GAOL SONG



"Step in young man, I know your face

It's nothing in your favor

A little time I'll give to you

Six months at hard labor"



To my hip fol the day, hip fol the day

To my hip fol the day, for the digee oh



At six o'clock our turnkey comes in

With a bunch of keys all in his hand

"Come, come, my lads, step up and grind

Tread the wheel till breakfast time"



At eight o'clock our skilly comes in

Sometimes thick and sometimes thin

But devil a word we must not say

It's brad and water all next day

At half past eight the bell doth ring

Into the chapel we must swing

Down on our bended knees to fall

"The Lord hath mercy on us all"



At nine o'clock the jangle rings

All on the trap boys, we must spring

"Come, come, my lads, step up in time

The wheel to tread and the corn to grind"



Now Saturday's come, I'm sorry to say

Sunday is our starvation day

Our hobnailed boots and tin mugs too

They are not shined nor they will not do



Now six long months are over and past

I will return to my bonnie, bonnie lass

I'll leave the turnkeys all behind

The wheel to tread and the corn to grind

@jail

printed in Penguin book of English folksongs

sung by Bernard Wriggly and Dick Swain

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