Blaydon Races
One of the most popular Geordie songs of all time
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Aw went to Blaydon Races, 'twas on the ninth of Joon,
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Eiteen hundred an' sicty two, on a summer's efternoon;
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Aw tyuk the 'bus frae Balmbra's an' she wis heavy laden,
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Away we went alang Collingwood Street, that's on the road to
Blaydon.
Chorus
O lads ye shud only seen us gannin'
Alternatively and more usually now-
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Oh me lads, ye should have seen us gannin'
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Passin' the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin';
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Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, aal wi' smilin' faces,
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Gannin' alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races.
We flew pas Airmstrong's factory, and up to the "Robin Adair,"
Just gannin' doon te the railway bridge, the bus wheel flew off there.
The lasses lost their crinolines off, an' the veils that hide their faces,
An' aw got two black eyes an' a broken nose in gannin te Blaydon Races.
When we gat the wheel put on away we went agyen,
But them that had their noses broke, they came back ower hyem;
Sum went to thte Dispensary, an' some to Doctor Gibbs,
An' sum to the Infirmary, to mend their broken ribs.
Noo when we gat to Paradise thor wes bonny gam begun,
Thor wes fower and twenty on the bus, man, hoo they danced an' sung;
They called on me to sing a sang, aw sung them 'Paddy Fagan'
Aw danced a jig an' swung me twig that day as went to Blaydon.
We flew across the Chain Bridge reet into Blaydon toon
The bellman he was caalin' there- they caal him Jacky Broon.
Aw saw him talking to sum cheps, an' them he was persuadin'
To gan an' see Geordy Ridley's concert in the Mechanic's Haal at Blaydon.
The rain it pour'd aw the day an' myed the groond quite muddy,
Coffy Johnny had a white hat on - they war shootin' "Whe stole the cuddy"
There wes spice stalls an' munkey shows, an' aud wives selling ciders,
An' a chip wiv a happeny roond aboot shootin' "Noo me lads, for riders."
Written by George Ridley of Gateshead who died at the age of 30 in 1864.