BOY IN THE GALLERY, THE
George Ware 1885
The boy I love is up in the gallery,
The boy I love is looking now at me.
There he is, can't you see?
Waving his handkerchief,
As merry as a robin that sings on a tree!
Now the boy that I love, they call him a cobbler,
But he's not a cobbler, allow me to state!
For Johnny is a tradesman and he works in the Borough,
Where they sole and heel them while you wait!
The boy I love is up in the gallery,
The boy I love is looking now at me.
There he is, can't you see?
Waving his handkerchief,
As merry as a robin that sings on a tree!
Now if I were a duchess and had a lot of money,
I'd give it to the boy who's going to marry me!
But I haven't got a penny so we'll live on love and kisses,
And be just as happy as the birds on the tree!
The boy I love is up in the gallery,
The boy I love is looking now at me.
There he is, can't you see?
Waving his handkerchief,
As merry as a robin that sings on a tree!
notes -
Old music hall song written for Nellie Power
but made famous by Marie Lloyd
Lyrics as published by EMI Music Publishers London 1977
"Borough" is probably Borough Market in Southwark London
Recorded many times, "recently" by Pat Kirkwood
with Ken Moule (piano) April 1977 London
(Contributed by Peter Akers - April 2013)