JW Rowley sings it, from Belle \u00c9poque records and cylinders online<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n