What a rotten song ...

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Up the Junction
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What a rotten song ...

Post by Up the Junction »

Poster: Dave 'Grim Up North' Challoner
Posted: 01 Jul 2002

Information about 'Knees Up Mother Brown' described as a 'novelty dance of the 1930s' - folk Dance circa 1938. Known as "Party Dances" they are a traditional form of dancing, as old as the likes of Morris dancing and the German Liederhosen face slapping, chinhair tweaking dances.

Knees Up Mother Brown was made even more popular by "Pop" artists such as Winifred Atwell a.k.a. "Wonderful Winnie" circa the 1950's.

Originally the song is said to be of Scotch origin. A drinking and social song of some novelty factor.

It is also known quite widely as "Knees up, Mother Brown" and just plain old "Mother Brown" and is well known for being an anonymously written tune in the same style as "Roll me over".

There are actually several version of the tune, it having spread far and wide. This version is attributed to a Mr.Anthony Hopkins himself though I couldn't say if it was the genuine article for it is referred to as a Drinking song for Canadian Servicemen:

Oh, knees up, Mother Brown, Knees up, Mother Brown. Come along, dearie, let it go, Ee-I-Ee-I-Ee-I-O. It's your blooming birthday, Let's wake up all the town, So, knees up, knees up, Don't get the breeze up, Knees up, Mother Brown.

However, another version is reported by a 1950's London entertainer Mr.Howard Roberts as:

Knees up, Mother Brown, Knees up, Mother Brown, Under the table you must go, E-i, E-i, E-i-o. If I catch you standing, I'll saw your legs right off, Knees up, knees up, Don't get the breeze up, Knees up Mother Brown.

Knees up, Mother Brown, Knees up, Mother Brown, Under the table you must go, E-i, E-i, E-i-o. If I catch you bending I'll pull your drawers right off Knees up, knees up, Don't get the breeze up, Knees up Mother Brown.

Basically the song implies you're going to drink until you collapse. If you're not dancing, then you're going to have your legs cut off and if you start to bend (i.e. get tired and weary) then thay're rip your nicks off and put the wind up you.

Something like that anyway.

If you want it properly converting and explaining then I'll do some proper searching/researching and analysing.

Before you ask - I'm an English Lit student.
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