Dirty Boaties
by Sue Lee and John Meleady
Recorded by Keepers Lock
Chorus :
They call us dirty boaties, they call us scum
But they never gets to know us, so how come?
Well our boats is clean and we works night and day
Loading boats, keep going, never stopping is our way
Now our dad Joe was a Number One
Earned his living by the ton
Carrying coal in his butty and boat
He was lord of all while he was afloat
And Ma she was both wife and mate
Bearing kids, hard work, this was her fate
Through all our troubles and our strife
Never a harsh word in all her life
Now life on a boat it could be rough
So all of us kids was brought up tough
Fourteen hour days for we was the crew
Hated by the townies as we passed through
But the toughest was me brother Jim
No townie'd ever get the better of him
Years of loading coal made him hard and strong
But for me there was no other, he could do no wrong
And when our working day is through
We ties our boats up good and true
What is it now we're longing for?
A big plate of stew, don't ask for nothing more
My thanks to Keepers Lock for permission to use the video.
Recorded on :