Dance to your Daddy, my little laddie

Dance to your Daddy, my little man

Thou shalt have a fish and thou shalt have a fin

Thou shalt have a codlin when the boat comes in

Thou shalt have haddock baked in a pan

Dance to your Daddy, my little man



Dance to your Daddy, my little laddie

Dance to your Daddy, my little man

When thou art a young boy, you must sing and play

Go along the shore and cast your shells away

Build yourself a castle, watch the tide roll in

Dance to your Daddy, my little man.



Dance to your Daddy, my little laddie

Dance to your Daddy, my little man

When thou art a young man, go unto the trades

Find yourself a skill, and wages you’ll be paid

Then with all your wages, buy yourself some land

Dance to your Daddy, my little man



Dance to your Daddy, my little laddie

Dance to your Daddy, my little man

When thou art a man and go to take a wife

Find yourself a lass and love her all your life

She shall be your wife and thou shalt be her man

Dance to your Daddy, my little man



Dance to your Daddy, my little laddie

Dance to your Daddy, my little man

When thou art an old man, father to a son

Sing to him the old songs, sing of all you've done

Pass along the old ways, then let his song begin

Dance to your Daddy, my little man

Come here, maw little Jacky

Now aw've smoked me backy

Let's hev a bit o'cracky

Till the boat comes in

Chorus:
Dance ti' thy daddy, sing ti' thy mammy,

Dance ti' thy daddy, ti' thy mammy sing;

Thou shall hev a fishy on a little dishy,

Thou shall hev a fishy when the boat comes in.

Here's thy mother humming,

Like a canny woman;

Yonder comes thy father,

Drunk---he cannot stand.

Chorus:
Dance ti' thy daddy, sing ti' thy mammy,

Dance ti' thy daddy, ti' thy mammy sing;

Thou shall hev a fishy on a little dishy,

Thou shall hev a haddock when the boat comes in.

Our Tommy's always fuddling,

He's so fond of ale,

But he's kind to me,

I hope he'll never fail.

Chorus:
Dance ti' thy daddy, sing ti' thy mammy,

Dance ti' thy daddy, ti' thy mammy sing;

Thou shall hev a fishy on a little dishy,

Thou shall hev a bloater when the boat comes in

I like a drop mysel',

When I can get it sly,

And thou, my bonny bairn,

Will lik't as well as I.

Chorus:
Dance ti' thy daddy, sing ti' thy mammy,

Dance ti' thy daddy, ti' thy mammy sing;

Thou shall hev a fishy on a little dishy,

Thou shall hev a mackerel when the boat comes in.

May we get a drop,

Oft as we stand in need;

And weel may the keel row

That brings the bairns their bread.

Chorus:
Dance ti' thy daddy, sing ti' thy mammy,

Dance ti' thy daddy, ti' thy mammy sing;

Thou shall hev a fishy on a little dishy,

Thou shall hev a salmon when the boat comes in.