We had no way of staying afloat   We had to leave on a ferryboat   Economic refugees, on the run to Germany   We had the back of Maggie's hand   Times were tough in Geordie land   We got our tools and working gear   And humped it all from Newcastle to here      Why aye man   Why aye, why aye man   Why aye man   Why aye, why aye man   Why aye man   Why aye, why aye man   Why aye man   Why aye, why aye man      We're the nomad tribes, traveling boys   In the dust and dirt and the wrecking noise   Drills and hammers, diggers and picks   Mixing concrete, laying bricks   There's English, Irish, Scots a lot   United Nations what we've got   Brickies, chippies, every trade   German building, British made      Why aye man   Why aye, why aye man   Why aye man   Why aye, why aye man   Why aye man   Why aye, why aye man   Why aye man   Why aye, why aye man      Nay more work on Maggie's farm   Head away down the autobahn   Mine's a Portakabin bed   Or a bunk in a Nissen hut instead      There's plenty Deutsch marks here to earn   And German tarts are wundersch   German beer is chemical free   Germany's alright with me   Sometimes, I miss my River Tyne   But you're my pretty frylein   Tonight we'll drink the old town dry   Keep our spirit levels high      Why aye man   Why aye, why aye man   Why aye man   Why aye, why aye man   Why aye man   Why aye, why aye man   Why aye man   Why aye, why aye man      Sometimes, I miss my River Tyne   But you're my pretty frylein   Tonight we'll drink the old town dry   Keep our spirit levels high   Sometimes, I miss my River Tyne   But you're my pretty frylein   Tonight we'll drink the old town dry   Keep our spirit levels high