X:1 T:The Hard Times of Old England C:traditional M:3/4 L:1/4 K:G major G>A | B G A | B G A | B G B | w:Come_ | all bro-ther | trades-men that | tra-vel a- | (A G) F | G A G | F E D/D/ | E C E | w:lone_ O, | pray come and | tell me where the | trade is all | D2 D | G G D | E E C | D E C | D2 || w:gone Long | time I have | tra-velled and | can-not find | none || G/G/ | A>B c | B A F | G2 D- | D w:and it's | O, the hard | times of old | Eng-land_ G>F | E D C | D E F | G3- | G |] w:in old | Eng-e-land | ve-ry hard times_
1. Come all brother tradesmen that travel alone
O pray come and tell me where the trade is all gone
Long time I have travelled and cannot find none
Chorus:
And it's: O, the hard times of old England
In old Eng-e-land very hard times.
2. Provisions you buy at the shop it is true
But if you've no money there's none there for you
So what's a poor man and his family to do?
[Chorus]
3. If you go to a shop and you ask for a job
They will answer you there with a shake and a nod
So that's enough to make a man turn out and rob
[Chorus]
4. You will see the poor tradesmen a-walking the street
From morning till night for employment to seek
And scarcely they've got any shoes on their feet
[Chorus]
5. Our soldiers and sailors have just come from war
Been fighting for their queen and the country, 'tis sure
Come home to be starved, better stayed where they were
[Chorus]
6. And now to conclude and to finish my song
Let us hope that these hard times they will not last long
I hope soon to have occasion to alter my song:
And sing: O, the good times of old England
In old Eng-e-land jolly good times.