This is a self indulgent one. But it’s a blog, so deal with it.
Many readers will be familiar with the famous verse from Daisy Bell, if only from HAL singing it in 2001:
Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer, do!
I’m half crazy,
All for the love of you!
It won’t be a stylish marriage,
I can’t afford a carriage,
But you’ll look sweet upon the seat
Of a bicycle built for two!
Yesterday, while shifting Tub 13 of Old Stuff, I came across a piece of paper. It was a Subway flyer from God knows when, on the back of which my brother Jeff had scribbled Daisy’s answer:
I miss him.
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lovely
Do you think Jeff was the author?
Not to detract from Marty’s missing his brother (which must be a constant heartache), I think those verses actually go back a long way, and there are heaps of variants; see
http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiDAISYBL2;ttDAISYBEL.html
But the original author is irrelevant; that Marty’s brother so used these lyrics is the point here. This is the sort of thing for which a brother would be sorely missed. Tough gig, Marty.
Yeah I saw. I think Jeff’s version is better. But yeah, I’m biased. And yeah, a tough gig.
I would guess so. He’s not the only person to think up such a reply. But the precision is very much him.
I remember singing “Daisy Bell” in elementary school circa 1958 and we also sang Daisy’s response to his offer of a bicycle instead of a carriage, Daisy did not like it, but I cannot find those lyrics anywhere. Does anyone remember? Please let me know, thanks
Michael
Thanks, Michael. As Alasdair noted, it seems to have been a thing to have Daisy reply (although the original lyrics include no such reply). As to which reply you sang, perhaps check out Alasdair’s link and see what you find.
I still think Jeff’s is the best. The “I’ll be damned if I’ll be crammed” is perfect.