SCHOOLYARD SONG
(Harry Ogden)

Our schoolyards looked over by the Brookside mill wall,
And up theer I have to climb, For to fetch back our ball,
Barbed wire won't stop me from climbin' up theer,
When you're brought up by the shed roof, What have you to fear?

Holt's picker-shop's looked over by th' Spodden mill brook,
And down theer at dinner time, if you but chance to look,
You'll find us fishin' for stickle-backs so neat,
An it's worth gettin' larrupin' for 'avin' wet feet.

Our cricket field's looked over by' th' Dublin mill lodge,
In th' tall grass round th' back o' theer we'll hide an' we'll dodge,
An' we'll chuck bricks in th'water, for it's fair gradely fun,
Pretending that we're soldiers an' we've got a big gun.

Or we'll go up to th' Dura to play among th' skips,
We'll build houses or charabangs, for to go to long trips,
Off to Blackpool, or Morecambe, or Southport, we've gone,
But if th' fire—beater catches us, we've not 'alf to run.

If I go down to th' weavin' shed to talk to me mum,
Picker sticks and shuttles seem noisy to some,
But they never bother me for I'm flaid o' nowt,
An' to talk down in th' weavin' shed,
You've no need to shout.

I've never, ever travelled far yet,
But some day I will,
Far away from our house down in th' shade of a mill,
To some foreign country, that's far far away,
But however far I travel, I'm sure I shan't stay.


Words and tune by Harry Ogden, ©Maypole Music, 1973

From Folk Songs & Ballads of Lancashire, compiled and edited by Harry & Lesley Boardman (Oak Publications, 1973) page 39