Pensioner's Complaint, The

DESCRIPTION: "You neighbours all listen, a story I'll tell." The Waterloo veteran has a pension of 18 pounds a year, and his wife takes too much of it. She drinks, she gossips, she does no work, leaving him cold and tired from his tasks. He wishes she were taken away
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1907 (Hammond MS.)
KEYWORDS: soldier money wife hardtimes
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Gardham-EarliestVersions, "PENSIONER'S COMPLAINT, THE"
Purslow-TheConstantLovers, pp. 68-69, "The Pensioner's Complaint" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #1663
NOTES [40 words]: Purslow suggests that this was originally meant to be sung to the "Limerick Rake" tune (also known as "Champion at Keepin' 'em Rollin'," "Champion at Driving 'Em Crazy," etc.). This seems likely, but it might also be "Arthur McBride." - RBW
Last updated in version 6.8
File: PCL68

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