IT'S ONE OF THE RUINS THAT CROMWELL KNOCKED ABOUT A BIT
(Harry Bedford (m & l) Terry Sullivan (l) 1921)




I'm very, very fond of ruins, ruins I love to scan,
You'd say I'm very fond of ruins if you saw my old man;
I went out in the country for a stroll the other day,
I love to study history and pubs along the way.
I came across an abbey that was crumbled all to bits,
It look'd a relic of a byegone day,
A gentleman said "What is this?", I said "Excuse me sir,
I'll tell you all about it if I may":

It's a bit of a ruin that Cromwell knock'd about a bit,
One that Oliver Cromwell knock'd about a bit.
In the gay old days there used to be some doings,
No wonder that the poor old abbey went to ruins.
Those who've studied hist'ry sing and shout of it,
And you can bet your life there isn't a doubt of it.
Outside of the Oliver Cromwell last Saturday night,
I was one of the ruins that Cromwell knock'd about a bit.

I show'd him round the ruins, and explain'd to him its charms,
He said "Let's adjourn and call at the common Cromwell Arms".
So in the Cromwell Arms we spent the best part of the day,
I soon found out the landlord's name was Cromwell, by the way.
The landlord started arguing on Cromwell and his men,
Till I said "Is this Cromwell fellow Dead?".
He threw us out, and when I came to on the grass outside,
I looked up at the abbey and I said:

I'm a bit of a ruin that Cromwell knock'd about a bit,
One that Oliver Cromwell knock'd about a bit.
In the gay old days there used to be some doings,
No wonder that the poor old abbey went to ruins.
Those who've studied hist'ry sing and shout of it,
And you can bet your life there isn't a doubt of it.
Outside of the Oliver Cromwell last Saturday night,
I was one of the ruins that Cromwell knock'd about a bit.

I went back to the Cromwell Arms and doubled up my fist,
The potman's name was Oliver and he's always on the twist.
I said "I've come to see the ruins, that's all that I'm about",
He said "You'll be a lovely ruin if you don't go out!".
I told him and the landlord they'd be better in a home,
I said "You've both got Cromwell on the brain".
Then something seem'd to fall And I thought I had collaps'd,
I murmur'd As I came round once again:

I'm a bit of a ruin that Cromwell knock'd about a bit,
One that Oliver Cromwell knock'd about a bit.
In the gay old days there used to be some doings,
No wonder that the poor old abbey went to ruins.
Those who've studied hist'ry sing and shout of it,
And you can bet your life there isn't a doubt of it.
Outside of the Oliver Cromwell last Saturday night,
I was one of the ruins that Cromwell knock'd about a bit.


Note - alternative first two lines for male vocalist

I'm very, very fond of ruins anyone here can tell,
You'd know I'm very fond of ruins if you saw my old gal;





(Contributed by Peter Akers - March 2016)