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I'm a workin' chap

from D​é​mo (2015) by Known Dwarf

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lyrics

I am a working chap as you may see,
You'll find an honest lad in me;
I'm neither haught, mean nor proud,
Nor ever tak's the thing too rude.
I never gang abune my means,
Nor seek assistance frae my frien's,
But day and nicht thro' thick and thin,
I'm workin' life oot to keep life in.

Nae matter, frien's, whate'er befa'
The puir folks they maun work awa,
Thro' frost and snaw and rain and wind,
They're workin' life oot to keep life in.

The puir needle-woman that we saw,
In reality, and on the wa',
A picture sorrowful to see,
I'm sure wi' me you'll a' agree;
Her pay's scarce able to feed a mouse,
Far less to keep hersel' and house,
She's naked, hungry, pale and thin,
Workin' life oot to keep life in.

Don't ca' a man a drunken sot
Because he wears a ragged coat;
It's better far, mind, don't forget,
To rin in rags than rin in debt.
He may look seedy, very true,
But still his creditors are few;
And he toddles on devoid of sin,
Workin' life oot to keep life in.

But maybe, frien's, I've stayed ower lang,
But I hope I hae said naething wrang;
I only merely want to show
The way the puir folk hae to go.
Just look at a man wi' a housefu' o' bairns,
To rear them up it tak's a' he earns,
Wi' a willin' heart and a coat gey thin,
He's workin' life oot to keep life in.

credits

from D​é​mo (2015), released March 3, 2015

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Known Dwarf France

Known Dwarf revisite cinq siècles de folksongs anglo-saxonnes.
Chansons de tavernes du XVIIe siècle, vieilles ballades, chansons de mineurs et de marins, chansons de révolte, elles parlent de la vie, de l’amour, de la mort, du travail, voire de tout ça en même temps. C’est l’occasion d’y croiser les conscrits du XVIIIe siècle, les travailleurs itinérants ou les ouvriers en grève. ... more

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