Gallopin’ Joe
Language: English
Gallopin’ Joe be the fancy name us calls him in the Port, Tho’ ‘tisn’ for looks he’ve got the name, he baint the hurryin’ sort; He’m lastest out an’ lastest home when us do launch an’ haul, Exceptin’ when he be so last he he doesn’ start at all. “Steady an’ slow be the way to go, All the cleverest folk do know, That’s my motto,” sez Gallopin’ Joe. His jersey be a packet of holes, but that don’t worrit Joe, For he allays goes with his jumper on so his jersey shouldn’ show: An’ he wears a rope around the place where his waist belongs to be, For buttons don’t go ‘longside o’ Joe an’ “Braces be danged,” sez he. “Steady an’ slow be the way to go, All the cleverest folk do know, That’s my motto,” sez Gallopin’ Joe. Now, years agone, when Joe was young, an’ maids was aisy to get, He used to walk with a vitty maid, but they baint married yet, For money was scarce an’ housen scarce, but still Joe didn’ worry, An’ tho’ the maid had saved her clothes, Joe said “An’ what’s the hurry?” “Steady an’ slow be the way to go, All the cleverest folk do know, That’s my motto,” sez Gallopin’ Joe. Gallopin’ Joe don’t worry himself what people sez an’ thinks; When plaguey varmints calls him names he awnly smiles an’ winks, For “Steady and slow,” sez Gallopin’ Joe, “be a handy motto to keep,” An’ “If ‘ee looks for long enuff, there baint no need to leap.” “Steady an’ slow be the way to go, All the cleverest folk do know, That’s my motto,” sez Gallopin’ Joe. Now, maids don’t count to wait too long when they’m been walkin’ out; An’ Joe’s maid sees the rocks ahead an’ puts her hellum about, An’ off her goes to Hendra’s Farm, an’ afore a month was done, Her’d stood in front o’ Passun Greake an’ married old Hendra’s son. “Steady an’ slow be the way to go, All the cleverest folk do know, That’s my motto,” sez Gallopin’ Joe. ‘Tis years agone. Young Hendra does exactly as he’m told; He doesn’ drink, he dursn’ smoke, he’m awnly growin’ old; While Gallopin’ Joe strawls round the Port an’ tells what he do know. There isn’t a motto that’s half so good as his’n “Steady an’ slow.” “Steady an’ slow be the way to go, All the cleverest folk do know, That’s my motto,” sez Gallopin’ Joe.
W. Sanderson sets stanzas 1-4
Authorship:
- by Bernard Moore , "Gallopin’ Joe" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Wilfred Sanderson (1878 - 1935), "Gallopin’ Joe", stanzas 1-4 [voice and piano], from A Cornish haul, no. 4. [ sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Mike Pearson
This text was added to the website: 2016-05-17
Line count: 42
Word count: 416