The Blaydon Races

I went to Blaydon Races
Twas on the ninth of June
Eighteen-hundred and sixty-two
On a summer's afternoon
I took the bus from Balmbra's
And she was heavy laden
Away we went along Collingwood Street
That's on the Road to Blaydon

Oh lads, you should've seen us gannin'
Passing the folks along the road
Just as they were stannin'
There were lots of lads and lasses there
All with smilin' faces
Gannin' along the Scotswood Road
To see the Blaydon Races

We flew past Armstrong's factory
And up to the Robin Adair
Just gannin' down to the Railway Bridge
The bus wheel flew off there
The lasses lost their crinolenes
And the veils that hide their faces
I got two black eyes and a broken nose
In gannin' to Blaydon Races

Oh lads, you should've seen us gannin'
Passing the folks along the road
Just as they were stannin'
There were lots of lads and lasses there
All with smilin' faces
Gannin' along the Scotswood Road
To see the Blaydon Races

When we got the wheel put on
Away we went again
But them that had their noses broke
They came back ower hyem
Some went to the dispensary
And some to Doctor Gibbs
And some to the infirmary
To mend their broken ribs

Oh lads, you should've seen us gannin'
Passing the folks along the road
Just as they were stannin'
There were lots of lads and lasses there
All with smilin' faces
Gannin' along the Scotswood Road
To see the Blaydon Races

Now when we got to Paradise
There was bonny games begun
There were four and 20 on the bus man
And how they danced and sung
They called on me to sing a song
I sang 'em 'Paddy Fagan'
I danced a jig and swung me twig
The day I went to Blaydon

Oh lads, you should've seen us gannin'
Passing the folks along the road
Just as they were stannin'
There were lots of lads and lasses there
All with smilin' faces
Gannin' along the Scotswood Road
To see the Blaydon Races

We flew across the Chain Bridge
Right into Blaydon Town
The bellman, he was calling there
They called him Jackie Broon
I saw him talking to some chaps
And them he was persuadin'
To gan and see Geordie Ridley's show
In the Mechanics' Hall in Blaydon

Oh lads, you should've seen us gannin'
Passing the folks along the road
Just as they were stannin'
There were lots of lads and lasses there
All with smilin' faces
Gannin' along the Scotswood Road
To see the Blaydon Races

The rain it poured down all the day
And made the ground quite muddy
Coffy Johnny had a white hat on
They yelled 'We stole the cuddy?'
There were spice stalls and monkey shows
And old wives selling ciders
And a chap with a ha'penny roundabout
Shouting "Now my lads for riders?"

Oh lads, you should've seen us gannin'
Passing the folks along the road
Just as they were stannin'
There were lots of lads and lasses there
All with smilin' faces
Gannin' along the Scotswood Road
To see the Blaydon Races