Joseph Tuck

DESCRIPTION: Joseph Tuck, a tailor's son, a rover for 25 years, has decided to settle down. "I'm barber, blacksmith, parish clerk, man-midwife to the ladies" and many other occupations. Besides, he sells everything and hopes you "purchase at my shop"
AUTHOR: William Finlay (1792-1847) (source: Whistle-Binkie)
EARLIEST DATE: 1842 (_Whistle-Binkie_)
KEYWORDS: commerce nonballad
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Greig/Duncan8 1687, "Tammy Tuck" (3 fragments, 1 tune)
Wolf-AmericanSongSheets, #1160, p. 79, "Joseph Tuck" (1 reference)
ADDITIONAL: Alexander Rodger, editor, Whistle-Binkie, Second Series (Glasgow, 1842), pp. 44-45, "Joseph Tuck"
Roud #13030
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 17(152a), "Joseph Tuck" ("I'm Joseph Tuck, the tailor's son"), The Poet's Box (Glasgow), 1850
LOCSinging, sb20251b, "Joseph Tuck" ("I am Joseph Tuck, the tailor's son, a poor but honest blade, sirs"), H. De Marsan (New York), 1859-1860
NLScotland, L.C.Fol.178.A.2(084), "Joseph Tuck" ("I'm Joseph Tuck, the tailor's son"), unknown, 19C
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "My Mither Ment My Auld Breeks" (tune, per broadside Bodleian Harding B 17(152a))
cf. "Bow Wow Wow" (tune, per broadside LOCSinging sb20251b)
NOTES [116 words]: This is in counterpoint to "Dublin Jack of All Trades," who does everything in sequence. Joseph Tuck does it all, and sells everything, at the same time.
Re the tune attributed by broadside LOCSinging sb20251b: note that the Greig/Duncan8 chorus of "Joseph Tuck" is "Bow wow wow Fal al di ral di radi Bow wow wow." Whistle-Binkie has it as "Bow, wow, wow, ri tum te edi." The broadsides hint at the chorus but do not print all of it, indicating -- I suppose -- that the chorus is already well known.
Broadside LOCSinging sb20251b: H. De Marsan dating per Studying Nineteenth-Century Popular Song by Paul Charosh in American Music, Winter 1997, Vol 15.4, Table 1, available at FindArticles site. - BS
Last updated in version 3.5
File: OpOx087

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