Why Aye Man

We had no way of staying afloat

We had to leave on the ferry boat

Economic refugees

On the run to Germany

We had the back of Maggie's hand

Times were tough in Geordieland

We got our tools and working gear

And humped it all from Newcastle to here

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man

We're the nomad tribes, travelling boys

In the dust and dirt and the racket and the noise

Drills and hammers, diggers and picks

Mixing concrete, laying bricks

There's English, Irish, Scots, the Lot

United nation's what we've got

Brickies, chippies, every trade

German building, British-made

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man

Nae more work on Maggie's farm

Hadaway down the autobahn

Mine's a portacabin bed

Or a bunk in a nissen hut instead

There's plenty Deutschmarks here to earn

And German tarts are wunderschoen

German beer is chemical-free

Germany's alreet with me

Sometimes I miss my river Tyne

But you're my pretty fraulein

Tonight we'll drink the old town dry

Keep our spirit levels high

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man

Why aye man, why aye, why aye man