My transcription from a recording at YouTube. I have boldfaced the words that are different from rich-joy's version above--but I have no reason to think these words are more authoritative than his.


THE KNOCKER-UPPER MAN
Words and music by Mike Canavan
As sung by Pete Martin

1. Through the cobbled streets of sulphur towns
A knocker-upper man goes creepin',
Tap-tapping on the window pane
To wake the town from sleepin'.

CHORUS: He sang: "Hey thee up and stir theeself.
The fact'ry hooter's blowin',
So get up from your nice warm bed.
To work you must be goin'."

2. Day in, day out, the year about,
Though snow and rain was fallin',
You'd hear his clogs along the street.
You'd hear his voice a-callin'.

CHORUS

3. All the early-rising working folk.
The knocker-upper's call they heeded.
But time slips by, and customs die.
Now he's no longer needed.

CHORUS: No more "Hey thee up...." etc.

4. Through the streets of smart suburbia,
The knocker-upper's ghost goes creepin',
While a host of new alarm clocks
Awakes the town from sleepin'.

CHORUS: No more "Hey thee up...." etc.