Odebury Mon
Words and Music by Billy Spakemon and Lozz Hipkiss
Written in Black Country dialect
Partial standard English translation in italics.
Oh me nairm is Tummy Jones, Odebry Mon, Odebry Mon
Oh my name is Tommy Jones, Oldbury Man, Oldbury Man
Me nairm is Tummy Jones, Odebry Mon
Me nairm is Tummy Jones, Black Country is in me boons
My name is Tommy Jones, Black Country is in my bones
No marra weya ar roam, Odebry Mon
No matter where I roam, Oldbury man
Arm a tilla, arm a loada, Odebry Mon, Odebry Mon
I’m a tiller, I’m a loader, Oldbury man, Oldbury man
Arm a tilla, arm a loada, Odebry Mon
It’s the monkey boowt ar steeya pays enuff ter buy the beeya
Un the rest mar wench ar gee er Odebry Mon
Ar left um a jus 14, Odebry Mon, Odebry Mon
Ar left um a jus 14, Odebry Mon
Went off ter the Great War banged a drum they marched afoowa
Sid um drap theya by the score, Odebry mon
Cum bak wairked pits un mines, Odebry Mon, Odebry Mon
Cum bak wairked pits un mines, Odebry Mon
Day toil in this airth so ar med the cut me bairth
Wor frit on graft ard wairk, Odebry Mon
Awled loads frum Claytuns Warf, Odebry Mon, Odebry Mon
Awled loads frum Claytuns warf, Odebry Mon
Sung boowt sungs us ard goow Sailskin Jones we’ll nairm yow
Yowm a boowtmon threw a threw, Odebry Mon
Many a trip tuk threw the Nines, Odebry Mon, Odebry Mon
Many a trip tuk threw the Nines, Odebry Mon
Ode wench wuss they fer me fittul gray pays un grorty
Fillin up ode Sailskins bally, Odebry Mon
Now wen me time is threw, Odebry Mon, Odebry Mon
Wen me time is threw, Odebry Mon
Ave a tilla in me ond us ar steeya me BC lond
Me un the cut a bond, Odebry Mon
In this life ar ave bin blessed, Odebry Mon, Odebry Mon
In this life ar ave bin blessed, Odebry Mon
Breeth fresh air spit the twist un ar cant me bay un bist bay no betta life thun this, Odebry Mon
Writer “Billy Spakemon” and musician Lozz Hipkiss, work together as RoosterSpake. They present and produce a
wide range of performing arts and spoken word events throughout the Black Country region and have been doing so for
many years. Their aim is to push the boundaries of performance by finding new audiences for Black Country creative
artists and performers.
The pair actively promote the Black Country through broadcasting. Lozz owns and operates a small commercial
recording studio, “Roosters Studio” which is located in Rowley. From this studio he recorded and presented the weekly
regional podcast for over four years. The show, which can still be downloaded and listened to by downloading from
the internet, was a showcase for local talent and attracted a regular worldwide audience. Lozz has also produced
several feature length shows for local radio BBC WM and the pair regularly appear on the WM Carl Chinn show.