Tucked Underneath Her Arm

    For years at Lawrence family gatherings, we would beg my mother's brother Bob to sing "the song."  The ditty in question was "With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm", written by two guys named Weston and Lee, in 1934.  The song tells the story of Anne Boleyn, one of King Henry's unfortunate wives, and her sad spooky perambulations around the Tower of London.

  "Along the draughty corridors,
   For miles and miles she goes
   She often catches cold, poor thing,
   It's cold there when it blows
   And its awfully awkward for the Queen
   To have to blow her nose
   With her head tucked underneath her arm.

   With her head tucked underneath her arm.
   She walks the bloody Tower
   With her head tucked underneath her arm.
   At the midnight hour."


   
    As an adult, after a few Guinness, or a martini, this was a hoot.  As a nine year old, seeing my uncle's sincere face and listening to his powerful Irish baritone, it was scary as hell.  But we begged for him to do it!  My mother and father laughed and laughed.  I remembering thinking, "How can you laugh?  She's dead and her head's chopped off, and now she's walking around!"  I was determined never to go to this Tower of London place, if it showed up on a field trip or family vacation.  At least, not at midnight.


   Well, it gives me great pleasure to report that Anne got some special company in the last few days.  As a part of the build up to London 2012, the Olympiad's medals are being stored, until the Games open, at the Tower of London.  Being carefully watched by those Beefeater guys, officially known as the Yeoman warders.  Yesterday, a Royal Marine rappelled out of a helicopter with the Olympic Torch to the Tower, as well.  Let the showmanship begin!

Aside to tebi, latefor and Laura: The Mickey Mouse Club show had a serial called "Spin and Marty." They sang the Anne Boleyn song, regularly....