> Peter Bellamy > Songs > The Rigs of London Town
> Tony Rose > Songs > Up to the Rigs
> Bellowhead > Songs > London Town

The Rigs of London Town / Up to the Rigs

[ Roud 868 ; Ballad Index K192 ; trad.]

Norfolk singer Harry Cox sang the broadside song Up to the Rigs of London Town at home in Catfield in October 1953 when Peter Kennedy recorded him. In 2000, this recording was included on Harry Cox's CD What Will Become of England?.

Peter Bellamy sang The Rigs of London Town on his 1969 Topic LP, The Fox Jumps Over the Parson's Gate. A.L. Lloyd commented in the album's sleeve notes:

Country singers have special relish for that large family of songs concerning the seemingly simple fellow—usually a sailor—who turns the tables on the tricksters of the big city. This nineteenth century broadside song has been more favoured by singers than collectors, for it has been often heard but seldom printed. It was one of the masterpieces of the late Charlie Willis of Bridport, and his version [recorded ca. 1952] may be heard on Songs of Seduction (The Folk Songs of Britain Vol. 2, Caedmon 1961, Topic 1968).

E.J. Moeran noted the version from Harry Cox in 1924.

Tony Rose recorded this song under the title Up to the Rigs in 1970 on his first album Young Hunting. A live recording from the Cheltenham Folk Club in 1969 was included in 2008 on his posthumous CD Exe. Tony Rose commented in the original album's sleeve notes:

Up to the Rigs is taken from the singing of Charlie Wills from Dorset. The familiar story does not differ substantially from the many other versions of the song, but one feature in Charlie's song which has always amused me is the failure of the last verse to rhyme. Rather than “correct” this, I prefer to sing the text as I first heard it—that way it has a special humour of its own.

Bellowhead recorded London Town in 2006 for their CD Burlesque and performed it live on September 26, 2007 at Shepherds Bush Empire, London; this concert was issued as the DVD Live at Shepherds Bush Empire. The CD liner notes commented:

Sung by Charlie Wills and chorus in The Sun, Powerstock, Dorset, in August 1956, this was recorded by Mervyn Plunkett and features on First I'm Going to Sing You a Ditty in the Voice of the People collection of source and field recordings. Wills was born in West Chinnock, Somerset, in 1877, and had a wide variety of agricultural and horticultural jobs throughout his life whilst staying in the Somerset and Dorset areas. He seems to have learnt some of his songs from his mother, and as a child would entertain the workmen in the pub, a location which continued to prove congenial to him for the rest of his life.

The song is on broadsides held at Cambridge and Oxford, the latter printed by C. Cronshaw of Coppergate, York, between 1814 and 1850. It was sung in various southern of English countries, as well as in East Anglia, Scotland and Ireland. Wills was also recorded by Peter Kennedy, who published the transcript in Folksongs of Britain & Ireland (London: Cassell, 1975), p.423.

Jon Boden also sang London Town with a slightly different melody to the one Peter Bellamy uses as the November 3, 2010 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

Lyrics

Peter Bellamy sings The Rigs of London Town	Tony Rose sings Up to the Rigs
As I walked London's streets so gay In Cheapside I lost my way. And a fair young maid I chanced to meet With kisses all she did me treat.	Up for London City on one fine day It was up Cheapside I made my way. A fair pretty maid I chanced for to meet And with kisses her I there did greet.
Chorus (after each verse): I was up to the rigs, down to the jigs, (I was) up to the rigs of London Town.	Chorus (after each verse): I was up to the rigs, down to the jigs, Up to the rigs of London Town. Up to the rigs, down to the jigs, Up to the rigs of London Town.
She took me to a house of fame, And there she asked me what was my name. Then loud for supper she did call, Says she, “Old man, you will pay for it all.”	She took me to some house of fame And so boldly then did enter in. Loudly for supper she did call, A-thinking I was going to pay for it all.
Now, supper being over and the table cleared, She called me her jewel and then her dear. The chambermaids prepared our bed And the waiters brought white wine and red.	The supper being over and the table cleared, The waiters brought white wine and beer. The waiters brought white wine and red And the chambermaid prepared the bed.
Now it was the hour twixt one and two When she asked me if up to bed I would go. And pretty soon I gave consent And straightaway to bed we went.	Between the hours of one and two She asked me if to bed I'd go. Immediately I did consent And along with this pretty maid I went.
Now she thought by me she would have her will But while she frisk-ed, I lay still, And as soon as she had gone to sleep It's out of bed I did gently creep.	Her cheeks were white and her lips were red And I kissed her as she lay in bed; But as soon as she fell fast asleep Then it's out of her bed then I did creep.
I searched her pockets and there I found A silver ring and five hundred pound, I thought the gold looked very nice, Says I to myself, “This will buy a nice brush.”	I searched her pockets and there I found A silver snuffbox and ten pound, A golden watch and a diamond ring, So I took the lot and locked the lady in.
Now you sharks and flats wheresoever you may be, Mind you, take this advice by me: And treat them well what e'er betide But look out and keep well in Cheapside.	So come all young men wherever you may be: If you meet a pretty girl you use her free. You use her free but don't get drunk; Just remember me when I was up Cheapside.

Bellowhead sing London Town
Up London city I made my way, Up Cheapside I chanced to stray Where a fair, pretty maid I there did meet And I greeted her with kisses sweet. Chorus (after each verse): I was up to the rigs, down to the jigs, Up to the rigs of London town. She took me to some house of sin And boldly then she entered in; Loudly for supper she did call, Thinking that I would pay for it all. The supper over, the table cleared, The waiter brought white wine and red. The waiter brought white wine and red And the chambermaid prepared a bed. Between the hours of one and two She asked me if to bed I'd go. Immediately I did consent And along with this pretty maid then I went. Her cheeks were white, her lips were red, I kissed her as she lay in bed. As soon as she was fast asleep Out of the bed I did creep. I searched her pockets and there I found A silver snuff-box and ten pound, A golden watch and a diamond ring, So I took the lot and I locked her in. Come all young men and listen to me If you meet a pretty girl then use her free. Use her free but don't get pied, Remember me when I was up Cheapside.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Garry Gillard for transcribing Peter Bellamy's and Tony Rose's singing.