Johnny Don't Wriggle The Baby 1877

by James Pitt6-Payne, London UK - 26Feb2025
2025

Now I was the eldest son
of a family numbered twenty,
at the early age of one began
my troubles of which I have plenty.
My mother she made me nurse
my brothers and little sisters
but nuring I thought a curse or worse
for giving me painful blisters.

John, don't wriggle the baby,
please don't tickle the baby,
be particular, perpendicular
always carry the baby.

The babies in twos and threes
come into this world of trouble
and when they were twins,
upon my word,
my work it was always double.
I'd carry them upside down
in terrible desperation
my mother would frown and say, you clown,
you're bringing on strangulation.

John, don't wriggle the baby,
please don't tickle the baby,
be particular, perpendicular
always carry the baby.

The babies I had to feed
with an infants feeding bottle
and still as they smiled
I grew so wild
the darlings I'd like to throttle,
I nursed till I grew a man
it was a public scandal,
a mangle we had,
it was too bad,
I nursed when I turned the handle.

John, don't wriggle the baby,
please don't tickle the baby,
be particular, perpendicular
always carry the baby.

To shuffle this nursing work
I managed at last to marry,
but now it is wuss,
I've still to nuss,
and several babes to carry
when broken of nightly rest,
in vain to the babes I chirrup
to silence each pest
I must invest
in a gallon of soothing syrup.

John, don't wriggle the baby,
please don't tickle the baby,
be particular, perpendicular
always carry the baby.

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
Johnny Don't Wriggle The Baby 1877
Lyrics & Music by J.F.McArdle
© 1877 by E.Donajowski
*
sequence & karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Wednesday 26 February 2025 at 13.23
in association with Torquil Syme
*
James Pitt-Payne