TURNED UP
(AKA "(Mary Ellen At The Church) Turned Up")
(Herbert Rule & Harry Castling - 1924)


Recorded by: 
The Two Gilberts; Lily Morris; Florrie Ford; Chas & Dave.






In our little village there has been a tragedy  
Deary, deary me, such a terrible tragedy 
Mary Ellen Bottomley today should have been wed
It's a good job that she didn't, so everybody said

Mary Ellen at the church turned up
Her Mother turned up and her Dad turned up
Her sister Gert and her rich uncle Bert
And the parson in his long white shirt turned up
But no bridegroom with the ring turned up
But a telegraph boy with his nose turned up
Brought a telegram that said, he didn't want to wed
And they'd find him in the river with his toes turned up

The people waiting in the street, they fairly blocked the road
They waited in the road for the money the bridegroom owed
"My heart is broken", cried the bride, so Jim the butcher's son
He rushed into his shop and brought her out another one

Mary Ellen at the church turned up
Her Mother turned up and her Dad turned up
Her sister Gert and her rich uncle Bert
And the parson in his long white shit turned up
But no bridegroom with the ring turned up
But a telegraph boy with his nose turned up
Brought a telegram that said, he didn't want to wed
And they'd find him in the river with his toes turned up

A week went by, then someone learned the bridegroom wasn't drowned
He went around and found John asleep in his bed so sound
His real wife, she was waiting at the church that day, it's true
Said, "If there'd been a wedding, there'd have been a fun'ral too!"

Mary Ellen at the church turned up
Her Mother turned up and her Dad turned up
Her sister Gert and her rich uncle Bert
And the parson in his long white shit turned up
But no bridegroom with the ring turned up
But a telegraph boy with his nose turned up
Brought a telegram that said, he didn't want to wed
And they'd find him in the river with his toes turned up


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


3rd VERSE VARIATION:

Now when a day had passed, they found the bridegroom hadn't drowned
They went around and found, he was sleeping safe and sound
His bride he should have wed there at the church that afternoon
Said, "There wasn't any wedding, but there'll be a funeral soon!"






(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - August 2013)