From '' Two Little Boys ''
Label: Deram -- ROLF 1
Format: Vinyl, 7", EP, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1980
Tracklist
A1 Two Little Boys
Written-By -- Edward Madden, Theodore Morse
A2 Saying Goodbye To His Horse
Written-By -- Max Splodge
B1 Sox
Written-By -- Max Splodge
B2 The Butterfly Song
Written-By -- Max Splodge, Winston Forbe
Artwork By [Wallpaper] -- Pathetic Products
Choir [Choir Noises] -- Venice Boys Choir
Performer [Butterfly] -- Winston Forbe
Performer [Cacti] -- Wiffy Archer
Performer [Dead Bodies] -- Desert Island Joe
Performer [Fort] -- Pat Thetic
Performer [Horses Bye] -- Max Splodge
Performer [Rolf] -- Pintsman
Performer [Sox] -- Chrissie
Performer [Stirrups] -- Roger Rodent
Performer [Windows] -- Squint
Producer [Pieced Together By] -- Mike Robinson
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Lyrics
Two little boys had two little toys
Each had a wooden horse.
Gaily they played each summer's day
Warriors both of course.
Now one little chap then had a mishap
Broke off his horse's head.
Wept for his toy then cried with joy
As his young playmate said:
' Did you think I would leave you crying
When there's room on my horse for two
Climb up here Jack and don't be crying
I can go just as fast with two
When we grow up we'll both be soldiers
And our horses will not be toys
And I wonder if we'll remember
When we were two little boys. '
Long years had passed, war came so fast
Bravely they marched away.
Cannon roared loud, and in the mad crowd
Wounded and dying lay.
Up goes a shout, a horse dashes out
Out from the ranks so blue.
Gallops away to where Joe lay
and then came a voice he knew:
' Did you think I would leave you dying
When there's room on my horse for two
Climb up here Joe, we'll soon be flying
I can go just as fast with two.
Did you say Joe I'm all a-tremble
Perhaps it's the battle's noise
But I think it's that I remember
When we were two little boys. '
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"Two Little Boys" is a song written by American composer Theodore Morse and lyricist Edward Madden.
It was written in 1902 and became a popular music hall song of the time, made popular by Harry Lauder.
It describes the story of two boys who grow up to fight in the American Civil War.
Rolf Harris
In 1969, it was revived by Australian entertainer Rolf Harris, who briefly visited folk musician Ted Egan during a tour of Arnhem Land in Australia.
Egan sang him the song, which Harris recorded on tape. Back in the UK, Harris persuaded his television producer to incorporate the song into his BBC variety show. Harris discovered he had lost the tape and rang Egan, 10,000 miles away in Canberra, and asked him to sing the song over the phone.
Alan Braden arranged the song for the TV show, and a favourable audience reaction prompted Harris to record and release it as a single.
The song reached #1 on the singles chart in December 1969, where it stayed for six weeks, thus becoming the first number-one single of the 1970s.
On BBC Radio Blackburn in 1979, Margaret Thatcher picked it as a favourite song.
Other versions
Kenny Rogers sang a version of the song while he was lead singer of the country-rock band The First Edition, which was released on their 1971 album Transition.
The song was later revived in 1980 by Splodgenessabounds and reached #27 on the UK singles chart.
Another version by a group of Hartlepool United fans was released as a double A-side with "Never Say Die" on the single "Poolie Pride", reaching #24 on the UK Singles Chart in 2006.
Scottish duo Hue and Cry have recorded a jazz inspired version for their 2009 Xmasday album.
The song is also commonly played by Irish band The Frames during live performance of their song "Star Star**", as well as by the Canadian-Irish band The Irish Rovers on the album Children Of The Unicorn.
When being apart from the Mitchell Trio for only half a year, John Denver performed this song at the Nowhere Coffeehouse in University of Cincinnati Student Union on May 9, 1969.
In popular culture
A version by Roger Whittaker appears briefly in "A Pair of Charlies", an episode of Budgie, the early seventies British drama series starring Adam Faith.
Scottish comedian Billy Connolly recorded a parody of the song with new lyrics entitled 'Two little boys in blue' on his 'Raw meat for the balcony' LP in 1977.
A version with the names changed is sung by the character Spud in the film Trainspotting after Tommy's funeral.
The song was also featured in Yahtzee's Zero Punctuation review of Army of Two.
Hartlepool United football fans have sung "Two Little Boys" on the terraces since the 1980s.
"Monkey Hangerz"
Rolf Harris' version was played at the 2005 Coca Cola Championship League 1 Play Off final as the Hartlepool United anthem before the kick off.
