Poor John - Vesta Victoria - 1907 - singalong lyrics

I hope you enjoy singing along with Vesta Victoria to her popular song 'Poor John'

The illustrations around the edges of the screen are of Vesta as she was posed on the sheet music for this song

The song 'Poor John' also featured in the movie 'Cover Girl' sung on stage by Rita Hayworth dressed as a Pearly Queen.

Vesta Victoria (born Victoria Lawrence, 26 November 1873 – 7 April 1951) was an English music hall singer and comedian. She was famous for her performances of songs such as "Waiting at the Church" and "Daddy Wouldn't Buy Me a Bow Wow", both of which were written specially for her. Vesta's comic laments delivered in deadpan style were even more popular in the USA: she was, at the beginning of the twentieth century, one of the most successful British entertainers in America.

Vesta Victoria was born Victoria Lawrence at Ebenezer Place in Holbeck, Leeds, on 26 November 1873. Her parents, Joe and Emma (née Thompson), were themselves entertainers, and she made her stage debut aged six weeks in one of her father's sketches.

Billed as "Baby Victoria" until nearly ten years of age, she was "Little Victoria" by her first London appearance in 1883



Lyrics:

I ought to think myself a lucky girl, I know
'Cos I'm engaged
But still somehow I don't think so
John. That's the name of my fiancée you see
There's no mistake, he's very fond of me
He took me out for walks and oh he was so nice
He always used to kiss me on the same place twice
Often in the Park we would sit and spoon
And I was oh so happy till the other afternoon.

Chorus:
John took me round to see his Mother
His Mother, his Mother
And while he introduced us to each other
She weighed up everything I had on
She put me through a cross examination
I fairly boiled with aggravation
Then she shook her head, looked at me and said
'Poor John, Poor John.'

She said 'Young girls today are all for outside show
The clothes you see may look alright, the rest, oh no'
What she was driving at I soon made out
My style of dress was too refined no doubt
Then all at once she gave a sigh and cried 'Oh Lor!
I wonder what on earth he wants to marry for?'
That was quite enough, up my temper flew
Says I 'Perhaps it's so that he can get away from you.'

Chorus:
John took me round to see his Mother
His Mother, his Mother
And while he introduced us to each other
She weighed up everything I had on
She put me through a cross examination
I fairly boiled with aggravation
Then she shook her head, looked at me and said
'Poor John, Poor John.'



Poor John by Vesta Victoria is licensed under a Public Domain / Sound Recording Common Law Protection License.