I like this little anecdote. At the end of November 1892, Charles Spence , a brusher from Greenfield was up in court before Baillie Purdie on a charge of breach of the peace.
Spence was accused of creating a ‘noise disturbance’ on Low Blantyre Road (the Road which became Glasgow Road) near Springwells. Charles denied the charge and to the amusement of the court, stated that he was merely singing ‘Ta ra ra boom de ay”.
Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay” was the song of the moment, the chart number one of its time if you like! First published in 1891 in the United States, by 1892 it was popular all throughout Britain popularised by music halls. The nonsense refrain “Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay” served as a catchy chorus and this little piece of American culture was becoming known in Europe with nuisance, rowdiness and excitement.
Now, on the night of this disturbance, Charles was standing at the door singing and shouting to Mrs Flannigan, a shopkeeper who earlier that day had obtained an order against him to repay a debt. Charles, clearly winding up the woman, had even taken time to construct a rhyme for his song.
At Mrs Flannigan’s shop door, after some brief cursing and shouting, he launched into his song in the grandest baritone.
“T’ould Flanningan from Don’gal quay,
I’ve half a crown a week to pay,
Thats two and six she’ll never see,
Ta ra ra boom de ay!”
Having being previously convicted for breach of peace, the judge was in an amused mood stating, “You’ll have 21s to pay, ta ra ra boom de ay. Or if you would prefer, we can arrange for you to have 15 days of quiet indoors time behind bars during which you can quietly study your musical art of rhyming!”
