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Pull Down Lads

[John Tams]

June Tabor sang John Tams's song Pull Down Lads in 1976 on her first solo album Airs and Graces. This recording was later included in her anthology Aspects. June Tabor commented in the original album's sleeve notes:

Written by John Tams, about the departure of the funfair from any town, every town.

tilt = tarpaulin roof; sets = generators; scran = food; chat = general purpose word along the lines of “whatsit”.

Lyrics

June Tabor sings Pull Down Lads

Haul down, lads,
Pass the billy round, lads.
Tara to Silvie, tara to Jean,
We'll soon be on the road.
Don't think on what you're leaving,
Don't think on what you've found;
Just tear off the toot, pull out the chart,
We'll find another ground.

Haul down, lads,
It wasn't all that grand, lads.
We've made some brass, you've had a lass,
It's perhaps as well we're going.
I know how it can hurt, lads,
To leave her standing there;
But there's often tears
And there's always fears,
But you'll be back next year.

Pull down, lads,
The sets are coming down, lads.
The act's all packed and the dodging's stacked,
A bite of scran and go.
We'll leave it as we found it;
They'll soon forget we've been.
O, we trade in fun, and we go and come,
We're often scorned and seldom mourned.
O, I hope you know what I mean.