I am a little beggarman a beggar I have been
I spent six score more in a little isle of green
I am known from the Liffey down to Seagew
And I am known by the name of old Johnny Dew
Of all the trades a-going now, begging is the best
When a man is tired he can sit down and rest
And beg for his dinner he has nothing else to do
But sit around the corner with his old rig-a-do
I slept in a barn in Acornagorn
A wet night came on and we slept on the dawn
The holes in the roof the rain coming through
And the rats and the cats they were playing peek-a-boo
Who should awaken but the woman of the house
With a white spotty apron and a kelly pull blouse
When she began to frighten I said booh!
Now don't be afraid mum it's only Johnny Dew!
I met a little flaxen-haired girl one day
Good morning little flaxen-haired girl I did say
Good morning little beggarman how do you do?
You have got rags on your togs on your all rig-a-do
I'll buy me a pair of leggings and a collar and a tie
And a nice fashion lady I will meet by and by
I'll buy me a pair of boggles and I'll color them blue
And a nice fashion lady I will make her too
Over the hill with me pack on me back
Over the hill with me great happy sack
With holes in me shoes and me toes peeking through
Singing skiddle-da-rid-da-riddle, said that old Johnny Dew
Now my story is almost finished and it's getting late at night
And the fire is all raked and out goes the light
So this is the story of my old rig-a-do
So good bye and God be with you said that old Johnny Dew
I spent six score more in a little isle of green
I am known from the Liffey down to Seagew
And I am known by the name of old Johnny Dew
Of all the trades a-going now, begging is the best
When a man is tired he can sit down and rest
And beg for his dinner he has nothing else to do
But sit around the corner with his old rig-a-do
I slept in a barn in Acornagorn
A wet night came on and we slept on the dawn
The holes in the roof the rain coming through
And the rats and the cats they were playing peek-a-boo
Who should awaken but the woman of the house
With a white spotty apron and a kelly pull blouse
When she began to frighten I said booh!
Now don't be afraid mum it's only Johnny Dew!
I met a little flaxen-haired girl one day
Good morning little flaxen-haired girl I did say
Good morning little beggarman how do you do?
You have got rags on your togs on your all rig-a-do
I'll buy me a pair of leggings and a collar and a tie
And a nice fashion lady I will meet by and by
I'll buy me a pair of boggles and I'll color them blue
And a nice fashion lady I will make her too
Over the hill with me pack on me back
Over the hill with me great happy sack
With holes in me shoes and me toes peeking through
Singing skiddle-da-rid-da-riddle, said that old Johnny Dew
Now my story is almost finished and it's getting late at night
And the fire is all raked and out goes the light
So this is the story of my old rig-a-do
So good bye and God be with you said that old Johnny Dew