Knees Up Mother Brown

Knees Up Mother Brown is a 1938 song composed by Harris Weston and Bert Lee. It is particularly associated with Cockney culture.

Lyrics

There came a girl from France
Who didn't know how to dance
The only thing that she could do
Was knees up Mother Brown

"Refrain:"
Oh, knees up Mother Brown
Knees up Mother Brown
Knees up, knees up, never let the breeze up,
Knees up Mother Brown

Oh, hopping on one foot
Hopping on one foot
Hopping, hopping, never stopping
Hopping on one foot

"Refrain."

Oh, prancing up and down
Prancing up and down
Prancing, prancing, never dancing
Prancing up and down

"Refrain."

And whirling round and round
Whirling round and round
Whirling, whirling, never twirling
Whirling round and round

"Refrain."
"Refrain."

Modern Alternative Lyrics

Whereas the lyrics above are indeed those first written, the following lyrics are much more commonplace nowadays, both in and around the pubs of London's East End and also throughout the rest of the UK.

Knees up Mother Brown!
Knees up Mother Brown!
Under the table you must go
Ee-i-ee-i-ee-i-oh!
If I catch you bending,
I'll saw your legs right off,
Knees up! Knees Up!
Don't get the breeze up,
Knees up Mother Brown!

Oh My! What a rotten song!
What a rotten song!
Oh, What a rotten song!
Oh My! What a rotten song!
What a rotten singer too!

Knees up Mother Brown!
Knees up Mother Brown!
Under the table you must go
Ee-i-ee-i-ee-i-oh!
If I catch you bending,
I'll saw your legs right off,
Knees up! Knees Up!
Don't get the breeze up,
Knees - up - Mother - Brown!
Ow's yer farver? All right!

----

Another wartime variation of the song is:

(From an album called 'The Spirit Of The Blitz')

Knees up Mother Brown,
Knees up Mother Brown,
Come along dearie let it go,
Now that you're one-double-o,
It's your bloomin birthday,
Lets wake up all the town,
So knees up, knees up,
Don't get the breeze up,
Knees up Mother Brown.

An fat old Uncle Henry,
He quite enjoyed the fun,
The buttons on his sunday pants,
Kept busting one by one,
But still he kept on dancing,
Another one went 'pop',
He said im gonna keep on 'till me round the houses rop.

Knees up Mother Brown,
Knees up Mother Brown,
Come along dearie let it go,
Now that you're one-double-o,
It's your bloomin birthday,
Lets wake up all the town,
So knees up, knees up,
Don't get the breeze up,
Knees up Mother Brown.

And old Merria Perkins,
She danced with all her might,
Each time she kicked her legs up we all shouted with delight,
Lift up your skirt merria,
My word your doing fine,
And we can see your washing hanging on the setri line,
'Tra-la-la-la-lala-la-la-la-lala'

Knees up Mother Brown,
Knees up Mother Brown,
Come along dearie let it go,
Now that you're one-double-o,
It's your bloomin birthday,
Lets wake up all the town,
So knees up, knees up,
Don't get the breeze up,
Knees up Mother Brown.

(music slows)

And now the war is over,
Oh wont it be a laugh,
And what a treat,
When we can see,
Each other in the dark,
And won't we have a party,
When sunshine falls to rain,
We'll all go 'round to Mother Brown's,
And sing it once again....

(music speeds up to two times the original)

Knees-up-Mother-Brown,
Knees-up-Mother-Brown,
Come along dearie let it go,
Now that you're one-double-o,
It's your bloomin birthday,
Lets wake up all the town,
So knees up, knees up,
Don't get the breeze up,
Knees up Mother Brown.

Trivia

*Based on this popular pub song, the expression "knees up" means having a party or a dance.

*This song was sung by Cardinal Ximinez in one of several Spanish Inquisition sketches in Monty Python's Flying Circus. [http://www.musicanet.org/robokopp/english/kneesupm.htm]

*The chorus is also used in the Cockney Rejects song 'We Are The Firm'.

*The tune has been adopted by football fans for various chants, most recognisably with the words "who ate all the pies?".

*Was sung by a group including Alan Alda, Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins, Lise Hilboldt and Lois Chiles in the movie Sweet Liberty.

*The basic tune was adapted into the song "Step in Time" by the Sherman Brothers for Disney's Mary Poppins, (even the choreography gave a little nod).
*Knees up mother Brown is also the name of the unofficial West Ham supporter club, based in Londons east end www.kumb.com