Old Johnny Bugger

Now old Johnny Bugger, he lived by himself
As long as he had perfect health.
Then he took unto himself a wife.
To look after him for the rest of his life.

Chorus
Singing I do believe, I will believe,
That old Johnny Bugger was a silly old bugger
And a silly old bugger was he.

Now old Ma Bugger she had a bad leg.
The doctor ordered her to bed.
He called Johnny in and he says to him
"You've got to rub your wife's left leg with gin."

Old Johnny Bugger thought it was a sin
To rub his wife's left leg with the gin.
He poured the gin right down his throttle
And he rubbed his wife's left leg with the bottle.

Old Johnny Bugger went walking one day
Down by the river he chanced to stray.
Johnny fell in and he started to shout.
But there was no bugger there to pull old bugger out.

The Lord made the bees and the bees made honey
The Lord made man and man made money
The Lord made the Devil and the Devil made sin.
The Lord'll have to make a hole to put the bugger in.

Source: Performance by Jack Elliott, recorded in the clubroom of the Barley Mow, Birtley, CountyDurham in the early or mid 1960s. Reg Hall (Editor), The Voice of the People, Vol 14, Troubles They Are But Few, Dance Tunes and Ditties. Topic Records, London