Scovill's Rolling Mill

The half-past-ten from Tralee town to Queenstown's on its way
Bringing thousands of our boys and girls off to Amerikay.
They leave the places of their birth and that's against their will
And they labor daily for their bread in Scovill's Rolling Mill.

"Good morning, Mr. Wilcox." "Good morning," he will say.
"Have you got a job for me at a dollar and a half a day?"
He'll give you a bag and a piece of wire and your eyes you'll begin to rub
For your daily occupation is beside the pickle tub.

Oh, you may work at the pickle tub; you may work in the yard.
You may work at the scratching machine and that's not very hard.
But when pay day comes around your belly with beer you'll fill
And you'll spend the money you earned so hard in Scovill's Rolling Mill.

They'll send you to the muffles, boys, and they'll say that all is swell
But just you take a tip from me, I'd rather be in Hell.
If he gave me a broom to sweep the floor, I'd do it with a will
But I'll be damned if I work at the pickle tub for Wilcox in the mill.

Go up the street to Randolph's or across the way to Booth's
You may go to Benedict's and to Chase's; it's no use.
For when payday comes around your belly with beer you'll fill
And you'll curse the day you sailed away to Scovill's Rolling Mill.

Just go down to New York, me boys, and hear the ocean roar.
You'll think you see your mother standing at the cabin door
Crying, "Darling Jack, come back again and the old farm you can till.
Then no more you'll roam from your native home to work in the rolling mill."

And when your health and wealth are gone and you think you'd like to go home.
Your friends will get a raffle up to ship you across the foam
Your mother will greet you with a smile but tears her eyes will fill
For she knows your health was broken down in Scovill's Rolling Mill.

Now when you're six months in Ireland and feeble is your walk,
The friends you knew while in your youth, to them you'll scarcely talk.
Your dance is done; your voice is still; six feet of earth you'll fill
And they'll lay you away in the burying ground due to Scovill's Rolling Mill.