Jackie
Good people give ear to me story
Now, pay attention, and none of your lip
For I’ve brought you these lads
And their daddy
Davy
And their daddy
Jackie
Intending to build you’s a ship
Men
Wallsend is wor habitation
It’s the place we was all born and bred
Jackie
And there’s no finer lads in the nation
Men
And none are more gallantly led
Jackie
Let’s get cracking gentlemen, chop chop! We’ve got a ship to build
What’ve we got but the buzzer in the morning?
What’ve we got but the laying of a keel?
Jackie & Men
What’ve we got
Jackie
But the cranes above us soaring?
The commotion and the clamour in the welding of the steel
What’ve we got
Davy
But the mist upon the river?
Jackie
What’ve we got
Men
But the noise inside the hold?
Jackie & Men
What’ve we got
Jackie
But the arse end of the weather?
Where we work in horizontal rain, and
Jackie, Davy, Men
Shiver in the cold
Jackie & Men
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
You’ve got now’t. (We’ve got now’t else.)
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
You’ve got now’t. (We’ve got now’t else.)
Men
What’ve ye got
Jackie
But the singing in the cables?
Men
What’ve ye got
Davy
But the ringing in your ear?
Men
What’ve ye got
Billy
Well you can’t claim you’re disabled
‘Cause the bosses turned the tables
And your rights have disappeared
Jackie & Men
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
You’ve got now’t. (We’ve got now’t else.)
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
You’ve got now’t. (We’ve got now’t else.)
Jackie
And what do you get for your politics?
Men
Now’t!
Jackie
What do you get for your vote?
Men
Now’t!
Jackie
Now what have we got at the end of the day?
Men
A great big bloody boat!
Jackie
You’ve got to die of something
It’s written in your fate
You might as well
Die on a Tuesday
And woe betide
You’re late
Men & Jackie
What’ve ye got? (All you men what’s fit and able?)
What’ve ye got? (For the straining in your neck?)
What’ve ye got? (When you’re laid out on the table.)
Men
And the snapping of a cable when the rigging hits the deck?
What’ve we got
Tom
But a yard full of big brothers?
Men
What’ve we got?
Tom
But a place to sling me tools?
Men
What’ve we got?
Tom
I can’t wait to tell me mother!
Men
And we’ll teach you plenty other things you’ll never learn in school!
Jackie & Men
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
You’ve got now’t. (We’ve got now’t else.)
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
You’ve got now’t. (We’ve got now’t else.)
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
What’ve ye got? (What’ve we got?)
You’ve got now’t. (We’ve got now’t.)
We’ve got now’t, we’ve got now’t else...
