Give me the sign, John

MASONIC MUSIC

POP MUSIC

The Freemason, or
(Tell me the sign John?)

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Arthur Rice Lloyd (1839-1904) was a popular and immensely successful song writer, composer, playwright, comedian, and British Music Hall performer during the late nineteenth century. There is no record available that he, George Palmer or John Blockley were freemasons, although an advertisement for the sheet music¹ in a masonic book suggests they knew their market.²

"Mr. Brown one night a Freemason was made,
I don't see him here so I'm not afraid,
To say that his wife to know all did incline,
And worried him much to tell her the sign."
Said she "My dear John, pray nothing conceal,
The whole of the secrets I'm sure you"ll reveal.
Pray tell me at once you good natur'd elf,"
"Well, the secret" said John, "I must keep to myself."

Unfortunately musical notation is not available. These two pages are reproduced from a four page folio removed from an unidentified and undated stitch binding and sold by the UK-based Sheet Music Warehouse in 2010.³

1. Written and arranged by George Palmer, performed by Arthur Lloyd, published by John Blockley, printed by Stannard and Son, Entered at Stationers Hall, London. 1874.

2. A Defence of freemasonry, A.F.A. Woodford. [Adolph Frederic Alexander] London : George Kenning, 1874. [71pp plus adverts] The Freemason (Tell me the Sign, John), written by George Palmer offered for sale in an endnotes advertisement for Masonic Music in Stock at Bro. Kenning's Masonic Depots for 3s.

3. Sheet Music Warehouse Category: 19th Century Songs; Title: Freemason (Tell Me the Sign John) - A crafty song, respectfully dedicated to the craft. Stock Reference Number: 27450.

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