"My Old Dutch" is an 1892

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Bri ...

and

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

song performed by

Albert Chevalier Albert Chevalier (often listed as Albert Onésime Britannicus Gwathveoyd Louis Chevalier); (21 March 186110 July 1923), was an English music hall comedian, singer and musical theatre actor. He specialised in cockney related humour based on life ...

. The lyrics were written by Chevalier, with music composed by his brother Auguste under the name

Charles Ingle Auguste Charles Joseph Onesime Chevalier (28 September 1862 – 24 February 1940),''England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007'England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995 ...

. Described as one of Chevalier's most popular works, the song was possibly written as a tribute to Chevalier's wife Florrie.

Background

The song's title refers to an 1880s

colloquialism Colloquialism (), also called colloquial language, everyday language or general parlance, is the style (sociolinguistics), linguistic style used for casual (informal) communication. It is the most common functional style of speech, the idiom norm ...

for a partner or friend. The phrase has a number of etymologies; two

Cockney rhyming slang Rhyming slang is a form of slang word construction in the English language. It is especially prevalent among Cockneys in England, and was first used in the early 19th century in the East End of London; hence its alternative name, Cockney rhymin ...

explanations identify the phrase as coming from "dutch plate" ("mate") or "Duchess of Fife" ("wife")."Dutch house" ("spouse"). Chevalier, however, claimed that his wife's face reminded him of the clock face of a Dutch clock. As with many music hall songs, the lyrics dealt with poverty and sex differences. When introducing the song, Chevalier would enter dressed as an elderly

Cockney Cockney is an accent and dialect of English, mainly spoken in London and its environs, particularly by working-class and lower middle-class Londoners. The term "Cockney" has traditionally been used to describe a person from the East End, or b ...

man with his elderly partner. They would head towards a

workhouse In Britain, a workhouse () was an institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment. (In Scotland, they were usually known as poorhouses.) The earliest known use of the term ''workhouse'' ...

, whereupon the porter would separate them under the

sex segregation Sex segregation, sex separation, gender segregation or gender separation is the physical, legal, or cultural separation of people according to their biological sex. Sex segregation can refer simply to the physical and spatial separation by sex w ...

rules. Chevalier's character would cry out in refusal, "you can't do this to us; we've been together for forty years!" The porter and woman then exited the stage, and Chevalier would begin the song.

Reception

Henry Chance Newton Henry Chance Newton (13 March 1854 – 2 January 1931) was a British author and theatre critic for ''Sunday Referee, The Referee'' magazine. Newton had written about the stage since 1875 when he joined the staff of ''Hood's Comic Annual.'' He wro ...

described the song as a "famous domestic monologue". Laura Ormiston Chant commented that the song outlined "the finest sentiments of the human heart ..in a language understood by the people".

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (; 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet and mathematician. His most notable works are ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865) and its sequel ...

said that the song influenced public taste "towards refinement and purity".

Lyrics

:I've got a pal, :A reg'lar out an' outer, :She's a dear good old gal, :I'll tell yer all about 'er. :It's many years since fust we met, :'Er 'air was then as black as jet, :It's whiter now, but she don't fret, :Not my old gal :We've been together now for forty years, :An' it don't seem a day too much, :There ain't a lady livin' in the land :As I'd swop for my dear old Dutch. :I calls 'er Sal, :'Er proper name is Sairer, :An' yer may find a gal :As you'd consider fairer. :She ain't a angel — she can start :A-jawin' till it makes yer smart, :She's just a woman, bless 'er eart, :Is my old gal! :We've been together now for forty years, :An' it don't seem a day too much, :There ain't a lady livin' in the land :As I'd swop for my dear old Dutch. :Sweet fine old gal, :For worlds I wouldn't lose 'er, :She's a dear good old gal, :An' that's what made me choose 'er. :She's stuck to me through thick and thin, :When luck was out, when luck was in, :Ah wot a wife to me she's been, :An' wot a pal! :We've been together now for forty years, :An' it don't seem a day too much, :There ain't a lady livin' in the land :As I'd swop for my dear old Dutch. :I sees yer Sal — :Yer pretty ribbons sportin' :Many years now, old gal, :Since them young days of courtin'. :I ain't a coward, still I trust :When we've to part, as part we must, :That Death may come and take me fust :To wait... my pal! :We've been together now for forty years, :An' it don't seem a day too much, :There ain't a lady livin' in the land :As I'd swop for my dear old Dutch.

Legacy

In his later career, Chevalier performed a dramatised version of the song. In 1915, a film version was produced which starred Chevalier and

Florence Turner Florence Turner (January 6, 1885 – August 28, 1946) was an American actress who became known as the "Vitagraph Girl" in early silent films. Biography Born in New York City, Turner was pushed into appearing on the stage at age three by he ...

. In 1926, a remake of the film was directed by Universal's

Laurence Trimble Laurence Norwood Trimble (February 15, 1885 – February 8, 1954) was an American silent film film director, director, screenwriter, writer and actor. Trimble began his film career directing Jean (dog), Jean, the Vitagraph Dog, the first canine ...

. Turner made a

screen test A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film or in a particular role. The performer is generally given a scene, or selected lines and actions, and instructed to perform in front of a came ...

, but the lead role was given to

May McAvoy May Irene McAvoy (September 8, 1899 – April 26, 1984) was an American actress who worked mainly during the silent-film era. Some of her major roles are Laura Pennington in '' The Enchanted Cottage'', Esther in '' Ben-Hur'', and Mary Dale ...

. A third film based on the song was released in 1934, which was written by Arthur Shirley and directed by

Sinclair Hill Sinclair Hill (10 June 1896 – 6 March 1945) was a British film director, film producer, producer and screenwriter. He directed nearly fifty films between 1920 and 1939. He was born as George Sinclair-Hill in London in 1894. He was awarded an OB ...

. In a segment of

Beatles Anthology ''The Beatles Anthology'' is a multimedia retrospective project consisting of a television documentary, a three-volume set of double albums, and a book describing the history of the Beatles. Beatles members Paul McCartney, George Harrison and R ...

concerning the

Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...

receiving the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...

claims that during their audience with Queen Elizabeth she asked how long the group had been together, he and

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

spontaneously sang ''We've been together now for forty years'' in jest, to the Queen's bemusement.Beatles Anthology, Part 4

References

{{Authority control 1892 songs Music hall songs