Standard (EADGBE)
Verse
My Daddy he were just a boy when he walked outta school,
His Mammy said thered soon be one more hungry mouth to fill,
He said the learnin and the schoolin wurnae bad for them that could,
Tho I can read & write my bloody name & sign it where I should,
Chorus
And he said..
If I had my time again, I know Id be a learned man,
An artisan in high demand, a Doctor or a Teacher,
As sure as guns are made of iron, I were born a workin man,
Id live & die right where I stand if Id my time again.
Verse
He went wide eyed down tae Johnny Brown, he were a big lad for his years,
And there he worked so long if he ever cried thered be iron ore in his tears,
Hed tumble in of a Friday night a Haddie for yer tea,
And hed sing to me their dirty songs & diddle me on his knee,
Chorus
And hed sing..
If I had my time again, I know Id be a rovin man,
Id rove away to far Japan to court the Emperors daughter..
As sure as guns are made of iron, I were born a workin man,
Id live & die right where I stand if Id my time again.
Verse
With his mates hed belt the plates on fleets of shining awe,
To carry all the well-to-do to golden foreign shores,
They all coughed themselves to an early grave half filled with bloody rain,
As the people sang The Long Black Limousine,
Chorus
We all sing!..
If I had my time again, I know Id be a fightin man,
In far Malay or Vietnam, tho I am more a lover..
As sure as guns are made of iron, I were born a workin man,
Id live & die right where I stand if Id my time again.