American Old Time Song Lyrics: 24 Skating On One In The Gutter

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 24

Skating on One in the Gutter.
Copyright, 1877, by E. H. Harding.
Words and Music by Gus Williams.

When I was a boy I was brimful of fun,
For all sorts of tricks I was noted;
From morning till evening I never was done,
On rollicking pleasure I doted.
I tried every game, and when Winter-time came,
With joy I was all in a flutter;
Then, out on the ice, oh, I tell you 'twas nice,
I went skating on one in the gutter.

Chorus.
Skating an one, skating on one,
Oh, boys, there was never such glorious fun;
All other pleasures of youth I would shun,
And go skating on one in the gutter.

I beat all the boys with one far-fetching stride,
In fact I never was artistic;
While backward and forward so graceful did glide
I thought every motion majestic.
I cared not to skate on the rink or the park,
You may believe it's the truth which I utter;
The best of all pleasures from daylight till dark
Was skating on one in the gutter.-Chorus.

To join in the sport I would loiter from school
And gain the great wrath of my master;
Sometimes on the ice I would get a great fall,
And go home for a piece of shin-plaster.
And oft thro' the day I would steal soft away
With a hungry boy's balm, bread and butter,
To meet my companions, so noisy and gay,
And go skating on one in the gutter.-Chorus.