Cunnin' Ain't It? 1887 'The Tin Soldier' and 'Natural Gas'

Dr. Pitt-Payne in London UK - 27 Dec 2003

A satirical song
I will now introduce
"Cunnin"! ain't it?
A singer without one,
is not of much use
and that's "Cunnin"! ain't it?
The rhyme and the melody old may appear,
I've hundreds of verses,
to last for a year
but if you desire it,
I'll finish right here
and that's cunnin'! Ain't it?

In the back yard
I court my young lady each night
"Cunnin"! ain't it?
Because her papa thinks
the match is not right
and that's "Cunnin"! ain't it?
The eve, before last with remorse I explain,
her father let loose,
the housedog from his chain,
I never sit down now
without feeling pain,
and that's cunnin'! Ain't it?

If you marry a girl
don't let mamma come too
"Cunnin"! ain't it?
For a motherinlaw
always upsets your crew
and that's "Cunnin"! ain't it?
She makes lots of troubles,
she says this
and that tells your wife
you're a flirt
so to mind what she's at,
she drinks all the whiskey
then swears it's the cat,
and that Cunnin'! Ain't it?

On Sunday saloons now
by order must close.
Cunnin'! ain't it?
Yet the trade they do quietly nobody knows,
and that's Cunnin'! ain't it?
You open the side door without any fear
the "Cop" does not see you,
tho' standing quite near,
some one has thrown dust in his eyes
it is clear,
and that's Cunnin'! ain't it?

Girls, devoid of all modesty,
seem quite the rage
Cunnin'! ain't it?
Tho' they can't act a bit
they come out on the stage,
and that's Cunnin'! ain't it?
They're brought before us
by their scandals so bold
we pay to see Artists
but find we are sold.
While our own native talents
are left in the cold,
and that's Cunnin'! ain't it?

Our Buffalo Bill
now in London's the craze
Cunnin'! ain't it?
And his show of the Wild West
the British amaze,
and that's Cunnin'! ain't it?
Young Cody it seems
has struck the right chord
Queens, Princes, and Dukes
his talents reward
He went there a showman,
he'll come back a Lord,
and that's Cunnin'! ain't it?

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
Cunnin' Ain't It? 1887
written and composed by Frederic Salmon
copyright 1887 by Wm. Pond and Co. New York
sequence and karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Saturday 27 December 2003 at 13.30
in association with Doug Grierson
*
Described as a Satirical! Comical! Topical! Song
sung in Hoyt's Comedy "The Tin Soldier"
and in Russell's Comedy "Natural Gas"
*