"Four of Fish and Finger Pie ..." !!!
StevenX
It's my understanding that fish and finger pie is a common liverpool "fast food"
.. and has no sexual connotation whatsoever !!!
A "four" of fish and finger pie refers to the fact that it used to cost four
"quid" ... or four "bob" ... or four "pence" ..or four of some sorta English
coinage !!!
Saki ??? Can you verify ????
StevenX
Edward S. Chen
Get the FAQ (Britguide). It is both. "Four of Fish" is indeed referring
to an order of fried fish, with or without chips. "Finger Pie" contains
the sexual reference. Both were common adolescent rememberances for the
fabs :-)
<ESC>
--
Andres Torres
Edward S. Chen wrote:
> ...
> Get the FAQ (Britguide). It is both. "Four of Fish" is indeed referring
> to an order of fried fish, with or without chips. "Finger Pie" contains
> the sexual reference. Both were common adolescent rememberances for the
> fabs :-)
Where can the FAQ be found?
Joe Caldwell
Andres Torres <#anto...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in article
<322136...@ix.netcom.com>...
You can find a link to *all* the FAQ's on the rec.music.beatles WWW
homepage at URL:
<http://kiwi.imgen.bcm.tmc.edu:8088/public/rmb.html>
--
- Joe Caldwell
yell...@netdoor.com
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
"The sixties wasn't the answer. It just gave us a
glimpse of the possibilities." - John Lennon
8 December 1980
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Spy
StevenX <ste...@alpha.wcoil.com> wrote in article
<4vqutj$f...@tofu.alt.net>...
> A "four" of fish and finger pie refers to the fact that it used to cost
four
> "quid" ... or four "bob" ... or four "pence" ..or four of some sorta
English
> coinage !!!
Surely it's "for a fish and finger pie...". BTW fish fingers are a popular
frozen food. Seems like a simply play on words.
Spy
Michael Yeoman
Michael Yeoman
Dennis Miele
Spy wrote:
>
> StevenX <ste...@alpha.wcoil.com> wrote in article
> <4vqutj$f...@tofu.alt.net>...
>
> > A "four" of fish and finger pie refers to the fact that it used to cost
> four
> > "quid" ... or four "bob" ... or four "pence" ..or four of some sorta
> English
> > coinage !!!
>
> Surely it's "for a fish and finger pie...". BTW fish fingers are a popular
> frozen food. Seems like a simply play on words.
>
No, the first explanation was correct. As for
"finger pies"..use your imagination.
--
Dennis Miele
Project Analyst / Windows NT Administrator
Exxon Research & Engineering
Florham Park , NJ 07932
<< I speak for no one and no one speaks for me >>
kenny kennington
i love this one!
the meaning is a bit rude, and the beatles put it there knowing
the liverpool fans would know that they were being dirty when no
one else in the world did. it's the best part of the song i reckon,
'cos we know exactly what they're refering to when everyone else
thinks it's a harmless play on words.
the penny lane fish and chip shop regularly have people asking
for them, and they don't get much response ;)
___ will.
Walrus
On 30 Aug 1996, Spy wrote:
# StevenX <ste...@alpha.wcoil.com> wrote in article
# <4vqutj$f...@tofu.alt.net>...
#
# > A "four" of fish and finger pie refers to the fact that it used to cost
# four
# > "quid" ... or four "bob" ... or four "pence" ..or four of some sorta
# English
# > coinage !!!
#
# Surely it's "for a fish and finger pie...". BTW fish fingers are a popular
# frozen food. Seems like a simply play on words.
I was always under the impression that the line was "full of fish and
finger pies in summer..." - in other words 'fish and finger pies'
(whatever they may be) are plentiful in Penny Lane in summer. I am not
sure of the actual geography and language of the region in question
(because I am from Down Under), but I listened to the recording and I
thought it was "full..."
////\\ //||\\ //\|\\ ///||\
/`O-O' ` @ @\ //o o// a a
] > ) | ( _)
- - - ~
--------------John--------Paul------George------Ringo-------------
T H E
"I am the Walrus, |\___________/| Walrus:
Goo goo g'joob!" |%%%%%%%%%%%%%| <n159...@sparrow.qut.edu.au>
(The Beatles - 1967) |/ |%| \| <a.s...@student.qut.edu.au>
______ ________ __ |%| ___ ________ _____
\%%%%%\ \%%%%%%%| /%%\ |%| \%/ \%%%%%%%| /%%%%%\
|%/ \%\ |%| |%%%%| |%| |%| |%| |%/ \%|
|%\__/%/ |%|_____ /%/\%\ |%| |%| |%|_____ |%\_____
|%%%%%%\ |%%%%%%%| |%/__\%| |%| |%| |%%%%%%%| \%%%%%%\
|%/ \%\ |%| /%%%%%%\ |%| |%| |%| \%|
|%\___/%/ |%|_____ |%/ \%| |%| |%|____/| |%|_____ |%\___/%|
/%%%%%%/ /%%%%%%%| /%| |%\ |%| /%%%%%%%| /%%%%%%%| \%%%%%%/
|%|
/%\
"Don't steal my thunder..." (me - 1996)
Pau
Walrus wrote:
> I was always under the impression that the line was "full of fish and
> finger pies in summer..." - in other words 'fish and finger pies'
> (whatever they may be) are plentiful in Penny Lane in summer. I am not
> sure of the actual geography and language of the region in question
> (because I am from Down Under), but I listened to the recording and I
> thought it was "full..."
Whoever started this thread should really pick up a copy of the
Blue album. In the booklet, the lyrics for "Penny Lane" goes:
"Full of fish and finger pies"
So it is what I thought: 'full' and not 'four'. But because everyone
was going on and on about the 'four' thing, I kept my mouth shut (Peer
pressure is so great sometimes!). But thanks to Walrus, I got the
courage to check the booklet. Okay, now let's try to resolve this
thread once and for all.
"Penny Lane" was written by Paul as sort of a response to John's
"Strawberry Fields". "Penny Lane" was supposed to have been about
Paul's childhood (did he live on Penny Lane?). I'm guessing that back
then, it (it being his hometown) wasn't too developped and was still
sort of rural. So, "full of fish" either means:
a) He lived near the sea (???)
b) The fish in 'Fish and Chips"
"Finger Pies" probably means either:
a) The chips that went along with the fish
b) The other more 'fecal' type of finger-shaped objects (subtle
enough? :) )
Okay. Hope that resolved some questions. If I'm wrong, correct me
because I ain't no Allan Kozin (sp?) or a Lewisohn.
Pau.
Pau.
Lindsay Milligan
> Whoever started this thread should really pick up a copy of the
> Blue album. In the booklet, the lyrics for "Penny Lane" goes:
>
> "Full of fish and finger pies"
>
"Four of fish and finger pies"
Like other people I didn't want to make a fool of myself, but this week
I've done that on purpose, so what have I got to loose. In my book "A day
in the life" It said something basically saying that it was about the
Beatles themselces. "FOUR OF FISH AND FINGER PIES..." Four Beatles. Get
it? I hope so, otherwise I don't know what's wrong with you. =) there
was more because just the 4 is pretty weak, but as I've said before I have
a terrible memory so we'll just pretend I said it and it's such a hard
fact that you needn't ask any questions!
-Lindsay.
One fell out of the cookoos nest and I pushed 'em. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA !
Stan, Stan is that you?! STAN!!!!
StevenX
Pau <p...@inforamp.net> wrote:
>Walrus wrote:
>> I was always under the impression that the line was "full of fish and
>> finger pies in summer..." - in other words 'fish and finger pies'
>> (whatever they may be) are plentiful in Penny Lane in summer. I am not
>> sure of the actual geography and language of the region in question
>> (because I am from Down Under), but I listened to the recording and I
>> thought it was "full..."
> Whoever started this thread should really pick up a copy of the
>Blue album. In the booklet, the lyrics for "Penny Lane" goes:
> "Full of fish and finger pies"
>So it is what I thought: 'full' and not 'four'. But because everyone
>was going on and on about the 'four' thing, I kept my mouth shut (Peer
>pressure is so great sometimes!). But thanks to Walrus, I got the
>courage to check the booklet. Okay, now let's try to resolve this
>thread once and for all.
Nope ---- according to the lyrics from "The Compleat Beatles" ... it is
"A _four_ of fish and finger pies ...."
The Blue album booklet is apparently in error ....
StevenX
David Goodwin
Walrus <n159...@sparrow.qut.edu.au> wrote:
>On 30 Aug 1996, Spy wrote:
># StevenX <ste...@alpha.wcoil.com> wrote in article
># <4vqutj$f...@tofu.alt.net>...
>#
># > A "four" of fish and finger pie refers to the fact that it used to cost
># four
># > "quid" ... or four "bob" ... or four "pence" ..or four of some sorta
># English
># > coinage !!!
>#
># Surely it's "for a fish and finger pie...". BTW fish fingers are a popular
># frozen food. Seems like a simply play on words.
>I was always under the impression that the line was "full of fish and
>finger pies in summer..." - in other words 'fish and finger pies'
>(whatever they may be) are plentiful in Penny Lane in summer. I am not
>sure of the actual geography and language of the region in question
>(because I am from Down Under), but I listened to the recording and I
>thought it was "full..."
> ////\\ //||\\ //\|\\ ///||\
> /`O-O' ` @ @\ //o o// a a
> ] > ) | ( _)
> - - - ~
> --------------John--------Paul------George------Ringo-------------
> T H E
> "I am the Walrus, |\___________/| Walrus:
> Goo goo g'joob!" |%%%%%%%%%%%%%| <n159...@sparrow.qut.edu.au>
> (The Beatles - 1967) |/ |%| \| <a.s...@student.qut.edu.au>
> ______ ________ __ |%| ___ ________ _____
> \%%%%%\ \%%%%%%%| /%%\ |%| \%/ \%%%%%%%| /%%%%%\
> |%/ \%\ |%| |%%%%| |%| |%| |%| |%/ \%|
> |%\__/%/ |%|_____ /%/\%\ |%| |%| |%|_____ |%\_____
> |%%%%%%\ |%%%%%%%| |%/__\%| |%| |%| |%%%%%%%| \%%%%%%\
> |%/ \%\ |%| /%%%%%%\ |%| |%| |%| \%|
> |%\___/%/ |%|_____ |%/ \%| |%| |%|____/| |%|_____ |%\___/%|
> /%%%%%%/ /%%%%%%%| /%| |%\ |%| /%%%%%%%| /%%%%%%%| \%%%%%%/
> |%|
> /%\
> "Don't steal my thunder..." (me - 1996)
I'm not purposely being a pervert, but I read in a book (I think it
was "Shout") that finger pies was an obscene reference. You guess the
reference <g>...
JWL
John Menzies
My wife, Theresa (the Beatles afficienado of the family), says "finger
pies" are not the scatological items mentioned previously...
..she swears that Paul McCartney is quoted as identifying a "finger pie"
as slang for a vulva....
..afterall, the lads were a bit frisky....
john
Stephen
In article <50o15h$f...@usenetw1.news.prodigy.com>,
John Menzies <BEP...@prodigy.com> wrote:
>..she swears that Paul McCartney is quoted as identifying a "finger pie"
>as slang for a vulva....
>..afterall, the lads were a bit frisky....
Notice that he has the fish _first_, rather than the other way around!
- Steve Pipkin
Daniel Pollak
In article <50fssa$j...@news.ios.com>,
Yes, it was in Shout. I just read it.
-Dan Pollak
dpo...@leland.stanford.edu
Lindsay Milligan
> >> --------------John--------Paul------George------Ringo-------------
> >
> >> T H E
> >> "I am the Walrus, |\___________/| Walrus:
> >> Goo goo g'joob!" |%%%%%%%%%%%%%| <n159...@sparrow.qut.edu.au>
> >> (The Beatles - 1967) |/ |%| \| <a.s...@student.qut.edu.au>
> >> ______ ________ __ |%| ___ ________ _____
> >> \%%%%%\ \%%%%%%%| /%%\ |%| \%/ \%%%%%%%| /%%%%%\
> >> |%/ \%\ |%| |%%%%| |%| |%| |%| |%/ \%|
> >> |%\__/%/ |%|_____ /%/\%\ |%| |%| |%|_____ |%\_____
> >> |%%%%%%\ |%%%%%%%| |%/__\%| |%| |%| |%%%%%%%| \%%%%%%\
> >> |%/ \%\ |%| /%%%%%%\ |%| |%| |%| \%|
> >> |%\___/%/ |%|_____ |%/ \%| |%| |%|____/| |%|_____ |%\___/%|
> >> /%%%%%%/ /%%%%%%%| /%| |%\ |%| /%%%%%%%| /%%%%%%%| \%%%%%%/
> >> |%|
> >> /%\
> >
> >> "Don't steal my thunder..." (me - 1996)
> >
I love that!
> >I'm not purposely being a pervert, but I read in a book (I think it
> >was "Shout") that finger pies was an obscene reference. You guess the
> >reference <g>...
> >
> >JWL
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> Yes, it was in Shout. I just read it.
>
I too have read Shout, because it was on sale for eight bucks, I have
found it to be terribly misinformed. It was based on heresay from eeryone
but the Beatles and even the Beatles couldn't remember everything that
happened.
-Lindsay
--
Aren't you amazed by how incredibly smart I am?!
mma...@lynx.neu.edu
I would agree with the "obscene reference" remark. In Nick Shaffner's
"Beatles Forever," the author mentions that, around or after the
single was released, Mr. McCartney admitted that "he had more than
fire engines in mind when he sang of that patriotic fireman keeping
his 'machine' clean; and 'fish and finger pie' turns out to be
Liverpudlian for a delicacy not to be found on the menu of any
fish-and-chips joint."
just an aside: i believe it's lennon who sings the "in summer" line...
Tony Quinn
In article <517h2d$s...@solaria28.Stanford.EDU>, Daniel Pollak
<dpo...@leland.Stanford.EDU> writes
>
>>I'm not purposely being a pervert, but I read in a book (I think it
>>was "Shout") that finger pies was an obscene reference. You guess the
>>reference <g>...
>>
>>JWL
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>Yes, it was in Shout. I just read it.
>
is wrong it is DEFINITIVELY wrong), 'finger pie' is indeed (or at least was
in the 50's/60's) an obscene reference in Liverpool.
Brought to you direct from Liverpool...............
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tony Quinn --- The Voice of Insanity
replies to tony...@sixpints.demon.co.uk
----------------------------------------------------------------------
FunkyMango
I've never read "Shout", but I have a book called "BeatleSongs", which
gives the nitty gritty on all their stuff, and the book verifies the vulva
thing.
McCartney: "...We put in a joke or two: 'Four of fish and finger pie.'
The women would never dare say that, except to themselves. Most people
wouldn't hear it, but 'finger pie' is just a nice little joke for the
Liverpool lads who like a bit of smut."
from THE BEATLES IN THEIR OWN WORDS,
1978.
Yes, even Paul was a wild child
Roger Mann
> >
> >I'm not purposely being a pervert, but I read in a book (I think it
> >was "Shout") that finger pies was an obscene reference. You guess the
> >reference <g>...
> >
> Yes, it was in Shout. I just read it.
>
Finger pie...lovely.
Russ
My two cents:
The "Blue" album was put out at a time (when the Beatles were the
furthest apart from the whole Fab Four thing) by capitol execs
looking to cash in. I seriously doubt if they had the foresight
or desire to check for accuracy.
I pride myself on being able to interperet lyrics well. I say
"four" or "for", but certainly not "full".
Russ
Joseph Anthony Calderaio
In <51daji$a...@newsbf02.news.aol.com> funky...@aol.com (FunkyMango)
writes:
"Beatlesongs" also mentions that John wrote some of the lyric
(taken from a quote in Hit Parade 1972). I think that the "four of fish
and finger pie ..." line may have been John's.
Some of the lyric for "Penny Lane" may have derived from the
original words written for "In My Life".
>
>Yes, even Paul was a wild child
Of course he was, if you were in the Beatles you had to be. Just
ask Pete Best.
Joe Cal
Roger K Adams
Tony Quinn wrote:
> While Shout may be like the Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy (i.e. when it
> is wrong it is DEFINITIVELY wrong), 'finger pie' is indeed (or at least was
> in the 50's/60's) an obscene reference in Liverpool.
>
> Brought to you direct from Liverpool...............
I concur that it was a common sexual reference in Liverpool, at least in the sixties
when I lived in Liverpool. No point into getting into the details other than to say that
it referred to VERY heavy petting.
Another oddity here is that the words are "four of fish and finger pie", in actuality,
there was no such thing as a four of fish, it would have been a four (penneth), or six,
or nine (etc) of chips. Fish was never that cheap but chips were bought in increments of
a few pence. I have no idea why Paul changed the order to a four of fish as it sounds
just as good as "four of chips and finger pie".
F.Y.I, the better chippies would wrap the fish and chips in paper (wax, I think) and
then overwrap it in newspaper (the Liverpool Echo, or the Daily Mirror, usually). The
grubbier chippies would dispense with the wax paper, and the greasy chips would absorb
the printing ink off the newspaper, to the point that you could actually make out the
printing as a mirror image on the chips, and even the fish if it was greasy enough.
And they say the British don't know how to cook!
Frank
Roger K Adams <rka...@planet.eon.net> informed us:
>Tony Quinn wrote:
>> While Shout may be like the Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy (i.e. when it
>> is wrong it is DEFINITIVELY wrong), 'finger pie' is indeed (or at least was
>> in the 50's/60's) an obscene reference in Liverpool.
>>
>> Brought to you direct from Liverpool...............
>I concur that it was a common sexual reference in Liverpool, at least in the sixties
>when I lived in Liverpool. No point into getting into the details other than to say that
>it referred to VERY heavy petting.
>Another oddity here is that the words are "four of fish and finger pie", in actuality,
>there was no such thing as a four of fish, it would have been a four (penneth), or six,
>or nine (etc) of chips. Fish was never that cheap but chips were bought in increments of
>a few pence. I have no idea why Paul changed the order to a four of fish as it sounds
>just as good as "four of chips and finger pie".
I think of it more as four of fish-and-finger pie - - Fish and finger
modifying pie.
-Frank
Tony Quinn
In article <51jvmb$g...@mtinsc01-mgt.ops.worldnet.att.net>, Frank
<fra...@worldnet.att.net> writes
>sixties
>>when I lived in Liverpool. No point into getting into the details other than to say
>that
>>it referred to VERY heavy petting.
>>Another oddity here is that the words are "four of fish and finger pie", in actuality,
>>there was no such thing as a four of fish, it would have been a four (penneth), or
>six,
>>or nine (etc) of chips. Fish was never that cheap but chips were bought in
>increments of
>>a few pence. I have no idea why Paul changed the order to a four of fish as it
>sounds
>>just as good as "four of chips and finger pie".
>
>I think of it more as four of fish-and-finger pie - - Fish and finger
>modifying pie.
No.... 'finger pie' is definitely a separate item from the 'four of fish'.... the
only modification I have ever heard to the former is an initial 'gorra birra'.
I have to concur with Roger that 'four of fish' never really existed.. but 'four
of chips' doesn't really scan, and memory tells me that in the mid 60's
'four of chips' was a reasonable unit to buy them in - a large portion might
well have been a 'six of chips'.
peter tucker
Roger K Adams wrote:
> Another oddity here is that the words are "four of fish and finger pie", in actuality,
> there was no such thing as a four of fish, it would have been a four (penneth), or six,
> or nine (etc) of chips. Fish was never that cheap but chips were bought in increments of
> a few pence. I have no idea why Paul changed the order to a four of fish as it sounds
> just as good as "four of chips and finger pie".
I'd always thought this was Paul playing with words again, making us see different things
in his lyrics. It works with me anyway - I always think of fish fingers.
Paul's a sly lad :-)
Pete.
Llanfyllin
i thought it was "full" of fish
DGSvoboda
I think the original lyric was:
"For a fish and FLAMING pie...."
heh heh
Dennis Miele
Llanfyllin wrote:
>
> i thought it was "full" of fish
So, I guess you were wrong. :-)
Bobby Briggs
On Sep 19, 1996 05:19:53 in article <Re: "Four of Fish and Finger Pie ..."
Wll youare wrong! (just kidding, hee hee)
-Henry Stewart
ajax...@gmail.com
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3398/fish-and-finger-pie
NezMonkee Love
> There is a British dish called "fish and finger pie" so hopefully this finishes the controversy. Its not sexual at all.
>
> https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3398/fish-and-finger-pie
IBen Getiner
> > <4vqutj$f...@tofu.alt.net>...
> > > A "four" of fish and finger pie refers to the fact that it used to cost
> > > coinage !!!
> > Surely it's "for a fish and finger pie...". BTW fish fingers are a popular
> >
> No, it is officially four of fish and finger pies.
I dunno.... the ocean didn't smell fishy until women started swimming in it.... :)
hector
> There is a British dish called "fish and finger pie" so hopefully this finishes the controversy. Its not sexual at all.
>
> https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3398/fish-and-finger-pie
>
comedy using double entendres.
Nil
rec.music.beatles:
swo...@gmail.com
Paul McCartney, 1967
Anthology
