As I went out to Derby, ’twas on a market day;
I spied the biggest ram, sir, that ever was fed on hey.
CHORUS:
Hey, ringle dangle, hey ringle dey,
It was the biggest ram, sir, that ever was fed on hey.
The horns upon this ram, sir, they reached up to the moon,
A lad went up in April, and didn’t come down ’till June.
(chorus)
The fleece upon this ram, sir, it stretched up to the sky;
The eagles made their nest there, you could hear the young ones
Cry.
(chorus)
And all the boys of Derby came begging for his eyes,
To kick around the street, sir, ’cause they was football size.
(chorus)
And all the women of Derby came begging for his ears,
To make them leather aprons that would last them 50 years.
(chorus)
And all the men of Derby came begging for his tail,
To ring Saint George’s passing bell from the top of Derby gaol.
(chorus)
It took all the boys of Derby to carry away his bones,
Took all the maids of Derby to roll away the stones.
(chorus)
Now, the butcher that killed this ram, sir, was up to his thighs
In blood,
The lad that held the basin was washed away in the blood.
(chorus)
The man that wrote this song, sir, he must be mighty rich,
The one that sings it now, sir, is a lying son of a bitch.
(chorus)
So now my song is over, I’ve got no more to say,
Just give us eggs and brandy and we’ll be on our way.
(chorus)