Am             G           Em        Am                     G         Am
It's hard when folks can't get their work where they've been bred and born
Am         G       Em      Am                              G             Am
When I was young I used to think I'd bide my time 'mid the roots and the corn
F                       Am                              G
But I've been forced to flee the town so here's my litany
Am            G   Em      Am             G       Am
From Hull and Halifax and Hell good Lord deliver me


[Verse 2]
Am         G        Em   Am                      G        Am
When I was courting Mary Anne the auld squire he said one day
Am          G        Em     Am             G      Am
I've got no room for wedded folk choose to wed or stay
F                       Am                           G
I could not leave the girl I loved so town we had to flee
Am             G   Em     Am             G       Am
From Hull and Halifax and Hell good Lord deliver me


[Verse 3]
Am             G         Em     Am                      G      Am
I've worked in Leeds and Huddersfield where I've addled honest brass
Am           G          Em    Am                G          Am
In Bradford, Keightley, Rotherham, I've kept my bairns and lass
F                        Am                                  G
I've travelled all three ridings round and once I've been to sea
Am             G  Em      Am        G           Am
From Hull and Halifax and Hell good Lord deliver me


[Verse 4]
Am                G         Em        Am                     G         Am
I've been through Sheffield lanes at night 'twere just like being in hell
Am           G           Em        Am                     G             Am
The furnaces thrust out tongues of flame that roared like wind o'er the fell
F                       Am                             G
I've sammed up coal in Barnsley pit with muck up to my knee
Am             G  Em      Am             G       Am
From Hull and Halifax and Hell good Lord deliver me


[Verse 5]
Am             G           Em        Am              G         Am
I've seen grey fog creep o'er Leeds Brig as thick as Bastille soup
Am              G         Em     Am                G    Am
I've been where folks are stowed away like rabbits in a coup
F                       Am                       G
I've seen snow fall on Bradford Beck as black as ebony
Am             G  Em      Am             G       Am
From Hull and Halifax and Hell good Lord deliver me


[Verse 6]
Am         G        Em        Am                  G       Am
But now my children all have flown to the country I'll go back
Am                G        Em       Am                     G         Am
There'll be forty miles of heathery moor 'twixt me and the coal pit slack

F                     Am                                   G
And oft at night as I sit round the fire I'll think of the misery

Am             G  Em      Am             G       Am
From Hull and Halifax and Hell good lord deliver me