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Title
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Congreve man
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Singer
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Mills, William
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Song Lyrics
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Verse 1
Oh, I'm going to tell you a curious tale,
It happened of late, so it won't be stake;
A man went once to see a friend,
But little he thought how it would end.
Chorus
Ri tol the rol ol; fol the rol ol.
Verse 2
He reached the house, knocked once, or more,
His friend not appearing he opened the door;
And feeling thirsty he thought it no sin,
To visit the shelf where his friend kept his gin.
Chorus
Verse 3
A bottle he found and to his gill
He put it, determined to have his fill;
But as he drank the contents his friend walked in,
Saying, 'What are you at?' 'Why, I've drunk your gin.'
Chorus
Verse 4
'My gin?' says he, 'Why none I've got,
You've made a mistake, you foolish sot!
If you've drunk that stuff, it will burn you to ashes,
'Tis a liquid for dipping of Congreve's matches.'
Chorus
Verse 5
He'd no sooner heard it than off he went,
For a stomach pump was his intent;
But ere he reached the doctor's shop,
He was all in a blaze from bottom to top.
Chorus
Verse 6
He ran with all his might and main,
Until a pond he chanced to gain;
He threw himself in - you may think it's a lie -
But the heat of his body sucked up the pond dry.
Chorus
Verse 7
He ran till he was dreadfully tired,
And every place he touched was fired;
He threw himself down in a wood for ease,
But his Congreve body burnt all the trees.
Chorus
Verse 8
Now this man to London town he came,
He'd a fire proof cloak made to keep in the flame;
But he so strong of the liquid did smell,
They all thought him a gentleman of h-ll.
Chorus
Verse 9
Now this man he asked for lodgings bold,
And lucky for him the host had a cold;
So he nothing of the liquid did smell,
And the fire proof cloak kept the flames in well.
Chorus
Verse 10
Now he had not been to bed very long,
Before he found there was something wrong;
He awoke and was obliged to escape through the winder,
For the bed and the bedding were all burnt to a tinder.
Chorus
Verse 11
Now this man he was in a terrible plight,
He was obliged to sleep in the fields all night;
And the people who saw him perceived, in a crack,
That he was none other than Spring Heel Jack.
Chorus
Verse 12
Now the people they were is such a stew,
He'd frightened to death no little few;
They swore, if they caught him, for causing such shocks,
They'd grind him and sell at a ha'penny a box.
Chorus
Verse 13
Now I'll tell you the last of this man's ills -
He went to Dartford Powder Mills;
He saw some powder and threw himself in it,
And blew up the place in less than a minute.
Chorus
Verse 14
The people surrounded the place next day,
I'm told that one of his legs ran away;
It turned round in a blaze, and went off in a hand turn,
And 'tis called from that day the famed Jack and the Lantern.
Chorus
Verse 15
Now I've told you all, as near as I can,
About this dreadful Congreve man;
Be persuaded by me, whene'er you go in
To see a friend, don't steal his gin.
Chorus
