The Return o' The Gallowgate Lad!

Tune- Sad is Me Fate

Aw's as happy as a queen an' the day gans alang
Like an oor i' the munth o' May,
Said young Meggie Bensin, wiv a fyece full o' smiles,
For me lad's cum back the day.
Aye, an' mony's the lang weary neet aw've pass'd,
Since me luv bid me gud-bye,
Aw nivor thowt aw wad leeve te see this happy day,
For aw've deun nowt else but cry.

Chorus:
But Jack's cum back, an' we'll hear his crack
Aboot the lang one an' twenty days;
The Millisha's broken up, an me luver he's cum hyem,
He's cum hyem iv his sowljor's claes.

He nivor sent a letter a' the time he wes away,
Tho he might, for aw'd deun'd for him;
He nivor let us knaw if he miss'd us there at a',
Such neglect's an awful sin.
But aw'll talk te Jack when aw get him be me-sel,
An' aw'll let him knaw me mind,
Tho' aw's sartin the lad's ne better then he shud,
Still aw think iv his heart he's kind!

Aw've heard that he courted anuthor lass when away,
De ye think he wad be that bad;
Tho he's bad eneuf for owt, an' dissent care for nowt,
Still aw think that he's still me lad.
Aw knaw he wes fond o' the lasses when at hyem,
But it's nattoril that he shud,
An' aw've heard his muther say his fethur wes the syem,
So ye see that it runs i' the blud!

He's nivor got promoted tho aw's sartin that he might,
But he blackt the corporil's eye,
An' they gov him such a crop, aw fairly thowt aw'd drop,
When aw first saw me luv cum nigh;
But his military figgor an' fine sowljor's claes
Myed us wish he wad keep them on,
He luckt se rispectable te what he always dis,
Aw cud call him nowt else but John!

He kiss'd me muther first when he com intethe hoose,
Thor's ne jillisy i' me breest,
Buyt aw think he might might seen aw wes stannin biv her side,
An' he notis'd me the least;
But the poor lad wes drunk wi' the drink he had had,
An' cud hardly stand,--aw's sad,
Aw wish he'd stop at hyuem, then aw'd keep him for me-sel,
Maw brave-luckin Gallowgate Lad!

-Source: Joe Wilson, Tyneside Songs and Drolleries