Lyr Add: The Greet Bull-Dog o' Shields

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GREET BULL-DOG O' SHIELDS
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 19 Jun 04 - 12:38 PM

THE GREET BULL-DOG O' SHIELDS

Written on the occasion of the gunpoat Bull-dog lying at shields, shortly after the termination of the Russian War.

Tune- "Hokey Pokey."

Wor Dick an' me, last Curstmis day,
Tuik i' wor heeds te gan away,
Resolved te spend a yell week's pay
Amang the fokes o' Sheels, man
At Sandget end we had some yell
Alang wi' Matt and Skipper Bell,
Then doon te Sheels a' hands did speel,
I' Skipper Johnson's bran new keel.
'Twas there aw' hard young Geordy Carr,
That kens se much aboot the Czar,
Say, "What d'ye think's come frae the war,
But a greet Bull-dog at Sheels, man?

Fall de dall, etc.

Says aw thou's leein fond aw's sure,
Yor idees mun be varry poor,
Thou wants to put on Tommy Moor,
Wi' yor greet Bull-dog o' Sheels, man.
What, a bull-dog swalley Rooshin bears,
That's nobbit lees, cum speak for fairs.
He says then lissen ti' what comes-
He fired het snawballs at thor bums,
He peppered them all at Bummy Soond,
An' laid thor batteries wi' the groond;
That varry Bull-dog may now be foond
Lyin' in Peggy's Hole i' Sheels, man.

Give ow'r says aw, wi' voice se gruff,
Or suen, by gox, aw may ye huff,
Wi' fiery snawballs me ti stuff
An' yor greet Bull-dog o' Sheels, man.
Think weel, maw man, wi' whe ye play,
The fuil he laff'd and quick did say,
But mair than that, the dog lies reet
Chocked full o' guns and men complete;
He tuik Charley Napier, tars and all,
Ti Bummy Soond wi' Captain Hall,
And feyred them shells that made them squall,
Did this gret Bull-dog o' Sheels, man.

He nipt thor tails and myed them shoot,
An' just like badgers drawed them oot,
He worried thor thropples wiv his snoot,
Did this greet Bull-dog o' Sheels, man.
He fired them bullets het and thick,
Sayin' there's some pills, aud Mister Nick;
He myed them scamper duce'd quick,
An' levelled ivery steyn an' brick,
He myed their nasty tallow run,
Then wagg'd his tail an' barked like fun,
An' cam ti the Tyne when aw was duin,
Did this greet Bull-dog o' Sheels, man.

Says aw, thou's stuffin me, maw man,
But when aw lands aw's sure ti gan
An' find this Bull-dog iv aw can,
That's myekin sic wark at Sheels, man.
So when aw landed on the kee,
Away aw gans quite full o' glee,
Ti try and find this Bull-dog breed,
But hang a Bull-dog there aw se'd,
So aw axed a sailor stannin there,
If he saw a bull-dog ony where,
He gyeped an' glower'd an' gave a blair.

Spoken- An' let flee a chow o' baccy iz big iz a turmit-so aw sets Nettle on tiv him (that's maw terrier), iv he was a Bull-dog Nettle maniged him. As for me, aw trotted, cas there was a dozen bull-dogs I' nee time, an' nivor stopt tiv aw went bump agyen the wooden dolly- aw thowt it was Jarrow. Wi' that aw heers the sailors bawl oot-hie, shipmate, ahoy! shipmate, the deevil says aw--

(Sings) D' ye think we're fuils o' Sheels man.

Sair vexed, begox! aw kept gawn back,
Determined Skipper Carr ti smack,
And let him see that aw cud snack
Wiv ony bull-dog o' Sheels, man.
But, hinny marrows, guess maw surprise,
When aw twigs a steamboat sic a size,
Men an' guns aw did disarn,
Wiv B double LL bull-dog on here starn,
Aw seed her bonny colours flyin',
Wi' sowlgers an' sailors exercisin',
And sure enyuf the Bull-dog was lyin'
I' Peggy's Hole in Sheels, man.

Noo, may Sheels prosper, while the sea
Beats on her shores so wild and free,
May they niver lack prosperity
Nor manly hearts i' Sheels, man;
May blissins crown each happy home,
Wor sailors, tee, where'er they roam,
May we ever on old England's shore
Boast British Bull-dogs evermore.
Aw wish success tiv aw that's here,
May ye nivor want good heath or cheer,-
Smash! aw hope ye'll live for mony a year,
Wi' greet Bull-dogs o' Sheels, man.

-Corvan, 1862