Clack o’pattens back again
The cotton girls are in the street
Out of bed at 4 am
Cobblestones beneath their feet
And Mary hugs her baby close
And thinks about what might have been
But that’s life – it doesn’t rhyme, it doesn’t reason
Deep inside she knows she shouldn’t have believed him
I’ll tell you something that you can’t repeat
The natural father has gone, gone away
And Mary’s living on Secret Street
Just another girl, just another labour, just another working day
Weaving sheds are freezing cold
Spinning sheds are burning hot
Paid in cash or paid in truck
The air is thick with noise and dust
And Mary’s sitting all alone
Crying for the life she lost
Golden days walking hand in hand on Holcombe Moor
Don’t be late – they’ll fine you tuppence and they’ll close the door
I’ll tell you something that you can’t repeat
The natural father has gone, gone away
And Mary’s living on Secret Street
Just another girl, just another labour, just another working day
Mother mother mother tell the Bury market women
That the baby came late in life
Fayther fayther tell them all it’s yours
I’ll play the sister
And be a mother
Inside
All my life – I’ll be putting bobbins on the creel
All my life – the looms are beating like my heart feels
I’ll tell you something that you can’t repeat
The natural father has gone, gone away
And Mary’s living on Secret Street
Just another girl, just another labour, just another working day
© MarkGSongs 2011
