In the 1920’s Count Louis Zborowski raced aero-engined cars at Brooklands named “Chitty Bang Bang”. The name was reputedly derived from a ribald WW1 RFC song. Does anybody here know any more about the song?
This is not the same as the song “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” from the Disney film and stage musical of that name based on the children’s book “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” by Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond books.
By: Resmoroh - 16th June 2009 at 15:55
There has GOT to be a web-site/forum dealing with rude songs. Where else could one get the definitve version(s) of “The Ball Of Kirriemuir”, “Eskimo Nell”, or “She’ll Be Coming Round The Mountain When She Comes”, etc, etc??. Many of the Wing, or Sqn, songs that I came across were very often well known tunes to which a set of vulgar lyrics had been fitted – invented by someone of a poetical brilliance. Who can forget the words of “Cats On The Rooftops, Cats On The Tiles, Cats With Their Ar$oles Wreathed in Smiles”? Supposedly penned by Noel Coward. There is a whole new world of research here!
HTH
Resmoroh
By: Duncan - 16th June 2009 at 15:36
Many thanks folks – so we’re no really any nearer a definitive answer.
By: merlin70 - 4th June 2009 at 23:59
Duncan
That sounds like an additional verse for the ‘Engineers’ Song” or perhaps the ditty pertaining to a certain “dickie dido”. The words to the latter I have mosty forgotten.
By: Duncan - 4th June 2009 at 22:26
On another forum someone suggested a song with the chorus
“And the cheeks of her *rse went ****ty bang bang”.
I suspect that it was the refrain from a squadron song explained to the Brooklands committee as “engine sound”
By: Rlangham - 2nd June 2009 at 15:03
With the amount of RFC songs it would be hard to tell, every Squadron seemed to have their own certain songs, some widespread ones are fairly well known but there’s no doubt many more lost over time
By: J Boyle - 2nd June 2009 at 14:48
Possibly as simple as the sound the engine made at tick-over. Those early slow rev’ers emitted a cacophony of noises.
John
I believe that’s how the silly movie explains it…bangs being backfires.
Sounds awfully logical. But Oxcart’s explanation sounds more fun.:D
But is there an RFC song involved, as Duncan suggests?
By: John Aeroclub - 2nd June 2009 at 12:06
Possibly as simple as the sound the engine made at tick-over. Those early slow rev’ers emitted a cacophony of noises.
John
By: Duncan - 1st June 2009 at 22:11
Thanks. I’ve seen that view before. But I wonder.
The Brooklands organisers weren’t stupid. Anything as obvious as that would have been censored. As would anything with scatalogical overtones.
But the suggestion that the name had RFC overtones has been around for a long long time.
So what would have been innocent enough for the brooklands committee to accept but “naughty” enough to appeal to the RFC and Zborowski.
By: Oxcart - 28th May 2009 at 23:59
Iirc, servicemen were given a ‘Chit’ or document when they went on leave-and the first thing they did was visit the nearest brothel-hence the term
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May 28, 2009 at 11:15 pm