Lyr Req: Ballad of Bethnal Green (Paddy Roberts)

Subject: Does anyone know this song?
From: musicmick
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 05:22 PM

Some years ago, I heard a 45 rpm of a song called "Bethnel Green". I have been searching everywhere for the words. I remember the beginning.

"I tell a tale of a jealous male and a maid of sweet sixteen.
She was blond and dumb and she lived with her mum on the fringe of Bethnel Green.
Oh she worked all week for a rich, old Greek for her dad was on the dole,
And her one delight on a Friday night was to have a little rock and roll.

To me rip fal dal, to me titty fal dal,
To me itty bity fal dal day."

I sure hope that one of you guys knows this song. It would be a pity to lose it forever.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song?
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 05:40 PM

I found it on a monologue site:
(monologue link). Here's the text from it:

This was recorded by Paddy Roberts in the 60's.

I'll tell a tale of a jealous male and a maid of sweet sixteen;
She was blond and dumb and she lived with her mum on the fringe of Bethnal Green.
She worked all week for a rich old Greek for her dad was on the dole;
And her one delight on a Friday night was to have a little rock and roll.

Then one fine day in the month of May she found her true romance;
He was dark and sleek with a scar on his cheek and a pair of drainpipe pants;
And she thought "With you I could be so true through all the years to come";
For she loved the gay, abandoned way he chewed his chewing gum.

It all went well because he fell for all her girlish charms;
But he had some doubt when he caught her out in someone else's arms.
He said "Look here, you know my dear, this is going a bit to far",
And he went quite white and sloshed her right in the middle of a cha-cha-cha.

He went before a man of the law who said "This will not do;
I've had enough of the kind of stuff that I get from the likes of you."
And was she peeved when he received a longish term in clink;
In a fit of pique she married the Greek and now she's dressed in mink.

The chorus after each verse is:-
To my oo fal lal to my titty fal lal to my itty bitty fal lal lay

Cheers!
Claire

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song?
From: Bardford
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 05:42 PM

Try clicking on
This Thread

Cheers,
Bardford

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song?
From: Anglo
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 05:42 PM

Do a forum search for "Bethnal Green" (note spelling) and you'll find several threads on this song and its author, Paddy Roberts.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song?
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 05:44 PM

Someday I'll learn to always check here first...

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song?
From: alanabit
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 06:25 PM

This was a favourite of my Mum's. I believe Paddy Roberts was a South African, who worked in London. I don't know much about him, but I do recall several other funny songs by him such as "Love Isn't What It Used To Be", "Why Did It All Begin?" and "The Lavender Cowboy". I wonder which of the more senior British Mudcatters can tell me some more?

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song?
From: musicmick
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 12:25 AM

First, let me thank the usual heros who know every song that ever was.
If Paddy Roberts wrote "Lavender Cowboy", I'd be most surprised. I remember Oscar Brand singing it back in the mid 50's.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song?
From: alanabit
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 06:19 AM

I believe he did Mike. He had probably been around for some time before I first heard his records in the early sixties. As far as I know he was never really famous, but he did write everything he sang. It is a pity I don't have my Mum's old records to check. Let's keep the thread up until a more knowledgeable Mudcatter appears!

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 07:02 AM

I always preferred The Belle of Barking Creek myself.
Giok

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: musicmick
Date: 27 Aug 03 - 12:23 AM

Is there a Paddy Roberts songbook? Is there a Paddy Roberts recording?
I checked that previous thread and I saw no reference to a folio.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: Micca
Date: 27 Aug 03 - 04:20 AM

The Ballad of Bethnal Green was sung in the Barn at Towersey Festival last w/e and was very well received and many knew it well enough to join in!!!

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: Terry K
Date: 27 Aug 03 - 01:52 PM

There is certainly a recording as, for my sins, I have a copy of it. I think it was on a 10 inch LP and I'm buggered if I can lay my hand to it. If you really, really, really want a copy, PM me and I'll intensify the search.

cheers, Terry

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: Bernard
Date: 27 Aug 03 - 02:02 PM

Paddy's song 'She Loved A Portuguese' has a strikingly similar tune!! It isn't identical, but similar enough to be easily confused.

I, for one, would love a recording of Paddy doing any of his songs!

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 27 Aug 03 - 03:51 PM

I love the words for this.
When I read lyrics my mind always seems to add a tune . With this one "The Girl I Left Behind Me" or a close relative, " The Star Of The County Down" jumps out at me. Are these close to the proper tune?
         Slainte,
            Sandy

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: alanabit
Date: 27 Aug 03 - 04:01 PM

No, Sandy. They are nothing like it! It is a jaunty little piece though.
    My mum had a couple of those old ten inchers. Today, for some reason, I was racking my brains trying to recall the first lines to, "Love in a Mist." I particularly like the second verse:
    I'm cast in a spell by the perfume of yellow mimosa
    I'm drugged by your charms and the fact that our arms are entwined
    But somehow I fear that the reason you're stealing closer
    Is that if you let go - you'll fall on your small behind!"

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 27 Aug 03 - 04:18 PM

Thanks alanabit!

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: Bernard
Date: 28 Aug 03 - 08:17 PM

It seems the song dates back to around 1958 - and was probably released in both shellac 10-inch 78 and vinyl 7-inch 45 formats, as were many records at that time.

I was 10 at the time - we still had an old 'radiogram' which would only play 78s, but 45s were rapidly becoming the norm.

Anyone found any recordings of Paddy yet?

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 29 Aug 03 - 03:49 AM

There are several copies of PR records on Amazon UK "z-shops" second-hand site.

RtS

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: pavane
Date: 29 Aug 03 - 03:39 PM

I don't think 'She Loved a Portuguese' was Paddy Roberts. I believe it is 'anon'.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: Bernard
Date: 29 Aug 03 - 08:19 PM

Nope. 'She Loved A Portuguese' is definitely by Paddy Roberts - ask Martin Carthy, coz he told me!!

Thanks for the info, Roger - I'll tek a dekko!!

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: Bernard
Date: 29 Aug 03 - 08:26 PM

Click here!

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? - Bethnal Green
From: GUEST,Jenny
Date: 24 Nov 07 - 08:23 AM

I think some further lyrics go like this:-

He said "look here, you know my dear this is going a bit too far" Then he went quite white, and he sloshed her right in the middle of the Cha-Cha-Cha.