I Wish They’d Do It Now

I learned this song from John Roberts and Tony Barrand. Later on, I heard Michael Cooney sing it a little differently, so this is a mixture of both versions. This is a favourite song with people at the famous Griswold Inn, Essex, Connecticut, where I have been singing for a number of years. I love watching those little old ladies’ eyes glitter with laughter when I sing this song.

I was born of Geordie parents
One day when I was young
That’s how the Geordie dialect
Became me native tongue.
Well, I was me father’s image,
My mother she did vow.
The girls all ran to kiss me;
Oh, I wish they’d do it now!
|: Oh, I wish they’d do it now! :|
I’ve got itches in me britches
And I wish they’d do it now!

Well when I was only six months old,
The girls would handle me.
They’d clutch me to their bosoms
And they’d bounce me on their knees
They would rock me in the cradle
And if I make a row,
They’d tickle me, they’d cuddle me;
Ooo, I wish they’d do it now! Oh, I wish…

At sixteen years as fine a lad
As ever could be seen.
The girls all liked to follow me
Right down to the green.
They would make a chain of buttercups,
And drop it ‘round my brow,
Then they’d roll me in the clover,
Oh, I wish they’d do it now! Oh, I wish…

Them very same girls would call for me
To swim when it was mild,
And down to the river we would go
And splash about a while.
They would throw the water over me,
Duck me like a yow*,
Then they’d rub me nice all over,
Ooooh, I wish they’d do it now! Oh, I wish…

It’s awful lonely for a lad
To live a single life.
I think I’ll go down to the dance tonight
And try and find a wife.
Oh I have got six bundle pigs,
Likewise one big, fat sow.
There’ll be plenty love and bacon
For the girl who’ll have me now!

For the girl who’ll have me now,
For the girl who’ll have me now.
There’ll be plenty love and bacon
For the girl who’ll have me now.

Yow = Older English variant word for a ewe. See this link.