The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #27303   Message #764656
Posted By: Susanne (skw)
13-Aug-02 - 05:00 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Leeds a Seaport Town
Subject: Lyr Add: LEEDS - A SEAPORT TOWN (Anon / Jon Raven)
This is the best I can do - the lyrics are not easy to understand, so corrections are welcome (doubtful expressions indicated in bold):

LEEDS - A SEAPORT TOWN
(Anon / Jon Raven)

Chorus:
Thus't'll be, I'll bet you a crown
When Leeds becomes a seaport town

Oh dear oh dear this a curious age is
Alteration all the rage is
Young and old in the stream are moving
All in the general cry, Improving!
From the exhibition I brought news down
They're going to make it a seaport town
Instead of factories and retailers
Nothing you'll see but ships and sailors

All over the town there'll be boats and barges
Men o' war, ships that never so large is
Steamers backwards and forwards a-towing
You ride for nothing - they pay you for going
Old sailors swearin' spars a-batter
And, Heave ya ho and handsparks' patter
And strange sails crowding every day
Sailing and anchoring in Leeds Bay

Oh the Liverpool gents they'll all be undone
Here there will be nought but fun done
Pats of wilder ? running their rigs, sir
Landing their butter, their bullocks and their pigs, sir
And then, to make us merry and frisky
Mealy potatoes and barrels of whisky
New-laid eggs, a twelvemonth taken
And old maids with money as crusty as bacon

Within short time you'll have trade enough, sirs
All over the world you'll send your stuff, sirs
Goods from every prime and nation
All come here for embarkation
Machinery and cloth and coals and carrots
And in return they'll get cold parrots
Dragoons, racoons and Spanish donkeys
Chase cockatoos and ringtailed monkeys