Songtext The immigrant lad The Animals

The immigrant lad

And here I sit with a tear in my eye, the waters of Tyne in between you and I
And here I sit with a tear in my eye, the waters of Tyne in between you and I

As a child I dreamed of her, on the far banks of the river
I knew she could not be reached, for my mind was forever wondering
Far above his head, as he tried his best to teach me
The river was muddy and black, black as the coal she carried
Impossible to cross, many men had tried
The old sailor told me, another life is lost

And here I sit with a tear in my eye, the waters of Tyne in between you and I
And here I sit with a tear in my eye, the waters of Tyne in between you and I

Black was the colour of my childish dreams, impressions that would last
Black coal, coal black pit yacka's face, escaping the coal dust blast
Blind pony stumblin' to the light of day, to retire in the green fields forever
And I'll build me a bridge of steel, to beat the black river forever
I'll beat that black river forever, I'll beat that muddy river forever

And here I sit with a tear in my eye, the waters of Tyne in between you and I
And here I sit with a tear in my eye, the waters of Tyne in between you and I

Conversation in a London Bar:
Cockney: I don't know why you geezers come down to London all the time, 'cause you look so miserable all the time, y'know.
Geordie: That's true, I havna been too happy but what brought us down here was three years on the docks and I just come down here for work and for money and get a bit few, few more quid in me pocket.
Cockney: Yeah, but coming down to the smoke, mate, you need people to see , you'll need friends, to goin' to see because it's a hard town down here.