Ballad of the Crutty Men
[also known as "Thank You Very Much, Sir"]
This song has not been recorded in studio, but a rare live version exists on the 1964 LP, Vote For Us. There, it follows a spoken comedy piece ("Foot In Mouth Disease"), which concludes, and thereby ushers in the song, with the words, "Harold Macmillan, 11th August 1963: 'The people will, I think, be wise to say Thank You Very Much. Let's Carry On'."
The song lyric consists of a lively broadside at Macmillan's cabinet, replete with clever word soundings, and cites by name a slew of prominent politicians of the day. Leon offers ironic thanks to each of these politicians for their sterling work, via an unknown vocalist (sounding rather like the Goon Show's Willium Cobblers, voiced by Peter Sellers) who chimes in at each chorus with the honest, if naive gratitude of a working man.
The track title is presumably adapted from the folk tune, "The Cutty Wren", which was recorded by Ian Campbell in 1962 for his EP, Songs Of Protest on the Topic label. Sheet music for "The Crutty Men" was later published under a new name, "Thank You Very Much, Sir", which is copyrighted 1968, but is the same song (with very minor lyric amendments).
The song lyric consists of a lively broadside at Macmillan's cabinet, replete with clever word soundings, and cites by name a slew of prominent politicians of the day. Leon offers ironic thanks to each of these politicians for their sterling work, via an unknown vocalist (sounding rather like the Goon Show's Willium Cobblers, voiced by Peter Sellers) who chimes in at each chorus with the honest, if naive gratitude of a working man.
The track title is presumably adapted from the folk tune, "The Cutty Wren", which was recorded by Ian Campbell in 1962 for his EP, Songs Of Protest on the Topic label. Sheet music for "The Crutty Men" was later published under a new name, "Thank You Very Much, Sir", which is copyrighted 1968, but is the same song (with very minor lyric amendments).
"The finest track is Rosselson's 'Ballad of the Crutty
Men' – a comment on Macmillan's view that the people would be wise to say,
'Thank you very much. Carry on.' Sad, jaunty little verses ('Down came the
ceiling and in came the sharks') are followed by a fruity, unctuous refrain from
the Tory working man. 'Ooh, thank you very much, sir.'" - Tribune
(March 27, 1964)
"Written for a Transatlantic record called 'Vote For Us' to commemorate some of the highlights of Tory rule." - LR (Look Here (songbook), 1968)
"Written for a Transatlantic record called 'Vote For Us' to commemorate some of the highlights of Tory rule." - LR (Look Here (songbook), 1968)
Recordings
Sheet Music
- Look Here p24, under the name "Thank You Very Much, Sir"