Album: Boiled in the Bag – Artist: Sid Kipper

(Stolen directly from Sid’s old website, when it was no longer online)

This ancient song was brought up to date by George Kipper in 1972, along with others such as Dashing Away With The Soldering Iron and The Bleydon Whacky Races.  Some might say that, being modernised, it is no longer a true folk song, but I would say that as it is now once again woefully out of date, it is.  So there.

There were three travellers, all in a van,
And the van was old and weary-oh;
And it broke down on John Lord’s land,
So there camped the wraggle taggle travellers-oh.

John Lord came home all on a Monday,
And he called out for his Tracy-oh;
Her mum said she’s been gone two days,
All along with the wraggle taggle travellers-oh.

Then fetch to me my trusty steed,
Oh bring to me my Harley-oh;
Oh fetch it yourself, and now I see
Why she’s gone with the wraggle taggle travellers -oh.

Well he got out his trusty steed,
And he rode off from the bungalow;
And off he rode ’til his wife he seed,
All along with the wraggle taggle travellers-oh.

Oh he called out to his own wedded wife,
That’s typical of a Scorpio;
How could you leave your comfortable life,
Just to go with the wraggle taggle travellers-oh?

Well what care I for your continental quilt,
Your foot spa and jacuseeo?
For I will lie on the dewy, dewy ground,
All along with me wraggle taggle traveller-oh.

Oh what has he to give to you,
With his little penny whistle-oh?
Oh no penny whistle, but a digereedoo,
Has my own wraggle taggle traveller-oh.

No bolognaise then will you scoff,
No quiche and no pistachio –
No Mateus Rosé will you quoff,
All along with your wraggle taggle travellers-oh.

Then from the hedgerow I will dine,
On hips and haws and mistletoe,
And Watney’s Red shall be my wine,
All along with the wraggle taggle travellers-oh.

And then he said these words of fate;
Oh I have set the video
For seven thirty until eight;
And she looked at the wraggle taggle traveller-oh.

Then to John’s pillion she did leap,
And she has called out Cheerio;
For when it comes to Coronation Street,
Well, bugger the wraggle taggle travellers-oh

Copyright Chris Sugden 1995