Keel Row III

Chorus-

Weel may the keel row,
the keel row, the keel row,
Weel may the keel row, and better may she speed:
Weel may the keel row, the keel row, the keel row,
Weel may the keel row, that gets athe bairns their breed.

We teuk wor keel up to the dyke,
Up to the dyke, up to the dyke,
We teuk wor keel up to the dyke,
And there we gat her load;
Then sail'd away down to Shields,
Down to Shields, down to Shields,
Then sail'd away down to Shields,
And shipp'd wor coals abroad.
 

Then we row'd away up to the fest,
Up to the fest, up to the fest,
We row'd away up to the fest,
Cheerly every man;
Pat by wor gear and moor'd wor keel,
And moor'd wor keel, and Moor'd wor keel,
Pat by wor gear and moor'd wor keel,
Then went and drak wor can,

Our canny wives, our clean fireside,
Our bonny bairns, their parent's pride,
Sweet smiles that make life smoothly glide,
We find when we gan hyem:
They'll work for us when we get au'd,
The'll keep us frae the winter's cau'd;
As lifedeclines they'll us uphaud--
When young we uphaud them.

-T. Thompson (Listed as Keel Row "New" --In: The Newcastle Song Book
or Tyne-Side Songster., W&T Fordyce
Newcastle Upon Tyne. ^^