Yorkshire Garland
 

Poverty Knocks

 
Performed by:
Mick Haywood
Recorded in:
Whitby
Recorded on:
29/12/2006
Recorded by:
Ray Padgett
Genre:
Occupational
Keywords:
Money,
Factories,
Family,
Weavers,
Poverty
 

Archival information

TYG:
14
Key:
D
Time Signature:
3/4
Roud id:
3491
Laws id:
Master title:
Poverty Knocks
Places Cited:

Lyrics

1
Up ev'ry mornin' at five,
Ah wonder that we keep alive,
Tired an' yawnin', all on a cold mornin',
It's back to that dreary old drive.

Chorus
Poverty, poverty knocks,
Me loom it keeps sayin' all day,
Poverty, poverty knocks,
(The) gaffer's too skinny ter pay,
Poverty, poverty knocks,
Wi' allus one eye on the clock,
Ah know Ah can guttle when I 'ear me shuttle (guttle = eat)
Go poverty, poverty knocks.

2
Oh dear, we're going to be late,
The gaffer is stood at the gate,
We're aht o' pocket, ahr wages they dock it,
We 'as to buy grub on the slate.

3
Oh 'ow my poor 'ead it sings,
Ah should 'ave woven three strings,
But threads are breakin' an' my back is achin',
Ah wish that Ah really 'ad wings!

4
We 'ave to wet ahr own yarn,
By dippin' it into the tarn,
It's wet an' soggy, it makes us feel groggy,
There's mice in that dirty old barn.

5
Sometimes the shuttle flies aht,
Gives some poor weaver a claht;
There she lies bleedin', there's nobody heedin';
Who's goin' to carry 'er aht?

6
Tuner should tackle me loom,
'E'd much rather sit on 'is bum,
'E's much too busy a courtin' ahr Lizzie,
An' I cannot get 'im to come.

7
Lizzie is so easy led,
The' say that 'e takes 'er to bed,
She used to be skinny, nah look at 'er pinny,
Ah think it's 'baht time the' were wed.

Archival information

TYG:
14
Key:
D
Time Signature:
3/4
Roud id:
3491
Laws id:
Master title:
Poverty Knocks
Places Cited: