My Motter

DESCRIPTION: "I fly along on an old B.E., It isn't fast enough for me," so the singer always flees the Huns. After all, he "gotter Motter, Keep on our side of the line" -- but sometimes he can't, and has to try to detect the enemy. "It's a short life but a gay one."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1967 (Ward-Jackson/Lucas-AirmansSongBook)
KEYWORDS: pilot derivative wordplay
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Ward-Jackson/Lucas-AirmansSongBook, p. 67, "My Motter" (1 text, tune referenced)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "My Motter" from the play "The Arcadians" (tune)
NOTES [135 words]: When I encountered this song, I assumed "motter" was a distorted form of German "Mutter," "mother." Looking up the play "The Acadians" shows that it is in fact a distortion of the word "motto." The song (whic his in Act III) is sung by the character "Doody," and begins,
I've always been, since quite a lad,
Cheery and gay when things were bad --
That is a way I've always 'ad --
I look on the bright side!
I've gotter motter --
Always merry and bright!
Look around and you will find
Every cloud is silver lined....
The credits for "The Arcadians" are: Book by Mark Ambient, A.M. Thompson and Mark Courtneidge.
Lyrics by Arthur Wimperis.
Music by Lionel Monckton and Howard Talbot.
It was produced in 1909, and was a major success. There is a Wikipedia article under "The Arcadians (Musical)." - RBW
Last updated in version 6.8
File: WJL067

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