Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron
"Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron" is a traditional English folk song written in the 19th century about a housewife carrying out one part of her linen chores each day of the week.
In popular culture
The musical comedy duo Flanders and Swann quoted the first 7/8 syllables of each verse, verbatim and notewise, at the beginning of each verse of The Gas Man Cometh, the first track on At The Drop of Another Hat. [1] [2]
In 1973 the tune was used by the English composer John Rutter for the fourth movement of his Suite for Strings under the title Dashing Away.[3] [4]
In Downton Abbey season 3, episode 3, Carson sings this song to himself after finding out that Mrs. Hughes does not have cancer.
Lyrics
'Twas on a [ Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday ] morning
When I beheld my darling
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree
She looked so neat and nimble, O
[ A-washing | A-hanging | A-starching | A-ironing | A-folding | A-airing | A-wearing ] of her linen, O
Refrain
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
She stole my heart away.
References
- ↑ "At The Drop of Another Hat". Flanders and Swann Online. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
- ↑ "Dashing Away With A Smoothing Iron by Traditional". songfacts. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
- ↑ "John Rutter at Pytheas". Pytheasmusic.org. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
- ↑ "Choral legend John Rutter to lead St. Charles Singers". otg.mysuburbanlife.com. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
See also
- Monday's Child, a traditional English rhyme mentioning the days of the week
- Solomon Grundy, an English nursery rhyme mentioning the days of the week
External links
- The lyrics and music to Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron
- The lyrics with the musical notes to Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron