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
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
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
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.