John Willie's Ragtime Band
John Willie’s Ragtime Band
Sung by John Howarth, chorus by Larry Kearns (mandolin)& Gerry Kearns chorus &(guitar)
Talk about your ragtime brass-band,
Your cigar-band,
And your 'att-band,
We've got a band that's over this way,
It's a band down our way.
Talk about your ragtime trombone,
And your wish-bone,
And your fish-bone,
When you've all done playin' you can 'old your breath,
We've got all the other fella's skinned t'death,
'Cos I skinned them all myself.
Chorus
Oh, oh, John Willie's ragtime band,
Oh, oh, John Willie's ragtime band,
'Ear us, when we play on Wigan Pier,
Mill-girls flock around and give a cheer,
And the colliers, all shout "by gum,
'Ear, 'ear,
Itchycoo,
Itchycoo,
Itchycoo!"
We dress just like the 'orse guards blue,
We've won gold cups, and saucers, too!
In Bury, now, they do it grand,
They 'opp 'round with black puddin's in their 'ands,
When they hear John Willie's ragtime band,
Baby, dear, listen 'ear, ZIM!
Chorus
Oh, oh, John Willie's ragtime band,
When we play, all the people faint away.
Oh, oh, John Willie's ragtime band,
What a mob, when we're out up on the job,
'Ear us, when we play on Wigan Pier,
Mill-girls flock around and give a cheer,
And the colliers, all shout "by gum,
'Ear, 'ear,
Itchycoo,
Itchycoo,
Mine's a beer!"
We dress just like the 'orse guards blue
Swagger tops and a pair of Nabbage clogs,
We've won gold cups, and saucers, too,
No mistake, we're the lads to take the cake!
In Bolton, now, the know a lot,
With a cowheel in their 'ands, they can to the Turkey Trot,
When they hear John Willie's ragtime band!
Baby dear,
Listen hear,
ZIM.
Sung by John Howarth, chorus by Larry Kearns (mandolin)& Gerry Kearns chorus &(guitar)
Talk about your ragtime brass-band,
Your cigar-band,
And your 'att-band,
We've got a band that's over this way,
It's a band down our way.
Talk about your ragtime trombone,
And your wish-bone,
And your fish-bone,
When you've all done playin' you can 'old your breath,
We've got all the other fella's skinned t'death,
'Cos I skinned them all myself.
Chorus
Oh, oh, John Willie's ragtime band,
Oh, oh, John Willie's ragtime band,
'Ear us, when we play on Wigan Pier,
Mill-girls flock around and give a cheer,
And the colliers, all shout "by gum,
'Ear, 'ear,
Itchycoo,
Itchycoo,
Itchycoo!"
We dress just like the 'orse guards blue,
We've won gold cups, and saucers, too!
In Bury, now, they do it grand,
They 'opp 'round with black puddin's in their 'ands,
When they hear John Willie's ragtime band,
Baby, dear, listen 'ear, ZIM!
Chorus
Oh, oh, John Willie's ragtime band,
When we play, all the people faint away.
Oh, oh, John Willie's ragtime band,
What a mob, when we're out up on the job,
'Ear us, when we play on Wigan Pier,
Mill-girls flock around and give a cheer,
And the colliers, all shout "by gum,
'Ear, 'ear,
Itchycoo,
Itchycoo,
Mine's a beer!"
We dress just like the 'orse guards blue
Swagger tops and a pair of Nabbage clogs,
We've won gold cups, and saucers, too,
No mistake, we're the lads to take the cake!
In Bolton, now, the know a lot,
With a cowheel in their 'ands, they can to the Turkey Trot,
When they hear John Willie's ragtime band!
Baby dear,
Listen hear,
ZIM.
John Willie’s Ragtime Band: LP notes
Already in the early years of the present century a number of kazoo bands came into being, notably in the coalmining and textile areas, though it wasn’t until the Depression years of the 1930s that they attained their full flourish. By then, the music was made partly as a means of filling in the empty workless hours, and partly as a fundraiser to supplement the meager dole. Originally, they were simply carnival bands, and as such they still turn out in force at Oldham’s annual carnival. George Formby senior first recorded this song in 1916, when kazoo bands were popular in the Wigan neighbourhood. ‘Ragtime’ doesn’t mean Scott Joplin; it merely means ;bizarre’. The bizarre kazoo
CD notes
George Formby Senior recorded this in 1916. Even today troups of girls dressed prettily as toy soldiers or majorettes feature in northern carnivals and fetes. Some dance, others march artistically in military formation in tune to their own music, played on kazoos. These are often called jazz bands and have their origin in America. They had a boom in Lancashire in the 1930’s when they were a mixed affair
Already in the early years of the present century a number of kazoo bands came into being, notably in the coalmining and textile areas, though it wasn’t until the Depression years of the 1930s that they attained their full flourish. By then, the music was made partly as a means of filling in the empty workless hours, and partly as a fundraiser to supplement the meager dole. Originally, they were simply carnival bands, and as such they still turn out in force at Oldham’s annual carnival. George Formby senior first recorded this song in 1916, when kazoo bands were popular in the Wigan neighbourhood. ‘Ragtime’ doesn’t mean Scott Joplin; it merely means ;bizarre’. The bizarre kazoo
CD notes
George Formby Senior recorded this in 1916. Even today troups of girls dressed prettily as toy soldiers or majorettes feature in northern carnivals and fetes. Some dance, others march artistically in military formation in tune to their own music, played on kazoos. These are often called jazz bands and have their origin in America. They had a boom in Lancashire in the 1930’s when they were a mixed affair
John Willie’s Ragtime Band
Sung by John Howarth, chorus by Larry Kearns (guitar)& Gerry Kearns (mandolin)
First published by Topic Records 1974
Best O’T’ Bunch LP 12TS237 STEREO
The Oldham Tinkers
(John Howarth, Larry Kearns, Gerry Kearns)
Back Street Songs of Lancashire
First published by Topic Records 1974
Recorded at Livingstone Studios
Produced by Tony Engle
Sleeve design by Ken Lees
Sleeve illustration by Jim Andrew
Notes by A L Lloyd and The Oldham Tinkers
Topic Records Limited
Re-released on C.D. by Pier Records in 2003 under licence from Topic Records Ltd, England.
The C.D. The Oldham Tinkers, ‘Best O’ T’ Bunch’ Back Street Songs of Lancashire. PIERCD 506
A classic Lancashire folk album, available for the first time on CD, with four bonus tracks and full song notes by the band and A. L. Lloyd.