{"id":3194,"date":"2020-05-27T09:23:29","date_gmt":"2020-05-27T09:23:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=3194"},"modified":"2026-01-21T16:57:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T16:57:52","slug":"that-old-fashioned-mother-of-mine","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/that-old-fashioned-mother-of-mine\/","title":{"rendered":"That old fashioned mother of mine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>Old-fashioned mother of mine<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td>Worton David<\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td>Horatio Nicholls (aka Lawrence Wright)<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>23549<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td> Talbot O’Farrell<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Source Singers<\/strong>
Jim Copper, 1936, Sussex, England
Unknown, 1979, Gloucestershire, England
Charlie Bridger, 1983, Kent, England
Bob Copper, 1992, Sussex, England
Lucy Reader, 1996, Gloucestershire, England
Stan Seaman, 2000, Hampshire, England
“Modern performances”<\/strong>
Joe Gordon and Sally Logan 1970s
Tommy Scott 1960s\/70s<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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There are colleens with eyes, just as fair as the skies,  \nThere are colleens the world thinks are handsome or wise. \nBut deep in my heart, there's a sweet memory \nOf someone who still holds attractions for me.\n\nJust an old-fashioned lady with old-fashioned ways,\nAnd a smile that says, \"Welcome!\" to you,\nAn old-fashioned bedside where she kneels and prays\nWhen the toil of the long day is through.\nThough she wears no fine clothes, or no rich silken hose,\nStill there's something that makes her divine;\nFor the angels above taught the way how to love\nTo that old-fashioned mother of mine.<\/em>\n\nThere are jewels I know that set men's hearts aglow, \nIf they're worn by the colleens that they worship so; \nBut there is a jewel that I worship more: \nIt's set in the heart of the one I adore.<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Published in 1919, this song by David Worton<\/a>, first became popular when sung by Talbot O’Farrell, who sang it throughout his long career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Talbot O’Farrell (1878-1952) was billed as The Greatest Irish Entertainer of all Time<\/em>, but despite his billing, O’Farrell was English-born (original name Will Parrot) and started his stage career as Jock McIver, Scottish Comedian and Vocalist<\/em>! His big success came when he changed his name for the second time, put on a smart suit and started singing Irish ballads. He was the epitome of a new style of Irish comic- without the stereotypical knee breeches, shamrock and shillelagh that so often characterise the earlier generation of Irish comics in the halls. He was always immaculately dressed in top hat and formal attire. He spent long periods touring USA but also appeared in Canada, Australia and South Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A highly sentimental song, in the style of a parlour ballad, probably not to the taste of many modern fans of traditional music. It has often featured in the repertoire of performers of Irish and Scottish folk music that favour what used to be called an “easy listening” style, like Tommy Scott and the duo Joe Gordon and Sally Logan, both acts which were extremely successful on the cabaret circuit in the 1960s and 1970s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some source singers like Charlie Bridger seem to have sung it “straight” but perhaps unsurprisingly, the Copper family parodied it, singing original words as is, but adding a final verse:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Just an old-fashioned daddy with old-fashioned ways 
And a smile that says \u201chave one\u201d to you 
There\u2019s an old-fashioned parlour where he goes and stays 
When the toils of his long day are through 
Though he wears no fine clothes, he has got a red nose 
But he never drinks minerals or wine 
Still I hope and I think, I\u2019ll be able to drink 
Like that old-fashioned daddy of mine<\/p>\nTranscribed from the singing of Bob Copper<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n