No Fixed Abode Lyrics By Alec Latimer
I was born in a trailer at the side of the road
Current address no fixed abode
Determined to carry out my life’s ambition
To continue the proud Irish traveller tradition
My grandfather spent his life, working the tin
Before plastic came along and ruined him
My mother reared 12 kids and two of them died
Buried up in the graveyard at my fathers side
Don’t look down on me because I’m on the road
Current address, no fixed abode
Chorus
Give me a halting site for a few nights
Toilets and clean water it’s a human right
I’ll stay for a while, any traveller would
But moving on is in my blood
In a few weeks time I’ll hit the road
Current address, no fixed abode
You choose a house, I choose a mobile home
You choose to stay, and I choose to roam
Send me to school and I’ll equal any man
Give me work and I’ll prove that I can
I don’t pay taxes and I don’t pay rent
Just like the settled lads, some of us are bent
A bit of inter-clan rivalry, and we’re hard to catch
But not like the street fighting after any soccer match
We’ve got our own language and our own code
Knights of the road, no fixed abode.
Give me a halting site for a few nights
Toilets and clean water it’s a human right
I’ll stay for a while, any traveller would
But moving on is in my blood
In a few weeks time I’ll hit the road
Current address, no fixed abode
.Bridge
Give us a halting site with clean water and sanitation
We’re all human beings, it should fill you with rage
That half of us die when we reach middle age
You complain of your coughs and sneezes
But we die young from third world diseases
Dealing, stealing and horse-trading
That sort of life is fast fading
That’s what settled folk think we do
Listen to me now, and I’ll assure you
There’s good and bad in all cultures
Some are doves and some are vultures
What’s the truth, it’s not clear to be seen
Most of us, are somewhere in between
With a wagon load and no postcode
Kings of the road, no fixed abode.
Repeat Chorus
Current address no fixed abode
Determined to carry out my life’s ambition
To continue the proud Irish traveller tradition
My grandfather spent his life, working the tin
Before plastic came along and ruined him
My mother reared 12 kids and two of them died
Buried up in the graveyard at my fathers side
Don’t look down on me because I’m on the road
Current address, no fixed abode
Chorus
Give me a halting site for a few nights
Toilets and clean water it’s a human right
I’ll stay for a while, any traveller would
But moving on is in my blood
In a few weeks time I’ll hit the road
Current address, no fixed abode
You choose a house, I choose a mobile home
You choose to stay, and I choose to roam
Send me to school and I’ll equal any man
Give me work and I’ll prove that I can
I don’t pay taxes and I don’t pay rent
Just like the settled lads, some of us are bent
A bit of inter-clan rivalry, and we’re hard to catch
But not like the street fighting after any soccer match
We’ve got our own language and our own code
Knights of the road, no fixed abode.
Give me a halting site for a few nights
Toilets and clean water it’s a human right
I’ll stay for a while, any traveller would
But moving on is in my blood
In a few weeks time I’ll hit the road
Current address, no fixed abode
.Bridge
Give us a halting site with clean water and sanitation
We’re all human beings, it should fill you with rage
That half of us die when we reach middle age
You complain of your coughs and sneezes
But we die young from third world diseases
Dealing, stealing and horse-trading
That sort of life is fast fading
That’s what settled folk think we do
Listen to me now, and I’ll assure you
There’s good and bad in all cultures
Some are doves and some are vultures
What’s the truth, it’s not clear to be seen
Most of us, are somewhere in between
With a wagon load and no postcode
Kings of the road, no fixed abode.
Repeat Chorus
Other songs on the site written by Alec Latimer include Please Fill Up My Paper Cup and The face behind the window
Many more songs about the travelling people are on the site including The Travelling People by Ewan McColl which was
covered in Ireland by The Dubliners with singer Luke Kelly on vocals .
covered in Ireland by The Dubliners with singer Luke Kelly on vocals .
