The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #35883   Message #3788977
Posted By: Jim Dixon
06-May-16 - 11:13 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: The Working Men of England
Subject: Lyr Add: SONG ON THE TIMES
Here's the complete song that was, no doubt, the source for Chumbawamba, who omitted 3 verses:

From Curiosities of Street Literature edited by Charles Hindley (London: Reeves and Turner, 1871), page 71:

SONG ON THE TIMES

1. You working men of England.... [as above]

CHORUS. So arouse you sons of Freedom.... [as above]

2. What a fuss there was in England, Ireland, and Scotland too,
On the passing of the Corn Bill and the good that it would do,
But since it's past Meat got so high which makes poor people pine.
If it would do good it's time it did for factories are on short time.

3. For when the bill was in the house they said it would do good,
To the working man it has not yet, I only wish it would,
For factories are on short time wherever you may go,
And the masters all are scheming plans to get our wages low.

4. There's different parts in Ireland.... [as above]

5. Alas! how altered are the times.... [as above]

6. In former times when Christmas came we had a good big loaf,
Then beef and mutton plenty were, and we enjoyed them both,
But now-a-days such altered ways and different is the times,
If starving and ask relief you're sent to a Whig bastile.

7. So to conclude and finish.... [as above]