{"id":27766,"date":"2025-07-20T08:51:25","date_gmt":"2025-07-20T08:51:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=27766"},"modified":"2025-07-20T09:40:19","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T09:40:19","slug":"twelve-stone-two","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/twelve-stone-two\/","title":{"rendered":"Twelve stone two"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>A fine big woman
<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>c1882<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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

Writer\/composer<\/td>JF Mitchell<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN18290<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\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>
Quinn, Frank ; USA \/ Ireland ; 1926
unknown singer ; Ireland : Co. Cork ; 1960
Hartland, Ray ; England : Gloucestershire ; 1978
Judge, Patsy \/ Judge, Bride ; Canada : Newfoundland ; 1978
Armstrong, James ; Ireland : Co. Wexford : 1908<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Wehman's Universal Songster No 9<\/strong> (available from traditionalmusic.co.uk<\/a>)

TWELVE STONE TWO. <\/strong>

I feel so dreadful nervous
That I'm frightened of my life,
For by this time to-morrow,
I'll be fastened to a wife;
An agricultural Irish girl
That's twice the size of me;
Upon my word I'm doubtful
What the consequence will be.

She's a fine big woman.
And she knows that same,
And early in the morning
She'll possess my name;
But I feel so dreadful nervous,
I don't know what to do.
For to-morrow I must buckle
On the twelve stone two.<\/em>

I would like to break the contract off,
But that would never do;
My life would not be worth two straws,
Between myself and you;
I don't think she'd put me in
A breach of promise case,
But with her big fist she'd make
The breaches on my face.

She made me drunk at Sullivan's,
Then sat upon my knee;
Just imagine twelve stone two
On a little chap like me;
Twas she done all the courting,
I had not one word to say,
So like a helpless little lamb,
I gave myself away.
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\"\"<\/figure>
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A song with its origins in the British Music Hall, which according to British newspapers was originally sung by Walter Munroe,<\/a> with words and music by \u00a0JF Mitchell<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Mr. Walter Munroe … commenced with a song, entitled, \u201cDon\u2019t Blame the Mother for the Faults of Her Children”<\/em> which was capitally rendered, and gained applause on all sides. \u2018\u2018 Twelve Stone Two\u2019\u2019 <\/em>is the title of his second ditty, the success of which was dwarfed by the excellence of his dancing which followed, and which was watched with evident enjoyment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cambridge Music Hall (London),  London and Provincial Entr’acte – 09 Sep 1882<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The song also appeared  under the title “A Fine Big Woman”<\/em>, both in street literature like this song-sheet, and in the newspapers (see below). The song must have been reasonably successful, as JF Mitchell wrote the very similar song, The Agricultural Irish Girl<\/a> <\/em>which Munroe started singing in 1884.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The Era – Saturday 20 May 1882<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
In 1926 Frank Quinn (an Irish American police officer?) recorded Twelve Stone Tw0<\/em> (Columbia 33080-F):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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