Annotation:I Wish They'd Do It Now
Tune properties and standard notation
I WISH THEY’D DO IT NOW. American, English; Air (4/4 time). G Major. The air of a mildly risqué song originally from the American variety stage (music hall). It has an infectious chorus that goes:
I wish they’d do it now, oh, I wish they’d do it now,
I’ve got itches in me britches and I wish they’d do it now.
The tune is almost universally known among older traditional fiddle and squeezebox players in England, however, it was popualarized among "revival" musicians in the late 20th century through the playing and singing of John Roberts and Tony Barrand. See Roud Folk Song Index No. 1401. "Wearing of the Green" is a related melody.
Source for notated version:
Printed sources:
Recorded sources: Swallowtail Records, John Roberts & Tony Barrand - "Spencer the Rover is Alive and Well and Living in Ithica" (1971).
See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index, an Index to Recorded Sources [1]