The Burnley Mashers

This song was reputedly sung by the Burnley Tommies during the war, there were many variations of the song depending on the town the singers were from!

 

We’re known as the two Burnley mashers
We often go out on the mash
We wear our tall hats
with no shirts on our backs
its seldom we have any cash.

On Saturday we were invited
to a party by two ladies fair
Their cheeks were in bloom
like the roses in June
Its seldom we have any cares

We were dancing and drinking till midnight
On whiskey, tobacco, and rum
And then when the party was over
With the ladies we had lots of fun

And we sing tra la la
As we walk down the street
for style and fashion
we nare can be beat

All the ladies declare
that we are a treat
we’re the two Burnley mashers
from St.James's street

And we dance,tra la la la,and we sing
And we don’t care a jot
We’re a jolly fine lot
We're alright,when we're tight
And we're jolly fine company

 

"Towards the end of WW2 I attended Burnley Wood girls school. Whilst
there I also attended on holiday to the Hest Bank holiday camp. On the
last day of the holiday we put on a concert for which we rehearsed
several days prior. Two of our girls sang the two Burnley Mashers
complete with battered top hats. I can remember this song although the
version has slight variation to the one on your website. I dont think
our chaperon teachers were very impressed but let it go without comment"

Elsie Sharples (Australia)