Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

Building Up and Tearing England Down Lyrics by The Mary Wallopers

The Mary Wallopers

2022

[Speech]
Who is jumping on the wagons?
Who is doing the work in this country?
They're all Irishmen every one of them
They're Irish contractors and they're Irish labor
[Verse 1]
I have won a hero's name with McAlpine and Costain
With Fitzpatrick, Murphy, Ashe and Wimpey's gang
I've been often on the road, on my way to draw the dole
When there's nothing left to do for Johnny Laing
And I used to think that God made the mixer pick and hod
So that Paddy might know hell above the ground
I've had gangers big and tough tell me tear it all out rough
When you're building up and tеaring England down
[Verse 2]
I remember Carriеr Jack he wore a hod upon his back
And he swore he'd one day set the world on fire
His face we've never seen since his shovel it cut clean
Through the middle of a big high tension wire
And I saw auld Balls McCaul, from the big flyover fall
Into a concrete mixer spinning round
Though it was not his intent, he got a fine head of cement
When he was building up and tearing England down
[Verse 3]
I was on the hydro dam ah the day that Pat McCann
Got the better of his stammer in a week
He fell from the shuttering jam and that poor auld stuttering man
He was never ever more inclined to speak
And no more like Robin Hood will he roam through Cricklewood
Or dance around the pubs of Camden Town
Ah let no man complain, that no navvy dies in vain
When he's building up and tearing England down
[Speech]
A man stood at the golden gate
His face was worn and old
He looked towards the man of fate
For admission to the fold
What have you done St. Peter asked
To seek admission here
I've tote heavy machines for manies of a year
The golden gate flew open wide when Peter touched the bell
Step in says he and choose your crew
You've served your time in hell
[Verse 4]
In a tunnel underground a young Limerick man was found
He was built into the new Victoria Line
When the bonus gang had past, sticking through the concrete cast
Was the face of little Charlie Joe Devine
And the ganger man McGurk said big Paddy ate the work
When the gas pipe burst and he flew off the ground
Oh they swear he said "Don't slack, I'll not be there until I'm back
Keep on building up and tearing England down"
[Verse 5]
So come you navvies bold, who do tink that English gold
Is just waiting to be plucked from every sod
Or that the likes of you and me will ever get an OBE
Or a knighthood for good service to the hod
They're a concrete master race, there to keep you in your place
And a ganger man to kick you to the ground
If you ever try to take part of what the bosses make
When you're building up and tearing England down
[Outro]
If you ever try to take part of what the bosses make
When you're building up and tearing England down
Credits
The Mary Wallopers

The Mary Wallopers

About “Building Up and Tearing England Down” by The Mary Wallopers

Read the complete lyrics to "Building Up and Tearing England Down" by The Mary Wallopers from the album "The Mary Wallopers" in 2022. 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 Irish Folk, Pop.

"Building Up and Tearing England Down" is performed by The Mary Wallopers. from the album "The Mary Wallopers" in 2022 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 "Building Up and Tearing England Down", explore more songs by The Mary Wallopers 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.

View all songs and biography for The Mary Wallopers · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Building Up and Tearing England Down" is credited to The Mary Wallopers. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Building Up and Tearing England Down" appears on "The Mary Wallopers" in 2022.

Visit the The Mary Wallopers artist page at /artist/the-mary-wallopers for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.