When first I was a wagg'ner
And a wagg'ner I did go,
I filled my parents' hearts
Full of sorrow, grief and woe;
I filled my parents' hearts
Full of sorrow, grief and woe.

Chorus:
So sing, whoa, my lads, sing whoa
Drive on, my lads, heigh-o;
There is none can lead a life
Like we jolly wagg'ners do
So sing, whoa, my lads, sing whoa
Drive on, my lads, heigh-o;
There is none can lead a life
Like we jolly wagg'ners do


It's a cold and stormy night,
I was wet unto the skin;
I'll bear it with contentment
Till we get to the inn
And then we'll get a drink
With our landlord and our friends.

Now summer time is coming, boys,
What pleasure we should see
The small birds are a-whistling
On every green tree.
The backbirds and the thrushes O
Are whistling in the grove.

Now Michaelmas is coming, boys,
What pleasure we shall find,
We'll make the gold and silver fly
Like chaff before the wind
Then every lad shall take his lass
And set her on his knee.

abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Everyman's Book of English Country Songs, Ed Roy Plamer, ISBN 0-460-12048-1

Notes:
Roy Palmer altered the words of the first verse. "In verse 1, line 1 'when' has been substituted for 'oh' and in the last line of the same verse 'none' for 'more'"


Collected from Mr Rose, landlord of Bridge Inn, Acle Norfolk, 14.4.1908 by Ralph Vaughan Williams, MS I 34(2)

Roud: 1088 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child: