Elsa Lanchester - The Rat Catcher's Daughter (1957)

A popular London street song from the late mid/late 1800's, as explained in the song's introduction, by husband Charles Laughton. Here are the lyrics to this HiFi Vinyl cut from the 1957 LP "Songs For A Smoke Filled Room": (Probable period of publication: 1860-1880) THE RAT-CATCHER'S DAUGHTER. In Westminster, not long ago, There lived a rat-catcher's daughter- She was not born in Westminster, But on t'other side of the water. Her father kill'd rats, and she sold sprats; All round and over the water, And the gentlefolks they all bought sprats Of the pretty rat-catcher's daughter. Of the pretty, &c. She wore no hat upon her head, No cap, or dandy bonnet- Her hair it hung about her neck, Just like a bunch of carrots, If she cried sprats in Westminster, She'd such a loud sweet voice, sirs, You might hear her all down Parliament street, As far as Charing Cross, sirs. As far, &c. The rich and great came far and near, To marry her all sought her, But at friends and foes she cock'd her nose, Did the pretty rat-catcher's daughter. For there was a man cried lily white sand, In Cupid's net had caught her, And over head and ears in love, Was the pretty ratcatcher's daughter. Was the, &c, Now lily white sand so run in her head, When coming along the Strand, sirs- She forgot she'd got sprats, so 'tis Said, And cried, "buy my lily white sand O!" The folks amaz'd all thought her craz'd, All along the strand O- To hear a girl with sprats on her head, Cry, "buy my lily white sand, O!" Cry, &c. The rat catcher's daughter so run in his head, He didn't know what he was arter- 'Stead of crying, buy my lily white sand, Cried, "d'ye want any rat-catcher's daugh- ter?" The donkey cock'd his ears and bray'd- Folks wonder'd what he was arter- To hear a lily white sand-man cry, "Do you want any rat-catcher's daughter?" Do you, &c. Now they agree'd to married be Upon the Easter Sunday- But the rat catcher's daughter had a dream, She shouldn't be alive on the Monday, To buy some sprats once more she went, And tumbled into the water- And down to the bottom, all cover'd with mud, Went the pretty rat-catcher's daughter. Went, &c. When the lily white sand-man heard the news, Both his eyes run down with water- Says he, " in love, I'll constant prove- Blow me if I live long arter!" So he cut his throat with a bit of glass, And stabb'd his donkey arter, So donkey and lily white sand-man died Through love of the rat-catcher's daughter. Through, &c.