08 May 00 - 04:06 PM (#224789)
Subject: The Wonderful Gutter
From: Conrad Bladey (Peasant- Inactive)
The Wonderful Gutter
Since Boney was sent to that place owre the sea,
We've had little to talk of, but far less to dee;
But now they're a' saying, we suen will bet better,
When yence' they begin with the wonderful Gutter,
The great lang Gutter, the wonderful Gutter;
Success to the Gutter! and prosper the Plough! The way how aw ken--when aw was at the toon,
Aw met Dicky Wise near the Rose and the Croon;
And as Dicky reads papers, and talks aboot Kings,
Wey he's like to ken weel about Gutters and things;
So he talk'd owre the gutter,&c. He then a lang story began for to tell,
And said that it often was ca'd a Can-nell;
But he thowt, by a Gutter, aw wad uinderstand,
That's it's cutten reet through a' the Gentlemen's land.
Now that's caw'd a Gutter, &c. Now, whether the dea's owre big at the West,
Or scanty at Sheels--wey, ye mebby ken beest;
For he says they can team, aye, without any bother,
A sup ot o' yen a' the way to the tother,
By the great lang Gutter,&c. Besides, there'll be bridges, and locks, and lairge keys,
And shippies, to trade wiv eggs, butter, and cheese;
And if they'll not sail weel, for want o' mair force,
They'll myek ne mair fuss, but yoke in a strang horse,
to pull through the Gutter, &c. Ye ken there's a deal that's lang wanted a myel,
When they start wi' the Gutter 'twill thicken their kyell:
Let wages be high, or be just what they may,
It will certainly help to drive hunger away,
While they work at the Guter, &c. There's wor Tyne sammun tee 'ill not ken what's the matter,
When they get a gobful o' briny saut water;
But if they should gan off, it's cum'd into my nob,
For to myek some amends we mun catch a' the cod,
That sweems down the gutter, &c. So come money and friends support Willy Armstrang,
In vent'rin a thoosan ye canna get wrang;
While we get wor breed by the sweet o' wor brow,
Success to the Gutter! and prosper the Plough!
The great lang Gutter, &c. Wm. Midford-In: The Newcastle Song Book or Tyne-Side Songster., W&T Fordyce
Newcastle Upon Tyne.
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