Old Gimmer

Lyrics

1
It’s a long tahm ago sin’ Ah wor a lass,
It’s amazin’ hoo quickly the years seems ti pass.
Ah was as wick as a lop an’ me waist it was slimmer,  (lively as a flea)
Ah’s a lot steadier now that Ah’s an awd gimmer. (ewe)

2
Of lads there were scores when Ah was just twenty,
But Ah wanted bett(h)er and of tahm there seemed plenty;
Ah wanted mink coats and dahmonds all a-shimmer,
But they nivver come so Ah’s left an awd gimmer.

3
Ah tossed back me cols and rolled me dark eyes,  (curls)
Cawf-heeaded lads followed with ogles and sighs;
Yes I ’ad ’em all there when me ankles was t(h)rimmer,
But Ah go like Ah’s got foot-rot now Ah’s an awd gimmer.

4
Young Walter come round from up at the ’all,
Took me out in ’is Rolls all to the ’unt ball,
But ’is wife seeun fun’ out an’ the view she took was dimmer;
She says, “You’re stoppin’ with me sae leave off that awd gimmer.”

5
Ah could ’ev ’ad bairns but seems Ah’ve got neean,
There’s nay-yan ti talk ti when t’ day’s work is deean.
The years roll on by an’ the future it looks grimmer,
As ivvrybody’s pet-lamb becomes an awd gimmer.

6
Ah went tiv a whist-d(h)rave last Set(h)erda’ neet.
Awd Billy ’e smiled at me just more than polite.
’E’s nobbut three-score and of hope there’s a glimmer;
’E’s just the reight tup ti run with an awd gimmer.

This is a contemporary song about Yorkshire.

Provenance

Written by John Greaves:

John draws analogy between a spinster and a sheep that is past its useful life, an ‘old gimmer’.