Brit-Speak Help Again: "Knees up" >??

[Ali <Ali@zymurgy.org>]

*
> 
> --- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Steve <bboy_mn at y...>" 
> <bboy_mn at y...> wrote:
> 
> > Can anybody help me with the phrase "kneed up"?
> 
> OT was discussing on-line dictionaries recently. I love 
> http://www.onelook.com/index.html  
> http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/k.htm
> "Knees Up. Noun. A lively party. {Informal}. E.g."There's going to 
be 
> a knees-up at Jenny's tonight, it's her birthday." >>
> 
> and
> 
> http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=knee*1+8
> "(British informal dated or humorous) A knees-up is an energetic 
> noisy party where people dance."
> 
> I had never before heard any implication that a knees-up must 
include  dancing, but that would explain the phrase: the knees go up 
because the dance is the Charleston or some such.

There's a song  called "Knees up, Mother Brown":

Knees up, Mother Brown, 
Knees up, Mother Brown. 
Knees up, Knees up,
Don't get the breeze up,
Knees up, Mother Brown.

It's the kind of song which I associate with old Music Halls, but 
where people sing and do the actions with the song getting faster and 
faster until everyone collapses on the floor - well that's how it was 
down in my youth ;)

A knees up would be the same as a "shin dig" where people "let their 
hair down". 

Ali

Who realises that was all irrelevant and is now throwing in the towel 
for the night.