If You Don't Want The Goods Don't Maul 'Em

Album: Golden Greats (1932)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This comic song based on a vernacular expression was written by John Cotterill of "Chinese Laundry Blues" fame, and was recorded by George on October 13, 1932 for Decca. He also sang it in his second film Off The Dole, which was released in 1935, accompanying himself on the banjo rather than the ukulele.
  • Although the expression or similar has often been used by costermongers, it goes without saying that here it is given a sexual connotation, and Formby probably went as far as he could have gone in the 1930s without being rebuked or more likely censored.

    It may be coincidental, but "Any Old Iron?" which was written some twenty years earlier is passingly similar, though no one appears to have raised the suggestion of plagiarism. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he Inspired

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he InspiredSong Writing

Before he was the champ, Ali released an album called I Am The Greatest!, but his musical influence is best heard in the songs he inspired.

Michael Sweet of Stryper

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

Evolution Of The Prince Symbol

Evolution Of The Prince SymbolSong Writing

The evolution of the symbol that was Prince's name from 1993-2000.