Coupons 1918 Fred Curran

Dr. Pitt-payne in London UK - 17 Dec 2003

We used to say Great Britain
was the land of all the free,
and to say that Britons
never would be slaves.
We used to tell our neighbours
what a happy race we were,
and we boasted that
Britannia ruled the waves.
But since the Food Controller
started rationing the food,
and commenced to give us
coupons for our meals,
We've all got so confused
that now we none of us quite know
if we're standing on our heads
or on our heels.

We've coupons now for sugar
and we've coupons for our meat;
it has caused us all a lot of pain and grief,
And a soldier home from France last week
he wrecked a grocer's shop
when he found they wanted one
for bully beef.
You'll find the coupon system
ruling all your daily life,
and when into your barber's shop you go,
if you haven't got a coupon
he'll refuse to cut your hair,
but he'll make you give him three
to let it grow.

According to the papers now
they're going to ration girls;
ev'ry fellow is to have six girls a week,
and you've got to prove you're single men
before you get your cards;
the authorities have really got a cheek.
Six girls a week, my merry lads!
it really is hard lines,
and the prospect doesn't seem
to be too bright.
For I know a lot of fellows
and I dare say so do you,
who will use their coupons up
on Sunday night.

If you go into a musichall,
before you pay for seats
you've got to give a coupon at the door;
You'll have to give one coupon
if you want to take your wife,
but for someone elses wife
they'll charge you four.
An Irishman named Flanagan
he got a damaged face,
because a fellow punched his jaw
on Sunday night.
and when I asked him why on earth
he didn't hit him back,
he said he hadn't got a coupon for a fight.

A young chap and a girl I know
both wanted to get married,
but the parson wouldn't make them
man and wife.
She hadn't got a coupon
which permitted her to do so,
so the poor girl will be single all her life.
I think the limit has been reached,
for I was told last night
by a friend of mine,
whose name is Mister Dunn,
His wife had twins,
but now they've been
and fined her fifty pounds
because her coupons just entitled her to one.

A fellow died a week ago
and went straight up to heaven;
for admittance at the door began to shout.
When he heard he came from Manchester
and hadn't got a coupon,
then Saint Peter locked the door
and kept him out.
A man I know was so fed up
he went and joined the Army,
and he told me he was really quite amused;
Tho' he hadn't got a coupon,
the recruiting sergeant praised him
it's the only place
where coupons are not used.

So we'll sing Hurrah for England
and then give a hearty cheer.
Our Navy holds the water
and our Army holds the beer.
Rule, Lord Northcliffe!
Lord Northcliffe rules the land
but he can't buy any meat without a coupon.

Soft karaoke
Words
str 25
str 50
str 110
fr hrn 60
brass 75
flute
timp
bassoon
clarinet
piano t clef
whistle
pizz str
vib phn
tenor sax
harp
drum
*
Coupons 1918 Fred Curran
by Fred Fulton
copyright MCMXVIII by Francis, Day and Hunter
sequence and karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Wednesday 17 December 2003 at 22.10
in association with Doug Grierson
*