Monday, November 21, 2011

1975: Sweet sugar dumpling


I'm amazed this song wasn't about before it was a hit in '75, as it seems to have been the playground insult song of choice for as far back as I can remember, and I was just as guilty of using this as the rest of us, being thin as a pin until I was bout 19. I couldn't do it now of course, that would be a case of glass houses.

Long forgotten now, Fattie Bum-Bum was the tune by which to insult any fat person, child or adult, in a comedy Terry Scott schoolboy way. Today, you'd probably be done for bullying or being sizeist, and I doubt it would even get played on the radio. In fact, I don't ever recall hearing it on the radio at all, but like that other early Seventies novelty Nice One Cyril by the Cockerel Chorus, it was in our collective conciousness.

Listening to it, however, it's actually quite a sweet love song about how size doesn't matter, though I would imagine anyone calling a potential suiter Fattie bum-bum would get short shrift. Still, it's got a lovely lilting melody hasn't it?

Stuff your face and enjoy.

3 comments:

  1. Witchiepoo was another short lived insult. The title of her from H.R. Pufnstuf* was a name pitched in the direction of local spinster type bun-haired, busy-bodies and playground assistants.

    *Or H.P. Huffnpuff as I once heard it refered to on a radio phone in.

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