{"id":3619,"date":"2020-06-13T15:52:08","date_gmt":"2020-06-13T15:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=3619"},"modified":"2025-12-14T10:00:27","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T10:00:27","slug":"in-these-hard-times","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/in-these-hard-times\/","title":{"rendered":"In these hard times"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td><\/td><\/tr>
First published<\/td>1924<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td>RP Weston<\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td>Fred Barnes<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN23324<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td> Whit Cunliffe 1920\/30s<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Source singer:<\/strong>
Ernie Payne, 1979, Avon, England
Bill Smith, 1982, Shropshire, England
Modern performances:<\/strong>
Roy Bailey<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Things are bad, awful bad,\nIn fact they've never been worse before\nBut every single chappie can make a girlie happy\nFood is dear, rent is dear,\nBut love is cheap for the time of year\nSo grab the nearest Miss\nAnd whisper while you kiss.\n\nIn these hard times you've got to put up with anything\nIn these hard times you mustn't pick and choose'\nAnd if you're nice, and squeeze her tight\nShe'll ask you round tomorrow night\nIf you don't mind sitting without a light\nIn these hard times.<\/em>\n\nFarmer Brown came to town\nHe spent the day at the cattle show\nThen went to wet his whistle, inside the hotel Cecil\nLady fair, near him there\nHad all her neck and shoulders bare\nSaid Farmer Brown 'Alack'\nAs he saw her dainty back.\n\nIn these hard times you've got to put up with anything\nIn these hard times you mustn't pick and choose\nThis fancy kind of o' dress ye wear\nLeaves all ye neck and shoulders bare\nBut you're lucky to be dressed up to there.'\nIn these hard times.<\/em>\n\nMissis Green, rather mean\nWent out last Saturday marketing\nAnd saw out in the gutter, a codfish on a shutter\nShe felt its gums, poked her thumbs\nAll round the fish and she said 'Oh crumbs\nIt don't look nice at all'\nThen the coster had to bawl\n\nIn these hard times you've got to put up with anything\nIn these hard times you mustn't pick and choose'\nThat codfish there's a sacrifice,\nAnd I ask ye Ma'am would you look nice\nIf you'd 'ave been torpedoed twice, in these hard times?'<\/em><\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
From the prolific pen of RP Weston<\/a>, this time with Fred Barnes<\/a>, a song remembered by traditional performers half a century later. A song reflecting wartime austerity, but published a few years after the Great War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A recording or download of this song can be purchased from Windyridge CDs.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whit Cunliffe<\/strong> (1876-1966), described affectionately by one of the historians of the halls, MacQueen-Pope, as somehow both “a man of the peopl<\/em>e”, and “a bit of a dandy<\/em>“. He dressed in a “mauve frock coat and other garments to match<\/em>” and seemed to have a knack for getting the audience involved in his songs and repartee. He was particularly known or singing “girl” songs, like If the world were ruled by girls, Its a different girl again<\/a>, Girls! Girls! Girls! <\/em>and There are nice girls everywhere.<\/em>Songs off his which have passed into the repertoire of traditional singers include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Fall in and Follow Me<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Fair fat and Forty<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. In these hard times<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Its a different girl again<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Things that a man can\u2019t do<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    Roy Bailey sings it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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