There's a call on the docks they're taking on men Idle time's over, they're taking on men So get out of your bed and and get down there Well there's talk of big paybacks, fifteen month contracts For skilled men and labourers, clerks and apprentices Oh Swan shops to Neptune they're taking on men They're heading in droves to the river And the gates are wide open they're taking on men There's keels to be laid in dry dock and dry pen To build on a fine reputation Well there's good lads have died for it, fought with the Clyde for it Rivalled with Barrow from Wallsend to Jarrow Now it's gone in our favour, it's good times again I tell you it's just like old days And that sweet ring of chains means they're taking on men There's steel scraping concrete, they're taking on men It's a lullaby straight off the water Well they'll haul plate and pipe as the language gets ripe There'll be bells ringing, horns blaring, crack of the dawn swearing Things have never been this good since God knows when We'll be sneezing in satin in no time Oh remember the days they were taking on men We took it for granted they're taking on men Would always be how we made wages Ah but some say the needy days turned into greedy days Now the kings of this industry are Polish and Japanese And gone are the days they were taking on men And the quayside's a drunken man's playground Yes, gone are the days they were taking on men So get back to your bed and your memories There's a call on the docks they're taking on men Your idle time's over, they're taking on men So get out of your bed and and get down there Cos they're heading in droves to the river
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