Lyrics req'd - Lavender Trousers

[Dave Hunt]

>Subject: Lyrics req'd - Lavender Trousers
>From: "Jem" jeremy.turner@***NOSPAM***btinternet.com
>Date: 28/06/02 21:46 GMT Daylight Time
>Message-id: <3d1b77b8$0$234$cc9e...@news.dial.pipex.com>
>
>Hi
>
>There is an old folk song that my grandad used to sing called "Lavender
>trousers"
>
>The first bit goes...
>
>Late one night I travelled into Lipton, all the girls they stared at me.
>Who's that bloke in Lavender trousers, He's Henry the Eighth of Lipton see.
>
>I do know a few more of the words which I would be happy to supply if the
>first couple of lines ring a bell with anyone.
>
>I'm afraid that my Grandad isn't here anymore and I would like to be able to
>find the words for the rest of the song.
>
>Any help is much appreciated.
>
>Cheers
>

Was sung by Cosmotheka a few years ago...don't know if they ever recorded it.
Dave Hunt...Shropshire
----share what you know...learn what you don't----

[magwich]

On 28 Jun 2002 00:15:04 GMT, dave...@aol.comnospam (Dave Hunt)
wrote:

I seem to recall that Al learned it for Billy Cotton as it was one of
his favorites songs. I too don't think that it has been recorded, but
they did sing it at Bromyard about three years ago.

Steve
Magwich

[Tom Brown]

"Jem" <jeremy.turner@***NOSPAM***btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:3d1b77b8$0$234$cc9e...@news.dial.pipex.com...

> Hi
>
> There is an old folk song that my grandad used to sing called "Lavender
> trousers"
>
> The first bit goes...
>
> Late one night I travelled into Lipton, all the girls they stared at me.
> Who's that bloke in Lavender trousers, He's Henry the Eighth of Lipton
see.
>
> I do know a few more of the words which I would be happy to supply if the
> first couple of lines ring a bell with anyone.
>
> I'm afraid that my Grandad isn't here anymore and I would like to be able
to
> find the words for the rest of the song.
>
> Any help is much appreciated.
>
> Cheers
>

> Jem

This is how we've sung the song for nearly twenty years now. The words
obviously aren't exactly what your grandfather sang - sorry! I've always
assumed that it was a late music hall/early variety song.

We originally got it from a guy who then lived on the Isle of Wight and said
that his uncle had written it, but we've come across it in various guises
since, including a fragment in an autobiography of a lock-keeper's daughter
in Northamptonshire, and also from someone who had an extra verse which we
never got around to learning.

Enjoy!

Barbara

LAVENDER TROUSERS

I know what you're looking at me for,
What you've got your eyes on I can tell.
You're all looking at me lavender trousers;
You all wish you had a pair as well.
My grandfather gave 'em to me so I would look a toff.
Since that day till the day I die,
I swore I'd never take 'em off.
Oh, in these old lavender trousers
I've often skipped and skittered;
I've drunk brown ale and I've drunk champagne
And I've twice been vaccinated.
I've been up the pole, down the drain;
I won the heart of Mary Jane,
Yes, I won the heart of Mary Jane
In these old lavender trousers.
La-di-dah, la-di-dah, la-di-da-di-da-di-doh.

One fine day I walked into Lipton's;
Didn't have a penny or a bean,
Crept behind the counter,
I thought I was not seen,
And it's down me legs, well, I stuffed some eggs
And a pound of margarine.
Oh, in these old lavender trousers,
My state was simply shocking,
'Cos the margarine, well, it was turning green,
And it was running down my stocking.
Then the manager he sent for the boys in blue,
'Cos ten little chicks went cock-a-doodle-doo,
Yes, ten little chicks went cock-a-doodle-doo
In these old lavender trousers.

One fine day I took a trip to Blackpool;
Didn't have a case nor a portmanteau,
Stuffed all the things down the back of me trousers;
I was a travelling portmanteau.
When we got to the station, well, me wife she had a brain;
Said, 'Now look you, Hughie, don't you pay for Sammy.
Just a-smuggle him on the train.'
So in these old lavender trousers
I stuffed our little Sammy.
I walked right through, only paid for two,
That's meself and his dear mammy,
And then when the guard he came around,
He got me pinched and fined a pound,
'Cos he stuck his nose through a hole he'd found
In these old lavender trousers.

Songs of the West Country and more!
Tom & Barbara Brown, Trafalgar House, Castle Street, Combe Martin, N. Devon
Tel: 01271 882366/07977 914736
E-mail: tomand...@umbermusic.co.uk
Website: www.umbermusic.co.uk

[Mary Barr]

"Tom Brown" <tom.b...@virgin.net> wrote in message news:<guUT8.9$Y_....@newsfep1-win.server.ntli.net>...

Thanks for the words Barbara I well remember Ron Spicer singing it
regularly. Now no-one does it.

[Tom Brown]

"Mary Barr" <maryba...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:a780fff9.02071...@posting.google.com...

also from someone who had an extra verse which we
> > never got around to learning.
>

> Thanks for the words Barbara I well remember Ron Spicer singing it
> regularly. Now no-one does it.

Mary, that someone who had an extra verse was Den Giddens, who you must come
across fairly frequently, I imagine.

If you do, and he's willing to give it to you, I'd be really grateful if you
could e-mail it to me, as it got lost in our house move. We'd really like
to have it, even if we never get round to learning.

Many thanks, in anticipation.

Barbara

[wooddes...@gmail.com]

Hi, My dad always sang one verse of it at our family gatherings years ago and I didn't know there was any more to it. This is his interpretation of it:

What do you think they're lookin' at me for
What they're lookin' at I can't tell
Perhaps its these old lavender trousers
Betcha on me life I look a swell

My Grandpop gave them to me when I was just a tot
Then he said 'til I was dead I should never never take them off
Oh up in these I toddled off to Lipton's somebody shouted "Who's that kid"
Who's that kid in the lavender trousers, Henry the eigth or Lipton's pig

Round the counter I did go so's I should not be seen
Down my legs I slipped some eggs and a roll of margarine

In these old lavender trousers I bet I did look shockin'
The margarine was turning green and running down me stockin'
Lipton called for the man in blue and all those eggs were hatchin' too
And all those ducks went Quacka-doodle-doo in these old lavender trousers.....

Sue, originally from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. Maybe the words change in different regions and does Lipton's refer to the tea or grocers company?....
Best Wishes.....

[fiona...@gmail.com]

This is an old music hall song that my family have sung for as long as I can remember - a real family favourite! We taught it to some American friends who were living over here for a time in the 70s - they're back in America now but we always sing it when we're together.

I was delighted only last weekend to discover that the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain had recorded on their 'Lousy War' album commemorating 100 years since the start of the first world war. Everyone seems to have a slightly different version of the lyrics but it's a great old song that, I suspect, will be in my family - and that of our American friends - for many years to come!