7 inch single collection: Ray Moore - O' My Father had a Rabbit

Some old charity nonsense…

Ray Moore

A: O’ My Father had a Rabbit
B: O’ My Father had a Rabbit (Instrumental Version)
(Play 1986)

There’s a breed of DJ that is lugubrious, self-deprecating, warm and friendly. They were particularly to be found on Radio 2, and Terry Wogan was the king of such. Ken Bruce may well be the last remaining example still in the wild. Ray Moore was one of these – I remember his occasionally catching his radio show, preceding Wogan, if I was up early enough in the morning. It always felt good-humoured and made an easy way to start the day with a smile. Moore, himself died young from cancer, but he has left us with a very silly legacy indeed.

I don’t know where O’ My Father had a Rabbit came from originally – if it was some daft folk rhyme, or specially written for this record. The writing credit on the label is to Conors – and I have reason to believe that this is the legendary ‘Shag’ Conors, who with his group the Carrot Crunchers were a leading light in the Scrumpy & Western genre*. (Indeed the linked YouTube performance from Wogan features Conors, his band and a few bemused looking Radio 2 DJs). This song has a lolloping, oompah of a beat, over which Moore intones the lyrics in a deadpan manner, suddenly going all Scouse as the song shudders to a standstill. Objectively this is neither good, nor particularly challenging music – however it’s not meant to be. It is clearly meant to been seen as something slightly stupid, so that you’ve got an excuse to dip into your pocket and fork out for Children In Need. The fact that it doesn’t pretend to be anything other that what it is, and there’s no over earnest sentiment involved, is, in fact, what lifts this record into being a joyous little moment. When I hear it makes me smile, and then it’s gone, and that’s it – job done! If all charity singles were like this, instead of deeply serious sing-a-longs with multi-millionaires then I’d be very well-disposed to charity records; rather than my usual Grinch-like attitude.

If we flip the record over – we can hear O’ My Father had a Rabbit all over again – only this time without Ray Moore intoning all over the top of it. Fortunately the lyrics are printed on the back of the sleeve, so you can join in, safe in the knowledge that what you sing will be no worse than what is on the a-side. Also on the back of the sleeve are a number of mildly amusing “critical” quotes from Moore’s peers at Radio 2 – enough to raise a wry smile.

In the end it’s a novelty for charity, that doesn’t have pretence to be anything else – so I’m inclined to feel warm and slightly fuzzy towards this record. Also, despite not having listened to this since about 1986, I could still recall the tune and the opening stanza:

‘O’ My Father had a rabbit,
But he thought it was a duck,
So he stuck it in the oven
With its legs tucked up.’

So, obviously this record does has a certain something going for it that defies all rational explanation.

*for those of you who are unsure of what Scrumpy & Western sounds like then think The Wurzels, (especially in their earlier years with Adge Cutler), and you’ll be there.

Next Time…TWANG! Back to the 50’s