Lyr Add: The High Level an' the Aud Bridge

Subject: Lyr Add: The High Level an' the Aud Bridge
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 12:45 PM

The High Level An' the aud Bridge
A Comic Imaginary dialogue

Tune-"I'd be a Buitterfly."

Won caud winter's neet, man, the leetnin' was flashin',.
And the wind through the High Level Bridge loud did squeel;
The neet was pick-dark, an' the waves they were dashin',
Man, we'd sair tues amang us to manage wor keel.
But amang a' the thunder what myed wor lads wonder,
Wis the High Level Bridge to the Aud Bridge bawl out-

Tune- "Marble Halls."

"O! ye crazy Aud Bridge, ye'll suin be pull'd down,
An' yor styens in the river be hurled'
Yor nee ornament, noo, but disgracin' wor toon,
Luik at me-aw's the pride o' the world.
Hoo noble am I, reachin' up ti the sky,
Lukin' down on a humbug belaw;
Ther's yor blynd men an' cadgers stoppin' folks passin' by,
An' yor Piperget wives wi' thor jaw."

Spoken- An' a tidy lot o' grob they hew; just gie them an aud button for a hapworth o' mince tripe, an' ye'll get some tongue into the bargain. But, tawkin' o' the row 'tween the two Bridges. Goggle-eyed Tommy heard them fightin' aside Lemington; and when aw'd gat aside the Meadows aw hears the High Level say ti the Awd Bridge-"Yor neebody, poor aud fellow." Just at that time, Jack Gilroy says ti the High Level-" Shut up, lang legs." That nerved the Aud Bridge; he showed fight, an' walked into the High Level in the followin' style:-

Tune-"Fine Old English Gentleman."

"Shut up, shut up yor skinny jaws," the Aud Bridge then did shoot;
"For if thou's yung, Mistor High Level Bridge, just mind what tho's aboot,
An' dinnet wag yor jaws ower fast, like the men o' modern days;
Just tyek advice fra a poor aud bridge, an' drop off a' self-praise.

Chorus
"But mind yor locomotive things, an' let an aud bridge be.

"Wor Cassel Garth, where snips an' snobs wi' maid an' frinds did meet,
Ye've caused to be pulled doon, ye knaw, and banish'd oot o' seet.
Luk doon on me, lang sparrow shanks, ye half-bred, mean young pup,
If ya thraw yor engines doon on me, aw'll thrw some aud keels up.

But mind, etc.

"Before iver ye wor thout on, man, aw've stood here I' maw pride,
An' letin fokes wawk ower me t'ween the Bottle Bank and Side;
Besides ye charge a happenny, yor level's dearly bowt,
Man, aw stand maw grund es weel as thou, an' let fokes ower for nowt.

But mind, etc.

"When aw wis young we had ne jails or bastiles I' the toon,
Nor pollis wi thor greet big staffs, ti knock a poor sowl doon;
But noo the mairch of intellect an' scientific ways,
Hez tyen away wor good aud times- we sigh for better days"

Spoken- "Drop off tawkin' about sighin', " says Jack. "Shut up," says Ralphy L--tle on the top o' the Mansion House, "or aw'll wawk ye byeth off ti the kitty." There wad hae been manslawter if it hadn't been for Ralphy; but the Aud Bridge kent him; they'd gyen to the Jubilee Skeul together when they war lads. Says the Aud Bridge, "What are ye gan t' hev?" "Igm" says Ralphy, "a bottle o' soda watter an' half a glass o' brandy in't." 'Twas an awful dark neet, aw mind'; that dark we cuddent see what we war tawkin' about. Howsever, we byeth escaped, an' away we went singin'-

Weel may the keel row, etc.

-Corvan, 1862.