James Bentley: PLUS sound recording and text of 'Buckley Folk Stick Together'"

Knowl Hill, Buckley

2001

"BUCKLEY FOLK STICK TOGETHER"

TUMMY TARRENT WOR CAWD AN' TIRED, AN' SAD

AS HE TRUDGED OUT OF THE STATION YARD.

HE'D CUM FAR FROM WOM - FOR A YOUNG BUCKLEY LAD,

AND THE PARTIN' HAD HIT HIM REYT HARD.

AS HE STEPPED IN THE STREET IN THAT FAR-OFF PLACE

HE HAD NO WHERE TO STAY FOR THE NEET

AND WENT UP TO A MAN WI' A KIND WARM FACE

TO TELL HIM IN WOE, OF HIS PLEYT.

THE AWD-UN STOPPED IN HIS TRACKS WI' A START

HE SWAYED AND CLUTCHED AT HIS HEART

THEN HEERD AWT IN FULL THE LAD'S SORRY TALE

WI' GROWING EMOTION, WHICH TURNED HIM FAIR PALE.

"WHOSE LAD ART THOU", HE STAMMERED AT LAST.

"AN' WHEER I' BUCKLEY'S THEE'S FROM?

"FOR THY NOSE IS A TARRENTS, THOU'S GRIFFIES 'EEN.

SO, CUM ALONG LAD, THE'S THE BEST SIGHT I'VE SEEN".

THEY WENT TO THE WOM, TAY MEET THE DEAR WIFE,

AND T'WER REAL JOY - THE BEST IN THEIR LIFE -

AS TUMMY ATE, AND SETTLED IN FUR THE NEET,

HE TOLD THEM OF FRIENDS, AND PAST CHERISHED SAIGHTS.

"NOW TELL ME TUM TARRENT, HOW ARE MI AWD MATES

AS I LEFT AT THE KILLS AND THE BRICKS

WHEN I PACKED MI BAGS FOR FARAWAY SAIGHTS

AN' BECAME MISTER ROBERTS, INSTEAD OF SAM "TRICKS"?

"HOW ARE THEY AT HANCOCK'S - I RECALL THEM ALL WELL -

"TUMMY TINK" ON THE SIDING, WI' TUMMY BLUDDY HELL.

THE BRICK MAKERS, HUGHES: WI' FRED JOHNSON, AND "GONG",

AN' WHAT ABOUT "TONTE", TUMMY JENKINS, AND "WASSY'S LOVED

TONGUE"?

"DO THEY STILL PLAY MUSIC, THE AWD "RUM-TUM" BAND,

WI' "MATE" AND "MATEY" - BEST IN THE LAND?

WHAT ABOUT "SUCK A LEMON", AND "JOHNNY RAN-TAN"

EACH ONE A CHARACTER, A REAL BUCKLEY MAN!"

AS THE HOUR GREW LATE IN THAT FAR DISTANT PLACE,

HAPPY MEMORIES FLASHED BY AT A SPANKING PACE…

OF A HOMELY WARM SPOT, THEY'LL REMEMBER FOR EVER.

FOR, THOU KNOWS, "BUCKLEY FOLK ALLUS STICK TOGETHER!"

Author: Bentley, James, 2