Origins: Lyrics involving aprons

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Scrump
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 05:15 AM

And the Cliff one mentioned earlier:

It's good to be free, I don't want to breeze
They come and they go, whenever I please
Well, honey your love is good for my wings
'Cause I wanna be tied, tied, tied, tied, tied to your apron strings

I kiss you goodnight and what do I do
I hurry on home and dream about you
It's crazy I know, but just one of those things
I wanna be tied, tied, tied, tied, tied to your apron strings

Chorus: Well, you hold my hand and that burns like a fire
You kiss my lips and the flame goes higher
Such a lucky devil to find a little lady like you

I'm crossing my heart and I'm telling no lies
So hold me real close and close your eyes
I think you're real close, like I need to cling
I wanna be tied, tied, tied, tied, tied to your apron strings

I kiss you goodnight and what do I do
I hurry on home and dream about you
It's crazy I know, but just one of those things
I wanna be tied, tied, tied, tied, tied to your apron strings

Well, you hold my hand and that burns like a fire
You kiss my lips and the flame goes higher
Such a lucky devil to find a little lady like you

I'm crossing my heart and I'm telling no lies
So hold me real close and close your eyes
I think you're real close, like I need to cling
I wanna be tied, tied, tied, tied, tied to your apron strings
I wanna be tied, tied, tied, tied, tied to your apron strings
I wanna be tied, tied, tied, tied, tied to your apron strings

I found a web reference that said Elvis recorded this - did he?

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Scrump
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 05:13 AM

A different song called Apron Strings, by Everything But The Girl:

Apron strings
Hanging empty crazy things
My body tells me
I want someone to tie to my
Apron strings

Apron strings
Waiting for you pretty things
That I could call you
I want someone to tie to my
Lonely apron strings.

Your baby looks just like you when you were young
And he looks at me with eyes that shine
And I wish that he were mine
Then I go home
To my
Apron strings
Cold and lonely,
For time brings
thoughts that only
Will be quiet when someone clings
to my apron strings.

And I'll be perfect in my own way
When you cry I will be there
I'll sing to you and comb your hair
All your troubles I will share

For apron strings
Can be used for other things
Than what they're meant for
and you'd be happy wrapped in my
Apron strings

You'd be happy wrapped in my
Apron strings

Subject: Lyr Add: BONNY BOY FROM UNDERNEATH MY APRON
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 11:06 PM

Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads, Harding B 11(401).

THE BONNY BOY
FROM UNDERNEATH MY APRON
(London, between 1845 and 1859.)

As a pretty fair maid was going up the stairs,
Her heart was full of sorrow; her eyes were full of tears.
"Oh! what is the matter?" her father he did say,
"And what have you got underneath your apron?"

"Oh! nothing at all, dear father," said she.
"It's only my new gown. It is too long for me;
And for fear that it should rumple, or trampled it should be,
I've rolled it up underneath my apron."

In the middle of the night, when all was fast asleep,
This pretty fair maiden she began for to squeak.
"Oh! tell me what is that sighing there so sweet
In the chamber amongst all the maidens?"

"Nothing at all, dear father," said she.
"Only a little baby that I have brought to thee;
And deny it! deny it! I hope you never may,
And I'll show it you early in the morning."

"Oh, was it by a poor man, or was it by a clown,
Or was it by the gentleman who lately came to town,
That gave you that new stomacher to wear beneath your gown
And you rolled it underneath your apron?"

"It was not by a poor man. It was not by a clown;
But it was by the gentleman that lately came to town.
He gave to me a stomacher to wear with my new gown,
And I rolled it underneath my apron."

"Pray, was it in the kitchen, or was it in the hall,
Or was it in the garden among the flowers all,
Where he gave to you the stomacher to wear with your new gown
And you rolled it underneath your apron?"

"It was not in the kitchen; it was not in the hall,
But it was in the garden, among the flowers all,
Where he gave to me the stomacher to wear with my new gown
And I rolled it underneath my apron.

"But now my little boy, he can walk along the street
With his red morocco hose upon his little feet;
And I am not ashamed his father for to meet.
He's my bonny boy from underneath my apron."

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 10:15 AM

A couple of Eighteenth-Century Scots ones come to mind; one is "The rowin' o't in her apron", another "Jenny dang the Wabster" ("Jenny beguiled the Weaver", as the polite would have it):

As I cam in by Fisherrow, Musselburgh wis near me,
I threw aff my mussel-pokes And coorted wi' my dearie,

Up stairs, doon stairs, timmer stairs fear me,
I thocht it lang tae lie my lane, And I sae near my dearie,

Oh, had her apron bidden doun The Kirk wad ne'er hae kent it,
But since the word's gane thro' the toun, My dear, I canna mend it;

Up stairs, &c.


Significance fully to be understood in the context of katlaughing posting of 6th February.

Subject: Lyr Add: UNDERNEATH HER APRON (from Steeleye Span)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 12:17 PM

Steeleye Span (vocal by Maddy Prior) sings a song called UNDERNEATH HER APRON on their album TIME. It's a variant of the one Captain Ginger posted above. I copied these lyrics from a web site called Hour of the Wolf which seems to have a lot of Steeleye Span's songs.

The verses in brackets were not recorded by Steeleye Span; the website doesn't say where they came from.

UNDERNEATH HER APRON

A pretty young girl all in the month of May,
A-gathering rushes just at the break of day,
But before she's come home, she has bore a little son,
And she rolled him underneath her apron.

[Well, she cried on the threshold and she come in at the door,
And she folded in her apron that pretty babe she bore,
Says her father: "Where you been, my pretty daughter Jane,
And what's that you got underneath your apron?"

"Father, dear father, it's nothing," then says she,
"It's only my new gown and that's too long for me,
And I was afraid it would draggle in the dew,
So I rolled it underneath my apron."]*

In the dead of the night when all were fast asleep,
This pretty little baby, oh, it began to weep.
"O what's that little babe that is crying out so shrill
In the bedroom among the pretty maidens?"

"O father, dear father, it's nothing then," said she.
"It's just a little bird that my sister gave to me.
I'll build for it a nest and I'll warm it on my breast,
So it won't wake you early in the May morning."

In the last part of the night, when they were fast asleep,
This pretty little baby again begin to weep.
"Oh, what's that little babe that's crying out so clear
In the bedroom among the pretty maidens?"

"O father, dear father, it's nothing then" said she.
"It's just a little baby that someone gave to me.
Let it lie, let it sleep this night along o' me,
And I'll tell to you its daddy in the May morning."

"Oh, was it by a black man or was it by a brown,
Or was it by a ploughing-boy a-ploughing up and down,
That gave you the stranger you wear with your new gown,
That you rolled up underneath your apron?'

"It wasn't by a black man and it wasn't by a brown.
It was by a sailor lad that ploughs the watery main.
It was him gave me the stranger I wear with my new gown,
That I rolled it underneath my apron."

"Oh, was it in the kitchen got, or was it in the hall?
Was it in the cow-shed or up against the wall?
I wish I had a firebrand to burn the building down
Where you met with him on a May morning."

"It wasn't in the kitchen got, it wasn't in the hall.
It wasn't in the cow-shed nor up again the wall.
It was down by yonder spring where them little birds do sing
That I met with him on a May morning."

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Scrump
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 03:53 AM

I forgot this until I heard it today:

So she cast off her berry-brown gown
Stood naked on the stone
Her apron was low, her haunches round
Her cheeks were pale and wan

Ooerr, missus!

(from Willie O' Winsbury)

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 12:38 AM

"Ramble Away" refers to aprons as well.

Don

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Johnhenry'shammer
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 10:14 PM

Well thanks for clearing that up for me. It all makes sense now.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: GUEST,mick burke
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 11:17 AM

"gave my love my money and I broke her apron strings"
from Stick with me baby , I'll turn your money green - Rev Gary Davis

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Joe_F
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 08:43 PM

In "Dink's Song" and "Careless Love", where there is a progression, the meaning seems clear: The more obviously pregnant she is, the less attractive she is sexually, and the more unpleasant thoughts of responsibility the sight of her forces on him; so he stops coming around. Just like a man.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 06:30 PM

The apron has been the stock garment for hundreds, if not thousands of years for women. It can mean anything from the semi-circular tie apron that "French Maids" wear to something resembling a dress that goes over the whole body. A pocket was a separate piece of clothing - usually a cloth bag that tied or buttoned onto under garments (shift) or into the waistband of an apron. Hence, Lucy Locket lost her pocket. To keep any valuables, women would put them into their pockets and button the pocket to their persons. Therefore, to keep the muslin dress safe (i.e., from being stolen) she'd tuck it into her pocket under her apron. When you get pregnant, the waistband is the first thing to go - not just because of the growing baby, but because your internal organs get squished upwards. Tying something around your waist when pregnant is very uncomfortable so the waistband tends to go under or over the bump. To keep a dress clean, the waistband would be better off above the bump, thus making it look like it's tied "under the chin". As your boobs got bigger, it would make the apron look even higher up the body.

LTS

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: NOMADMan
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 06:05 PM

Greg, I think you are confusing Lucy Wan with Polly Vaughn or Molly Bawn or whatever. The latter ballad relates the story about the accidental shooting of a girlfriend as you said. Lucy Wan (Child #50, Lizie Wan) is a classic incest ballad. In it a young man kills his sister after learning that she is pregnant by him, the result of a presumably consensual relationship. No apron there. The Setting of the Sun is of course the accidental-shooting story.

Regards,
John

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Effsee
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 12:19 PM

A wee bird cam' tae my apron.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: greg stephens
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 12:18 PM

In "The Setting of the Sun"(and other Lucy Wan variants), a man accidentally shoots his girlfriend who is sitting in a bush with her apron over her head: he mistakes her for a swan. Whether she was sheltering from a storm or having a pee, or some other unspecified activity, is not always clear.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Scrump
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 12:07 PM

Bare your breast and await death by trouser leg and compass

Ooerr - which one?

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 11:41 AM

A search for"apron" in DigiTrad produces 57 results.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 07:40 AM

"Six month was over and seven months were past,
This pretty fair maid grew thick about the waist.
She could scarcely lace her stays, nor tie her apron string,
'Twas then that she remembered the bedmaking."

Servant girl in "The Bedmaking" --

"Me father he was a good old man
He sent me to service when I was young.
Me missus and me, we never could agree
Because that me master he would love me."


Linn

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: fat B****rd
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 05:04 AM

Spot on Wilfried Schaum. How could I overlook a song that's been in my front room repertoire for years.
Scrump, me old love. Bare your breast and await death by trouser leg and compass.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Scrump
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 04:49 AM

The Mason's Apron (a reel not a song AFAIK)

I think Apron Strings by Cliff Richard (mentioned above) is about the Freemasons, of which Cliff is a secret member.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 04:46 AM

The Midnight Special: "Yonder comes missie Rosie - How the hell do you know? I know her by her apron ..."

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: fat B****rd
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 03:42 AM

"St. Louis Blues"
"Apron Strings" Cliff Richard

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Captain Ginger
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 02:58 AM

Thus, I think, the orgins are pretty clear - the apron was the item that denoted a working or servant girl; it covered an area which excited the interests of rogues and if they had their evil way there was a risk of pregnancy.
To say 'and now my apron strings won't tie' is perhaps rather more subtle than 'he got me with child,' and is probably more suitable for a female singer in a mixed audience than the blunt alternative, in that she can be as demure or as suggestive as she likes - either blushing demurely or winking lewdly as she delivers the line.
I've often associated such apron songs with the cuckoo's nest variety, where again an element of euphemism is used to suggest sexuality.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Captain Ginger
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 02:52 AM

There's a vulgar version from, I think, Oxfordshire, that I learned many years ago. It follows a very familiar pattern...

Pretty little Mary, sweeping up the room,
She untied her apron strings to make a bit of room.
In comes the master and unto her did say,
'What's trhat you've got there underneath your apron?'

'Master, Oh Master, Oh master,' then says she,
'It's nothing but a muslin gown my mother sent to me.
I had nowhere to keep it, to keep it safe from harm,
So I tucked it snugly underneath my apron.'

But then a few months later a baby boy was born,
Born without a father, without a name at all.
Back comes the master and unto her did say,
'Now I see what you had underneath your apron.

'Was it in the parlour, was it in the hall,
Was it in the drawing room or in the house at all?'
'Oh no it was in the garden, up against the wall,
That he tucked it snugly underneath my apron.'

'Was it by a tinker, or was it by a clown,
Was it by a soldier who fights for England's crown?'
'Oh no it was by a sailor, who sails the raging main,
And he tucked it snugly underneath my apron.'

So come all you fair maids, this warning take by me,
Never trust a sailor lad an inch above your knee,
For if you do you'll rue the day, he'll leave you in the lurch
Once he's tucked it snugly underneath your apron.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: mg
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 01:29 AM

but now that my apron's up to my chin
I knock at the door but he won't come in?//

She's like the swallow

until she had her apron full

Subject: RE: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Padre
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 12:51 AM

"now my apron strings won't pin" - she's pregnant

Padre
(formerly a Navy corpsman)

Subject: Origins: Lyrics involving aprons
From: Johnhenry'shammer
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 12:41 AM

I've been listening to and learning folk music for a while now and a lot of times I'll come across a lyric like these from Dink's Song, "One I wore my apron low/I couldn't keep you from my door/Now my apron is up to my chin/You see my door but you won't come in." I've heard something like that in a few other songs too (Careless Love comes to mind) but I've never really thought much of it until now. I guess I'm just wondering what the hell that means and where it comes from. Thanks.