“Music Hall War!”

Cosmo

Music Hall Strike, poster, 1907

Music Hall Strike, poster, 1907

A song about the Music Hall strike in London early last century. Would the stars of today go on a picket line because the musicians and crews they were working alongside with were getting shafted by management? They did in 1907! – Cosmo

Lyrics

The year is 1907

A piano player, that’s me

I’ve plied my trade in music halls

From here down to Battersea

I’ve played at the old Hackney Empire

At Gatti’s and Shepherds Bush too

But the syndicates got a bit cheeky

And there was a mighty to-do

The stage-hands down in Holborn

Were already feeling the pinch

And Stoll would always take a mile

If anyone gave them an inch

We’d do one show of an evening

Then suddenly they wanted two

And a matinee for no extra pay

Well strike was all we could do!

Fair London town had never seen it’s like before

It went down in history as the Music Hall War!

The stars come out in the daytime

When we had our first picket line

Marie Lloyd sang her saucy songs

And we had a jolly old time

She said she weren’t there for the money

But she knew the score from her roots

It’s always us lot below stairs

Who lose out to those in the suits

Arthur Roberts, Gus Elen

Added their stardust too

Our more famous contemporaries

Were all out with us too

The boxer Battling Nelson

Him from the US of A

Said he’d rather forgo his 5 grand

Than be a scab any day

Fair London town had never seen it’s like before

It went down in history as the Music Hall War!

The syndicates thought they were clever

And brought scabs to the Halls

That parade of has beens and never-will-bes

Couldn’t get past us all

Then one time at the picket

Belle Elmore tried crossing the line

Marie Lloyd said “Just let her in

She’ll clear the place in no time!”

Back then all working people

Were fighting for our rights

Ben Tillet and Keir Hardie

Both took up our fight

At Somerset Maugham’s suggestion

Talks they were begun

Minimum wage, maximum week –

I guess you could say we won!

Fair London town had never seen it’s like before

It went down in history as the Music Hall War!

Though I’m long dead and buried

My ghost still haunts these streets

And pubs and clubs and stadiums

Wherever people meet

To get some entertainment

To dance their cares away

These problems that we sorted

Are back much worse today

So if you’re a performer

Or working on the crew

A small time shark or corporate suit

Is always shafting you

Call it exploitation

Call it pay to play

When we stand together

We make the bastards pay!

Fair London town had never seen it’s like before

It went down in history as the Music Hall War!

 

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