WOTCHER MY OLD BROWN SON
(Collins / Sheherd 1913)

as recorded by Harry Champion
1914


Now I'm a funny sort o' chap, I never like to be
Mixin' up meself with other people's company.
Whenever I'm a-walkin' out I like to be alone,
I'm as happy as can be when I'm upon me own.
No matter where I am, if I'm a thousand miles away,
Someone's sure to come and slap me on the back and say -

Wotcher me old brown son, 'ow are yer?
Wotcher me old brown son, 'ow are yer?
If you got the money and the time to spare,
Come and 'ave a tiddly at The Old Brown Bear!
You look fine,
Put your 'ands in mine,
Never mind if it weighs a ton!
Why, don't you look a swell,
You are a-lookin' well,
Wotcher me old brown son!

Now the other afternoon, as I was feeling rather blue,
I went to Madame Tussauds' 'cause I'd nothing else to do.
Just to cheer me up I took the wife along with me,
Went to do the chambers, the 'orrors for to see.
I began to tremble when the missus ran away;
As I looked at Charlie Peace I thought I 'eard him say -

Wotcher me old brown son, 'ow are yer?
Wotcher me old brown son, 'ow are yer?
If you got the money and the time to spare,
Come and 'ave a tiddly at The Old Brown Bear!
You look fine,
Put your 'and in mine,
Never mind if it weighs a ton!
Why, don't you look a swell,
You are a-lookin' well,
Wotcher me old brown son!

I shan't forget when I got married, talk about a fight!
Me and my old woman just as happy as you like!
We got to bed, but hadn't been asleep by two before
There was someone down below a-knockin' at the door.
I looked out the window; I said, "What's the matter ay?"
The fellow said, "There's nothing up, I've only called to say -"

Wotcher me old brown son, 'ow are yer?
Wotcher me old brown son, 'ow are yer?
If you got the money and the time to spare,
Come and 'ave a tiddly at The Old Brown Bear!
You look fine,
Put your 'ands in mine,
Never mind if it weighs ten ton, ta-ra-ra!
Don't you look a swell,
You are a-looking well,
Wotcher me old brown son, (scat)!

Wotcher me old brown son, 'ow are yer?
Wotcher me old brown son, 'ow are yer?
If you got the money and the time to spare,
Come and 'ave a tiddly at The Old Brown Bear!
You look fine,
Put your 'ands in mine,
Never mind if it weighs a ton!
Why, don't you look a swell,
You are a-lookin' well,
Wotcher me old brown son!




(Transcribed by Peter Akers - April 2018)