Grecian Bend, The

DESCRIPTION: "I'm the wretchedest man that e'er was seen, For badly swindled I have been." He meets a girl with a Grecian Bend. She is very pretty, and he ends up paying her (expensive) rent. Then she goes off with another man. He warns against such girls
AUTHOR: Tony Pastor (source: New-Comic-Songster)
EARLIEST DATE: 1870 (New-Comic-Songster)
KEYWORDS: love courting clothes warning recitation
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (2 citations):
New-Comic-Songster, p. 56, "The Grecian Bend" (1 text, 1 tune)
Dime-Song-Book #21, pp. 5-6, "The Grecian Bend" (1 text); cf. p. 24, "The Grecian Bend: No. 2" (1 text); also Dime-Song-Book #22, p. 17, "That Lovely Grecian Bend" (1 text); p. 20, "The Grecian Bend" (1 text)
Roud #24766
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "A Burlesque on the Fashions of the Day, 1870, or, The Grecian Bend" (subject of the Grecian Bend)
NOTES [70 words]: Although pretty clearly of American origin, the only sign of a traditional collection comes, oddly, from England. I'm not sure I trust it, but I index the song just in case....
The Grecian Bend seems to have been a greatly exaggerated bustle that seems, based on illustrations, to have almost forced the wearer to lean forward dramatically while wearing it. In addition to looking strange, it frankly looks painful. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.7
File: NCSGreBe

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography