Pat Works on the Railway: Lyrics

Traditional

• CD The Folkways Years
• LP Sings American Folksongs

In Eighteen Hundred and Forty One
They put me corduroy britches on
They put me corduroy britches on
To work upon the railway.

   Chorus:
   Filli-me-oo-ree-aye-ree-ay
   Filli-me-oo-ree-aye-ree-ay
   Filli-me-oo-ree-aye-ree-ay
   To work upon the railway.

Now in Eighteen Hundred and Forty-two
I left the old world for the new
Bad cess to the luck that brought me through
To work upon the railway.

   Chorus:

Well, it's Pat do this and Pat do that,
Without a stocking or cravat
And nothing for an old straw hat
While working on the railway.

   Chorus:

Now in Eighteen Hundred and Forty-three,
Twas then I met sweet Biddy McGee.
Ah, an elegant wife she's been to me,
While working on the railway.

   Chorus:

Now in Eighteen Hundred and Forty-seven
Sweet Biddie McGee she went to heaven
If she left one child she left eleven
To work upon the railway.

   Chorus:

Now in Eighteen Hundred and Forty-eight
I learned to drink me whiskey straight
It's an elegant drink that can't be beat
For working on the railway.

   Chorus (twice)

Of note:

Nothing magical, but nothing horrific either. Nice job, nice song, nice flavor. Listen to an authorized version, courtesy of Smithsonian/Folkways on YouTube.

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