A MOTTO FOR EVERY MAN
   "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel"
   Written by Harry Clifton. [1866]
   Arranged by Martin Hobson.

1. Some people you've met in your time, no doubt,
   Who never look happy or gay;
I'll tell you the way to get jolly and stout,
   If you'll listen a while to my lay.
I've come here to tell you a bit of my mind,
   And please with the same, if I can,
Advice in my song you will certainly find,
   And a "motto for every man."

        Chorus.
   So we will sing and banish melancholy.
   Trouble may come, we'll do the best we can
   To drive care away, for grieving is a folly.
   "Put your shoulder to the wheel" is a motto for ev'ry man.

2. We cannot all fight in this "Battle of Life,"
   The weak must go to the wall;
So do to each other the thing that is right,
   For there's room in this world for us all.
"Credit refuse" if you've "money to pay,"
   You'll find it the wiser plan;
"And a penny lay by for a rainy day"
   Is a motto for every man.

3. A coward gives in at the first repulse,
   A brave man struggles again
With a resolute eye and a bounding pulse,
   To battle his way amongst men:
For he knows he has one choice in his time,
   To better himself if he can,
"So make your hay while the sun doth shine,"
   That's a motto for every man.

4. Economy study but don't be mean,
   A penny may lose a pound,
Thro' this world a conscience clean
   Will carry you safe and sound.
It's all very well to be free I will own,
   To do a good turn when you can,
But "Charity always commences at home,"
   That's a motto for every man.


Source: Period sheet music collected by Steve Gardham.
Also: Weston & Hussy Minstrel's Book of Songs, No. 1, p. 34, 188-?; available online at the National Library of Australia.
Also: The Levy Collection at Johns Hopkins University


ABC transcription of the melody:

X:1
T:A Motto for Every Man
C:Written by Harry Clifton. Arranged by Martin Hobson.
S:Sheet music published by Hopwood and Crew
N:Also W&H Minstrel's Book of Songs, No. 1, p.34
Z:by Artful Codger
M:6/8
Q:3/8=84 "Moderato"
L:1/8
K:A
%
%    Verse.
E | A A A A G A | FG A E2 E | c c c c B A | B3-B z E |
w: Some peo-ple you've met in your time_ no doubt, Who ne-ver look hap-py or gay:_ I'll
A A A A G A | F G A E z E/ E/ | c d e d c B |
w: tell you the way to get jol-ly and stout, If you'll lis-ten a while to my
A3-A z c/d/ | e e e e d c | d d d d2 d |
w: lay._ I've_ come here to tell you a bit of my mind, And
c e e e d c | B3-B z E | A A A A G A |
w: please with the same if I can,_ Ad-vice in my song you will
F G A E z E/ E/ | c d e d c B | A3-HA3 ||
w: cer-tain-ly find, And a "mot-to for ev-e-ry man."_
%
%    Chorus.
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=188
c3 | B2A | E3- | E z C/D/ | E2 F | G2 A | A3 | G2 z |
w: So we will sing_ and_ ba-nish me-lan-cho-ly.
d3 | c2 B | F3- | F z F | F2 E | F2 E | C3- | C z E |
w: Trou-ble may come,_ we'll do the best we can_ To
c3 | B2 A | E3- | E z C/D/ | E2 F | G2 A | B3 | F2 z |
w: drive care a-way_ for_ griev-ing is a fol-ly,
B2 F | c2 B | B2 E | B A A | G ^^F G | c2 B | A3- | A2 z ||
w: Put your shoul-der to the wheel is a mot-to for ev'-ry man._


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