Times down here they was hard as life
Ice on the frozen river
And the promises made by the men in grey
They seem to be delivered
Deaken and me we were marking time
In the ranks of the unemployed
When they hired us on for a week or so
To work with the Gypsy Boys, oh
Well, the factory closed down yesterday
The textiles' turn tomorrow
Say what you will, but down this way
One goes, the other follows
So it's up you riggers, up you riggers go
While your chains around, rejoice
'Cause they hired us on for a week or so
To work with the Gypsy Boys
Well, the lights come up and the crowd goes home
And they're bringing the stage-hand down
And we're paid our wages and the loading's over
We're gone to another town
And from Pennsylvania in the great North West
From Champagne, Illinois
Well, they've hired us on for a week or so
To work with the Gypsy Boys, oh
For they're calling the towns, tipping all ashore
All lights and fire and noise
And they've hired us on for a week or so
To work with the Gypsy Boys