A popular song from 1903.
Words by Harry Boden and Dave Montgomery.
Music by Bert Brantford.
Arranged by Karl L. Hoschna.
Interpolated into the 1902 musical “The Wizard of Oz”.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- I must have been a silly sort of Josh
When I went and spliced Matilda Jane
I thought at the time
I was in for something prime
But very soon found out I was insane
The fact is she’s a lump too fond of me
Never on my own she’ll let me stray
And if by chance I should go in to a pub
All my pals will look at me and say
Chorus
Must you have the missus with you
Can’t you come out on your own
Must you always have a keeper
Ain’t you old enough to be alone
Why don’t you take her out and lose her
Why be such a silly elk
If there’s any beer wants mopping
Can’t you mop it up yourself
- I never can have half enough to eat
That is why I’m in this skinny state
And she thinks it jolly fine
When we sit down to dine
She puts a pile of mustard on my plate
And if I say why don’t I have some meat
You know I can’t eat the mustard raw
She’ll look at me and turn up her rasberry nose
And then exclaim, oh lor!
Chorus
Must you have beef with your mustard
Can’t you sop it up with bread
Ain’t it just the stuff to warm you
Make you sneeze and also clear your head
In that motto be obliging
Have you really no belief
Can’t you sit and eat the mustard
Let me and the children have the beef
Sung here by Vancha March: