Re: Need History for Sing A Song of Sixpence
Posted by Walter Britton - Barnet, Herts on November 29, 2002 at 13:52:59:
In Reply to: Re: Need History for Sing A Song of Sixpence posted by lenora robinson on May 30, 2002 at 10:05:44:
I picked up this web by chance. History is - I am doing a course to train as historical tour guide in London. My area is Clerkenwell.My bit tomorrow takes in City Road in East London. I used to work in the area. Song 'Pop Goes the Weasel' has many variations. Local use is in Victorian Music Hall version. -
'Up and down the City Road
In and out the Eagle
Thats the way the money goes
Pop goes the weasel'
The Eagle is a public House still alive and thriving on the City road. Interpretation is that the Eagle is a temptation to drink a lot, used by a tailor or cobbler. The Weasel is either a tailors smoothing iron or a cobblers thread machine. When he ran out of money - buying booze at the Eagle -he 'pops' it. Local slang is to take something to the pawnbrokers shop for a loan. Known as to 'pop' it. Hence the tailor or cobbler 'pops' his appliance to spend in the 'Eagle'.
Thats my story for tourists to London. The area of the 'Eagle' is now becoming very gentrified after a long period of decline.
Walter.
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