Irish traditional song lyrics — collected by Beer Belly Band.
I am an old Navvy and I work on the line
And the last place I worked was New Castle-on-Thyme
I’ll tell me misfortune it happened in fun
It happened one night I’d me navvy boots on
One night after supper I shaved off my
To meet me fair Ellen I was well prepared
To meet me fair Ellen I then hurried down
And I met her that night with me navvy boots on
Oh I knocked on her window my knock it was low
Oh I knocked on her window my knock she did know
She jumped out of bed saying, “Is that you John?”
“Oh, be Jasus it’s me with me navvy boots on.”
She came to the door and invited me in
Saying, “Draw to the fire love and warm you skin.”
Well her bedroom was open and the blanket turned down
So I jumped into bed with me navvy boots on
Now all of that night we did sport and did play
Never thinking of time as it soon passed away
Then she jumped out of bed saying, “What have I done?”
“Oh, the baby will be born with his navvy boots on.”
I chastised me loved one for talking so wild
“Ah, ya foolish young girl you’ll never have a child.”
“For all that I’ve done know ’twas only in fun.”
Ah but I ran like hell with me navvy boots on
And very soon after I was summoned to court
To pay for me sins just like any man ought
I paid ten bob a week now for all of my fun
Oh that I had that night with me navvy boots on