GAOL SONG
Step in, young man, I know your face, 'tis nothing in your favour,
A little time I'll give to you, six months unto hard labour.
CHORUS
Fal the di die lido, fal the diddld lido,
Right fal the diddle la the dido.
At six o'clock our turnkey comes in, with a bunch of keys all in his hand,
"Come, come my lads, step up and grind, tread the mill till breakfast time.
At eight o'clock our skilly comes in, sometimes thick and sometimes thin
And if one word we chance to say – it' s bread and water all next day.
At half-past eight the bell does ring, into the chapel we must swing,
On to our bended knees must fall, Lord have mercy on us all.
At nine o'clock the bell does rings all on the trap boys We must spring,
"Come, pray my lads, to be in time the wheel to tread . and the corn to
At 12 o'clock our beef comes in, sometimes fat and sometimes lean,
But devil a word we must not say, or it's bread and .water all next day.
Now 6 months are over and past, I will return to my bonny, bonny lass,
I leave the turnkeys here behind the wheel to tread and the corn to grind.