1
We’re all dahn in t’ cellar-’oil where muck slarts on t’ winders,
We’ve used all us coil up and we’re reight dahn to t’ cinders;
If bum-bailiff comes ’e’ll never finnd us,
Cos we’re all dahn in t’ cellar-’oil where muck slarts on t’ winders.
2
We’re all dahn in t’ cellar-’oil where muck slarts on t’ winders,
Door-’oil’s wide oppen as it’s oft bin afooer;
Fire-’oil it’s nearly reight chock full o’ cinders,
An t’ wife she’s aht callin’ wi’ t’ neighbour next dooer,
Cos we’re all dahn in t’ cellar-’oil where muck slarts on t’ winders.
3
We’re all dahn in t’ cellar-’oil where muck slarts on t’ winders,
Door-’oil’s blocked up wi’ ashes an’ cinders;
When t’ chap comes for t’ rent, will ’e be able to finnd us?
Ma comes wi’ t’ rollin’ pin, Pa wi’ t’ berlinders,
When we’re all dahn in t’ cellar-’oil where muck slarts on t’ winders.
winders = windows
bum-bailiff = court official empowered to seek entry and remove goods
’oil/coil = hole/coal
slarts = dashes
callin’ (to rhyme with Stalin) = gossiping
berlinders = bellows
Tune is Ach du liebe Augustin much used in Britain for children’s and bawdy songs.
This is a traditional song about Yorkshire, collected in Yorkshire.
The Barnsley Anthem is widely sung in the Barnsley area. Thanks to the researches of Mark Ellison and Dave Burland we have been informed that the song’s earliest appearance so far discerned was in Clarion Ramblers Songbook for 1911, but we haven’t yet managed to locate a copy. Any further information would be welcomed. A similar version to Ray’s is published in Paul Davenport’s excellent The South Riding Songbook, p4.