A Fine Old English Gentlemen Songtext
von The Oldham Tinkers

Now when I were a lad wi′ me mam and me dad we never 'ad no fun,
Til I took it in-to me head on day Away from whom I′d run.
An' then I met two silly fat buggers, By crimes, they made me mad,
For they were grinning all ower their face At me, an Owdham lad.

Like a fine Owd English gentleman
One of the owd brigade

Well I went to church next mornin',
I′d never been there in me days,
By crimes I were ashamed of myself,
For I didn′t know their ways,
There were young fowk, there were owd fowk
In tubs and boxes sat
And a silly owd bugger sat next to me
Said "Lad, tek off thy hat!"

Like a fine Owd English gentleman
One of the owd brigade


Well then enters a big Lord Mayor
On his shoulder he'd a club,
He first jumped into a long white shirt
And then into t′ topmost tub,
He's preachin′ about good folk goin' to heaven
And bad folk goin′ to hell.
I said "Sit thi down tha silly owd bugger
Tha's neer bin theer thysel".

Like a fine Owd English gentleman
One of the owd brigade

Then a feller come round wi, a plate o, brass, by crimes he hands it round,
And me not bein, a silly owd bugger
I goes an' takes half a crown.
A silly owd bugger sat next to me
I thowt he were bound, to dee,
I said " Sit tha down tha silly owd bugger
Aw′ve left some in for thee!.

Like a fine Owd English gentleman
One of the odd brigade

When t′preachin' an′ prayin' were over,
And we all were gooin, away,
I go′s up to t'feller in t′long white shirt
To see if there's owt to pay.
He said "No lad, there's nowt to pay"
By crimes I were right fain,
So I picked up me hat and picked up me cane
And bugger′d off whom again.


Like a fine owd English gentleman
One of the owd brigade