The Boy I Love Is Up in the Gallery

"The Boy I Love Is Up in the Gallery" is a music hall song written for the music hall star Miss Nelly Power by George Ware in 1885, and made famous by Marie Lloyd. It is unusual in that it places the singer in the actual location of the theatre. Song would be heard in a music hall, most likely in a variety show, with other performers such as; dancers, comedians etc.

Lyrics:

I'm a young girl, and have just come over,
Over from the country where they do things big,
And amongst the boys I've got a lover,
And since I've got a lover, why I don't care a fig.

The boy I love is up in the gallery,

The boy I love is looking now at me,

There he is, can't you see, waving his handkerchief,

As merry as a robin that sings on a tree.

The boy that I love, they call him a cobbler,
But he's not a cobbler, allow me to state.
For Johnny is a tradesman and he works in the Boro'¹
Where they sole and heel them, whilst you wait.

The boy I love is up in the gallery,

The boy I love is looking now at me,

There he is, can't you see, waving his handkerchief,

As merry as a robin that sings on a tree.

Now, If I were a Duchess and had a lot of money,
I'd give it to the boy that's going to marry me.
But I haven't got a penny, so we'll live on love and kisses,
And be just as happy as the birds on the tree.

The boy I love is up in the gallery,

The boy I love is looking now at me,

There he is, can't you see, waving his handkerchief,

As merry as a robin that sings on a tree.

• The Boro' or Borough (not borough) is presumably Borough Market in Southwark.
• These are the lyrics in the sheet music published by EMI Music Publishing, London, 1977.

In popular culture

The song is heard in the television detective series Cribb during the episode entitled "Abracadaver".

A version of the song using the word "girl" and female pronouns is heard in the movie Different for Girls.