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From CD #1:
Seaside Girls

Words and music by Harry B. Norris;

Song Lyrics

Down at Margate looking very charming you are sure to meet
Those girls, dear girls, those lovely seaside girls.
With sticks they steer and promenade the pier to give the boys a treat;
In piqué silks and lace, they tip you quite a playful wink.
It always is the case: you seldom stop to think.
You fall in love of course upon the spot,
But not with one girl — always with the lot...
Those girls, those girls, those lovely seaside girls,
All dimples, smiles, and curls — your head it simply whirls!
They look all right, complexions pink and white;
They've diamond rings and dainty feet,
Golden hair from Regent Street,
Lace and grace and lots of face — those pretty little seaside girls.

There's Maud and Clara, Gwendoline and Sarah — where do they come from?
Those girls, dear girls, those lovely seaside girls.
In bloomers smart they captivate the heart when cycling down the prom;
At wheels and heels and hose you must not look, 'tis understood,
But every Johnnie knows: it does the eyesight good.
The boys observe the latest thing in socks;
They learn the time — by looking at the clocks*...
Those girls, those girls, those lovely seaside girls,
All dimples, smiles, and curls — your head it simply whirls!
They look all right, complexions pink and white;
They've diamond rings and dainty feet,
Golden hair from Regent Street,
Lace and grace and lots of face — those pretty little seaside girls.

When you go to do a little boating, just for fun you take
Those girls, dear girls, those lovely seaside girls.
They all say, "We so dearly love the sea!" Their way on board they make;
The wind begins to blow: each girl remarks, "How rough today!"
"It's lovely, don't you know!" — and then they sneak away.
And as the yacht keeps rolling with the tide,
You'll notice, hanging o'er the vessel's side...
Those girls, those girls, those lovely seaside girls,
All dimples, smiles, and curls — your head it simply whirls!
They look a sight, complexions GREEN and white;
Their hats fly off, and at your feet
Falls golden hair from Regent Street,
Rouge and puffs slip down the cuffs — of pretty little seaside girls.

*There's a joke here, and getting it depends on knowing what is meant by clocks in this context. The word, of uncertain etymological origin, denotes the decorative side panels knitted or embroidered into hosiery at the ankles, on either both sides or just the outside. In the late nineteenth century, ladies' stockings had taken on a new, stylish appearance, and the decoration of clocks accentuated the ankles of the well-to-do. At the time, when long skirts were in vogue, the tantalizing glimpse of a well-ornamented female ankle held for the male an erotic appeal that is barely comprehensible in our jaded day and age. By some unwritten rule it was generally understood that gentlemen "must not look," but look they did. Nothing new under the sun — or at the seashore. To learn more about clocks, visit these Web pages:

Hand-Knit Hose
 
History of Footwear: Hosiery

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Notes on the Song

Coming soon....

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