Terrible Love Songs: Another Music Blog What Was 60’s Song ‘Lily The Pink’ Actually About? She Was After All ”Saviour Of The Human Race”! I have always wanted to know what the 60’s song ‘Lily the Pink’ was about. Written by Liverpudlian band The Scaffold , the song was Christmas number one in December 1968 and stayed there for four weeks. The song was apparently based on the folk song “The Ballad Of Lydia Pinkham”. Who Was Lydia Pinkham? Lydia Estes Pinkham (American, February 9, 1819 – May 17, 1883) was an iconic concocter and shrewd marketer of a commercially successful herbal-alcoholic "women's tonic" meant to relieve menstrual and menopausal pains. Like many women of her time Lydia Pinkham brewed home remedies, which she continually collected. Her remedy for "female complaints" became very popular among her neighbours to whom she gave it away. In Lydia Pinkham's time and place the reputation of the medical profession was low.

Medical fees were too expensive for most Americans to afford except in emergencies, in which case the remedies were more likely to kill than cure. For example a common "medicine" was calomel, in fact not a medicine but a deadly mercurial toxin, and this fact was even at the time sufficiently well known among the sceptical to be the subject of a popular comic song. In these circumstances there is no mystery why many preferred to trust unlicensed "root and herb" practitioners, and to trust women prepared to share their domestic remedies such as Lydia Pinkham. It is reputed to have been her son Daniel who came up with the idea, in 1875 of making a family business of the remedy. Lydia initially made the remedy on her stove before its success enabled production to be transferred to a factory, she answered letters from customers and probably wrote most of the advertising copy. Mass marketed from 1876 on, Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound became one of the best known patent medicines of the 19th century. Descendants of this product are still available today. Lydia's skill was in marketing her product directly to women and her company continued her shrewd marketing tactics after her death.

Her own face was on the label and her company was particularly keen on the use of testimonials from grateful women. Although Pinkham's motives were partly self-serving, many modern-day feminists admire her for distributing information on menstruation and the "facts of life," and consider her to be a crusader for women's health issues in a day when women were poorly served by the medical establishment. In 1922, Lydia's daughter Aroline Chase Pinkham Gove founded the Lydia E. Pinkham Memorial Clinic in Salem, Massachusetts. The clinic, still in operation as of 2004, provides health services to young mothers and their children. It is designated Site 9 of the Salem Women's Heritage Trail. What Was In The Original Vegetable Compound? * Unicorn root (Aletris farinosa L.) 8 oz. * Life root (Senecio aureus L.) 6 oz. * Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt.) 6 oz. * Pleurisy root (Asclepias tuberosa L.) 6 oz. * Fenugreek seed (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) 12 oz.

* Alcohol (18%) to make 100 U.S. pints Is It Available Today? The answer is yes! Numark Laboratories of Edison, New Jersey markets a similar product named " Lydia Pinkham Herbal Compound ." The product is carried by the Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid. drugstore chains. Ingredients listed in this product are: * Motherwort (Leonorus cardiaca) * Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). How Did Lydia Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound Become A Song? One of the reasons given for why this women’s tonic became a part of drinking ballads and an increasing success in the twenties and early thirties was its availability as a 40 –proof patent eye-opener, during Prohibition . Some also suggest that it might have been a music hall song ( vaudeville ) which might have gone on to become a children’s rhyme or the other way round. How The Scaffold got involved is information I don’t have available to me, maybe if they read this article they could leave a message? Suffice to say, if it was originally a drinking song, maybe alcohol was involved to some degree! What Happened To The Scaffold?

After an appearance in a children's TV series (Score With The Scaffold), TV campaigns, a half hour musical movie called ‘Plod’, the trio re-united for their final tour to promote their album 'Sold Out' and then disbanded for good. Where Can I Find A Copy Of 'Lily The Pink'? Your best bet is probably second hand record shops and 60’s party compilations. My parents still have a pretty scratchy 7” version and it has a jar of brightly coloured sweets on the front cover. I will take a photo and upload it to this article when I have been home next.

I have found a streamed version on Imeem : OK Ciders on the ready, here are the lyrics: "We'll drink a drink a drink to Lily the pink a pink a pink The saviour of the human race For she invented medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case Mr Frears had sticky out ears And it made him awful shy And so they give him medicinal compound And now he's learning how to fly Brother Tony was notably bony He would never eat his meals And so they give him medicinal compound Now they move him round on wheels We'll drink a drink a drink to Lily the pink a pink a pink The saviour of the human race For she invented medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case Well Ebeneezer thought he was Juilius Ceasar And so they put him in a home Where they give him medicinal compound And now his emperor of Rome Johnny hammer had a terrible stammer He could hardly say a word And so they give him medicinal compound And now his seen and never heard We'll drink a drink a drink to Lily the pink a pink a pink The saviour of the human race For she invented medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case Auntie Milly ran willy-nilly When her legs they did recede And so they

 hooked on medicinal compound Now they call her Millipede Jennifer Eccles had terrible freckles And the boys all call her names But she changed with medicinal compound And now he joins in all their games We'll drink a drink a drink to Lily the pink a pink a pink The saviour of the human race For she invented medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case Lily the pink she turned to drink she Filled up with paraffin inside And despite her medicinal compound Sadly pickalily died Up to heaven her soul ascended For the church bells they did ring She took with her medicinal compound Hark the herald angels sing" Conclusion Although Lydia Pinkham was not after all “Saviour Of The Human Race”, she has unknowingly provided us all with a fantastic song which should not be lost to time and format change.

Here is a video of The Scaffold performing their most famous song: Do you remember this song?

Перевод We’ll drink a drink a drink To lily the pink the pink the pink The saviour of our human race For she invented, medicinal compound We’ll drink a drink a drink To lily the pink the pink the pink The saviour of our human race For she invented, medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case Mr freers had sticky out ears And it made him awful shy And so they gave him medicinal compound And now he’s learning how to fly Brother Tony was notably bony He would never eat his meals And so they gave him medicinal compound Now they move him round on wheels We’ll drink a drink a drink To lily the pink the pink the pink The saviour of the human race For she invented medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case Old Ebenezer thought he was Julius Caesar And so they put him in a home Where they gave him medicnal compound And now he’s emporor of Rome Jonny Hammer, had a terrible st st st st stammer He could hardly sssay a word And so they gave him medicinal compound Now’s he’s seen, but never heard Aunty Milly ran willy nilly When her legs they did recede So they looked on medicinal compound Now they call her milipede Jennifer

 Eccles, had terrible freckles And the boys all called her names But she changed with medicinal compound Now he joins in all the games Lily the pink she turned to drink She filled up with parafin inside And despite her medicinal compound Sadly piccalilli died Up to heaven her soul ascended All the church bells they did ring She took with her medicinal compound Hark the herald angels sing Переведено с помощью Яндекс.Переводчика Перевод We’ll drink a drink a drink To lily the pink the pink the pink The saviour of our human race For she invented, medicinal compound We’ll drink a drink a drink To lily the pink the pink the pink The saviour of our human race For she invented, medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case Mr freers had sticky out ears And it made him awful shy And so they gave him medicinal compound And now he’s learning how to fly Brother Tony was notably bony He would never eat his meals And so they gave him medicinal compound Now they move him round on wheels We’ll drink a drink a drink To lily the pink the pink the pink The saviour of the human race For she invented medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case Old Ebenezer thought he was Julius

 Caesar And so they put him in a home Where they gave him medicnal compound And now he’s emporor of Rome Jonny Hammer, had a terrible st st st st stammer He could hardly sssay a word And so they gave him medicinal compound Now’s he’s seen, but never heard Aunty Milly ran willy nilly When her legs they did recede So they looked on medicinal compound Now they call her milipede Jennifer Eccles, had terrible freckles And the boys all called her names But she changed with medicinal compound Now he joins in all the games Lily the pink she turned to drink She filled up with parafin inside And despite her medicinal compound Sadly piccalilli died Up to heaven her soul ascended All the church bells they did ring She took with her medicinal compound Hark the herald angels sing Переведено с помощью Яндекс.Переводчика √ Testo | Testi canzoni | Lily the Pink - The Scaffold su Rockol Lily the Pink - The Scaffold We'll drink a drink a drink To Lily the Pink the Pink the Pink The saviour of the human race For she invented medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case.

Mr. Frears and it made him awful shy and so they gave him medicinal compound and now he's learning how to fly. Brother Tony He would never eat his meals And so they gave him medicinal compound Now they move him round on wheels. We'll drink a drink a drink To Lily the Pink the Pink the Pink The saviour of the human race For she invented medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case. Old Ebeneezer Thought he was Julius Caesar And so they put him in a Home where they gave him medicinal compound and now he's Emperor of Rome. Johnny Hammer He could hardly say a word And so they gave him medicinal compound Now he's seen (but never heard)! We'll drink a drink a drink To Lily the Pink the Pink the Pink The saviour of the human race For she invented medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case. Auntie Millie When her legs, they did recede And so they rubbed on medicinal compound And now they call her Millipede. Jennifer Eccles and the boys all called her names but she changed with medicinal compound and now he joins in all their games.

We'll drink a drink a drink To Lily the Pink the Pink the Pink The saviour of the human race For she invented medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case. Lily the Pink, she Filled up with paraffin inside and despite her medicinal compound Sadly Picca-Lily died. silly songs from childhood [Archive] - Absolute Write Water Cooler Nah nah nah nah nah nah (repeat ad naseum until bribed by adults to shut up) Mr Flibble Do your ears hang low? Do they woblle to and fro? Can you tie them in a knot? Can you tie them in a bow? Can you toss them over your shoulder Like a regimental soldier? Do your ears hang low? Do your ears hang high? Do they reach up to the sky? Do they droop when they are wet? Do they stiffen when they're dry? Can you semaphore your neighbour with a minimum of labour? Do your ears hang high? Mind, that's the clean version. Tink Give your dog a bone This ole' man came rolling home... And Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my chevy to the levy but the levy was dry...

And Jack Lapp took a nap with Sally Sapp Jack Lapp now has the clap.... (What? My dad taught me that one...) Pagey's_Girl I've never been to Harvard, I've never been to Yale The only place I've ever been is to the county jail I woke up Monday morning and looked up on the wall The cooties and the bedbugs were having a game of ball The score was six to nothing, the cooties were ahead The bedbugs hit a homerun that knocked me ot of bed! Singing eenie meanie meanie miney moe Catch a cootie cootie by the toe If he hollers hollers let him go Eenie meanie meanie miney moe!

Or this "classic" version of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" My eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school We have tortured all the teachers we have broken all the rules And we're gonna hang the principal tomorrow afternoon And truth goes marching oooooooonnnnnnn Glory glory hallejulah The teacher hit me with the ruler The ruler turned red and the teacher was dead and that was the end of schooooolllll Yeah, we weren't always real nice, were we? Mela we had so many stupid songs we sang on the schoolbus. Of course, the grandaddy of them all: One hundred bottles of beer on the wall, one hundred bottles of beer, you take one down, pass it around, 99 bottles of beer on the wall. That one was always good on a class trip. Shadow_Ferret Comet. It makes your mouth turn green. Comet. It tastes like gasoline. Comet. It makes you vomit. So get some Comet, and vomit, today. or Oh my gosh, he let one go, and he stunk up the whole U.S.O.

or Oh, I'm glad I'm not an Oscar Meyer weiner, that is what I'd really hate to be, for if I were an Oscar Meyer weiner, there soon would be nothing left of me. or Like the one I just had No filter, no flavor Just rolled up dirty toilet paper. Tink One hundred bottles of beer on the wall, one hundred bottles of beer, you take one down, pass it around, 99 bottles of beer on the wall. Ahhh, yes the good ole' daze...I remember them not so well. :D Captshady come out and play with me and we'll be jolly friend, forever more -one two three four! ---------- My bonnie lies over the ocean. My bonne lies over the sea. My bonnie lies over the ocean, oh bring back my bonnie to me! Bring back, Oh bring back my bonnie to me, to me. Bring back, Oh bring back my bonnie to me. JLCwrites I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee (Hold hands like cupping an object) Wont my mommy be so proud of me. I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee. OUCH! It stung me!

I'm squishing up my baby bumble bee. (Rub hands together) Wont my mommy be so proud of me? I'm squishing up my baby bumble bee. EWWW its all icky! I'm licking up my baby bumble bee. (Licks palms while singing) Wont my mommy be so proud of me? I'm licking up my baby bumble bee. Look! All clean! (Holds out clean hands.) Prawn C is for cookie, that's good enough for me. C is for cookie, that's good enough for me. C is for cookie, that's good enough for me. Cookie, cookie, cookie starts with C! Captshady C is for cookie, that's good enough for me. C is for cookie, that's good enough for me. C is for cookie, that's good enough for me. Cookie, cookie, cookie starts with C! Now now now, Cookie Monster (known as C-monster to his homies) never said "that's good enough for me," he is unable to contract, apparently.

The lyric is clearly "C is for cookie, that good enough for me." Now you know :poke: I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee (Hold hands like cupping an object) Wont my mommy be so proud of me. I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee. OUCH! It stung me! I'm squishing up my baby bumble bee. (Rub hands together) Wont my mommy be so proud of me? I'm squishing up my baby bumble bee. EWWW its all icky! I'm licking up my baby bumble bee. (Licks palms while singing) Wont my mommy be so proud of me? I'm licking up my baby bumble bee. Look! All clean! (Holds out clean hands.) We had "throwing up my baby bumble bee" as an extra verse pconsidine 07-23-2008, 02:06 AM This was actually in a British book of children's songs we had when I was young. If you've ever wondered why the British are the way they are, here's a clue. There was a strange old butcher, His name was Dunderbeck.

He was very fond of sausage-meat, and sauerkraut and speck. He had the finest butcher shop, the finest ever seen, Until one day he invented his wonderful sausage machine... CHORUS: Oh Dunderbeck, Oh Dunderbeck! How could you be so mean? I told you you'd be sorry for inventing that machine. For all the neighbor's dogs and cats will never more be seen; They'll all be ground to sausage meat in Dunderbeck's machine! One day a very little girl came walking in the store. She ordered up some sausage meat and eggs, a half a score. And while she stood a-waiting she whistled up a tune, And the sausage meat it started up and danced around the room! CHORUS Once day when he was working the machine it would not go. So Dunderbeck, he climbed inside to see what made it so. His wife she had a night-mare and came walking in her sleep; She gave the crank a heck of a yank, and Dunderbeck was meat! Mr Flibble 07-23-2008, 02:22 AM what's strange about that?

*scratches head* I mean we have nursery rhymes about the Black Death, Vikings pulling down London Bridge, and of course in 'A frog he would a wooing go' we refer to the Duke of Anjou *snicker* A couple that used to get sung quite regular.

we'll drink a drink a drink to lily the pink the pink the pink the saviour of our human race for she invented, medicinal compound most efficasious in every case mr freers, had sticky out ears and it made him awful shy and so they gave him medicinal compound and now he's learning how to fly robert tony, was known to be bony he would never eat his meals and so they gave him medicinal compound now they move him round on wheels (#) we'll drink a drink a drink to lily the pink the pink the pink the saviour of the human race for she invented medicinal compound mosr efficasious in every case old ebineezer thought he was julius caeser and so they put him in a home where they gave him medicnal compound and now he's emporor of Rome (#) jonny hammer, had a terrible st st st st stammer he could hardly sssay a word and so they gave him medicinal compound now's he's seen, but never heard chorus aunty milly, ran willy nilly when her legs they did recede so they looked on medicnal compound now they call her milly bee jennifer eccles (#) had terrible freckles and the boys all called

 her names but they gave her medicinal compound now she joins in all the games chorus lily the pink she turned to drink she filled up with parafin inside and despite her medicinal compound sadly picklilly died up to heaven her soul ascended all the church bells they did ring (#) she took with her medicinal compound hark the herald angels sing or A mouse lived in a windmill in old Amsterdam A windmill with a mouse in and he wasn't grousin' He sang every morning, "How lucky I am, Living in a windmill in old Amsterdam!" Chorus: A little mouse with clogs on Well I declare!

Going clip-clippety-clop on the stair Oh yeah This mouse he got lonesome, he took him a wife A windmill with mice in, it's hardly surprisin' She sang every morning, "How lucky I am, Living in a windmill in old Amsterdam!" Chorus First they had triplets and then they had quins A windmill with quins in, and triplets and twins in They sang every morning, "How lucky we are Living in a windmill in Amsterdam, ya!" Chorus The daughters got married and so did the sons The windmill had christ'nin's when no one was list'nin' They all sang in chorus, "How lucky we am Living in a windmill in old Amsterdam!" Chorus A mouse lived in a windmill, so snug and so nice There's nobody there now but a whole lot of mice.

Pagey's_Girl I taste like a booger but I look like a worm and I'll bet you've never seen a booger that can squirm I'll be there when you sneeze and I'll be there when you cough cuz I'm stuck on your finger and you can't shake me off BardSkye 07-23-2008, 09:01 AM This one's going to be your children's favourite years down the road (it was written two four years ago by Mark Burrows) Never polka with a porcupine Dancing isn't part of his design You can schottisch* with a sheep Or swing-dance with a swine But never, never (ouch) never (ouch!ouch!ouch!) never Polka with a porcupine. *a dance like a slow polka MacAllister My Bonnie has only one lung My Bonnie has tuberculosis Spits up blood and chews it for gum Dentyne, Dentyne . . .

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate The first one says "Oh my it's getting late" The second one says, "There are witches in the air!" The third one says, "But we don't care!" The fourth one says, "Let's run and run and run" The fifth one says, "I'm ready for some fun" Then "woooo" went the wind, and out went the lights And the five little pumpkins went rolling out of sight! MacAllister Great green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts, mutilated monkey meat, great green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts, and I forgot my spoon! Okay. Now I'm scaring myself a little. JLCwrites Great green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts, mutilated monkey meat, great green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts, and I forgot my spoon! Okay. Now I'm scaring myself a little. LOL! I remember this one too. We sang it a little bit different... Great green globs of greasy grimy gopher guts, Mutilated monkey feet, Eyeballs rolling down the street..

(and then the rest) pour it down the kitchen sink Tastes like iodine, looks like ink Pepsi Cola, stinky drink. Did you ever think when a hearse goes by That you might be the next to die They wrap you up in a bloody sheet And throw you in about six feet You're okay for about a week Unless your casket springs a leak The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out The worms play pinochle on your snout Your liver turns a lusty green Your guts squirt out like shaving cream You wrap it up in a piece of bread And that's what you eat when you are dead * * * And a sweet song my mother taiught me when I was very young: Way up yonder above the sky A blue bird nested a jaybirds eye Buckeye Jim you canï¿½t go Go weave and spin, you canï¿½t go Buckeye Jim Way up yonder above the moon a bluejay nested in a silver spoon Buckeye Jim... Way down yonder in a hollow log A red bird danced with a green bull frog buckeye... Jaybird sittin' in a hollow tree I looked at him, he looked at me Buckeye Jim...

Way down yonder in a wooden trough An old lady died of the whooping cough Buckeye Jim... This is a fantastic thread! Nobody likes me Think I'll go and eat worms Long ones, short ones, fat ones, thin ones, See how the little ones squirm (wiggle finger) Bite their heads off (sucking sound effect) all the juice up Chuck the skins away Now you know why I eat worms One three times a day! Sophia When we were very young, we used to sing this all the time: The "mana mana" song from The Muppets.

:) JimmyB27 One we used to sing in the Scouts - He jumped from forty thousand feet without a paracute He jumped from forty thousand feet without a paracute He jumped from forty thousand feet without a paracute And he aint gonna jump no more Chorus Glory glory what a hell of a way to die suspended by your braces when you dont know how to fly Glory glory what a hell of a way to die And he aint gonna jump no more He landed on the pavement like a lump of strawberry jam He landed on the pavement like a lump of strawberry jam He landed on the pavement like a lump of strawberry jam And he aint gonna jump no more Chorus They put him in a match box and they sent him home to mum They put him in a match box and they sent him home to mum They put him in a match box and they sent him home to mum And he aint gonna jump no more Chorus She put on the mantel piece for everyone to see She put on the mantel piece for everyone to see She put on the mantel piece for everyone to see And he aint gonna jump no more Chorus She put him on the table when the Vicar came to tea She put him on the table when the Vicar came to

 tea She put him on the table when the Vicar came to tea And he aint gonna jump no more Chorus The Vicar spread him on some toast and said what lovely jam The Vicar spread him on some toast and said what lovely jam The Vicar spread him on some toast and said what lovely jam And he aint gonna jump no more Chorus One we used to sing in the Scouts Which reminds me...

Ging gang goolie goolie goolie goolie wotcha ging gang goo, ging gang goo. DeleyanLee 07-23-2008, 04:48 PM This was actually in a British book of children's songs we had when I was young. If you've ever wondered why the British are the way they are, here's a clue. There was a strange old butcher, His name was Dunderbeck. He was very fond of sausage-meat, and sauerkraut and speck. He had the finest butcher shop, the finest ever seen, Until one day he invented his wonderful sausage machine... CHORUS: Oh Dunderbeck, Oh Dunderbeck! How could you be so mean? I told you you'd be sorry for inventing that machine. For all the neighbor's dogs and cats will never more be seen; They'll all be ground to sausage meat in Dunderbeck's machine! One day a very little girl came walking in the store. She ordered up some sausage meat and eggs, a half a score. And while she stood a-waiting she whistled up a tune, And the sausage meat it started up and danced around the room!

CHORUS Mr Frears Had Sticky Out Ears – Gary Strachan – "Write" Said Fred by gjstrac63 For reasons unbeknown to anyone but God and perhaps astrologer Russell Grant, I can’t get the 1968 song ‘Lily The Pink’ out of my head this morning. The tongue in cheek song by comedy music group The Scaffold, which was number one in the UK charts for four weeks, is currently playing on a constant loop. Meanwhile, I sit in front of blank piece of A4 paper on my laptop hoping Russell Grant, or even God, will let me in on the secret. As a result, I’m faced by unwanted distractions as I attempt to skilfully craft todays erudite monologue. Creating a high quality narrative that will receive the approval of God and Russell Grant isn’t easy, especially with a comedic 1960’s song in the background. As opposed to concentrating on the job in hand, my neurological impulses are constantly telling me unwanted information, such as Jennifer Eccles having terrible freckles and Mr Frears having sticky out ears. The Scaffold were a Liverpudlian trio comprised of Mike McGear, John Gorman and Roger McGough.

Mike McGear (real name Mike McCartney) took a stage name as he was keen not to gain success on the back of being the younger brother of Sir Paul McCartney. I often thought that if he’d have added an ‘s’ on the end of his stage name it could have been Mike McGears who had sticky out ears, not Mr Frears! It wouldn’t have been wholly accurate, as he didn’t have sticky out ears, but it would have still rhymed I suppose. I wanted to write that Roger McGough (pronounced McGoff) also changed from his birth name, which was Roger FuGough, to avoid any inappropriate interpretations of his moniker. However, as much as I’d love that to be the case, it isn’t true!……. Although, coming to think of it I have just written it anyway. McGough was a Beat poet who, along with McGear and John Gorman, started The Scaffold in 1962. In addition to his poetry, McGough lists broadcasting, song lyrics and writing childrens books as his talents. As an aside he also list eggs, milk, cheese and bread, however, as that’s his shopping list so I won’t dwell too long on that!

The group was made up by John Gorman. When I said made up I don’t mean the Liverpudlian meaning of ‘made up’, ie very happy. I’m referring to him completing the trio of performers in the band! Like McGough, Gorman was a Beat poet. He was a sensitive man who claimed to have been made the outsider in the group because his surname didn’t start with Mc, which the others denied vehemently! He toyed with changing to a stage name of John McCartney, claim he was Paul’s brother and bask in the reflective glory of being a sibling of The Beatles member. However, after a period of reflection, he decided that was a chuffing ludicrous idea, so wisely dropped it! Gorman, who once famously told someone to f*ck off, was the brains of the outfit. I don’t mean he was the intelligent group member, I’m referring to the fact he was the puppet scientist in Thunderbirds! Despite only being five when ‘Lily The Pink’ was released (me not John Gorman) I remember it as catchy and humourous song that, along with Leeds United’s two cup wins that year, contributed to a happy 1968.

I also recall being similarly enamoured with The Scaffolds follow up offering ‘Thank You Very Much’ the following year I also recollect particularly liking the word efficacious, which was used in the chorus of ‘Lily The Pink’. I didn’t have a clue what it meant and, without Googling it, I’m not even 100% sure now (I think it means has curing powers). I just liked the word much as I now appreciate words like juxtaposition, epiphany and serendipity in adulthood. As I write, the music in my head has just stopped and the 7” vinyl single has returned to its slot in my cranial jukebox. A calming silence has replaced the quirky song which, like a harridan gossiping over the fence, had spent the morning endlessly repeating that brother Tony was bony and Ebeneezer thought he was Julius Caesar. In this prevailing peace, I now understand this record has been on repeat as an inspiration to pen a narrative about this 1960’s comedy group from Liverpool…… Thank you God and Russell Grant! Oh, and Russell, as your in charge of the jukebox buttons, can you put something on by David Bowie next please?!

Share this: kulturní magazín Uni » Blog Archive » Lily The Pink kulturní magazín Uni Rozhovory Nejčastější tagy 18. 1. Jochen Ruckert Quartet ft. Mark Turner (USA/D), Jazz Dock, Praha 19. 1. Bellevue , Kaštan, Praha 20. 1. Přetlak věku, Skrytý půvab byrokracie , Bárka bar, Točník 20. 1. Znouzectnost , Club Kino, Černošice 20. 1.–12. 2. Spectaculare , Palác Akropolis, Praha 22. 1. Zuzana Dumková Band , Jazz Dock, Praha 24. 1. Up! , Stará pekárna, Brno 25. 1. The Vibrators (UK), Fléda, Brno 25. 1. Duende , Stará pekárna, Brno 27. 1.

Pá7ek vol.2 (UK), Kabinet múz, Brno 27. 1. Mucha , Jazz Club, Havířov 2. 2. Trio Merta-Hrubý-Fencl , Klub parník, Ostrava 2. 2. Jauvajs , Blues café, Kutná Hora 10. 3. Dura&Blues Club feat. Fedor Frešo , Blues café, Kutná Hora Vyhledávání Lily The Pink „Houpy, houpy, houpy, houpyty, houpy, houpy, hou, každej zná tu píseň houpavou,“ přesvědčuje nás Waldemar Matuška na veselém singlu z roku 1969, případně v ještě rozvernějším duetu s Máničkou, Spejblem a Hurvínkem z roku 1972.

Textař Ivo Fischer měl zase jednou geniální nápad a vymyslel slogan, který se hodí jak k houpavé melodii, tak k houpání čili vodění za nos, což jsou dva hlavní znaky staré odrhovačky Lily The Pink. Jak už to u takových bizarních písniček bývá, málokdo dnes ví, proč vznikla a o čem se v ní doopravdy zpívá. Tentokrát si osud pohrál s příběhem důstojné paní Lydie Pinkhamové, jedné z nejúspěšnějších obchodnic své doby, jejíž „rostlinnou směs“ kupovaly po tisících ženy trpící problémy v menopauze. Zdá se vám to málo romantické, chybí vám v tom drama?

Jen počkejte, až se dozvíte víc. Nejprve se musíme přesunout do roku 1968, kdy se v legendárním londýnském studiu na Abbey Road sešli členové liverpoolského komediálního tria Scaffold (Šibenice), tvořeného básníkem Rogerem McGoughem, hercem Johnem Gormanem a fotografem Mikem McGearem. McGear, vlastním jménem Peter Michael McCartney, byl mladším bratrem Paula McCartneyho, jenž se také podílel na některých nahrávkách úspěšné trojice.

Prvním hitem skupiny Scaffold (zprvu pojmenované The Liverpool One Fat Lady All Electric Show – Plně elektrifi kovaná show jedné tlusté dámy z Liverpoolu) se stala píseň Thank U Very Much, původně zpívaný telefonát, kterým Mike děkoval Paulovi za to, že mu koupil fotoaparát Nikon. Největší úspěch ale mladí komici sklidili s adaptací košilaté lidovky The Ballad Of Lydia Pinkham, z níž si za druhé světové války udělali neofi ciální hymnu britští tankisté a kterou bylo možné často slýchat po skončení rugbyových zápasů. Pod názvem Lily The Pink písnička o Vánocích roku 1968 obletěla svět, o čemž svědčí i pohotová česká verze.

Natáčení v Abbey Road probíhalo v přátelské atmosféře. Mike McGear si půjčil basový buben od Ringo Starra, hodil přes něj svůj kabát, a tak vznikly ony tlumené bouchance, kterými skladba začíná. Na baskytaru hrál člen superskupiny Cream Jack Bruce, údajně byl přítomen i bubeník kapely Who Keith Moon. U zvukařského pultu asistoval mladý Tim Rice, jenž se už brzy proslaví coby libretista rockové opery skladatele Andrewa Lloyda Webbera Jesus Christ Superstar. Dokonce si zahalekal v refrénu, stejně jako jistý Reg Dwight (z něhož se záhy vyklube jistý Elton John) a Graham Nash, člen folkrockové skupiny Hollies.

Právě na počest Nashe a jeho spoluhráčů, kteří zrovna bodovali s hitem Jennifer Eccles, se v textu písně objevila zmínka o „pihovaté Jennifer Zbožné“ („Jennifer Eccles had terrible freckles“). Hříčka „Pica-Lily“ vychází z názvu oblíbené anglické čalamády Picalilli, který samozřejmě odkazuje ke jménu známé londýnské třídy Picadilly vedoucí na náměstí Picadilly Circus. A „Mr. Frears“ je filmový režisér Stephen Frears, jenž triu Scaffold málem zničil kariéru, když jako mladé ucho špatně zrežíroval jeden z jeho raných koncertních programů.

Šibeniční humoristé se mu pomstili tím, že ho v písničce obdařili odstávajícíma ušima. Nutno říci, že Frears se časem polepšil a natočil řadu povedených filmů, například Nebezpečné známosti, Špínu Londýna nebo Královnu. OD AMOSE K DARWINOVI Přestože se Lily The Pink dočkala nesmrtelnosti na Britských ostrovech, původ má americký. Lydia E. Pinkhamová, z jejíhož léčivého lektvaru si píseň utahuje, totiž spojila celý svůj život s městečkem Lynn ve státě Massachusetts, o kterém koluje ještě nemilosrdnější popěvek než o ní. „Lynn, Lynn, city of sin, you never come out the way you went in.

Ask for water, they give you a gin, the girls say no, but always give in.“ („Lynn, Lynn, město hříchu, kdo tudy projde, nebude už tím, kým býval. Když tu chceš vodu, dostaneš gin, holky tě odmítnou, ale pak ti jsou po vůli.“) Některé obyvatele říkanka tak štvala, že se svůj spořádaný domov, jenž spíš než hnízdo neřesti připomínal vzorovou selanku ze Stepfordských paniček, snažili přejmenovat na Ocean Park. Ale zvyk je zvyk, a tak alespoň vypracovali seznam prvenství, jimiž se Lynn může chlubit.

V hrdém výčtu najdeme třeba první požární stříkačku (1654) nebo první hovězí sendvič. A také jméno první ženy, která uspěla v oblasti reklamy a marketingu: Lydia Pinkhamová. V současných publikacích má tato pozoruhodná osoba roli jakési dobromyslné šarlatánky, emancipované, avšak trochu pomýlené hospodyně. Taková Magdalena Dobromila Rettigová, kdyby místo knedlíků vařila lektvar z muřích noh. Nicméně jediný hodnověrný zdroj, kniha Jean Burtonové Lydia Pinkham Is Her Name z roku 1949, nabízí mnohem plastičtější profil jedné z nejúspěšnějších podnikatelek 19. století.

Přestože účinnost dodnes prodávaného bylinného produktu s nálepkou „Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound“ bývá oficiálními lékařskými kruhy často zpochybňována, při bližším studiu historických pramenů je zřejmé, že si jeho výrobce zaslouží spíš respekt než posměšné písničky. Skutečná „Lily The Pink“ se narodila 9. února 1819 na farmě za městem Lynn, nějakých 30 km od Bostonu, jako Lydia Estesová. Její matka Rebecca pocházela z italského šlechtického rodu Este (Estes), jehož část v průběhu staletí přesídlila do Anglie a odtud na americký kontinent.

(My známe jiného člena této rozvětvené rodiny – následníka rakousko- uherského trůnu Ferdinanda d’Este.) Lydiin otec William Estes pracoval jako spousta jiných obyvatel Massachusetts v obuvnickém průmyslu. (V nadcházející britsko-americké válce představovaly boty z Lynn snad ještě větší pojem než rýmovačka „Lynn, Lynn, city of sin“.) Oba rodiče byli kvakeři neboli příslušníci původně anglické protestantské sekty, ofi ciálně nazývané Společnost přátel.

Kvakeři neuznávali autoritu státu, odmítali vojenskou službu a teoreticky vystupovali proti rasismu i jiným druhům sociálního útisku, ačkoliv v praxi mnohdy tak odvážní nebyli. Do značné míry měli demokratického ducha, což se projevovalo v jejich pojetí víry, organizaci rodiny i chápání ženské role. Lydia Estesová tudíž od útlého věku vnímala všechny tyto hodnoty, jejichž vyznáváním kvakeři notně předběhli svou dobu. K přednostem Estesových rovněž patřila víra v rasovou rovnoprávnost.

Podporovali abolicionisty, kteří usilovali o zrušení otroctví a pomáhali černým nevolníkům dostat se pryč z rasistického jihu Spojených států. Dům jejich souseda, zámožného občana Jamese N. Buffuma, sloužil jako tajná zastávka tzv. „podzemní železnice“ (síť úkrytů užívaných při organizovaných útěcích otroků).

Kvakeři ve městě Lynn však nebyli v otázce zrušení otroctví názorově jednotní, a tak Estesovi nakonec Společnost přátel opustili a začali sympatizovat s tehdy populárními swedenborgiány (příznivci učení švédského filozofa a vědce Emanuela Swedenborga, sdružující se v Nové církvi). Díky Buffumovi se dostali do kontaktu s řadou významných abolicionistů včetně Williama Lloyda Garrisona, vydavatele protiotrokářského listu Liberator, Nathaniela P. Rogerse, vydavatele podobných novin Herald Of Freedom, či básníka Johna Greenleafa Whittiera.

Kousek od nich navíc bydlel zřejmě nejslavnější odpůrce otrokářství, bývalý otrok a vůdce abolicionistů Frederick Douglass. Estesovi s těmito reformátory vedli dlouhé diskuse a Lydia pozorně naslouchala. Když byla starší, sama v lynnském sále Richard’s Hall založila Debatní spolek (Debating Society), fungující jako protipól k zakrnělému Freemanově institutu, v němž se scházeli ke společným diskuzím vážení občané města – ovšem pouze mužští. Problém ženské rovnoprávnosti se logicky svezl s problémem rasové diskriminace, a proto většina abolicionistek byla zároveň sufražetkami, tedy bojovnicemi za ženská práva.

Není od věci si připomenout, že po občanské válce dostali černí Američané právo volit, ale ženy nikoli. Školští pracovníci brali jako vědecky podložený fakt, že ženský mozek není schopen pochopit komplikovanou látku, jakou je kupříkladu vyšší matematika, a proto je upřímně udivilo, když v roce 1838 žačka jménem Emma Willardová obstála na výbornou z geometrie. Lydia Estesová však měla štěstí nejen na svobodomyslné rodiče, ale také na výjimečného kantora, básníka a historika Alonza Lewise, experimentujícího s progresivní metodou výuky amerického teoretika Amose Bronsona Alcotta (hádejte, po kom si dal jméno).

Díky Lewisovu moudrému vedení se bystrá studentka hravě dostala na akademii, kterou absolvovala s vyznamenáním, a navrch si sama dobrovolně zvolila dráhu učitelky. AMERICKÁ LÉKÁRNA Právě na schůzích Debatního spolku – řešícího šestnáct let před vydáním Darwinova spisu O původu druhů! otázky jako „Existuje nezvratný důkaz, že má celé lidské pokolení společný původ?“ – se Lydia seznámila se svým budoucím manželem, jak jinak než obuvníkem Isaa cem Pinkhamem. Pinkhamova rodina pocházela z New Hampshire a co do volnomyšlenkářství si nijak nezadala s rodem Estesů.

Dokonce se ve své genealogii mohla chlubit dívkou jménem Mary Tylerová, která byla roku 1692 v nedalekém Salemu obžalována z čarodějnictví. (Zdejší hony na čarodějnice zvěčnil ve slavné hře Čarodějky ze Salemu, jež je stejně jako Kaplického a Vávrovo Kladivo na čarodějnice analogií k politickým procesům v padesátých letech 20. století, americký dramatik a spisovatel Arthur Miller.) V Isaakovi nalezla Lydia věrného průvodce na cestě životem osvobozeným od předsudků a dobových bludů.

Stala se emancipovanou, a přece oddanou ženou v domácnosti, která ví, jak se postarat o čtyři děti (sama byla z deseti) a co znamená žít na malém městě obklopena sousedy, z nichž každý k tomu druhému chtě nechtě zaujímá určitý postoj. Lydie Pinkhamové si lidé vážili už proto, že věděla víc než oni a byla více sečtělá. Měla ctihodného manžela, jenž se díky jejímu věnu změnil z ševce v movitého vlastníka půdy (kolem pozemků Pinkhamových měla vést nová železnice a on je kus po kusu nabízel investorům).

Bohužel, rozkvět obchodní čtvrti města Lynn, která na těchto parcelách skutečně postupem let vyrostla, na sebe nechal dlouho čekat, takže se z Pinkhamových stali boháči pouze na papíře. Ve skutečnosti se museli přestěhovat do menšího domu na předměstí a nějaký čas dokonce živořili o kus dál v Bedfordu – to když už jim dluhy nedovolily udržet si pozici v prosperujícím a atraktivním sousedství Bostonu. Těsně před vypuknutím občanské války se však přece jen vzchopili a vrátili se.

V té době Lydia, která vyrostla na farmě mezi voňavými svazky sušených bylinek a koření, začala ve městě Lynn působit jako jakási alternativa k ofi ciální zdravotní péči. Coby bývalá učitelka, a tudíž autorita, byla povolávána k lůžku nemocných, jimž se pokoušela radit na základě zkušeností, které si místní farmáři předávali po generace, vycházejíce přitom dílem z odkazu anglických puritánů a dílem z tradic původních obyvatel Ameriky, tedy indiánů. První škola pro zdravotní sestry byla založena až v sedmdesátých letech 19.

století a doktora si tenkrát prostý člověk nemohl dovolit, nemluvě o tom, že mu nevěřil. Měl k tomu pádné důvody, protože na středověkou módu všespasitelného pouštění krve navázala medicína dalších staletí něčím ještě brutálnějším – cílenou otravou organismu pomocí „léků“ jako chlorid rtuťný. Čím hůře nemocný na léčbu reagoval, tím více jedů do těla dostal. Výsledkem bylo víc mrtvých pacientů než živých. Kritici uzdravovacích metod Lydie Pinkhamové často poukazují na její amatérismus.

Nicméně recept, díky němuž se proslavila, je takřka kompletně převzatý z odborné publikace, dokonce z jedné z nejdůležitějších lékařských knih své doby. Napsal ji Dr. John King a jmenovala se American Dispensary (Americká lékárna). King patřil ke skupině lékařů nazývaných eklektici, kteří rezolutně odmítali používání projímadel, pijavic, těžkých kovů jako rtuť či olovo a kauterizace (přikládání rozžhaveného železa při amputacích za účelem zastavení krvácení). Místo toho hlásali léčbu v souladu s přírodou, s přirozenými procesy lidského organismu.

Mluvíme o době, kdy anestezie byla ještě v plenkách a mělo trvat ještě dlouhá léta, než ji odborná obec uznala za přijatelnou (ačkoliv Bůh Adama uspal, než mu odebral žebro, z nějž pak svořil ženu). Lékařské kapacity, z nichž mnohé se po vzoru dnešních rychlostudentů práv staly doktory po ročním kursu na soukromé škole a jejich jedinou kvalifi kací byl fakt, že dovedou číst a psát, stále odmítaly vzít na vědomí apel Dr. Olivera Wendella Holmese, aby se před a po zákroku umyli a převlékli. Bakteriologie byla hudbou budoucnosti.

Pro obyčejné lidi tudíž v mnoha případech znamenala poslední naději herbální medicína. A kniha Johna Kinga se stala biblí všech, kteří se pokoušeli nalézt v přírodě vhodný lék. Na Lydii Pinkhamovou, zběhlou v používání léčivých bylin, se obzvláště často obracely sousedky se „ženskými problémy“, které se tehdy běžně řešily odstraněním vaječníků.

Sečtělá hospodyně, sama trpící silnými menstruačními bolestmi a přílišným krvácením, našla v Kingově příručce rostlinu s názvem aletris farinosa (aletris bílý), jejíž blahodárný vliv na tuto choulostivou oblast ženského organismu znali už indiánští šamani. Dr. King ji označoval za „rostlinu, jež si bezpochyby zaslouží další bádání, jelikož je jedním z našich nejužitečnějších pomocníků“. Další důležitou rostlinou byla klejicha (asclepias).

Lidia na základě Kingových rad vybrala ještě tři byliny: starček zlatý (senecio aureus), pískavici řecké seno (trigonella foenum-graecum) a ploštičník hroznatý (actaea racemosa). Přidala osmnáctiprocentní alkohol, a prostředek zvaný Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound (Bylinná směs Lydie E. Pinkhamové) byl na světě. „Lily The Pink“ ho nejprve řadu let poskytovala zdarma ženám ve svém okolí a o výsledcích si vedla podrobné zápisy.

Teprve když se zvěst o zázračné medicíně donesla i do jiných měst a k Lydiině prahu se začali stahovat cizí lidé připomínající poutníky do Mekky, rozhodla se podnikavá dáma svůj „objev“ zpeněžit. Donutily ji k tomu okolnosti spojené s neúspěšným podnikáním jejího muže (v období tzv. rekonstrukce po skončení občanské války se Isaac úspěšně uchytil ve stavebnictví, ale první celosvětová krize odstartovaná Vídeňským krachem v roce 1873 ho o veškerý výdělek připravila).

Z tmavohnědého nahořklého amalgámu se stal neuvěřitelně výnosný artikl, díky němuž je Lydia Pinkhamová považována za první velkou americkou byznysmenku, ale bohužel i za vychytralou podvodnici. Bylinná směs se (s přidaným vitaminem B1 a sníženým procentem alkoholu, což je podle zlých jazyků jediná léčivá složka kouzelného koktejlu) dosud vyrábí v továrně řízené potomky klanů Pinkhamů, kteří se ostatně před padesáti lety o její vedení jaksepatří poprali. Není divu – podle časopisu Life už tehdy činil výnos z prodeje tohoto produktu bezmála 60 milionů liber!

LILY THE PINK We’ll drink a drink a drink To Lily the Pink the Pink the Pink The saviour of the human race For she invented medicinal compound Most efficacious in every case Mr. Frears had sticky-out ears And it made him awful shy And so they gave him medicinal compound And now he’s learning how to fl y Brother Tony was notably bony He would never eat his meals And so they gave him medicinal compound Now they move him round on wheels We’ll drink… Old Ebeneezer thought he was Julius Caesar And so they put him in a Home Where they gave him medicinal compound And now he’s Emperor of Rome Johnny Hammer had a terrible ss..ss.. ss..ss..ss..ss..stammer He could hardly s..s..say a word And so they gave him medicinal compound Now he’s seen (but never ‘eard)!

We’ll drink… When her legs, they did recede And so they rubbed on medicinal compound And now they call her Millipede Jennifer Eccles had terrible freckles And the boys all called her names But she changed with medicinal‘ compound And now he joins in all their games We’ll drink… Lily the Pink, she turned to drink She filled up with paraffi n inside And despite her medicinal compound Sadly Picca-Lily died Up to Heaven her soul ascended All the church bells they did ring She took with her medicinal compound Hark the herald angels sing We’ll drink… Na zdraví, na zdraví, na zdraví Lilinky Růžový, Růžový, Růžový, hrozně se za to styděl. A tak mu dali léčivou směs a teď může vesele plachtit. Bratr Tony byl nápadně vyzáblý, nikdy nedojedl hlavní chod. A tak mu dali léčivou směs a teď ho před sebou strkají na vozíčku.

Na zdraví… Starý Ebenezer myslel, že je Julius Caesar, a tak ho šoupli do domova, kde mu dali léčivou směs, a teď už je jen císař římský. Johnny Kladivo hrozně k-k-k-koktal, stěží ze sebe vypravil s-s-s-slovo. A tak mu dali léčivou směs a teď je vidět, ale není slyšet. Na zdraví… Tetička Millie běhala v slunci, dešti, jednou ji ale nohy přestaly poslouchat. A tak je potřeli léčivou směsí a teď jí říkají milliped. Jennifer Zbožná byla tak pihovatá,že na ni kluci pokřikovali Ale léčivá směs jí změnila život a teď už ji berou do všech svých her.

Na zdraví… Růžová Lilinka se dala na pití, tělo jí rozložil petrolej a navzdory své léčivé směsi ta Lily z Picadilly umřela. Když její duše stoupala do nebe, zvonily všechny zvony. Léčivou směs vzala s sebou, slyšte, slyšte! prozpěvují andělé.

Question: In The Scaffold’s ‘Lily the Pink’, which young lady “had terrible freckles”?
Answer: JENNIFER ECCLES