It's not long ago, as soon you will,
A tramp thru this country this way he did steer.
A hard-looking ticket as ever you saw,
It was all he could do to keep clear of the law.
Derry down, down, down, derry day.

A snug little farmer who earns his bread,
He lives at the roadside some distance ahead,
The tramp bolted in, bid the farmer good-day,
And some dinner requested without more delay,
Derry down, down, down, derry day.

"Now," said the farmer, "Come listen to me,
There's very few dinners I'll ever give free.
I work from the dawn 'til the setting of sun,
A hard-earned dinner I get when I'm done,"
Derry down, down, down, derry day.

"Now," said the tramp, "I'll state you my case.
I once was a dud but I'm now a disgrace,
From a runaway horse that by chance took a fright,
I was tossed from his back in the air like a kite."
Derry down, down, down, derry day.

"I was soon picked up but was never the same;
From that day to this I have always been lame.
You can laugh if you like, but to me it's no fun;
I can job along slowly but never could run."
Derry down, down, down, derry day.

"Now," says the farmer, "Some dinner you'll get,
But there's work to be done that I must not forget.
My sheep has been in from the heat of the sun,
And you'll please stand and head them, it's this way they'll run."
Derry down, down, down, derry day.

Now the tramp was revolving the thought in his head,
How lucky he was a good dinner to get.
The ram came along and quickly sailed on,
And the tramp went ahead like a shot from a gun,
Derry down, down, down, derry day.

Oh the ram stepped back, smacked his lips and looked glad.
He said to himself, "For the first, that's not bad."
And aiming again where his legs separate,
He landed him over the farmer's front gate,
Derry down, down, down, derry day.