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Kilroy Was Here Lyrics by Ewan MacColl

Black and White: The Definitive Collection

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Who was here when they handed out the heavy jobs
Jobs with the hammer, the pick and shovel
Who choked in the foundry, froze at the fish dock
Eight days to the week
Who was here with a mile of rock above him
Three foot seam in the darkness crouching
Stinging sweat in his eyes, pounded rock in his spittle
A hundred minutes to the hour
Who was here in the furrowed field stooped over
Pain shapes the question in in bone and muscle
Roots and hands competing, fumbling, groping
Twenty eight hours to the day
Who was here in the world of steel and clamour
Feeding leviathan in his cavern
Breathing the hot sharp stink of metal
Five weeks to the month
Hey you, dogsbody, what do they call you?
Who clears up the mess when the fight is over?
Who carries the broom, the mop and the bucket?
Thirty-six months to the year
Smooth-faced old-boy men instructed him
Geldings programmed his energy
Coached in running by man whose arches had fallen
Dead men told him how to live
Kilroy, Kilroy, where has Kilroy gone?
Kilroy was here, see there's his mark
He came this way he was, wearing his number
Did nobody see him pass?
Credits
Ewan MacColl

Ewan MacColl

About “Kilroy Was Here” by Ewan MacColl

Read the complete lyrics to "Kilroy Was Here" by Ewan MacColl from the album "Black and White: The Definitive Collection". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"Kilroy Was Here" is performed by Ewan MacColl. from the album "Black and White: The Definitive Collection" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Kilroy Was Here", explore more songs by Ewan MacColl using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Kilroy Was Here" is credited to Ewan MacColl. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Kilroy Was Here" appears on "Black and White: The Definitive Collection".

Visit the Ewan MacColl artist page at /artist/ewan-maccoll for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.