Greyduster, this might let your DH off the hook!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN6XFOg_gA0
There are more references to the song if you google 'chickery chick cha la'.
Good Morning Tuesday 12th May 2026
I sing-a-lot at various venues (mostly) Music Hall songs, but lately I've been branching out into a slightly different direction.
I've rediscovered songs I remember from my childhood (50's/60's) that my mum used to sing to me, and Uncle Mac used to play on Saturday mornings. I'd gathered a few from memory, eg: Animal Crackers (Shirley Temple) Nellie the Elephant (Mandy Miller).
Of course, I could look up a variety on Google - but that feels like cheating! So, all you great Gransnetters, I ask you, what songs would/do you still sing from your childhood? It would be so helpful for me to have an idea what folk like to hear and join in with 
Greyduster, this might let your DH off the hook!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN6XFOg_gA0
There are more references to the song if you google 'chickery chick cha la'.
Nancy Whisky singing "Freight Train" I had a "bad boyfriend at the time. I was 16 he was 17. The song always reminds me of him.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qedAoXl3KnU
Talking of Alphonso, my grandmother had a collection of 78s that she would let me play on their ancient gramophone.
I loved Gracie Fields singing, Fonso, my 'ot Spanish Knight. Most of the innuendo went over my head 
No, it is Alphonso whose Spanish onion in to get a bunion. (if I catch him bending tonight!!!)
And
" when I catch Alphonso Spegoni, the toreador, tra-la-la,
With one mighty swipe I shall dislocate his ruddy jaw, tra-la-la, "
Is that the one that goes "I'll put a bunion on his Spanish onion if I catch him bending tonight..." Boom boom!
Anyone remember Abdul Abulbul Amir? It's still on the shelf in the dining room with all my dad's other 78s.
I remember Children's Choice with great affection. The presenter was a World War 2 veteran called Dennis Macculloch. I used to hope to hear The Dance of the Sugar Plum fairy and High Hopes - there were lots more, "The Run Away Train, They're Changing Guard at Buckingham Palace ...... The programme really brightened up many a Saturday morning in the 1950s. 
Oh my Papa, to me he was so wonderful
Does anyon e remember "children's choice" on Saturday morning's.
How did I manage to post 3 times? And where did 'many many more' spring from. Must have been distracted by singing the songs!
It amazes me that almost all of these songs I can remember and sing once I'm prompted with a few words!
My dad was a radio operator in the RAF during the war and I remember him rigging up a radio and some sort of microphone in the kitchen. We children used to sing and it could be heard in the front room by our parents and visiting relatives through a radio receiver.
Dad was a fan of Harry Belafonte and I remember singing the Banana Boat Song - 'Day oh, Day oh, Daylight come and me wan go home.
Also 'Mary's Boy Child ', 'Little Donkey', 'Molly Malone', 'Danny Boy',
'The Skye Boat Song', Over the Rainbow', 'Dance to your Daddy my bonnie laddy, and many many more!
Looking back the songs remind me of my Scottish/Geordie/Irish origins with a strong sprinkling of BBC Radio.
and many many more!
It amazes me that almost all of these songs I can remember and sing once I'm prompted with a few words!
My dad was a radio operator in the RAF during the war and I remember him rigging up a radio and some sort of microphone in the kitchen. We children used to sing and it could be heard in the front room by our parents and visiting relatives through a radio receiver.
Dad was a fan of Harry Belafonte and I remember singing the Banana Boat Song - 'Day oh, Day oh, Daylight come and me wan go home.
Also 'Mary's Boy Child ', 'Little Donkey', 'Molly Malone', 'Danny Boy',
'The Skye Boat Song', Over the Rainbow', 'Dance to your Daddy my bonnie laddy, and many many more!
Looking back the songs remind me of my Scottish/Geordie/Irish origins with a strong sprinkling of BBC Radio.
and many many more!
It amazes me that almost all of these songs I can remember and sing once I'm prompted with a few words!
My dad was a radio operator in the RAF during the war and I remember him rigging up a radio and some sort of microphone in the kitchen. We children used to sing and it could be heard in the front room by our parents and visiting relatives through a radio receiver.
Dad was a fan of Harry Belafonte and I remember singing the Banana Boat Song - 'Day oh, Day oh, Daylight come and me wan go home.
Also 'Mary's Boy Child ', 'Little Donkey', 'Molly Malone', 'Danny Boy',
'The Skye Boat Song', Over the Rainbow', 'Dance to your Daddy my bonnie laddy, and many many more!
Looking back the songs remind me of my Scottish/Geordie/Irish origins with a strong sprinkling of BBC Radio.
and many many more!
Daddy came home from work tired
His boss had been driving him mad.
The kids were all shouting, the dog bit him too
His dinner was nothing but boiled over stew.
I guess it was then he decided
Up to the rooftop he'd go
He was about to jump off when
The kids started howling below
'Don't jump off the roof, Dad
You'll make a hole in the yard
Mother's just planted petunias
The weeding and seeding was hard
If you must end it all, Dad
Won't you please give us a break
Just take a walk down the park, Dad
And there you can jump in the lake.'
Tommy Cooper....
I loved....
Oh the ladies in the harem in the court of king caraticus were just passing by
(All together now)
And
Tie me kangaroo down sport.....
And
I'm jake the peg diddle iddle iddle um
Sadly I don't like the person who sang them very much anymore.
Oh crikey I have a hundred crazy Geordie songs in my head now TYVM !!!
One Sunda mornin lampton went a fishin in the wear he cowt a fish upon his hyuk and thowt it very queer.
And what a kind a fish it was young lampton couldna tell he couldn't be fash te carry it yem so we hoyyed it in the well
Whishd lads had her gobs all tell yer all an arful story
Wished lads had yer gobs all tell yer boot the wore-m
bohemian and maggie a'll be singin this in me sleep the night 
It's reeeely hard tu type in Geordie slang cos the stoopid pyoota keeps tri -in to put it awl rite . Or summick like that anyways.
That Delaware song was really clever, wasn't it, rosequartz? I must google who wrote the lyrics, now you've reminded me...
Maggiemaybe The Lampton Worm -
love it, but would never be able to get that accent right
Has anyone mentioned The Little White Bull? I used to love that.
And another Tommy Steele - Hold it, flash bang wallop, what a picture...
My dad used to sing Scarlet Ribbons to me, which could make me cry now.
Also Cushy Butterfield - She's a big lass and a bonnie lass and she likes her beer (rather too close to home these days
.
And of course - Oh, Maggie, Maggie May, they have taken her away, and she'll never cruise down Lime Street anymore. She robbed so many sailors and captains of the whalers, that dirty, robbin' girl called Maggie May. And there was more, even less appropriate...!
And The Blaydon Races and The Lampton Worm, though those are local to the North East.
When Father papered the parlour, you couldn't see him for paste,
Slapping it 'ere, slapping it there, paste and paper everywhere,
mother was stuck to the ceiling, the kids were stuck to the floor,
You never saw a bloomin' family so stuck up before!-----------------
A bit before my time this one, but Grandad liked singing it.
Oh yes, who could forget the Ugly Duckling!
'with a quack and a waddle and a quack'
And my DM loved Perry Como - what did Delaware boys etc etc
There once was an ugly duckling whose feathers were stubby and brown ... and when I was in hospital very young the auxiliary nurse singing 'What did Dela wear boys, she wore a brand new jersey, that's what she did wear'
Happy songs, happy memories
)
Daisyanswerdo I have heard DH sing the chickery chick cha la song, but I thought it was some product of his fevered imagination or something he learned in the Scouts!! Who sang that, then?
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