Songs and Lyrics

Version 1

%abc-2.1
X:1
T:Poverty Knock
Z:Webmaster
C:Trad
M:6/8
Q:1/4=120
K:Bb
P:chorus:
"Bb"DDD DDC | B,3 |"Eb"EEE EFG | ("F"F3"F7"E3) |
w:Pov-er-ty pov-er-ty knock  The loom it say-ing all day
"Bb"DDD DDC | B,3 |"Eb"EEE EFG | ("F"F3F3) |
w:Pov-er-ty pov-er-ty knock The gaf-fer's too ski-nny to pay
"Bb"DDD DDC | B,3 zz/2 |"Eb"EEE EFG | "F"(F3F2)F
w:Pov-er-ty pov-er-ty knock Kee-pin' one eye on the clock - I
"Bb"FFF F/2E3/2D | "Cm7"EEE (EF)E | "Bb"DCB, "F7"CB,A, | "Bb"B,3 z2z | 
w:know I can gut-tle when I hear my shut-tle go pov-er-ty pov-er-ty knock
P: verse:
"Bb"DDD DDC | B,3 z2 B, | "Eb"EEE EFG | "F"(F3F2) z | 
w:Up ev-ry mor-ning at five A won-der that I keep a-live
"Bb"FFF FED | "Cm7"EEE EFE | "Bb"DCB, "F"CB,A, | "Bb"B,3B,2 C | 
w:Tir- ed  an  yaw-ning all  on a cold morn-ing it's off to that drea-ry old drive. And it's
%
W:(chorus)
W:Poverty poverty knock  The loom it saying all day
W:Poverty poverty knock The gaffer's too skinny to pay
W:Pov-er-ty pov-er-ty knock Kee-pin' one eye on the clock
W:I know I can guttle when I hear my shuttle go poverty poverty knock
W:
W:1
W:Up every morning at five, 
W:I wonder that we keep alive,  
W:Tired and yawning in the cold morning,  
W:It's back to the dreary old drive. 
W:
W:2
W:Oh dear, we're going to be late, 
W:Gaffer is stood at the gate. 
W:We're out of pocket, our wages they're docket. 
W:We'll have to buy grub on the slate. 
W:
W:3
W:And when our wages they'll bring, 
W:We're often short of a string.  
W:While we are fratching with gaffer for snatching,  
W:We know to his brass he will cling. 
W:
W:4
W:We've got to wet our own yarn, 
W:by dipping it into the tarn.  
W:It's wet and soggy and makes us feel groggy,  
W:And there's mice in that dirty old barn. 
W:
W:5
W:Oh dear, my poor head it sings, 
W:I should have woven three strings. 
W:But threads are breaking and my back is aching,  
W:Oh dear, I wish I had wings. 
W:
W:6
W:Sometimes a shuttle flies out 
W:and gives some poor woman a clout.  
W:There she lies bleeding but nobody's heeding,  
W:Who's going to carry her out? 
W:
W:7
W:Tuner should tackle my loom 
W:but he'd rather sit on his bum.  
W:He's far too busy a-courting our Lizzie,  
W:And I cannot get him to come. 
W:
W:8
W:Lizzie is so easy led, 
W:I think that he takes her to bed 
W:She always was skinny, now look at her pinny, 
W:It's just about time they was wed.

Version 2

Version 3

Song Note

Song by Traditional
Country of origin: England

Folk song references:

Roud-3491

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