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Do You Want Your Old Lobby Washed Down?
Mikey Kelleher
Quilty and Depford, London

Recorded in London, 1977
Carroll Mackenzie Collection

Mikey Kelleher
 

I’m an old-fashioned fellow that lives in a cot, in a spot by the side of the sea.
I cares about nobody, for it’s by belief, that nobody cares about me.
My peace is destroyed, I'm fairly annoyed, by an old girl who works in the town,
She cries every day as she pass by the way, "Do you want your old lobby washed down?"

Do you want your old lobby washed down my boy,
Do you want your old lobby washed down?
She shouts every day as she pass by the way,
Do you want your old lobby washed down?

The landlord came in the other day for his rent, and for him no money she had,
Besides, it was not fair to expect her to pay, for the times they were looking too bad.
He wasn’t content without getting his rent, and he shook his old head with a frown,
He said, "I'll be off," when she said with a laugh, "Do you want your old lobby washed down?"

Do you want your old lobby washed down my boy,
Do you want your old lobby washed down?
He said, "I'll be off," and she said with a laugh,
Do you want your old lobby washed down?

There’s some of those boys when they go out to court, they seem to be so very shy.
To kiss a young lady, they would be afraid, but they would if they could in the sly.
As for myself, I have different way, I care not for fame or renown,
When I go out to court, I says, ‘Here goes for sport! Do you want your old lobby washed down?’

Do you want your old lobbies washed down my boy,
Do you want your old lobby washed down?
When I go out to court, I says, ‘Here goes for sport!
Do you want your old lobby washed down?

 
     
“‘Do You Want Your Old Lobby Washed Down’ is probably a music hall song that is claimed to have originated in Cork. Traditionally, washing down a lobby was an alternative method of payment for rent if one ran out of money, though the lyrics can be taken both literally and as double entendre."
Jim Carroll


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