Corduroy

Corduroy was a popular song of the mid-19th century; presumably it had its origins in the Music Halls. Bob, Ron and John Copper sang it in 1971 on their Leader Records box set A Song for Every Season. Bob Copper also printed this song in 1976 in his book Early to Rise: A Sussex Boyhood.

Jon Boden learned Corduroy from the Copper Family's album and sang it as the March 9, 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

Lyrics

My father was fond of lush and he emptied many a butt
And for to get a suit of togs we had to stinge our guts.
Ofttimes my mother and I dined off a saveloy
To save up the browns to buy me a suit of corduroy.

Chorus (after each verse):: Right tiddy fol lol, fol lol, fol lol
Right tiddy fol lol, fol lay
Right tiddy fol lol, fol lol, fol lol
Right tiddy fol lol, fol lay

When father came home at night and drunk we used him rob
And after the course of a week or two we saved up seven bob.
One day my mother did say, come along with me my boy
We will go to Moses and Sons for a suit of corduroy.

We soon picked out a suit the best that we could find
They fitted me very well in front but rather loose behind,
That's no fault said the man for he's a growing boy
And I'll warrant that his behind it will grow to the corduroy.

We quickly fitted them on and my mother she paid the blunt
There was two pockets at the side and a little hole in the front.
As we were walking along all the people they did cry
How very nice he looks in his suit of corduroy.

My mother she used to scold because I had so many faults
And feeling rather queer one day she gave me a dose of salts.
Soon after I was taken short and the buttons did so annoy
And before I could get my trouser down I [raspberry] my corduroy.

When I was out at play one day my pal says to me Jim
Let's go to Battersea park and there we'll have a swim.
As we were swimming about me and this other boy
Some covey hooked it off with my suit of corduroy.

Now as naked as I was born I was taken home in a cart
And when my mother heard the news it nearly broke her heart
She said, you've cooked my goose, you very naughty boy,
I shall never forget the day when you lost your corduroy.

Links

See also the Mudcat Café thread Lyr Req: A Suit of Corduroy's.