You’d better come down at once
AKA | Sandy was a Scotchman |
First Published | 1899 |
Writer/composer | AJ Mills and Frank Carter | Roud | RN29724 |
Music Hall Performers | Frank Coyne |
Folk performances | Collected from the singing of: Adams, Harry; England: Somerset; 1977 |
Now Sandy was a Scotchman, and One day, upon my soul He went into a local fair, To climb the greasy pole He wore a lovely tartan kilt His white wash brush as well He'd nearly reached the top, but oh! He heard a policeman yell: You'd better come down at once, you'd better come down at once; For all the people down below Are waiting about for the wind to blow Oh! I say, you are a bit of a dunce There's something thats making the people laugh, you'd better come down at once [twice] I never shall forget the day When our house caught on fire, And there upon the windowsill Stood our old Aunt Maria She seemed a bit afraid to venture Down the fire escape Until a fireman came and yelled "Now then, you giddy ape: You'd better come down at once, you'd better come down at once; Now don't get standing in the breeze With nothing but flames all round your knees Oh! I say, you are a bit of a dunce You ought to know better, you saucy cat, you'd better come down at once [twice] I've got a little pussy cat, She's gentle, kind and good, She mashes all the gentleman Around the neighbourhood; Twas in our backyard late last night She sat a-making love I heard her miaow to one Tom Cat Upon the tiles above: You'd better come down at once, you'd better come down at once; If you stick in the chimney pots I'm not going to show my beauty spots Oh! I say, you are a bit of a dunce If you are in the business to chase me Tom, you'd better come down at once [twice]
A song from the repertoire of Frank Coyne. It was written by the alarmingly prolific AJ Mills with FW Carter and was a hit in 1899 in the Halls and pantomimes.
The song was remembered by at least one traditional singer in the 1970s, when it was collected from the singing of Harry Adams by Bob and Jacqueline Patton. Their recording can be heard at the British Library here
Sources:
- Entries in the Roud Indexes at the Vaughn Williams Memorial Library: https://archives.vwml.org/search/all:single[folksong-broadside-books]/0_50/all/score_desc/extended-roudNo_tr%3A29724
- Kilgarrif Sing Us
- Lyrics and Sheet Music: Feldman’s Second Budget of Copyright Songs p204 from archive.com