ADD: Last House in our Street (Ted Waite)

Subject: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: GUEST,Devon_Smudge
Date: 11 May 05 - 09:34 AM

Anyone help me please with the lyrics or source, (or both!) of the song which starts something like "Our house is the first house and the second house belongs to Mr Waterhouse ..." I've heard it sung at several singarounds and would like to learn it!Sounds like a good old cockney music hall song, but can't be sure. I can remember the tune of the chorus but not the verses so if anyone can help there I'd be grateful. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 May 05 - 07:55 AM

I think it's usually known as Waterhouse's House.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 12 May 05 - 08:16 AM

Our house is the first house
and next comes Mr Waterhouses house
And after Waterhouse's House and our house
The next house is Waterhouse's daughter's house
And after Waterhouse's daughter's house
theres a picture-house, a public-house, a slaughterhouse
And in case you need to know
then the last house in the row
Is everybodies house
'Cause it's the workhouse!

(there may be some other verses but thats all I can remember)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' wor
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 May 05 - 01:28 PM

Wandering Minstrel, can you tell us anything more about where you learned the song?

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Schantieman
Date: 12 May 05 - 01:44 PM

There's an awful lot of 'ouses dahn our street
'Ouses wot are very fine an' neat
'Ouses wot are tall, 'ouses wot are small,
'Ouses wot aren't really 'ouses at all,

But,

(Chorus)


Dahn the uvver end lives Mister Whi''ouse   (Whitehouse)
Wa'er runnin' rahnd 'im like a ligh''ouse
Number eigh'y fower in the number on the door
Bu' y'can't tell the ceilin' from the floor...

But....




And that's all I know. If anyone knows any more verses, or knows where it comes from, I'd be interested to find out. Presumably it's a music hall song.


Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 May 05 - 05:59 PM

There is actually a blue plaque on Mr. Waterhouse's house, at 10 Hall Road, St. John's Wood, London. Click here. That's John William Waterhouse (1849-1917), the Pre-Raphaelite painter.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Ron Davies
Date: 12 May 05 - 11:17 PM

I learned one other verse from one of the many talented and delightful singers and instumentalists at one of the many singarounds at Sidmouth.

Can't try to reproduce the Cockney.


Last verse

Now when the rent man calls for rent on rent-day.
You should hear what all the neighbours have to say
The street was in a strife, he ran for his life
When Whitehouse chased him with a carving knife
But...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 13 May 05 - 08:11 AM

Joe

My memory goes back to singing this as a chorus in LLantrisant back in the early '80s. I definitely remember the whole thing being rendered in the broadest of mockney accents. I think the singer was called Eddie...and he did a number of music hall type songs ("Don't send my muvver to prison" and "Your baby 'as gorn dahn the Plug'ole") but thats where my memory fades. Perhaps Splott Man or Doctor Price may remember more

Subject: ADD: Our house is the first house
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 13 May 05 - 10:30 AM

A lady used to sing this around the SE during the 70s, and many people learnt it from her, I can't remember her name though.
My version is almost identical to the bits we've had already.

There's a lot of houses in our street,
Houses which are very fine and neat.
Houses which are tall,
Houses which are small,
Houses which aren't really houses at all - But

Chorus
   Our house is the first house
   And then comes Mr Waterhouse's house.
   After Waterhouse's house and our house,
   Then come Waterhouse's daughter's house.
   After Waterhouse's daughter's house,
   Comes the Picure house, the Public house, the Slaughter house.
   And in case you'd like to know,
   The last house in the row,
   Is everybody's house - coz it's the Workhouse.

There's a house that belongs to Mr Whitehouse,
Water running round it like a Lighthouse.
Number twenty-four is the number on the door,
But you can't tell the ceiling from the floor - coz

Chorus

When the rent man came a-knocking one rent-day.
You should've heard what the neighbours had to say
The street was full of strife, he ran for his life
And Whitehouse chased him with a carving knife - for

Chorus

I seem to remember a previou thread on this song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 13 May 05 - 01:30 PM

I've heard this sung in the Theatre Bar singarounds at Sidmouth, by a blind lady, called Kate.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 13 May 05 - 03:09 PM

Actually I think that the 2nd line of the first verse as I originally learnt it was:

Houses wot are difficult to beat.

I don't think that the lady who I was referring to was blind.

Subject: Lyr Add: LAST HOUSE IN OUR STREET
From: GUEST,Jacqued
Date: 13 May 05 - 03:21 PM

Then there's this one - a commentary on the futility of sectarian strife...Can't give a source unfortunately:

LAST HOUSE IN OUR STREET

Last house in our street is the one we are living in.
    Throw the ball against the wall and back to me.
All the other windows have concrete curtains.
    Open up your eyes and tell me what you see.

Flowers in our garden are made of bricks and broken glass.
    Throw the ball against the wall and back to me.
And round the back we are growing outside toilets.
    Open up your eyes and tell me what you see.

Wee Albert Mooney was blinded by a petrol bomb.
    Throw the ball against the wall and back to me.
Bombers said, “We’re sorry. It must have been an accident.”
    Open up your eyes and tell me what you see.

Big rubber bullet killed little Johnny Morrissey.
    Throw the ball against the wall and back to me.
A policeman fired it; it must have been an accident.
    Open up your eyes and tell me what you see.

We made the world and Belfast is a part of it.
    Throw the ball against the wall and back to me.
Sometimes I wonder if Belfast was an accident.
    Open up your eyes and tell me what you see.

There's a wall, so there is, between us and them there is.
    Throw the ball against the wall and back to me.
Can anybody tell me they didn't help in building it?
    Open up your eyes and tell me what you see.

The eyes of the world have concrete curtains.
    Throw the ball against the wall and back to me.
Would you tear down the wall? Would you open up the windows?
    Open up your eyes and tell me what you see.

Last house in our street is the one we are living in.
    Throw the ball against the wall and back to me.
All the other windows have concrete curtains.
    Open up your eyes and tell me what you see.
    Open up your eyes and tell me what you see.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: barnacle
Date: 13 May 05 - 07:21 PM

Re Source for "last house" - throw the ball ... - Callum Sands

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: GUEST,Ex Yare Valley
Date: 19 May 05 - 02:12 PM

We sang this song when I was a member of the infamous Yare Valley Morris side based at the university of East Anglia in Norwich back in the 1980s. I think fellow members of the team can lay claim to inventing an ingenious set of hand movements to accompany the lyrics without which, in my view, no performance of this song is complete

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' wor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 19 May 05 - 02:31 PM

Surely John Foreman must have sung this one, does anybody remember Redd Sullivan singing Mary Ellen at the church turned up ,complete with movements and gestures cos I can.
Giok

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Compton
Date: 19 May 05 - 05:23 PM

I seem to recall a woman that used to dress as a "Pearly Queen" and do various Folk Festivals...The name Yvonne Tursgoose comes to mind!..I heard her sing this!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: BB
Date: 21 May 05 - 09:14 AM

That was Yvonne Turgoose. Charley Yarwood was one of those who learnt the song from her, and spread it far and wide. We've got a recording of Charley singing it at the Song & Ale in 1980.

Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 21 May 05 - 02:32 PM

Yvonne Turgoose was the lady whose name I was trying to remember. Everyone who I heard sing the song had got it directly or indirectly from her. I`ve never heard John Foreman sing it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' wor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 21 May 05 - 03:09 PM

It puts me in mind of another old favourite of mine from a similar era, If it wasn't for the 'ouses in between.
Who was it [male and female group] who used to sing The boy I love is up in the gallery?
Giok

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Compton
Date: 22 May 05 - 01:20 PM

A Good recording of Gus Elan's "Houses" was Cosmotheka...Don't know about a group but Marie Lloyd was first to do it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 May 05 - 08:12 AM

Sam Stevens & Anne Lennox Martin?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 23 May 05 - 08:56 AM

I used to love Anne Lennox Martin singing "The Boy I Love" - all the fellows would try to have a hankie to wave at the pertinent time, as was reputedly the case when Marie LLoyd sang it.

I also loved her rendition of "Oh Jack the Ripper" which she gave up singing because of the "Yorkshire Ripper".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 23 May 05 - 09:10 AM

Thanks for posting the song about Belfast, Jacqued. Few people are aware that most victims of warfare are children.

How about putting the song in its own thread? It is buried here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 23 May 05 - 11:30 AM

Compton - are you sure that "Marie Lloyd" sang "Houses in Between" before Gus Elan himself - it sounds rather unlikely. There are several references in the song which make it sound as though it's a costermonger singing it, and that was Gus' stage (and at one time real) persona.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Compton
Date: 23 May 05 - 01:20 PM

Dave, No, No...Marie Lloyd never sang "Houses In Between!"...Is that what I wrote?...a late night typing error if it was!
Gus Elan (as far as I Know...and I'm sure someone will tell me if I'm wrong) was the only one that earned the big money!!
Marie Lloyd had a nice little earner with "The Boy I Love"!
Sorry if it looks that way!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 15 Jul 05 - 10:45 AM

Thanks for starting this thread Devon_Smudge. Since my stroke I haven't been able to play the guitar so I've been looking for more unacc. material and this one is proving rather popular. I've started using (one-handed) hand prompts in the chorus and also added another verse to give the audience more chance to learn the chorus before I make them sing it on their own at the end. My final version is :-

There's a lot of houses in our street,
Houses which are difficult to beat.
Houses which are tall,
Houses which are small,
Houses which aren't really houses at all - But

Chorus
   Our house is the first house
   And then comes Mr Waterhouse's house.
   After Waterhouse's house and our house,
   Then come Waterhouse's daughter's house.
   After Waterhouse's daughter's house,
   Comes the Picure house, the Public house, the Slaughter house.
   And in case you'd like to know,
   The last house in the row,
   Is everybody's house - coz it's the Workhouse.

There's a house that belongs to Mr Whitehouse,
Water running round it like a Lighthouse.
Number twenty-four is the number on the door,
But you can't tell the ceiling from the floor - coz

chorus

Our pub it is called the Square and Compass,
And each Saturday night we have a rumpus.
Some people like to Sing, some people like to shout,
Till at closing time the landlord chucks us out - coz

Chorus

When the rent man came a-knocking one fine day.
You should've heard what the neighbours had to say
The street was full of strife, he ran for his life
And Whitehouse chased him with a carving knife - for

Chorus (audience on their own helped by hand signs)
Repeat Chorus at faster speed.


BTW Has anyone any recent news of Yvonne Turgoose ?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: My guru always said
Date: 09 Jun 07 - 05:13 AM

Anyone know who in the UK sings this now? I've heard it at a few festival singarounds over the past few years but can't remember by who. Just passed Dave Bryant's final version to Pete Lister & John Lee of Alhambra who are very interested in it but I can't remember the tune for the verse. Useless memory!!!

Subject: ADD: Watherhouse's House/Ma Look at Charlie
From: GUEST,Jem Cooper
Date: 13 Feb 09 - 12:26 PM

I have the 78 for Mr Waterhouse's house and have just tried to decipher the words using a very crackly old gramophone. Here they are. I have also added Ma look at Charlie from the flip side which is even more fun.

WATERHOUSE'S HOUSE

There's a nice lot of houses in our street
Houses that are very very hard to beat
Houses that are small, houses that are tall
Houses that are not houses at all

Our house is the first house
And the next house is Mr Waterhouse's house
Waterhouse's house is next to our house
And then comes Waterhouse's daughter's house
Next door to Waterhouse's daughter's house
There's a public house a picture house a slaughter house
And in case you want to know the last house in the row
Is everybody's house and that's the workhouse

There's a nice house belongs to Mr Whitehouse
Water running round it like a real lighthouse
Number 24, number on the door
You can't tell the ceiling from the floor

Our house is the first house
And the next house is Mr Waterhouse's house
Waterhouse's house is next to our house
And then comes Waterhouse's daughter's house
Next door to Waterhouse's daughter's house
There's a public house a picture house a slaughter house
And in case you want to know the last house in the row
Is everybody's house and that's the workhouse

When the landlord calls for rent on rent day
You should hear what all the neighbours have to say
Street's full of strife. He ran for his life
Whitehouse chased him with the carving knife

Our house is the first house
And the next house is Mr Waterhouse's house
Waterhouse's house is next to our house
And then comes Waterhouse's daughter's house
Next door to Waterhouse's daughter's house
There's a public house a picture house a slaughter house
And in case you want to know the last house in the row
Is everybody's house and that's the workhouse

---

MA LOOK AT CHARLIE

Now Marcie had a sweet heart and his name was Charlie Brown.
In the parlour on the sofa they were sitting down.
Ma was in the corner she was busy with her hook.
She'd seen things like that before and so she didn't look.
But every now and then when Charlie stole a kiss,
She didn't say oh do it again she said something like this.

Ma look at Charlie ooh he's at it again
Ma look at Charlie oops he's at it again
I told him not to do it but he takes no notice of me
I say no and he says yes as saucy as can be
Ma look at Charlie oops he's at it again
But Ma says my darling you should never complain
Go on my girl and don't be shy
   Your father did that in the years gone by
Ma look at Charlie oops he's at it again

When Charlie heard her Ma's remarks he gave a little grin
And Marcie's ma put down her hook and started listening in
With Charlie's arm around her back her neck he tightly clung
And Ma said that reminds me of the days when I was young
All at once the lights went down and Marcie's ma went out
To put some money into the slot then Marcie gave a shout

Ma look at Charlie ooh he's at it again
Ma look at Charlie oops he's at it again
I told him not to do it but he takes no notice of me
I say no and he says yes as saucy as can be
Ma look at Charlie oops he's at it again
But Ma says my darling you should never complain
Go on my girl and don't be shy
   Your father did that in the years gone by
Ma look at Charlie oops he's at it again


Ma look at Charlie oops he's at it again
But Ma says my darling you should never complain
Go on my girl and don't be shy
   Your father did that in the years gone by
Ma look at Charlie oops he's at it again

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Snuffy
Date: 14 Feb 09 - 08:05 AM

Hils,

Do I recall Andy Jackson doing this?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Feb 09 - 12:43 PM

The National Library of Australia has the sheet music of the latter song. The sheet music is not viewable online, but here is the description from their catalogue:

MA LOOK AT CHARLIE: WHOOP! HE'S AT IT AGAIN : song with ukulele accompt. / written and composed by Elven Hedges
Bib ID: 3662995
Format: Music
Author: Hedges, Elven
Publisher: London : B. Feldman, c1927.
Description: 1 score (3 p.) ; 32 cm.
Series: Feldman's 6d edition ; no. 1763
Notes: For voice and piano. Includes chord symbols and charts with tonic sol-fa notation. Cover title. "Featured by Miss Florrie Forde".

Oddly, I can't find any bibliographic description of [MR] WATERHOUSE'S HOUSE anywhere, either as a recording or as sheet music. Are we sure we have the correct title?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Our house is the first house . ' words?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 04:18 PM

The British Library Integrated Catalogue shows this listing:

OUR HOUSE IS THE FIRST HOUSE, words and music by Ted Waite, © 1927.

It also has the note "Awaiting full cataloguing." How far behind are they, anyway?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Our House Is the First House (Ted Waite)
From: banjoman
Date: 21 Feb 10 - 06:46 AM

Maggie & I learned this song from Bob Cowley in Hampshire who sang it often at the Red House in Whitchurch along with several other "Oldies" which he said he got from his elderly aunt's record collection. We often sing it in his memory but welcome the verse we didn;t know about the Pub Called The Square & Compass
Thanks

Pete

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Our House Is the First House (Ted Waite)
From: GUEST,Jeannie35
Date: 24 Mar 13 - 06:11 PM

I've wondered for years if anyone else had ever heard this song and its origin.

In the later part of the war my friend's father used to sing it to us.
Here is his version of the chorus. (I've always thought that it was the whole song.)

Our house is the first house,
And the next house is Mr Waterhouse's house,
Waterhouse's house is next to our house,
And the next house is Waterhouse's daughter's house
Next door to Waterhouse's daughter's house is
The public house
The picture house
The slaughter house
And in case you want to know,(pause)
The last house in the row, (pause)
Is everybody's house (pause)
And that's The Workhouse

I really feel that this sounds more authentic, given the play on the word "house", making it more like an Olde Thyme Music Hall Song and a bit of a tongue twister.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Our House Is the First House (Ted Waite)
From: GUEST,Magnus Mhic Grianra
Date: 16 Nov 15 - 07:00 PM

There's a nice lot of houses in our street
Houses that are very very hard to meet
Houses that are small houses that are tall
Houses that are not houses at all
Our house is the first house
The next house is Mrs Walker's daughter's house
The next house to Mrs Walker's daughter's house
Is the public house the picture house the slaughter house
And in case you want to know
The last house in the row
Is every bodies house and that's the workhouse.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Our House Is the First House (Ted Waite)
From: banjoman
Date: 17 Nov 15 - 06:01 AM

Over the years we have added a verse or two which seems to go down well.
"The washer woman lives at number thirty
She takes in all our washing when its dirty
She scrubs and scrubs in hope
Says she uses soap
But when we get the washing back it smells like old rope"

But our house etc.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Our House Is the First House (Ted Waite)
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Mar 18 - 05:11 AM