Someone’s pinched me winkles    (video)    (intro)

 

(spoken : ) Now Lads, this is an old, old traditional Cockney folk song

that I have just written. And the basic rhythm goes like this :

 

    Uhba, uhba, uhba, uh (4x)

 

             A

1. The Cockney tribes in Britain were meeting for the games

                                                   E                        A

    held annually, once a year, along the River Thames.

              A

    The scene was quiet and peaceful, the snow lay on the ground,

                                                                        E                A

    the Cockneys by their cooking pots were huddled all around.

               D               

    The chief was in his tepee his face all lined with wrinkles,

               E                                           - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  A

    when up the river came the cry :  "Someone's pinched me winkles!"

 

            F

    Me winkles have been pinched (oobie dooby),

            Bb

    me winkles have been pinched,

              C

    now some people say it's a load of old nonsense,

     

    but a winkle's got a lot of vitamin contents.

       F                                                Bb

    Never win that race tomorrow, I'll be a big disgrace tomorrow,

           F                                                                                     D

    I'll search the blinking place tomorrow, but tomorrow is too late,

               G                             C                      F

    some rotter's pinched me winkles off me plate.

 

(spoken : I turned round and wheeeet, they was gone)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             A

2. The tears of sheer frustration started trickling down his face, well,

                                                                E                      A

    he'd set his heart on winning in the gruelling barrow race.

            D

    Without his final winkle feed his training scheme was shot,

            E                                          

    he staggered round the camp ground shouting,

       - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  A

    "Someone's pinched the lot !"

 

            F

    Me winkles have been pinched (oobie dooby),

           Bb

    me winkles have been pinched,

       C

    beef or carrots or a dash of cucumber,

 

    as far as I'm concerned that's a load of old lumber.

          F                                                   Bb

    I'll never win the race tomorrow, he's got me in disgrace tomorrow,

              F                                                                              D

    he'd better not show his face tomorrow, he'll end up in a fight,

            G                       C                     F

    but me I need them winkles here tonight.

 

(spoken : Now I want 'em, now, not tomorrow or the next day)

 

               A

3. They called the wise old medicine man who shuffled up and said,

                                                     E                        A

    "I'm levying a winkle tax, one winkle each per head."

               D

    They made a grand collection from every tucker pot,

               E                                                - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  A

    then stood around, the shells and all, they made me eat the lot.

 

            F                                                           

    I've got me winkles back (oobie dooby),

           Bb

    I've got me winkles back,

            C

    now I know I've been grumping and grousing,

 

    but I never thought I'd get two or three thousand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

          F                                               Bb

    I'll never win that race tomorrow, I can't go in that race tomorrow,

         F                                                                                     D

    I couldn't stand the pace tomorrow, I'm much too blinking fat,

          G                  C                 F

    I'll never face a winkle after that.

                                G         C                           F

    Phew - I think I'll go and try out something new.

                  

(spoken : ) You know, just to see how it feels.

        G                       C                             F

    I think I'll have a  dash at some jellied eels.

 

(spoken : )Excuse me a minute while I just get this newspaper off

this bit of  jellied eel here. Mmm - that's lovely, here, you with the winkle barrow ! "Hello!"  As far as I'm concerned you can stick your perishing winkles right... back in the sea.

          Bb       C          F

    It's jellied eels for me.

 

(orig. = capo 3rd)    (Rolf Harris)