1
Now when I were a lad with me mother and dad,
We didn’t have much fun
I took it into me head one day as away from home I’d run
Now each fair was coming along, it was that very day,
So I picked up me coat me stick and me hat
And I buggered off on me way!
Like a fine old Yorkshire gentlemen
One of the old brigade
2
Well first I see’d one factory, I’d never seen one before
There were tapes and silks and tapes and silks *
To tell by many a score
Old Ned turned every wheel and every wheel a strap
Yon bugger said: “Aye to Mister Man”
* chap
Like a fine old Yorkshire gentlemen
One of the old brigade
3
Well, next I thought I’d go to church I’d never been in my day,
And me just being just a stranger there,
I didn’t know the way
There were young folk and old folk
* *
The silly old bugger sat next to me,
He says: “Take off thee hat”
Like a fine old Yorkshire gentlemen
One of the old brigade
4
Then this fella gets up in this altar box and he talks about the dead
The silly old bugger sat next to me, he backed him in every word
He tell’d that t’ rich was goin’ to heaven,
And t’ poor were going to hell
I said: “Shut up ye silly ol’ bugger
You’ve never been there yoursel’.”
Like a fine old Yorkshire gentlemen
One of the old brigade
5
Then this silly ol’ bugger gets up in the altar box,
And prays for George the King.
And then this fellow says I think it’s time, let’s sing
Well, I thought that some sang very well,
And others did grunt and groan
And as every man sang what he would
Then I sang Derby and Jones
Like a fine old Yorkshire gentlemen
One of the old brigade
6
Then this fellow comes round wi’ a box o’ brass
And he hands it all around
And me not being a greedy sort, I nobbut took half-a-crown
The silly old bugger sat next to me
I thought he were goin’ to dee
I says: “shut up you silly ol’ bugger
There’s plenty left for thee.”
Like a fine old Yorkshire gentlemen
One of the old brigade
7
Now if preachin and prayin’ were ower,
And folks were goin’ away,
I went up to this preacher chap
I says: “Is there out to pay?”
He says: “There’s nowt to pay me lad”,
And at that I was right ...*
So I picked me coat, me hat and me stick
And I buggered off home again.
Like a fine old Yorkshire gentlemen
One of the old brigade