IT'S A GREAT BIG SHAME
(Edgar Bateman / George Le Brunn)


Gus Elen - 1895 (English Music Hall)
Arthur Lally & The Million- Airs - 1931
Gus Elen - 1931
Warren Mitchell - 1967
Dave & Al Sealey - 1999

Also recorded by: Roy Hudd; The Dead Victorians; 
The Mike Sammes Singers; Ronald Hearn.





I've lost my pal, 'e's the best in all the tahn
But don't you fink 'im dead, becos 'e ain't
But since 'e's wed 'e 'as 'ad ter knuckle dahn
It's enuf ter vex the temper of a saint
'E's a brewers drayman, wiv a leg o' mutton fist
An' as strong as a bullick or an 'orse
Yet in 'er 'ands 'e's like a little kid
Oh, I wish as I could get 'im a divorce

Well, it's a great big shame, an' if she belong'd ter me
I'd let 'er know oo's oo
Naggin' at a feller wot is six foot free
And her only four foot two
They 'adn't been married not a month nor more
When underneath her fumb goes Jim
Oh, isn't it a pity as the likes ov 'er
Should put upon the likes ov 'im

Now Jim was class,  'e could sing a decent song
And at scrappin' 'e 'ad won some great renown
Well, it took two coppers for to make 'im move along
And annuver six to 'old the feller dahn
But today when I axes would 'e come an' 'ave some beer
To the doorstep on tiptoe 'e arrives
"I daresn't," says 'e,  don't shout, for she'll 'ear
I've got ter clean the winders an' the knives"

Well, it's a great big shame, an' if she belong'd ter me
I'd let 'er know oo's oo
Naggin' at a feller wot is six foot free
And her only four foot two
They 'adn't been married not a month nor more
When underneath her fumb goes Jim
Oh, isn't it a pity as the likes ov 'er
Should put upon the likes ov 'im

It's a great big shame, an' if she belong'd ter me
I'd let 'er know oo's oo
Naggin' at a feller wot is six foot free
And her only four foot two
They 'adn't been married not a month nor more
When underneath her fumb goes Jim
Oh, isn't it a pity as the likes ov 'er
Should put upon the likes ov 'im


********************


EXTRA VERSE:

On a Sunday morn, wiv a dozen pals or more
'E'd play at pitch an' toss along the Lea
But now she bullies 'im a-scrubbin 'o the floor
Such a change, well I never did see
Wiv apron on 'im, I twigged 'im on 'is knees
A rubbin' up the old 'arf stone
Wot wiv emptyin' the ashes and a shellin' of the peas
I'm blowed if 'e can call 'is self 'is own






(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - September 2014)