The Scaffold were a comedy, poetry and music trio from Liverpool, England, … Read Full Bio ↴The Scaffold were a comedy, poetry and music trio from Liverpool, England, consisting of Mike McGear (real name Michael McCartney - brother of Paul McCartney), Roger McGough and John Gorman. They performed a mixture of comic songs, comedy sketches and the poetry of McGough, and released a number of singles on EMI between 1966 and 1970, and on Island and Warner Bros. thereafter, achieving Top 10 success in the UK with:

"Thank U Very Much" (No. 4), composed by McGear;
"Lily the Pink" (# 1), based on a traditional song about Lydia Pinkham.
"Liverpool Lou" (# 7), recorded during the 1974 McGear sessions with Wings.

Jack Bruce, Elton John, Graham Nash and Jimi Hendrix were among the session musicians who performed on The Scaffold's records (none of the trio being musicians).

Thank U Very Much
The Scaffold Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Thank you very much for the Aintree Iron, thank you very much, thank
you
very very very much
Thank you very much for the Aintree Iron, thank you very very very
much.
Thank you very much for the birds and bees, thank you very much,
thank you
very very very much

Thank you very much for the birds and bees, thank you very very very
much.

Thank you very much for the family circle, thank you very much,
thank you
very very very much
Thank you very much for the family circle, thank you very much,
thank you
very very very very very very very very much.

Thank you very much for love
Thank you very much , thank you very very very much
Thank you very much for love
Thank you very very very much.

Thank you very much for the Sunday joint
Thank you very much, thank you very very very much
Thank you very much for the Sunday joint
Thank you very much, thank you very very very very, very very very very much

Thank you very much for playing this record, thank you very much,
thank you
very very very much
Thank you very much for playing this record, thank you very very
very much.

Thank you very much for our gracious team
Thank you very much, thank you very very very much.

Thank you very much for our gracious team
Thank you very very very much!

Overall Meaning

The Scaffold's "Thank U Very Much" is a jovial and sarcastic commentary on the superficiality of gratitude. Despite the repeated expression of thanks, there is a sense of insincerity and mockery underlying the song's lyrics. The song begins with "thank you very much for the Aintree Iron," which refers to the Grand National horse race trophy, suggesting that the singer is simply thanking others for their wealth and status symbols. The repetition of "thank you very much," with increasing emphasis on the "very," further emphasizes the singer's insincerity and suggests that the things being thanked for are not truly appreciated.

As the song progresses, the singer thanks someone or something for various other possessions or experiences, such as the birds and bees, the family circle, love, and even a Sunday joint (slang for a marijuana joint). Each thank you is tinged with irony and cynicism, highlighting the singer's attitude towards the material world and suggesting that true joy and gratitude cannot be found in physical possessions.

Finally, the song ends by thanking someone for playing the record and for the singer's "gracious team," further emphasizing the superficiality of the singer's thanks and the lack of true emotion behind them.

Line by Line Meaning

Thank you very much for the Aintree Iron, thank you very much, thank you very very very much
Thank you so much for the Aintree Iron, thank you excessively and deeply.

Thank you very much for the birds and bees, thank you very much, thank you very very very much
Thank you greatly for nature's wonder - birds and bees, thank you excessively and deeply.

Thank you very much for the family circle, thank you very much, thank you very very very much
Thank you so much for family and the bond shared, thank you excessively and deeply.

Thank you very much for love Thank you very much , thank you very very very much
Thank you excessively and deeply for love and its presence in life.

Thank you very much for the Sunday joint Thank you very much, thank you very very very much Thank you very much for the Sunday joint Thank you very much, thank you very very very very, very very very very much
Thank you so much for a delightful Sunday meal, thank you excessively and deeply for it.

Thank you very much for playing this record, thank you very much, thank you very very very much
Thank you very deeply for playing this record, thank you excessively and deeply.

Thank you very much for our gracious team Thank you very much, thank you very very very much. Thank you very much for our gracious team Thank you very very very much!
Thank you excessively and deeply for the generosity of our team, thank you greatly.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MICHAEL MCGEAR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@TheLongislandlimey

3y↑94

This song has been in my head for 51 years

@grahamb1804

3y↑5

is that all ? u are lucky !

@DiabolosDuck

2y↑1

Same here. Today I got curious and asked Google if the Beatles had any siblings, and it led me to McCartney’s brother. And then I saw the answer to my long time ear worm.

@antonkider7360

And mine also...!

@sidhawkwind8179

2y↑2

Thank you very much for telling us😁

@caerparavel

2y↑3

Have not heard this song since 1973 from the backseat of my parents VW squareback. Not how I remember it but I've had 40 something years to mess around with it in my brain

6 More Replies...

@RealDapperDude

2y↑13

My wife and I were born in 1953 and '55. I lived in Los Angeles, she on Long Island. Neither one of us remember ever hearing this. It came on sirius the other day. We were transfixed. It's been banging around in my poor old cranium for days now. And now, here I am, voluntarily, reinforcing this insidious earworm. Ta Very Much from Ventura.

@vaseofflowers4619

1y↑1

Hehehe

@fisherpeter695

2y↑4

Roger Mc Gough, who was part of the Scaffold, was once a teacher at my old school, St Kevin's comprehensive on Mersey side, that when built was the largest all boys school in England and Wales. Its now a massive housing estate. This huge hit from 1968 was said to be a great favourite on the late Queen Mother.

@alanwilliams6292

22w

I remember St Kevin's well - one of my school's rivals. I was at Brookfield from 1962 to 1969. Used to bump into Roger McGough and John Gorman at the Philharmonic pub during the 70s and 80s, and I briefly met Mike McCartney (Mike McGear as he was then) at Amazon Recording Studios.

@fisherpeter695

22w

@@alanwilliams6292 Nice window into the past.
A book about his time at St Kevin's was published earlier this year by a former pupil.
Its a great insight to the community life and attitudes from the late 60s to early 70s.in the town it was based.
Correct there was great rivalry between Brookfield/ Ruffwood/ and St Kevin's.
A little mentioned fact, was that Brookfield School produced two club captains who hold the rare distinction of winning the European Cup with their respective clubs. Phil Thompson in 1981, with Liverpool, and Denis Mortimer with Aston Villa in 1982.
I attended St Kevin's from 1961 until 1965.
No summer holidays in 1965 as I started work five days after leaving school.

@alanwilliams6292

21w

Good to hear from you. I think St Kevin’s merged with St Gregory’s some years ago, and Ruffwood merged with Brookfield. Things are a lot different now than in the sixties, but wasn’t it a fabulous decade to live through as a teenager, especially in Liverpool!@@fisherpeter695

@josephstanton4872

2y↑9

Thanks Scaffold for helping me remember the age of innocence again through Lily the Pink and Thank you very much!

@Ferarri0

12y↑6

Like from Greece for giving this song to a very succesful TV show!!!!!!!

@garethowen6701

2y↑13

Still a classic. I always remember my mum playing this on her little stereo record player in the living room and the old coal fire. They were the days.

@olwens1368

2y↑1

Yes, brings back happy daft days.

@garethowen6701

@Olwen S yes would love it all over again lol

@Billyg215

I was born in 1955 in the headland Hartlepool. I can still remember the old sea coal fire when my dad rest his soul went to the beach with others who also did it to keep the house warm through the winter. We had the old radio to listen to and my favourite was listening to the Clitheroe Kid who now and again said he was still the sheriff of wild west Hartlepool. Every Sunday night it was bath time in front of the fire in the old tin bath for me and my 2 sisters and 3 brothers. We had nothing but the bare basics and that's why i do not need much now just want i need.

@garethowen6701

1y↑1

@Billyg215 that’s awesome my friend. I can remember the open coal fires 🔥 to. Use to get them all cleaned out ready for yet another blazing fire so we could have hot water. They were the days.

@garethowen6701

@Billyg215 and also the old black n white TVs and a standed radio where you have to wait for the valves to start up.

@sherlockholmeslives.1605

8y↑18

That line "Seemed much better in my dreams." is such a great line! So simple, harmless and true!

@waltdefucq6106

That couplet is just bizarre.. I have no idea what it's trying to say unless it's deliberately confusing :)

@sallyannlady

3y↑12

I just got reminded of this today, after 5 decades, and I knew all the words .... amazing!

@ajsmith5295

3y↑11

Memories of my oldest brother who used to play this when it come out rest in peace Steve

@armandoacosta9529

3y↑1

In my country they say " that song doesnt wet but soak "

@josephstanton4872

2y↑7

One of those songs from childhood you can never remember, until now! Thanks again, YouTube!

@jacquelinedeigan3913

3y↑3

Thank you very much for giving me back something from my child hood.

@wallyman8083

3y↑4

My dad was stationed in England (we lived in Carpenters Park and I supported Watford) back in the 60's where I first heard this song. It has been stuck in my head ever since. I always thought it was "Thank you very much for the NCIO" and "Our Gracious Queen" until I looked up the lyrics today. If you have to have a song stuck in your head for 50 years, I will take this one. Love it!!

@Rkw772

I seen an interview with Michael McCarthy and he said the Queen thought that was the lyrics as well.

@stevebowness9435

Reminds me when I worked on a Farm before and after School in 1967.

@georgeoconnor7793

2y↑3

First heard this in '68, while doing my Leaving Cert. in Limerick. Been in my head ever since! Never looked it up until today. Thank you very much!

@seansands424

I was 6 when I first heard this in 1967 on the radio at breakfast before going to my primary school

@quizmaster85

13y↑17

Thank you very much for posting this classic, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THANK YOU VERY VERY VERY MUCH. Thank you very much for sharing the memories, THANK YOU VERY VERY VERY MUCH.

@rebirthaudio2023

1y↑6

Such a good song, so quirky and random! I really really like the dreamy, psychedelic middle eight, I try to sing along but man there are some high notes in there. Thank you very much to our gracious team.

@HabalauOakland

BTW, it was written by Mike McGear (stage name for Paul McCartney's brother, Michael). -

@HotClubDeParis

6y↑3

I've been looking for this song for years. We used to sing it in school so I've been looking for a hymn and all along it's been this! Our teacher must have found it hilarious getting a class of 9 year olds to sing this.

@srhcb1

9y↑15

This song has been running through my mind every now and then for nearly 50 years! I had forgotten the name of the band and the Beatles connection. It was really fun to hear this again.

@MustangSam

9y↑1

Its the same for me! It has been stored in my brain since it was new and this is the first time I tried to find it on You Tube. Couldn't remember the name of the band until I saw it here. LOL. Hadn't heard it for SO long.

@grahampearson5670

5y↑1

This is mostly remembered for being used to promote Cadbury's Roses.

@Rkw772

Michael McCarthy is in the band Paul’s brother ( the kid).

@richardbradshaw4567

4y↑5

Until recently I had a weekly gig at an old people's community centre and often used this song "interactively", i.e. getting the group to suggest to me their own "thank u's" which we then worked into our rendition. It worked a treat, they loved it. Many of them remembered the song coming out. Even those who couldn't remember what they did yesterday got the point.

@andymoore9977

That is lovely. I hope you don't mind if I try it at the residential home I work in. Everyone over about 55 knows it.

@imwatchingyou6113

2y↑1

@andy moore 55 years old..blimey ..should be at work never mind a home ..

@andymoore9977

@im watchingyou I don't think you grasped the spirit of my observation.
1) Everyone over 55 knows the words. So it follows that the typical residential home resident, usually aged over 80, will. That was the point.
2) There are, sadly, folk in their mid 50s and even younger in residential care owing to various physical disabilities and early onset dementia. They are not capable of going to work.

@XXpademelonXX

8y↑46

Thank you very much for posting this song Bec
Thank you very very very very much

@rebecca241290

8y↑6

You are very welcome! :)

@davidhooker4071

15w

Why did I always have this in my head as "thank you very much for the eighteen idols" - googled finally after 30+ years to figure out what these idols were and here I am 😅

@plubtdr

15y↑25

I sang this in front of my infant class, when I was 4 years old, and got all the words wrong. I sang "Thank you very much for two packets of beans!" No one noticed...

@larryscott1995

Let It Be by the Beatles and It Be by the Beatles I want to hear Let It Be by the Beatles Okie from Muskogee by Merle Haggard

@leighcochran7303

I had a show on WMBR, the MIT station and I used to play this after fund-raising week.
I was told by a Liverpudlian that the Aintree Iron was a pub.

@BiddulphFC

15y↑4

Brilliant! I was looking for anything re: John Gorman and the Scaffold, those songs take me back, he's still alive and kicking, in the community entertaining on the Wirral.

@pgh45rpms

15y↑4

While I was in school, I wrote to a penfriend that lived in Londonderry (Northern Ireland). She sent me this record as a gift. [A belated thank-u-very-much to Betty Thompson.]

@demosthenessoukakos5907

3y↑1

it's my first and only thought when I want to say a deeply meaningful emotional "Thank you"

@davepolo1079

4y↑4

This song has been in & out of my consciousness for decades.
I always thought the line was "Thank you very much for the angry lion" I just googled "aintree iron" but I still can't stop singing "angry lion" LolLol

@talcy

12y↑5

Thank you very much for the Cadbury's Roses...

@millsyinnz

I heard this on the radio years ago. When I was a child. I only just literally now thought to look for it on YouTube.

@AbsintheGirl27

11y↑5

Even when I don't want to smile this song never fails to actually make me smile.

@ronatopaz2793

Saw the Scaffold in concert at Bristol tonight and was dying to hear the original version of this. So, erm, thank u very much!

@grimTales1

4y↑2

Oh man I remember this tune from a Cadbury's Roses ad in the 80's or so, didn't know it was by Scaffold

@SprigganLook

13y↑1

I remember very well this song... we used to sing it during schooltime...!

@hermionewilson8625

1y↑1

My dad used to sing this song, but only the first first, and to this day I still don't know what "aintree iron" means.

@britfun67

16y↑1

OMG I looooooved this song growing up!!!!

@icanwaitanotherday

16y

Mary and Michelle I miss you so much! This song is great!

@kim10800

15y↑1

Mike McGear and the rest u all rock!!!!! I would luv 2 see more Mike McGear/ Scaffold. Please put more on.

@LivingIntrests

10y↑11

Known this record since i was about 10 or 11 on an old 60's tape i had back in the early 1990's.

@gerardusch

16y

Well done. Never saw much photographs of this group. Now I did. Thanx.

@JaneFokster

14y↑8

Thank U Very Much for playing this record, rebecca241290! I had the pleasure of meeting Mike McCartney twice in the late 80s and he's a very, very nice man. And very funny too. He tells great stories about growing up in Liverpool and The Beatles' Cavern days. All the best to you, Mike!

@Iloveorliandwicked

13y↑1

They have the awesomest songs

@SniffMyDeadwax

Thank you very for Scaffold

@09ElSalvador

Oh my...this song was playing at a store and I got home stuck with it in my ears for DAYS! 😂

@94FBN

Let me guess, flying tiger? 🤣

@09ElSalvador

@Faytography I believe it was a Søstrene Grene - but same thing basically 😂😂

@Suzito

15y

Thankyou that was great!

@gillianstancliffe2589

I used to sing this to my great aunt and sang thank you very much for her bloomers. It was quite funny at the time as I was only 4.

@simonwright1577

10y

On Radio2 now.
A classic from happy childhood memories. Thank ya very much.

@Lio6pr

9y↑6

Merci beaucoup pour cet excellente chanson ;)

@davidswubc

15y↑3

The Queen Mum loved this song!

@janomill

14y

thank you for this song, I remember it very well. I'm also lloking for this old english drinking song of them"10 whisky bottles" Anyone who has this?

@JohnSmith-wj7ge

8y↑8

Never knew this was Macca's brother til now. I remember this song in a Tea ad when I was growing up.

@97channel

8y↑5

+John Smith Don't know about a tea advert, but it was used in numerous Cadbury's Roses adverts for many years.
"Thank you very much for feeding William...".

@JohnSmith-wj7ge

8y↑2

Ah, you're right! Mixed it up with the Tetley ads 'lovely day'

@matthays716

Very interesting

@astragreen

2y↑1

Thank you very much for singing this songs for me, hahahahaha!

@MrMarks4

5y↑1

Reminds me of my childhood..

@captainpeacock4442

MrMarks4,Me Too!.

@RivingtonAve

6y↑2

Thank you very much for feeding William.

@petervanbeijerenbergenenhe3694

time to wake up with scaffold in the early morning!!!!!!!

@composer19la

44w

What a catchy song!

@Alice555foxylady

15y↑1

I love the melody since 0.34- lovely sound!!!

@edwardrussell7168

I just searched for my wife.. she cheered up.. amazing.. tnx

@vilislacis3337

9y↑5

This song is great for clearing your mind, you can sing it forever, just keep plugging in different people/places/things.

@astragreen

2y↑1

Yea you right!

@miketheshanmanmangan

9y↑6

In 1967 Mike McGear,Paul McCartneys brother released a huge hit in Europe and The British Isles

@SEVFEST

13y

This song peaked at #69 (5 weeks here on the US Charts) released on Bell Records I bought the single and it was titled "Thank U Very Much" with the letter "U" and NOT the word "You". I Love this tune thanx for the memories man.......

@robg6065

I haven't heard this since I was a kid and it's brought so much stuff back! *Internet High Five

@petervanbeijerenbergenenhe3694

thank you very much for love and Sunny Times!!!!!!

@marginaliana

Heard a bit of this song somewhere months ago and have finally gotten around to tracking it down. Thanks for posting it!

@thetoonraider

15y

I have this single from when I was a weeun....thanks for the upload

@dimmube

14y↑1

thank you very much for posting this

@davidroot8

16y

i love this

@12121149

9y↑2

Thank you very very much!!!!!!!

@ShaneC27

Cracking tune!

@leoretrosi

13y

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet! so 1967 thank you !!!!!!

@M0D3R8A

13y↑4

@Seltonas Καιρό το έψαχνα. Ψάχνω κ κανα δυο άλλα από το Μάρκουλη. Τι γαμάτη εκπομπή!

@super-jim

Και εγβ

@miketheshanmanmangan

11y↑1

Hitbound to happen and happen it did in January of 68 .We plalyed this for 6 weeks promotin Pauls brother Mike.Just never took off despite strong teeny bop request.In 1973 I am working in Charlotte after moving from Buffalo and we broke "Leave It" from The McGear album as once again brother Paul was quite noticeable on Leave It.So once again with the alum McGear with its great album cover in hand on Warner Bros.I say Thank U Very Much! The shanman

@HangoverTelevision

4y↑2

Bëlga use it at the end of their concerts ever since ^^

@definitedoll

12y

This song got some good airplay, i remember it well. used to sound like they were singing "thank you very much for the angsty iron"...

@pauloskostas2

12y↑10

to epsaxna kairo afto :P

@grahampearson5670

Brilliant song this.

@imwatchingyou6113

2y↑2

Didn't know Arthur Skargill was in a band...just goes to show...one out ...all out... 👍

@stevemorris6855

1y↑1

😂🤣😂

@petervanbeijerenbergenenhe3694

the very best of Scaffold!!!!!11

@joaobatistademelloayresneto

Faz lembrar aula de inglês no Dom José, Indaiatuba, com o professor Camilo, lá nos 1968!

@rommix0

6y↑2

Scaffolds only hit in the US.

Peaked at #69 on Hot 100 back in 1967.

@thecarlos7710

Thank you very much for feeding William...

@geoffreydlang

13y

This song was released in England on the Pye label. (I can't believe I remembered that...I'm not even FROM there.) Random thought: What if John had met MICHAEL McCartney at that Quarrymen gig in July '57. This would be a very different world. And John would still be alive. Oh, well...Happy Holidays, just the same.

@petervanbeijerenbergenenhe3694

thank you very much for the birds and bees!!!!!!!!!

@Sparkina

10y↑5

@ Feisty. The McCartney boys' dad did indeed remarry, but Michael used a surname so people wouldn't think he got a record deal just because of Paul.

@teletubetodd

7y↑2

Great! Macca certainly did well by his brother with this ditty, which wouldn't have sounded too bad on a Beatles album, either - perhaps as a Sgt. Pepper closer? Also reminds me of the music-hall romp of those Courage Best Bitter beer adverts of the '80s. Thanks for posting this rare gem!

@paulmallon9292

1y↑1

Yeah. This would have been much better in place of A Day in the Life......

@vauvakuumeinen

10y↑2

Thank you veryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryveryvery much for downloading this HILARIOUS song! ;) xD

@wilberfloss832

I ❤️ The Scaffold

@MrSpamcan1

i am playing this tonight (extra loud) to thank the N.H.S. WORKERS ETC thanks folks

@TheZeevik

10y↑2

pretty song with paul mccartney brother

@josephadam291

Thank you very much for Nebula 75

@rebecca241290

16y

'Dirty World' is really a great song. Thanks for your advice.

@Pauldjreadman

Legends.

@johnrowland3105

5y↑3

I love the fact that even 50 years on and there's still debate as to what exactly The Aintree Iron actually is. The story i always remember is the idea that it refers to the winning post at the Aintree racecourse. Yet fascinating how nobody else mentions the same !

@alanwilliams6292

It’s actually the ‘flat iron’ shaped intersection at the Black Bull pub in Aintree/Fazakerley in Liverpool. It was also a local bus terminus. Just round the corner from where I grew up as a kid!

@andrewbrown6786

Would like to add that Aintree used to have a large ‘Grid Iron’ freight yard often referred to as the ‘Aintree Iron’ - it was a source of much work, and benefit to the local economy.

@susanjones7221

14w

Brilliant Liverpool

@mossakis

4y↑2

This song plays in Greek TV series "Koritsia o Markoulis", which played the knowable Greek comedian, Markos Seferlis !!!

@johnshort5003

Evharisto gia tin exigisi (don't you mean 'the well-known Greek comedian'?)

@terryplatt8115

4y↑1

Roger McGough... where are you? You should come back and rewrite this
track with new words for the current crisis - Thank U Very Much for the
NHS... etc. Release a charity single, and we can all sing it on our Thursday
everning applause at 2000.

@hussbilbs

8y↑1

THANKS

@cheltersful

4y↑1

John Firman used to crack me up on TISWAS. Ta B'ham

@cheltersful

4y↑1

I mean Gorman!

@hippymaff

14y

I saw one(John Gorman) at the Oxton Christmas light switch on in Birkenhead the other night.

@StacpoolemusicAu

9y↑2

`YES!! it reeks of those silly British comedies like The Goodies etc!! ha ha ha ha - actually I used to sing this and that other silly song Lilly the Pink to my families edge of sanity!! did not realise till now that 'one of them' was Paul Macs bro - big fan of the Mac. great memories and very talented people. by the way Paul Mac is the older by two years.

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