a 1922 popular song
written by Fred Sanford, Alec Kendal, & Joseph George Gilbert
The sheet music:
Accompaniment:
Lyrics
- Since this world began
Of phrases we have had our share
“What Ho, she bumps” “My old Brownson”
And “Dear old bean”, “There’s hair”
But now the latest thing you hear
As you walk down the street
You can’t be up-to-date
If you don’t cry out as you meet
Chorus
“Are you working?” “No! are you?”
“Are you working?” “No! are you?”
Oh! Oh! everywhere you go
When you meet a pal you say “Hello! hello!
Are you working?” “No! are you?”
Three cheers for the red, white and blue!
Tell me the old, old story
“Are you working?” “No! are you?”
- Jones got wed to Mary Brown
And twelve months after that
Then something you know
Came along to liven up the flat
A bouncing little baby boy
As soon as he could speak
Looked up at his papa there
And exclaimed in accents weak - Convict ninety nine
A perfect gentleman was he
His one fault it was murder
And his cell was number three
As he stood picking oakum
With his poor hands blue and red
A warder passed and jokingly
Peeped through the door and said
Sung here by Fred Feild: