Woad    (W. Hope-Jones.)    From The Youth Hostellers Song Book (1962 edition)
^^^ NATIONAL ANTHEM OF THE ANCIENT BRITONS.
(Tune: Men of Harlech.)

What's the use of wearing braces,
Vests and pants and boots with laces,
Spats or hats you buy in places,
Down in Brompton Road ?
What's the use of shirts of cotton,
Studs that always get forgotten,
These affairs are simply rotten-
Better far is woad !
Woad's the stuff to show, men-
Woad to scare your foemen-
Boil it to a brilliant hue
And rub it on your back and your abdomen
Ancient Briton never hit on
Anything as good as woad to fit on
Neck or knees or what you sit on-
Tailors, you be blowed !

Romans come across the Channel,
All wrapped up in tin and flannel ;
Half a pint of woad per man'll
Dress us more than these !
Saxons, you may waste your stiches
Building beds for bugs in breeches,
We have woad to clothe us, which is
Not a nest for fleas.
Romans, keep your armours,
Saxons, your pyjamas,
Hairy coats were meant for goats,
Gorillas, yaks, retriever dogs and llamas.
Tramp up Snowdon with our woad on,
Never mind if we get rained or blowed on,
Never want a button sewed on,
Go it, Ancient B's !


[Footnote]
Written about 1921 for the Eton College Boy Scouts. Printed in the Hackney Scout Song Book. We are indebted to the author for correcting (1962) the inaccurate version published in previous editions. [Of the YHA Song Book, presumably.]


Braces=suspenders. Vest=undershirt. Studs=retainers for detachable shirt-collars.
You be blowed=a mild term of personal rejection.
Punctuation and spacing carefully copied.
Often sung in a Welsh accent, the Welsh being descendants of the Ancient Britons, but possibly because the most widely heard professional recording was by a Welsh performer on a LP of Rugby Football songs.