London songs

First outing to Chatsworth Road Market, the day after moving to London from Barcelona. Image: unraveller.

I’ve lived in London on three occasions: first in poverty and fear in squats on Upper Street and Stamford Hill, then in somewhat improved circumstances as a merchant banker, and now as a translator and grinder. These songs and my act reflect bits of that experience.

Please note:

All these street organ arrangements for my modifed Topsy 3 are home-made. Contact me if you want a custom arrangement - whether a modification of a number below or something new - for your own street organ, musical box, barrel piano, or whatever.
The MP3s below use Virtual Studio Technology: this is NOT the real sound, and someone needs to sing!
Lyrics or translations can be displayed live on a screen, karaoke-style.

Title	Artist	La	Year	Comments
My pervert doppelganger	Momus	en	1997	Best song to mention Smithfield market, 'where refrigerated lorries unload dead cows.'
I can get along without you	Chas and Dave	en	1989	Great ballad from the kings of London pub rock
Clever Trevor	Ian Dury	en	1977
I'm happy	Ivor Cutler	en	1967	And I'll punch the man who says I'm not. A boxing classic to be.
Darling, will you marry me twice?	Ivor Cutler	en	1967	Cartesian doctrine in micro format.
I'm going in a field	Ivor Cutler	en	1967	Green grass, yellow flowers / My lover’s eyes are blue.
Goldilocks and the three bears	Afferbeck Lauder	en	1965	In English, but also in Australian or Strine: Girldie Larks, Girldie Larks, where have you been? / I beat up London and vented my spleen, / And then I cummome menai harrased the Behrs; / I yay tarp their porridge and bro karp their chairs. / I savaged the beds and I tordan the fences. / And frightened a little mouse out of its senses.
London is the place for me	Lord Kitchener	en	1948	Sung by Lord Kitchener as he came off the Windrush at Tilbury Docks on June 21, 1948 Video, possibly from another time or person:
The Spring (Arrangements) Bill	A.P. Herbert / The Singing Organ-Grinder	en	1936	Universal basic income, old style: If any person feels he must get out of London now or bust, because the Spring is in his bones, but he must work for Mr. Jones, it shall be lawful for the same to give the Treasury his name, and say 'Upon sufficient grounds I want about a hundred pounds': and there shall not be any fuss concerning sums expended thus.
Isle of Capri / C'est à Capri	Will Grosz / Jimmy Kennedy / Lew Stone	en nl fr	1934	Sometimes with lyrics featuring the River Lea / Lee in East London: Twas on the banks of the Lea that I met her / Under the shade of an old apple tree / Now I can still hear the sirens around me / As I lie bleeding in A and E.
My old man said follow the van	Marie Lloyd / Lily Morris	en	1919	For Josep Viladot, great Londoner, exiled in Gracia, Barcelona.
Two lovely black eyes / Twee ogen zo blauw	Charles Coborn / Willy Derby	en nl	1886	I learnt the Dutch lyrics first, but my Dad croons this Gladstonian warning by an East End comedian of the dangers of politics: Two lovely black eyes! / Oh! what a surprise! / Only for telling a man he was wrong, / Two lovely black eyes!
The knocker-up	Anon		1880	How did factory workers get out of bed before alarm clocks?
Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?	Trad.	en	1805	Cats and mice
The Barrel-Organ	Charles Dibdin	en	1802	Parody of a London German organ-grinder, who intersperses his song with other Dibdin songs: De midshipman wid de pretty girl, / He say for a tune are you willing; / So I pull out de stop and I grind and I twirl, / And all to get an odd chilling.
London Bridge is falling down	Trad.	en	1750ish (lyrics) / 1879 (tune)
Oranges and lemons	Trad.	en	1744?	Games and dances
A roaring boy's description	Samuel Rowlands	en	1612	London hooligans, from 'A Paire of Spy-Knaves'

Update: 2023/03/06