He:
It's Dreighlsdin wakes, un wey're comin' to teawn,
To tell yo' o' somethin' o' great reneawn;
Un if this owd jade ull lem'mi begin,
Aw'l show yo' how hard un how fast aw con spin.

Chorus:
So it's threedywheel, threedywheel, dan, dum, dill, doe,

She:
Theaw brags o' thisel, bur aw dunno think it's true,
For aw will uphowd thi, thy fawts arn't a few,
For when theaw hast done, un spun very hard,
O' this awm well sure, thi wark is marr'd.

So it's threedywheel, threedywheel, dan, dum, dill, doe,

He:
Theaw saucy owd jade, theawd'st best howd thi tung,
Or else awst be thumpin thi ere it be lung,
Un iv 'ot aw do, theaw'rt sure for to rue,
For aw con ha'money o' one as good as yo'.

So it's threedywheel, threedywheel, dan, dum, dill, doe,

She:
Whot is it to me whoe yo' con have?
Aw shanno be lung ere aw'm laid i' my grave,
Un' when ut aw'm deod, un have done what aw con,
Yo' may foind one ot'll spin as hard as aw've done.

So it's threedywheel, threedywheel, dan, dum, dill, doe,

He:
Com, com, mi dear woife, aw'll not ha' thi rue,
Un this aw will tell yo', an aw'll tell yo' true,
Neaw if yo'll forgie me for what aw have said,
Aw'll do my endevur to pleos yo' instead.

So it's threedywheel, threedywheel, dan, dum, dill, doe,

She:
Aw,m glad for to yeor'ot yo' win me forgive,
Un aw will do by yo' as long as aw live;
So let us unite, an live free fro' o' sin,
Un then we shall have nowt to think at but spin.

Both:
So neaw let's conclude an here eendeth our sung,
Aw hope it has pleost this numerous throng;
Bur iv it 'os mist, yo' needn't to fear,
Wey'll do eawr endevur to pleos yo' next year.

So it's threedywheel, threedywheel, dan, dum, dill, doe,

A Lancashire Anthology, May Yates (University Press of Liverpool, 1923)

This song about Droylsden Wakes was originally called 'The Greenside Wakes Song', the hamlet of Greenside was part of Droylsden near its northern border close to the Medlock Valley. This wakes custom was imported to Greenside in about 1814 from Woodhouses across the Medlock Valley, where it had been part of Woodhouse Wakes and rush-cart celebrations for about thirty years. Later when Greenside Wakes merged with Droylsden Wakes did the name change.

Two men would performed this comical play in fancy dress; one would be dressed as a woman. They rode in a ceremonious manner on top of a cart, each would be spinning flax on a wheel. Each would sing the verses alternately. It shows the progress and amicable winding up of a domestic dispute, and to their relative skills. The word threedywheel may mean either 'tread the wheel' or 'thread ye wheel'. The chorus line was only repeated twice much later in the 19th Century. The song was first printed with its music in Chambers 'Book of Days'.

Page created by Bill McDonald.

Page updated 17th December 2000

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