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The Sausage Man

from Mary Ashford's Tragedy by Jon Wilks

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Published in around 1840 by T. Watts of Snow Hill, The Sausage Man appears to be a commissioned song written to advertise a sausage roll seller. However, the appearance of several cheeky lines, not to mention the use of the melody of an old Victorian hymn, suggest to me that there might have been more to it than that. I'll leave you to make up your own minds. You can read more about the song here: jonwilks.online/the-sausage-man-roud-v14373

lyrics

There’s a town called Birmingham
The population’s great
The toyshop of the world, it’s said
With artisans elate
There’s New Street and a street called High
You can see the fashions stroll
And one who always greets the eye
He calls out sausage roll

Sausage roll, sausage roll
He calls out sausage roll

His apron is as white as snow
His whiskers, they’re all red
To all he makes a courteous bow
It’s how he earns his bread
He’s capped, white shirted and polished shoed
As black as any coal
His jacket striped in pink and blue
He calls out sausage roll

A pretty missus with her mama
She cannot help the whim
However courteous they are
Their fancies will begin
To take a slice or a jelly tart
Her mama can control
But nothing pleases this maiden fair
Like this man’s sausage roll

I cannot tell if quantity
Effects so much his sale
Or if, indeed, the quality
Or perhaps his pleasing tale
I cannot tell you the reasons why
This man he will not stroll
To male or female passers by
And present his sausage roll

If mamas will fastidious be
And papas will be blessed
If daughters do not always see
Their truest interest
I cannot tell you what can be right
For ladies on the whole
But I’d say don’t stay out late at night
And sigh for sausage roll

credits

from Mary Ashford's Tragedy, released September 30, 2020
Words, traditional. Melody, traditional (chorus by Jon Wilks).

Performed and produced by Jon Wilks.

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Jon Wilks Whitchurch, UK

'The sort of performer folk circles mean when they talk of the living tradition' - Mike Davies, Folking.com

“One of the best of the New Wave of Folk Blokes. As a guitar player and arranger of traditional songs, Jon Wilks already deserves speaking of in the same breath as your Simpsons and your Morays.” – Ian A. Anderson, fRoots Mag ... more

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