"Don't Dilly Dally on the Way", subtitled "The Cock Linnet Song" and often credited as "My Old Man ", is a music hall song written in 1919 by Fred W. Leigh and Charles Collins, made popular by Marie Lloyd. The song, although humorous, also reflects some of the hardships of working class life in London at the beginning of the 20th century. It joined a music hall tradition of dealing with life in a determinedly upbeat fashion. In the song a couple are obliged to move house, after dark, because they cannot pay their rent. At the time the song was written, most London houses were rented, so moving in a hurry – a moonlight flit – was common when the husband lost his job or there was insufficient money to pay the rent. The couple rush to fill up the van, and its tailboard, with their possessions, in case the landlord appears. When the van is packed up, however, there is no room left for the wife. The husband therefore instructs her to follow the van, which she does, carrying the pet bird. Unfortunately, en route, the wife loses her way after stopping at a pub for a drink. Thereafter, she reflects that it would be ill-advised to approach one of the volunteer policemen, as they are less trustworthy than a regular police constable and might take advantage of her inebriation. Alternatively they may simply be less qualified to give dependable street directions.
Chorus
The chorus of the song is well known. There are a number of alternatives to the last two lines:
Performances
Various lineups of the Clancy Brothers have performed the refrain as part of a medley, immediately following "They're moving Father's grave to build a sewer", which also deals with the travails of working class Londoners. These two songs appeared together on the group's 1965 album, Recorded Live in Ireland. Danny La Rue also often sang it in performances.
In The Catherine Tate Show, during the "Life at Ma's" sketch, the last four lines are sung by Catherine Tate and a variety of other characters.
The song also appeared in the Only Fools And Horses episode "Home Sick", being sung by Del Boy and Grandad.
The first verse and the chorus were featured in Episode 211 of The Muppet Show, performed by Miss Piggy. In the Muppet fan community the song is better known as "Don't Dilly Dally On the Way".
It is sung in the 1958 movie Innocent Sinners by the main character 'Lovejoy'.
In 1970, Cardinal Fang briefly began to recite the tune under his breath after citing charges of heresy against the Holy Church, but was subsequently cut off by Cardinal Ximénez before completing the first line. This was part of the famous Spanish Inquisition Sketch from the Monty Python comedy troupe. Palin, Jones, and Gilliam would burst into the room whenever someone uttered a form of the trigger phrase, "I didn't expect a Spanish Inquisition."
The first verse and chorus is sung in Upstairs, Downstairs by the servants as part of their New Year's celebrations in Series 4, Episode 9, "Another Year." The group seems to mix up the line about the "special" and the old-time copper, but it may be because the butler, Mr. Hudson, serves as a "special."
In an episode of The Archers broadcast on Monday 28 September 2015, the chorus is sung by Ruth Archer and her mother immediately before the latter's collapse from a stroke and subsequent death. An alternative third line is used - "Off went the van with me old man in it".
In a commercial for American Express, Jerry Seinfeld is shown singing the song with others in an English pub, part of a montage showing the comedian's adjusting to British culture.
