Signora
Written & Composed by Merson, O’connor and Ross
john Howarth vocal; Gerry Kearns chorus & guitar; Larry Kearns chorus & mandolin
I’m in love with the fair - est Sig – nor - a,
And she is such a dear little soul.
She thinks that I’m an It – al - ian too,
That’s why she loves me top – hole.
Her fa - ther he lik - eth me not;
Of him I am daily in fear,
So I wait till mid - night until he’s in bed,
Then I warble this song to my dear.
Chorus
“Sig – nor - - a, Sig – nor - - a,
Are you coming home tonight?
Sig – nor - - a, Sig – nor - - a,
I’m here in the pale moon-light.
If your father, Spa – get – ti, won’t give his concent,
And says that can’t marry me,
I’ll start a ven – det – ta, and stick my stil – let – ah
In a nice little place he will nev – er for – get – ah!
Sig – nor - - a, my love, I am waiting anxiously,
So slip on your cam – i – so – la, jump in my gon – do – la,
And bunk – a – doo – dle – I – do with me.”
The first time I met this Sig – nor – a
She was so busy making ice – cream.
I said “Oh, my!” and she threw the glad eye,
And then started love’s young dream.
On the freez – er we sat mak – ing love;
She was just warm – ing up to me when
The freez – er col – laps’d and she fell in the ice.
Oh, ye gods! She was cool to me then.
Chorus
The fa – ther of my sweet Sig – nor – a
Has a mon – key that they call Hit – chy Koo.
I’ll nev – er for – get the first time we met,
And I think he’ll re – mem – ber it too.
She said, “Let me in – tro – duce dad.”
‘Twas then the old man got a jar;
I made a mis – take and shook hands with the mon – key,
And then threw some nuts at her pa.
Chorus
“Sig – nor - - a, Sig – nor - - a,
Are you coming home tonight?
Sig – nor - - a, Sig – nor - - a,
I’m here in the pale moon-light.
If your father, Spa – get – ti, won’t give his concent,
And says that can’t marry me,
I’ll start a ven – det – ta, and stick my stil – let – ah
In a nice little place he will nev – er for – get – ah!
Sig – nor - - a, my love, I am waiting anxiously,
So slip on your cam – i – so – la, jump in my gon – do – la,
And bunk – a – doo – dle – I – do with me.” “Sig – me.”
Written & Composed by Merson, O’connor and Ross
Written & Composed by Merson, O’connor and Ross
john Howarth vocal; Gerry Kearns chorus & guitar; Larry Kearns chorus & mandolin
I’m in love with the fair - est Sig – nor - a,
And she is such a dear little soul.
She thinks that I’m an It – al - ian too,
That’s why she loves me top – hole.
Her fa - ther he lik - eth me not;
Of him I am daily in fear,
So I wait till mid - night until he’s in bed,
Then I warble this song to my dear.
Chorus
“Sig – nor - - a, Sig – nor - - a,
Are you coming home tonight?
Sig – nor - - a, Sig – nor - - a,
I’m here in the pale moon-light.
If your father, Spa – get – ti, won’t give his concent,
And says that can’t marry me,
I’ll start a ven – det – ta, and stick my stil – let – ah
In a nice little place he will nev – er for – get – ah!
Sig – nor - - a, my love, I am waiting anxiously,
So slip on your cam – i – so – la, jump in my gon – do – la,
And bunk – a – doo – dle – I – do with me.”
The first time I met this Sig – nor – a
She was so busy making ice – cream.
I said “Oh, my!” and she threw the glad eye,
And then started love’s young dream.
On the freez – er we sat mak – ing love;
She was just warm – ing up to me when
The freez – er col – laps’d and she fell in the ice.
Oh, ye gods! She was cool to me then.
Chorus
The fa – ther of my sweet Sig – nor – a
Has a mon – key that they call Hit – chy Koo.
I’ll nev – er for – get the first time we met,
And I think he’ll re – mem – ber it too.
She said, “Let me in – tro – duce dad.”
‘Twas then the old man got a jar;
I made a mis – take and shook hands with the mon – key,
And then threw some nuts at her pa.
Chorus
“Sig – nor - - a, Sig – nor - - a,
Are you coming home tonight?
Sig – nor - - a, Sig – nor - - a,
I’m here in the pale moon-light.
If your father, Spa – get – ti, won’t give his concent,
And says that can’t marry me,
I’ll start a ven – det – ta, and stick my stil – let – ah
In a nice little place he will nev – er for – get – ah!
Sig – nor - - a, my love, I am waiting anxiously,
So slip on your cam – i – so – la, jump in my gon – do – la,
And bunk – a – doo – dle – I – do with me.” “Sig – me.”
Written & Composed by Merson, O’connor and Ross
Though by no means an Oldham song Signora lends itself very easily to John’s Oldham Interpretation swell as to guitar and mandolin accompaniment. Signora was a famous song of pub singers in Oldham between the wars and both John and Larry have heard it sung recently by pensioners in pubs. The song was written and composed by Person, O’Connor and Ross and was originally sung by Billy Merson. It was copyrighted in 1919 by Francis, Day and Hunter.
Signora
First published by TOPIC 1975
Produced by Tony Engle
Recorded by Tony Engle, London, July 1975
Side 2 track 6, ‘For Old Time’s Sake’ recorded by Pete Johnson at
Piccadilly Radio Studios, July 1975
Notes by The Oldham Tinkers and A.L. Lloyd
Sleeve désigne by Tony Engle
Sleeve picture ‘Children’s Games by Tom Dodson, courtesy of Bell
Galleries Publications.
Released as a CD 2006
FOR OLD TIMES’S SAKE 2006 PIERCD 507
Pier Records is a Wooden Hill Recordings Ltd label
Released under license from Topic Records Ltd, England.
Signora
Vocal John Howarth; Guitar Gerry Kearns; Mandolin Larry Kearns.
First published by TOPIC 1975
Produced by Tony Engle
Recorded by Tony Engle, London, July 1975
Side 2 track 6, ‘For Old Time’s Sake’ recorded by Pete Johnson at
Piccadilly Radio Studios, July 1975
Notes by The Oldham Tinkers and A.L. Lloyd
Sleeve désigne by Tony Engle
Sleeve picture ‘Children’s Games by Tom Dodson, courtesy of Bell
Galleries Publications.
Released as a CD 2006
FOR OLD TIMES’S SAKE 2006 PIERCD 507
Pier Records is a Wooden Hill Recordings Ltd label
Released under license from Topic Records Ltd, England.
Signora
Vocal John Howarth; Guitar Gerry Kearns; Mandolin Larry Kearns.