Come all brother tradesmen that travel along
Oh, pray come and tell me where the trade is all gone
Long time I have traveled and I cannot find none
And sing
All the hard times of Old England
In Old England, very hard times

Provisions you buy at the shop, it is true
But, if you've no money, there's none there for you
So, what's a poor man and his family to do?
And sing
All the hard times of Old England
In Old England, very hard times

If you go to a shop and you ask for a job
They will answer you there with a shake and a nod
So, that's enough to make a man turn out and rob
And sing
All the hard times of Old England
In Old England, very hard times

You will see the poor tradesman a-walking the street
From morning 'til night, for employment to seek
And scarcely they've got any shoes to their feet
And sing
All the hard times of Old England
In Old England, very hard times

Our soldiers and sailors have just come from war
They been fighting for Queen and country this year
They come home to be starved, better stay where they were
And sing
All the hard times of Old England
In Old England, very hard times

And now to conclude and to finish my song
Let us hope that these hard times they will not last long
I hope soon to have occasion to alter my song
And sing
All the good times of old England
In old England, jolly good times
All the good times of old England
In old England, jolly good times
All the good times of old England
In old England, jolly good times