[Intro]
[Verse 1]
Smoky town where they were born,
Down in the valley, smoky little streets;
They were pals from childhood days
Climbing trees and running through the fields
And they all played together
Through the turning of the years,
Sharing their laughter, sharing all their fears.
The seasons saw them growing, oh
The seasons passing turned them round
Through the turning, turning, turning years,
The Accrington Pals.
[Verse 2]
Schooldays end, the lads all went
To work, some spinning, some weaving in the sheds,
On the land or down the pit,
Working hard to earn their daily bread.
And they all went walking up old Pendle Hill
On Sundays, the larks sang high above the dale,
Little Willie Riley
Played his mandolin and sang.
They were laughing, they were singing then,
The Accrington Pals.
[Verse 3]
1916 came the call:
We need more lads to battle with the Hun,
Lads of Lancashire, heed the call;
With God on our side the battle will soon be won
So they all came marching to the beating of the drums
Down from the fields and factories theyâd come,
Smiling at the girls who
Came to see them on their way.
They were marching, marching, marching away,
The Accrington Pals
[Verse 4]
Blue skies shining on that perfect day,
A lark was singing high above the Somme;
Brothers, pals and fathers lay
Watching that sweet bird sing in the quiet of the dawn
Then they all went walking out
Towards the howling guns,
Talking and laughing, calmly walking on,
Believing in the lies that
Left them dying in the mud;
And theyâre lying, lying, lying still,
The Accrington Pals
[Verse 5]
Smoky town that heard the news
Down in the valley, smoky little streets;
Houses quiet and curtains pulled
All round the town, a silent shroud of grief.
And the larks were singing still above Old Pendle Hill,
The wind was in the bracken,
The sun was shining still,
And the larks were singing sweetly as
The evening fell upon the Somme
On Edward Parkinson
Bobby Henderson
Billie Clegg
Johnny Molloy
Norman Jones
Albert Berry
Willie Riley,
The Accrington Pals