THE BEST LITTLE DOORBOY (Roud 24060)

The workmen in the Rhondda are wonderful boys,
They get to their work without any noise;
They say through the Rhondda you never will see
A merrier lot than in Tipperary.
Tooraloo, tooralay,
The best little doorboy that's under Jim Grey.

Old William, the lampman, and Dan with his horse,
And Daniel, the sawyer, is always so cross.
They say, &c.

Two girls from Treorchy pull out a full tram,
They've holes in their stockings, they don't care a damn!
They say, &c.

O talk about hauling - it's nothing but fun,
To do her on the level as well as on the run,
To hook her and sprag her and holler "Gee-way!"
I'm the best little doorboy that's under Jim Grey.
Tooraloo, tooralay,
The best little doorboy that's under Jim Grey.

printed in The Shuttle and Cage: Industrial Folk Ballads, edited by Ewan MacColl (WMA, 1954),
sung by Ewan MacColl on Second Shift (Topic 10T25, 1958)