I met my love by the gas works hall 
Dreamed a dream by the old canal 
I kissed my girl by the factory wall 
Dirty old town, dirty old town 

Clouds are drifting across the moon 
Cats are prowling on their beat 
Spring's a girl in the streets of night 
Dirty old town, dirty old town 

I heard a siren from the docks 
Saw a train set the night on fire 
Smelled the spring in the smokey wind 
Dirty old town, dirty old town 

I'm going to make a good sharp axe 
Shining steel, tempered in the fire 
We'll chop you down like an old dead tree 
Dirty old town, dirty old town 

I met my love by the gas works hall 
Dreamed a dream by the old canal 
Kissed my girl by the factory wall 
Dirty old town, dirty old town 
Dirty old town, dirty old town


(c) Ewan McColl