11 November: Oh Jemima look at your uncle Jim
This morning's Inheritance Tracks from Faustin Charles caused a nationwide sing-a-long to a long forgotten childhood nursery rhyme as bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms echoed to the sound of "Oh Jemima look at your uncle Jim". Did this ring any bells for you? If so, tell us where you first heard it. Ginny and George got in touch to say they remember it from their own childhoods one in Trinidad and the other in deepest Surrey.
We did promise to show you a picture of the whittled stick which Antonio Carluccio gave to our reporter Wendy and you can take a look at the work of art here.
Thanks to everyone on this week's show. Sue Perkins for being our well behaved guest and Murray Lachan Young for being our well respected poet - both now returned to Cornwall well away from the bright lights. Polly Conroy talked about changing gender and Kevin Alderton described setting a speed skiing record despite being blind.
Nick Martin enlightened us with his philosophy of life and if you'd like to do the same do get in touch.
You can listen again to this edition of Saturday Live (11 November 2006).
We're moving office this weekend, up to the 7th floor, and I can hear the 大象传媒 removal men approaching so I'd better say goodbye now before they switch off my comput...
My Mum used to sing
Oh, Jemima, look at your Uncle Jim
He's in the duck-pond, learning how to swim.
First he does the back-stroke, then he does the crawl,
Now he's in the water doing nothing at all.
She was brought up in Hertfordshire...
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Complain about this postMy mother used to sing "Poor Auntie swallowed a toy balloon" but that's all I can remember. She lived in Brentford as a child - anyone know the rest?
Complain about this postMy father was born in Bedfordshire [Woburn] and I remember him signing "Oh Jemima" to me over 50 years ago now. For some reason when he sang the song he used to roll his trouser legs up to his knees.
Complain about this postMy Mum's version ran:
"Oh Jemima look at your Uncle Jim
He's in the duck pond learning how to swim
First he does the breast stroke
Now he does the side
And now he's in the water
Swimming against the tide."
Slightly different to the broadcast one, but as for so many others, clearly a massive memory jog! It's not really a nursery rhyme though, and I would imagine it has its origins in early radio comedy......
....talking of which, and risking a whole new chain reaction, does anyone remember another ditty, again based on a classical piece the name of which escapes me, which began - in the voice of a policeman:
"Pardon me, sir, but you can't park here...."???
Complain about this postGreat Blog
Complain about this postIs it just me or does there seem to be an aversion to female poets on Saturday live? There hasn't been one on yet!
Complain about this postAlison (who happens to be female and a poet).
Oh Jemima look at your Uncle Jim has been a famlily favourite for years. In our household it was taught to us by grandpa who claimed that it had been sung to him by Miss Holton - his nursery governess in the 1920's. She incidently had once workec for a wealthy family in Russia before the revolution! Sadly no proof but makes a good story!
Complain about this postMy dad used to sing this song to me when I was a small girl living in Australia(1960's)
Oh Jemima look at your Uncle Jim
He's in the duck pond learning how to swim
First he does the breast stroke
Now he does the side
And now he's in the water
Swimming against the tide."
I have since taught my son who is 11 this song and he loves it.
Complain about this post