Mary Anne

[ Roud 5391 ; Fred W. Leigh, George Henry Bastow]

George Fradley sang the music hall song Mary Anne, “from old sheet music”, on his 1980s Veteran Tapes cassette One of the Best.

The Muckram Wakes sang Mary Anne in 1980 on their Highway LP Warbles, Jangles and Reeds. They noted:

Learned by us from George Fradley of S.W. Derbyshire. Written by Fred W. Leigh and sung on the Music Halls by George Bastow, a combination better known for The Galloping Major.

Ex-Liverpool Spinner Mick Groves sang Mary Anne on his 2010 CD Still Spinning.

Lady Maisery sang Mary Anne in 2011 on their CD Weave & Spin. They noted:

This is an old music hall number taken from a Muckram Wakes recording, and originally collected from a Derbyshire singer George Fradley.

Lyrics

George Fradley sing Mary Anne

I never thought much about females
Till a month or two ago
I thought I saw one of them noticing me,
My mother told me so.
That damsel’s name is Mary Anne,
She winked at me one day.
I told mother and mother told me
In a motherly kind of way:

Chorus (after each verse):
Mary Anne she’s after me,
Full of love she seems to be.
My mother says it is plain to see
She wants me for her young man.
Faither says, “If that be true,
John, my lad, be thankful too
That there’s one bigger fool in the world than you
And that’s Mary Anne.

Whenever I sees her she looks at me
And I don’t know what to do,
But I can’t help looking at her looking at me,
My mother said me so.
One Sunday morning coming from church
She said I’ll walk your way.
We got walking, I never says nowt,
I’d a narrow escape that day.

There’s many a jolly young chap like me
As might be pleased to know
What dangerous animals some girls is,
My mother told me so.
We roams about like innocent lambs,
We does no harm I’m sure,
When up comes sommat in frocks and in curls
And there’s never no peace no more.

Lady Maisery sing Mary Anne

Well I never thought much about females
Till a couple of months ago
Till I thought I saw one of them noticing me,
My mother told me so.
That damsel’s name is Mary Anne
And she looked at me one day.
I told mother and mother told me
In a motherly kind of way, that …

Chorus (after each verse):
Mary Anne she’s after me,
Full of love she seems to be.
My mother says it is plain to see
That she wants me for her young man.
Father says, “If that be true,
John, my lad, be thankful too
That there’s one bigger fool in the world than you
And that’s Mary Anne.

Well I often sees her looking at me
And I don’t know what to do,
And I can’t help looking at her looking at me,
My mother told me so.
Last Sunday morning coming from church
She says I’ll walk your way.
Well we started walking, I never says nowt,
I’d a narrow escape that day, ’cause …

Well there’s many a jolly young chap like me
Who might be pleased to know
What dangerous animals some girls is,
My mother told me so.
We roam around like innocent lambs
And we cause no harm I’m sure,
Till along comes sommat in frocks and in curls
And there’s never no peace no more, ……