Geordie Ridley Talks About - The Blaydon Races
Geordie Folk Songs
Geordie Art & Culture
A canny introduction (with sign language) that tells of the history of one of the most famous Geordie folk singers Geordie Ridley and the now world famous Geordie folk song.
Watch the short video below and then click here to listen to a historic version of the Blaydon races which will open in a new window
You can also watch the making of a new version of the song sung by Jimmy Nail, Tim Healy and Kevin Whately in aid of the Sir Bobby Robson foundation. click here
I went to Blaydon Races Twas on the ninth of June Eighteen Hundred and Sixty Two On a summer's afternoon I took the bus from Balmbras And she was heavy laden Away we went along Collingwood Street That's on the Road to Blaydon Oh me lads, you should've seen us gannin Passing the folks along the road And all of them were starin' All the lads and lasses there They all had smilin' faces Gannin along the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon Races We flew past Armstrong's factory And up by the Robin Adair But gannin ower the Railway Bridge The bus wheel flew off there The lasses lost their crinolenes And veils that hide their faces I got two black eyes and a broken nose In gannin to Blaydon Races Oh me lads, you should've seen us gannin Passing the folks along the road And all of them were starin' All the lads and lasses there They all had smilin' faces Gannin along the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon Races Now when we got the wheel back on Away we went again But them that had their noses broke They went back ower hyem Some went to the dispensary And some to Doctor Gibbses And some to the infirmary To mend their broken ribses Oh me lads, you should've seen us gannin Passing the folks along the road And all of them were starin' All the lads and lasses there They all had smilin' faces Gannin along the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon Races We flew across the Tyne Bridge And came to Blaydon Toon The barman he was calling then They called him Jackie Broon I saw him talking to some chaps And them he was persuadin' To gan and see Geordie Ridley's show At the Mechanics' Hall in Blaydon Oh me lads, you should've seen us gannin Passing the folks along the road And all of them were starin' All the lads and lasses there They all had smilin' faces Gannin along the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon Races Now when we got to Paradise There were bonny games begun There were four and twenty on the bus And how we danced and sung They called on me to sing a song So I sang 'em 'Paddy Fagan' I danced a jig and I swung me twig The day I went to Blaydon Oh me lads, you should've seen us gannin Passing the folks along the road And all of them were starin' All the lads and lasses there They all had smilin' faces Gannin along the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon Races The rain it poured down all the day And made the ground quite muddy Coffee Johnny had a white hat on Shouted 'Wee stole the cuddy?' There were spice stalls and monkey shows And old wives selling ciders And the chap on the ha'penny roundabout Saying 'Any more lads for riders?' Oh me lads, you should've seen us gannin Passing the folks along the road And all of them were starin' All the lads and lasses there They all had smilin' faces Gannin along the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon Races
I went to Blaydon Races Twas on the ninth of June Eighteen Hundred and Sixty Two On a summer's afternoon I took the bus from Balmbras And she was heavy laden Away we went along Collingwood Street That's on the Road to Blaydon Oh me lads, you should've seen us gannin Passing the folks along the road And all of them were starin' All the lads and lasses there They all had smilin' faces Gannin along the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon Races We flew past Armstrong's factory And up by the Robin Adair But gannin ower the Railway Bridge The bus wheel flew off there The lasses lost their crinolenes And veils that hide their faces I got two black eyes and a broken nose In gannin to Blaydon Races Oh me lads, you should've seen us gannin Passing the folks along the road And all of them were starin' All the lads and lasses there They all had smilin' faces Gannin along the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon Races Now when we got the wheel back on Away we went again But them that had their noses broke They went back ower hyem Some went to the dispensary And some to Doctor Gibbses And some to the infirmary To mend their broken ribses Oh me lads, you should've seen us gannin Passing the folks along the road And all of them were starin' All the lads and lasses there They all had smilin' faces Gannin along the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon Races
We flew across the Tyne Bridge And came to Blaydon Toon The barman he was calling then They called him Jackie Broon I saw him talking to some chaps And them he was persuadin' To gan and see Geordie Ridley's show At the Mechanics' Hall in Blaydon Oh me lads, you should've seen us gannin Passing the folks along the road And all of them were starin' All the lads and lasses there They all had smilin' faces Gannin along the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon Races Now when we got to Paradise There were bonny games begun There were four and twenty on the bus And how we danced and sung They called on me to sing a song So I sang 'em 'Paddy Fagan' I danced a jig and I swung me twig The day I went to Blaydon Oh me lads, you should've seen us gannin Passing the folks along the road And all of them were starin' All the lads and lasses there They all had smilin' faces Gannin along the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon Races The rain it poured down all the day And made the ground quite muddy Coffee Johnny had a white hat on Shouted 'Wee stole the cuddy?' There were spice stalls and monkey shows And old wives selling ciders And the chap on the ha'penny roundabout Saying 'Any more lads for riders?' Oh me lads, you should've seen us gannin Passing the folks along the road And all of them were starin' All the lads and lasses there They all had smilin' faces Gannin along the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon Races
