Wp/nth/Blaydon Races

Thi Blaydon Races is a Northumbrian foak sang. The sang wes written i the 19th century bi Geordie Ridley an hes becum the myest weel-knawn foak sang frae the region. The sang is thowt ov as the unofficial regional anthem o Tyneside, but hes been used as an unofficial anthem for the Historic Coonties o Northumberland an Durham an aa - bi byeth the Coonty Cricket Teams an the twe Coonty Regiments (Durham Leet Infantry an Northumberland Fussiliers). Nooadays, it is myest offins used bi supporters o Newcastle United.

The sang is written i the Geordie dialect o Northumbrian wiv a smaa amoont ov influence frae Standard Inglish, sic as two for twe, bridge for brig an eyes for een; an the loss o the Northren Subject Rule.

Lyrics

 * Ah me lads, ye shud hae seen us gannin,
 * We pass'd the foaks alang the road just as they wor stannin;
 * Thor wes lots o lads an lassies there, aal wi smilin faces,
 * Gannin alang the Scotswood Road, te see the Blaydon Races.


 * We flew past Airmstrang's factory, an up te the "Robin Adair",
 * Just gannin doon te the railway bridge, the 'bus wheel flew off there.
 * The lassies lost their crinolines off, an the veils that hide their faces,
 * An aw got two black eyes an a broken nose gannin te Blaydon Races.

(owerword)


 * When we gat the wheel put on away we went agyen,
 * But them that hed their noses brok they cam back ower hyem;
 * Sum went te the Dispensary an uthers te Doctor Gibbs,
 * An sum sowt oot the Informary te mend their broken ribs.

(owerword)


 * Noo when we gat te Paradise thor wes bonny gam begun;
 * Thor wes fower-an-twenty on the 'bus, man, hoo they danced an sung;
 * They caaled on me te sing a sang, aw sung them "Paddy Fagan",
 * Aw danced a jig an swung maw twig that day aw went te Blaydon.

(owerword)


 * We flew across the Chain Bridge reet inte Blaydon toon,
 * The bellman he wes caalin there, they caal him Jackie Broon;
 * Aw saw him tawkin te sum cheps, an them he wes pursuadin
 * Te gan an see Geordy Ridley's concert in the Mechanics' Haal at Blaydon.

(chorus)


 * The rain it poor'd aal the day an myed the groons quite muddy,
 * Coffy Johnny hed a white hat on – they war shootin "Whe stole the cuddy."
 * There wes spice staals an munkey shows an aud wives sellin ciders,
 * An a chep wiv a hawpenny roond aboot, shootin "Noo, me lads, for riders."

(owerword)