Sing woe me lads, sing woe,
Drive on me lads, I O,
Who wouldn't lead a life just like we jolly waggoners do?
♪
When first I went a-waggoning, a-waggoning did go,
I filled my poor old parents' hearts with sorrow, grief and woe,
And many are the hardships that I have since gone through,
Sing woe me lads, sing woe,
Drive on me lads, I O,
Who wouldn't lead a life just like we jolly waggoners do?
And when the rain is pelting down and soaks me to the skin,
I'll bear it with contented hearts until I reach the inn,
And there I'll sit a-drinking with the landlord and his kin,
Sing woe me lads, sing woe,
Drive on me lads, I O,
Who wouldn't lead a life just like we jolly waggoners do?
And when the clouds of winter break and springtime comes along,
The birds will fly from tree to tree and fill me with their song,
And every lad will find a girl and dance the whole night long,
Sing woe me lads, sing woe,
Drive on me lads, I O,
Who wouldn't lead a life just like we jolly waggoners do?
♪
But things have greatly altered now and wagons fewly seen,
The worlds gone topsy turvy lads, it's all one big machine,
It all passes before me just like a morning dream,
Sing woe me lads, sing woe,
Drive on me lads, I O,
Who wouldn't lead a life just like we jolly waggoners do?
Yes things have greatly altered now but then what can we do,
When the folks in power pay no heed to the likes of me and you,
It's hardship for us workman lads and fortune for the few,
Sing woe me lads, sing woe,
Drive on me lads, I O,
Who wouldn't lead a life just like we jolly waggoners do?
Sing woe me lads, sing woe,
Drive on me lads, I O,
Who wouldn't lead a life just like we jolly waggoners do?
Sing woe me lads, sing woe,
Drive on me lads, I O,
Who wouldn't lead a life just like we jolly waggoners do?
Who wouldn't lead a life just like we jolly waggoners do?