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SOME SUNNY DAY
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'Some Sunny Day' was an affectionate commemoration of World War Two. The show was compiled by Meg and Mike Dixon, and consisted of songs and sketches relating to the war years.
What made this show unique was being able to include childhood recollections of the war from a local lady, Joan Stokoe. Her recollections gave the show a personal touch.
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I DID WHAT I COULD WITH MY GAS MASK
Now I'm getting very fond of my gas mask I declare
It hardly ever leaves my sight
I sling it on my back and I take it everywhere
It even comes to bed at night
It's been a real good pal to me I must confess
And helped me out of many a mess
My sister had a lot of socks to mend
So she gave me a fat bouncing baby to tend
And when I felt it leaking at one end
Well I did what I could with my gas mask
I bought a farm because I like fresh air
At milking time I tried to do my share
And when I found the bucket wasn't there
Well I did what I could with my gas mask
The lady living next door, Mrs. `icks
She heard the sirens blow one morn at ten to six,
She dashed outside in nothing but her nicks
But she knew what to do with her gas mask
By train I went for a very tiring ride
There wasn't any corridor outside
And when I felt the turning of the tide
Well I did what I could with My gas mask
For years I courted Annabella Price
And always found her just as cold as ice
Until one night the lass forgot her Ma's advice
And I did what I could with my gas mask. |
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ITMA
The title derived from newspaper references to Adolf Hitler. The show became very popular and after a while the 'man' of It's That Man Again came to be thought of as Tommy Handley, the lead actor. The show made heavy use of catchphrases, some of which have been assimilated into the language:
"I don’t mind if I do" (From the comic device where Colonel Chinstrap invariably turned remarks into offers of a drink.)
"After you, Claude - no, After you Cecil."
"TTFN" (Ta ta for now.)
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Albert's Evacuation
Have you heard how young Albert Ramsbottom,
Was evacuated from home
With his mother, clean socks and a toothbrush,
Some Syrup of Figs and a comb.
The stick with the 'orse' s 'ead 'andle,
They decided that they'd leave behind
To keep safe with the things they weren't wanting,
Like their gasmasks, and things of that kind.
Pa saw them off at the station,
And shed a few crocodile's tears
As he waved them goodbye from the platform -
T'was the best break he'd had in ten years.
Ma got corner seat for young Albert,
Who amused all the rest of the team
By breathing hot breaths on the window,
And writing some swear words in steam.
They arrived at last somewhere in England,
And straight to their billet were shown;
There was one room for mother
But Albert was in a small room of his own.
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Sam Goes To It
Sam Small had retired from the Army,
In the old Duke of Wellington's time,
So when present unpleasantness started,
He were what you might call... past his prime.
He'd lived for some years in retirement,
And knew nowt of war, if you please,
Till they blasted and bombed his allotment,
And shelled the best part of his peas.
'T were as if bugles called Sam to duty,
For his musket he started to search,
He found it at last in the Hen house,
Buff Orpingtons had it for perch.
Straight off to the Fusilliers' depot,
He went to rejoin his old troop...
Where he found as they couldn't recruit Him,
Until his age group was called up.
Now Sam wasn't getting no younger,
Past the three score and ten years was he,
And he reckoned by time they reached his age group,
He'd be very near ten score and three.
So he took up the matter with Churchill,
Who said, "I don't know what to do,
Never was there a time when so many,
Came asking so much from so few."
"I don't want no favours" Sam answered,
"Don't think as I'm one of that mob,
All I'm asking is give me the tools, lad,
And let me help finish the job."
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Banana Sandwiches by Joan Stokoe
'Close your eyes,' she said. 'Now, open them.'
We couldn't believe what we saw. 'A BANANA!'
'Is it real?'
'Yes, it is real. Feel it – smell it.'
It was real.
She told us that her friend's husband was in the navy and was on one of the ships that carry food from hot countries, and he had brought a bunch of bananas home for her, so she had kindly given one to Mam.
But don't tell anyone,' Mam said.
'Can we eat it?'
'Not today.'
'Why not?'
'We'll have banana sandwiches for tea on Sunday.'
We thought Sunday would never come, but it did eventually. Instead of the usual custard and jelly with bread and butter, we were going to have banana sandwiches. We couldn't contain our excitement. We helped Mam to butter eight slices of bread. That was our two slices allowance each, for Mam, Dad, Rosie and myself.
Mam mashed the banana and mixed it with milk to make it go further. She spread it very thinly on the eight slices of bread. We had never tasted anything so delicious. Rosie and I ate our tea with our eyes closed, it was magic, we wanted to make it last forever – but it didn't. After tea we kept sniffing at the peel because we didn't want it to end.
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