Hot Asphalt Lyrics And Chords
The sheet music and mandolin / banjo tab is included.The Dubliners. Another similar that was also sang by the late Luke Kelly is England's Motorway Song. - This folk song is credited to Ewan McColl, although Ewan did not write the original , which dates back to 1880's , this is his version, I'm sure the tune is Scottish, Anyway The Dubliners made it famous again, fair play' with Luke Kelly singing, Ronnie Drew on Guitar John Sheehan on fiddle and Barney McKenna on banjo. The second set of guitar chords are the one's that are played on the Dubliners youtube version. Also recorded by The Corries, The Wolfe Tones, The Pogues and The Dublin City Ramblers. The youtube video is by The Dubliners [ lyrics ].
Here are the guitar chords as played by The Dubliners on the youtube video. They are only slightly different than the chords above.
Good [Em]evening all my jolly lads, I'm glad to find you [D]well,
If you'll g[Em]ather all around me now the st[D]ory I will tell,
For I've g[Em]ot a situation and beg[G]orrah and beg[D]ob,
I can wh[Em]isper all the weekly wage of n[Em]ineteen bob.
'Tis tw[G]elve months come October since I left me native home,
After helping the Killarney boys to [D]bring the harvest down.
But n[Em]ow I wear the geansai and around me waist a [D]belt.
I'm the g[Em]affer of the squad that makes the hot asphalt.
CHORUS:
Well, we [G]laid it in a hollows and we laid it in the flat.
And if it doesn't last forever sure I [D]swear I'll eat me hat,
Well, I've [Em]wandered up and down the world and sure I never [D]felt
any s[Em]urface that was equal to the hot asphalt.
Good [Em]evening all my jolly lads, I'm glad to find you [D]well,
If you'll g[Em]ather all around me now the st[D]ory I will tell,
For I've g[Em]ot a situation and beg[G]orrah and beg[D]ob,
I can wh[Em]isper all the weekly wage of n[Em]ineteen bob.
'Tis tw[G]elve months come October since I left me native home,
After helping the Killarney boys to [D]bring the harvest down.
But n[Em]ow I wear the geansai and around me waist a [D]belt.
I'm the g[Em]affer of the squad that makes the hot asphalt.
CHORUS:
Well, we [G]laid it in a hollows and we laid it in the flat.
And if it doesn't last forever sure I [D]swear I'll eat me hat,
Well, I've [Em]wandered up and down the world and sure I never [D]felt
any s[Em]urface that was equal to the hot asphalt.
Good [Em]evening all my jolly lads, I'm [G]glad to find you [D]well,
If you'll g[Em]ather all around me now the st[D]ory I will tell,
For I've g[Em]ot a situation and beg[G]orrah and beg[D]ob,
I can wh[Em]isper all the weekly w[D]age of n[Em]ineteen bob.
'Tis tw[G]elve months come October since I l[G]eft me native home,
After h[Em]elping the Killarney boys to br[D]ing the harvest down.
But n[Em]ow I wear the geansai and ar[G]ound me waist a b[D]elt.
I'm the g[Em]affer of the squad that m[D]akes the h[Em]ot asphalt.
CHORUS:
Well, we l[G]aid it in a hollows and we l[G]aid it in the flat.
And if it d[Em]oesn't last forever sure I sw[D]ear I'll eat me hat,
Well, I've w[Em]andered up and down the world and s[G]ure I never f[D]elt
any s[Em]urface that was equal t[D]o the h[Em]ot asphalt.
The other night a copper comes and he says to me: "McGuire,
Would you kindly let me light me pipe down at your boiler fire?"
And he planks himself right down in front, with hobnails up, till late,
And says I: "Me decent man, you'd better go and find your bate!"
He ups and yells, "I'm down on you I'm up to all yer pranks,
Don't I know you for a traitor from the Tipperary ranks?"
Boys I hit straight from the shoulder and I gave him such a belt
That I knocked him into the boiler full of hot asphalt.
(CHORUS)
We quickly dragged him out again and we threw him in the tub,
And with soap and warm water we began to rub and scrub,
But devil the thing, it hardened and it turned him hard as stone
And with every other rub sure you could hear the copper groan.
"I'm thinking", says O'Reilly, "that he's lookin' like Ould Nick,
And burn me if I am not inclined to claim him with me pick."
"Now", says I, "it would be 'asier to boil him till he melts,
and to stir him nice and 'asy in the hot asphalt."
(CHORUS)
You may talk about yer sailor-lads, ballad singers and the rest,
Your shoemakers and your tailors but we please the ladies best.
The only ones who know the way their flinty hearts to melt
are the lads around the boiler making hot asphalt.
With rubbing and with scrubbing sure I caught me death of cold,
and for scientific purposes me body it was sold,
In the Kelvingrove museum me boys, I'm hangin' in me pelt,
As a monument to the Irish mixing hot asphalt!
If you'll g[Em]ather all around me now the st[D]ory I will tell,
For I've g[Em]ot a situation and beg[G]orrah and beg[D]ob,
I can wh[Em]isper all the weekly w[D]age of n[Em]ineteen bob.
'Tis tw[G]elve months come October since I l[G]eft me native home,
After h[Em]elping the Killarney boys to br[D]ing the harvest down.
But n[Em]ow I wear the geansai and ar[G]ound me waist a b[D]elt.
I'm the g[Em]affer of the squad that m[D]akes the h[Em]ot asphalt.
CHORUS:
Well, we l[G]aid it in a hollows and we l[G]aid it in the flat.
And if it d[Em]oesn't last forever sure I sw[D]ear I'll eat me hat,
Well, I've w[Em]andered up and down the world and s[G]ure I never f[D]elt
any s[Em]urface that was equal t[D]o the h[Em]ot asphalt.
The other night a copper comes and he says to me: "McGuire,
Would you kindly let me light me pipe down at your boiler fire?"
And he planks himself right down in front, with hobnails up, till late,
And says I: "Me decent man, you'd better go and find your bate!"
He ups and yells, "I'm down on you I'm up to all yer pranks,
Don't I know you for a traitor from the Tipperary ranks?"
Boys I hit straight from the shoulder and I gave him such a belt
That I knocked him into the boiler full of hot asphalt.
(CHORUS)
We quickly dragged him out again and we threw him in the tub,
And with soap and warm water we began to rub and scrub,
But devil the thing, it hardened and it turned him hard as stone
And with every other rub sure you could hear the copper groan.
"I'm thinking", says O'Reilly, "that he's lookin' like Ould Nick,
And burn me if I am not inclined to claim him with me pick."
"Now", says I, "it would be 'asier to boil him till he melts,
and to stir him nice and 'asy in the hot asphalt."
(CHORUS)
You may talk about yer sailor-lads, ballad singers and the rest,
Your shoemakers and your tailors but we please the ladies best.
The only ones who know the way their flinty hearts to melt
are the lads around the boiler making hot asphalt.
With rubbing and with scrubbing sure I caught me death of cold,
and for scientific purposes me body it was sold,
In the Kelvingrove museum me boys, I'm hangin' in me pelt,
As a monument to the Irish mixing hot asphalt!
Sheet music for Hot Asphalt
Luke Kelly Hot Asphalt singer
Below is the banjo / mandolin tab which is basically the same as the sheet music above
