Social Commentaries

Dance to thy Daddy

by William Watson fl. 1842 (The Newcastle Song Book)

From The Newcastle Song Book (1842)

Social Commentaries

Come here, my little Jackey,
Now I've smok'd my backey,
Let's have a bit crackey
Till the boat comes in.

Dance to thy daddy, sing to thy mammy,
Dance to thy daddy, to thy mammy sing;
Thou shalt have a fishy on a little dishy,
Thou shalt have a fishy when the boat comes in.

Here's thy mother humming,
Like a canny woman,
Yonder comes thy father,
Drunk, he cannot stand.

Dance to thy daddy, sing to thy mammy,
Dance to thy daddy, to thy mammy sing;
Thou shalt have a fishy on a little dishy,
Thou shalt have a haddock when the boat comes in.

Our Tommy's always fuddling,
He's so fond of ale,--
But he's kind to me--
I hope he'll never fail.

Dance to thy daddy, sing to thy mammy,
Dance to thy daddy, to thy mammy sing;
Thou shalt have a fishy on a little dishy,
Thou shalt have a codling when the boat comes in.

I like a drop mysel',
When I can get it sly,
And thou, my bonny bairn,
Will lik't as well as I.

Dance to thy daddy, sing to thy mammy,
Dance to thy daddy, to thy mammy sing;
Thou shalt have a fishy on a little dishy,
Thou shalt have a mack'rel when the boat comes in.

May we get a drop
Oft as we stand in need,
And weel may the keel row
That brings the bairns their bread.

Dance to thy daddy, sing to thy mammy,
Dance to thy daddy, to thy mammy sing;
Thou shalt have a fishy on a little dishy,
Thou shalt have a salmon, when the boat comes in.

MLA

Watson, William. “Dance to thy Daddy.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/watson_tyneside/0/.

Chicago

Watson, William. “Dance to thy Daddy.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/watson_tyneside/0/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by William Watson