The High Level An' the Aud Bridge

I have never heard this song - I suspect it is included in the Lingford book because of the High Level Bridge theme.

Won caud winter's neet, man, the leetnin' was flashin',

And the wind through the high Level Bridge loud did squeal;

The neet was pick-dark, an' the waves they were dashin,

Man, we'd sair tues amang us to manage wor keel.

But amang a' the thunder what myed wor lads wonder,

Wis the High Level Bridge to the Aud bridge bawl out-

"O! ye crazy aud Bridge, ye'll suin be pulled down,

An' for styens in the river be hurled;

Yor nee ornament, noo, but disgracin' wor toon,

Luk at me- aw's the pride o' the world.

Hoo noble am I, reachin' up to the sky,

Lukin' down on a humbug belaw;

There's yor blynd men an' cadgers stoppin' folks passin' by.

An yor Piperget wives wi' thor jaw."

"Shut up, shut up yor skinny jaws," the Aud Bridge then did shoot;

For if thou's yung, Mistor High Level Bridge, just mind what thou's aboot,

An dinnet wag yor jaws ower fast, like the men o' modern days;

Just tyek advice fra a poor aud bridge an' drop off a' self praise.

Chorus

"But mind yor locomotive things, an' let an aud bridge be.

"Wor Cassel Garth, where snips an' snobs wi maid an frinds did meet,

Ye've caused to be pulled doon, ye knaw, and banish'd oot o' seet.

Luk doon on me, lang sparrow shanks, ye half bred, mean young pup,

If ye thraw yor engines doon on me, aw'll thraw some aud keels up.

But mind, etc.

"Before iver ye wor thout on, man, aw've stood here i maw pride,

An' lettin' folkes wawk ower me 'tween the Bottle Bank and Side.

Besides ye charge a happeny, yor level's dearly bowt,

Man, aw stand maw grund es weel as thou, an let fokes ower for nowt.

But mind, etc.

E. Gorvan, 1862

Notes:

Man, we'd sair tues amang us to manage wor keel.

Lit: We'd sore choose among us to manage our keel. - ie. no-one wanted the job of managing the boat (keel)

An yor Piperget wives wi' thor jaw.

Pipergate -

"Wor Cassel Garth, where snips an' snobs wi maid an frinds did meet,

Castle Garth - a local beuty spot pulled down to make the new bridge?

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