Why Aye Man

We had no way of staying a float

We had to leave on the ferry-boat

Economic refugees

On the run to Germany

We had the back of Maggie’s hand

Times were tough in Geordie land

We got wor tools and working gear

And humped it all from Newcastle to here

Why aye man, why aye, why aye ma

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man (x2)

We’re the nomad tribes, travelling boys

In the dust and the dirt and the racket and the noise

Drills and hammers, diggers and picks

Mixing concrete, laying bricks

There’s English, Irish, Scots, the lot

United Nation’s what we’ve got

Brickies, Chippies, every trade

German building, British-made

Why aye man, why aye, why aye ma

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man (x2)

Nae more work on Maggie’s farm

Hadaway down the autobahn

Mine’s a porta cabin bed

or a bunk in a Nissan hut instead

There’s plenty Deutschmarks here to earn

And German tarts are wun derschoen

German beer is chemical- free

Germany’s alreet with me

Some times I miss my river Tyne

But you’re my pretty Fraulein

Tonight we’ll drink the old town dry

Keep wor spirit levels high

Why aye man, why aye, why aye ma

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man (x2)

Some times I miss my river Tyne

But you’re my pretty Fraulein

Tonight we’ll drink the old town dry

Keep wor spirit levels high (2x)