Lily the Pink
Lyrics and music traditional
Performed by The Brobdingnagian Bards on Brobdingnagian Fairy Tales

Here's a story, a little bit gory,
A little bit happy, a little bit sad,
Of Lily the Pink and her medicinal compound,
And how it drove her to the bad*

Meet Ebenezer, who thought he was Julius Caesar,
So they put him in a home.
And then they gave him medicinal compound,
And now he's Emperor of Rome.

We'll drink a drink a drink
To Lily the Pink the Pink the Pink
The savior of the human race.
She invented medicinal compound
Most efficacious in every case.

Meet Johnny Hammer, who had a terrible stammer.
He could barely say a word.
So they gave him medicinal compound,
And now he's seen, but never heard.

And Freddie Klinger, the opera singer,
Could break glasses with his voice, they said.
So on his tonsils he rubbed medicinal compound,
And now they break glasses over his head.

And Mister Frears, who had sticky out ears,
And it made him awful shy.
So they gave him medicinal compound,
And now he's learning how to fly.

And Uncle Paul, he was very small. He
Was the shortest man in town.
So on his body he rubbed medicinal compound,
And now he's six foot, but it's underground.

Yes Lily died and went up to heaven.
Oh, the church bells they did ring.
She took with her medicinal compound.
Hark the herald angels sing.

*alt line sung by The Brobdingnagian Bards: And how it slowly drove her mad.

Here are some additional verses used by The Scaffold (who hit #1 in the UK with this song in 1968):

Brother Tony was notably bony,
He would never eat his meals.
So they gave him medicinal compound
And now they move him round on wheels.

Auntie Millie ran willy-nilly,
When her legs they did recede,
And so they hooked on medicinal compound,
Now they call her Milli-pede.

Jennifer Eccles had terrible freckles,
And the boys all call her names,
But she changed with medicinal compound,
And now he joins in all their games.

Lily the Pink, she turned to the drink, she
Filled with parafin inside,
So they gave her medicinal compound
But sadly pickled Lily died.

Background by Marc Gunn: Andrew grew up listening to an Irish Rovers recording of "Lily the Pink." Later, we added the song to our repetoire. It's now one of our catchiest songs. It's about as popular as Mrs. Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound was at the beginning of the 20th century.

Notes by Daniel Womack: There is also another song also sung about Lydia Pinkham and since it shares the same meter, I'll assume it shares the same tune and include it here. If this is not the case, I will split the listings and share links between the two so as to lessen the confusion:

Let us sing (let us sing) of Lydia Pinkham
The benefactress of the human race.
She invented a vegetable compound,
And now all papers print her face,

O, Mrs. Brown could do no housework,
O, Mrs. Brown could do no housework,
She took three bottles of Lydia's conpound,
And now there's nothing she will shirk,
she will shirk,

Mrs. Jones she had no children,
And she loved them very dear.
So she took three bottles of Pinkham's
Now she has twins every year.

Lottie Smyth ne'er had a lover,
Blotchy pimples caused her plight;
But she took nine bottles of Pinkham's--
Sweethearts swarm about her each night.

Oh Mrs. Murphy (Oh Mrs. Murphy)
Was perturbed because she couldn't seem to pee
Till she took some of Lydia's compound
And now they run a pipeline to the sea!

And Peter Whelan (Peter Whelan)
He was sad because he only had one nut
Till he took some of Lydia's compound
And now they grow in clusters 'round his butt.