Subject: The Keelman's Reason for AttendingChurch
From:
Conrad Bladey (Peasant- Inactive)
Date: 18 Mar 00 - 11:42 AM
The Keelman's Reason for Attending Church
For notation click here
For midi sound click here Twee Keelmen efter leavin' Church,
Afore me they waur walkin';
Close in ahint them aw did march,
An' ower-heerd their talkin'.
Says yen, "Oh Dick! maw heart is sair--
Sair, sin' aw heer'd that sarmin;
It's neuf to myek yen drink ne mair--
Smash man! it was alarmin'! When he began to talk o' Hell,
Myed for a sinner's dwellin',
By gox! aw tyeks it to mesell--
It set my breest a swellin';
An' when he said each wicked man,
Wad leeve alang wi' deevils;
Aw surely thowt there aw wad gan
For a' my former evils. "Noo, Dick, wor ye not varry bad,
When he sae fine was teachin'?
Did ye not feel a' queer an' sad,
An' trimmel at his preachin'?
Aw's sure aw cud ha'e roar'd, Amen,
Had it not been wor Willy;
For he'd ha'e jeer'd an towld wor men,
An' they'd ha'w ca'd it silly." Then up he spak--"Aw divverent knaw--
Aw thowt't was a' a folly,
Aw thowt aboot the fad a' straw,
That Mick ga' to wor Dolly.
An' then aboot the fight aw had,
Wi' Geordie i' the keel, man;
Hoo awa upset him on his back,
An' gar'd him roar an' squeel, man." Aw nobbet gan to see the Priest,
An' hear the bonny organ;
Aw'd seuner hev a haggish feast,
An' drink wi' Skipper Morgan.
To tell the truth, what myeks me gan,
Wor Maister's torn'd religious,
He'll think aw's sec a godly man,
And mevvies raise me wages. Aw heer'd it just the t'other neet,
As aw went doon the Kee man,
A chep 'at learns the folk to pray,
Drink just as hard as me man;
Sae, Willy, if we gan to Hell,
That Priest'll gan there tee man;
Sae--let's away an' ha'e some yell,
An' let sec things abee, man." -to the tune "Jimmy Johnson's Wherry." Source A Beuk o' Newcassel Sangs.
Joseph Cawhall,
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