I am a little beggar man,
a -beggin' I have been
For Therese, Garlamard,
and the little Isle of Green
And on from the Liffey down to Cebu
And I go by the name of old Johnny Dew
Of all the trade
that's goin' sure
the beggin' is the best
For when a man is tired
he can lay him down to rest
A -beggin' for his gin,
well there's nothin' left to do
But to slip around the corner
with his old rigadoo
Diddley idle diddly idle diddley
idle diddley ah
Diddley idle diddly idle diddley
idle diddley ah
Diddley idle diddly idle diddley
idle diddley ah
Diddley idle diddly idle diddley idle
I slept in the barn way down in Carrow Barn
Well the wet night come on
and I slept till the dawn
With holes in the roof
and the rain coming through
And the cats and the rats
they were playing peek -a -boo
And who should awake
but the woman of the house
With a little white apron
and a curly cobalt house
She began to frighten and I said,
Boo!
I don't be afraid, Mum,
it's only Johnny Dew
Diddley idle diddley idle diddley
idle diddley ah
I met a little flaxen head girl one day
Good mornin' little flaxen head girl,
I did say
Good mornin' little beggar man,
and how do you do
With your rag and your bag
and your old rig you do
I'll buy you a pair of leggings
and a collar and a tie
And a nice little lady I will meet by and by
I'll buy you a pair of goggles
and a pint and a blue
And an old -fashioned
lady I will make her do
With me idle diddly idle diddly
idle diddly ah
Diddley idle diddly idle diddly
idle diddly ah
Diddley idle diddly idle diddly
idle diddly ah
Diddley idle diddly idle diddly aye hum da
It's over the road with
me pack on me back
Well it's over the road
with me great heavy sack
With hoes in me shoes
and me toes peepin' through
Singin' skinny marinka
diddly lo it's old Johnny Dew
I must be goin' to bed
for it's gettin' late at night
And the fires all are ached
and the house goes alight
And now you know the story
of me old rigadoo
So goodnight and God
be with you
from old Johnny Dew
Little yay! yay!
Little yay! Ummda!