NOTEWORTHY LYRICS (12)

In which I highlight the poetry in popular song lyrics. 

However, we should remember that within poetry, comic verse also has it's place.

This old song often runs round my mind but I only know the line: 'Aunty Mary had a canary up the leg of her drawers...'.

I've always been curious as to what the poor bird was doing there.

The tune is the same as 'Cock o' the north'. This was penned some 300 years ago as 'Jumping Joan'.

There are several variations including

'Auntie Mary had a canary up the leg of her drawers

While she was sleeping he was peeping

Up the leg of her drawers

Uncle Charlie had some barley

Up the leg of his drawers

If you don' t believe me you can feel me

Up the leg of my drawers' 

and also:

'Aunty Mary had a canary

Up the leg of her drawers,

When she farted it departed

Down the leg of her drawers.'

So I'll probably never know how the wretched bird got there.