Bob Cranky's Adieu

"Bob Cranky's Adieu"
Song by unknown
Language	English (Geordie)
Written	c1850
Published	c1850
Songwriter(s)	Composer: Unknown Lyricist: John "Jack" Shield

Bob Cranky's Adieu (On going with the Volunteer Association from Gateshead to Newcastle, on permanent Duty) is a Geordie folk song written in the 19th century by John "Jack" Shield, in a style deriving from music hall.

The Blue Stone o’ the Brig (a dialect word for Bridge) is now only a nominal boundary. It was originally a stone to mark the southern boundary of the town and county of Newcastle. Beyond it was Gateshead, which was include in the ”county and liberty of Durham". It was at this point where the "marching guinea" was paid.
The birthday of King George III fell on Saturday, the 4 June, and on the 6 and 7 June 1808 it was celebrated in grand style on Tyneside. It was estimated that more than 5,000 men took part, some from regular regiments and many more came from the local militia, some from villages many miles away.
The troops marched through the streets, paraded on The Town Moor, and the following day marched to Throckley Fell.
The Gateshead Volunteers were one of the groups of local militia. They were being placed on three weeks “permanent duty” to guard the town “against an attack from Napoleon and the French“ and had marched into Newcastle on Sunday 5 June.
The song, based on a single incident was very popular at the time. But as history moves on, the incident becomes trivial, and the song becomes one of the many forgotten ones.

The lyrics are as follows:-

BOB CRANKY'S ADIEU

Air unknown
On going with the Volunteer Association from Gateshead to Newcastle, on permanent Duty

Fareweel, fareweel, ma comely pet!
Aw's forc'd three weeks to leave thee;
Aw's doon for parm'ent duty set,
O dinna let it grieve thee!
Ma hinny! wipe them een sae breet,
That mine wi' love did dazzle;
When thy heart's sad, can mine be leet?
Come, ho'way get a jill o' beer,
Thy heart to cheer:
An' when thou sees me mairch away,
Whiles in, whiles out
O' step, nae doot,
"Bob Cranky's gane," thou'lt sobbing say,
"A sowgering to Newcassel!!"

Come, dinna dinna whinge and whipe,
Like yammering Isbel Macky;
Cheer up, ma hinny! leet thy pipe,
And take a blast o' backy!
It's but for yen and twenty days,
The foulks's een aw'l dazzle, --
Prood, swagg'ring i' my fine reed claes:
Ods heft! my pit claes—dist thou hear?
Are waurse o' wear;
Mind cloot them weel, when aw's away;
An' a posie gown
Aw'll buy thee soon,
An' thou's drink thy tea—aye, twice a-day,
When aw come frae Newcassel.

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Wikipedia