Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Travelling Drummer

Travelling Drummer

Travelling Drummer
TRAVELLING DRUMMER
(Sylvia Fricker)

I am a travelling drummer,
I live out on the road.
I sell my goods from door to door
To lighten up my load, boys, lighten up my load.

I used to be a fireman,
Out on the county line,
But the town took over ten of us
And fired us all but nine, boys, fired us all but nine

I had a wife and family
In a home in Chamberlain (-land?)
But she ran off with a factory hand
And I never went back again, boys, never went back again.

Some time when I get lonely
And nights get over long
I'll find an all-night bar girl
And I'll take her home at dawn, boys, take her home at dawn.

I'll find myself a cheap hotel
When I get into town.
A bottle of gin and a lumpy bed
To lay my body down, boys, lay my body down.

I'd like to give up drummin'
But I'm too old to try
If nobody makes me a millionaire,
I'll travel 'til I die, boys, travel 'til I die.

Recorded by Ian and Sylvia
RR
OCT98