Burke and Hare © Alan G Brydon, David J Chapman
They worked as Irish Navvies
On the Union Canal
And there they dreamed, and worked out schemes
Twae would-be business pals
Poor Donald was Hare’s lodger,
And to his god he went
Which left them feeling cheated
For he still owed four pounds rent
Chorus
Through the close and doon the stair
Watch yer back for Burke and Hare
Run like hell frae the butcher’s men
They’ll sell ye cauld for seven and ten
Now they knew about grave robbing,
It’s a business they’d surveyed
Just take a box to Robert Knox,
And handsome you’ll be paid
But what’s the use of digging?
Sure we’ve had enough o’ picks
Let’s start with poor old Donald here
And soon we’ll both be rich
CHORUS
Daft Jamie was a well known lad
He wouldna harm a fly
He wandered through the streets at night
And havered tae the sky
But one dark night on cobble stones
Daft Jamie met his fate
He found the lair of Burke and Hare
Aside the Canongate
CHORUS
The cart wheels squeaked and clattered
On Auld Reekie’s cobble stanes
As through the smoggy closes
They delivered flesh and bane
But not by digging coffins up
As many folk have said
A pillow placed upon the face
Nae marks were on their dead
CHORUS
The city streets were safer
When butchers men were gone
Hare turned sides against his pal
And Burke was hanged at dawn
But a strange twist ensured that Burke
Would in oor midst reside
They gave his corpse to the surgeon school
And the students tanned his hide!
Chorus x 2