Henry's Songbook

   You were born in the slum little boy
   And you'll die in the slum little boy
   You were born in the slum ay, you've never seen the sun
   You'll be there till kingdom come little boy

We grew up together, two kids in the same dirty street
And often we were cauld and hungry wi' little tae eat
We were born to a life of want and poverty
And livin' wisnae easy for Mary and me
When you're poor and you're hungry it's hard to keep dreams alive
For you need all your strength and your will if you want to survive
But I never gave up my dreams, and neither did she
Though livin' wisnae easy for Mary and me

We dreamed o' the day when we'd both get away frae the slum
Tae a place ootside where a man could earn a spot in the sun
But though we dreamed our dreams they werenae tae be
For livin' wisnae easy for Mary and me
For Mary came tae me and said she was five months gone
So we married that spring afore oor son was born
Then before we knew, our children numbered three
And livin' wisnae easy for Mary and me

Now our kids are growing up in the same dirty street
And often they're cauld and hungry wi' little tae eat
Living a life o' want and poverty
Living isnae easy for Mary and me
I wish tae hell this weary life were done
I wish tae hell that I was dead and gone
For if death's the only way we can be free
Then dying will be easy for Mary and me

[1981:] Written in November 1973. - Simple little song I wrote to try to illustrate the vicious circle of poverty and ignorance. If you're born poor, the chances are that's the way you'll die. (Notes Eric Bogle, 'Plain and Simple')