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VERSE 1
Down behind the gasworks, down in Rawtenstall
That's a little town in Lancashire
Last Saturday night, me and the lads
Ee by gum we had some right good fun.
There was ice cream, switchbacks, coconuts and waxworks,
Figure eights and roundabouts.
We all payed our tanners and then we all went in.
And wasn't we all delighted when we heard the showman's din?
He shouted :

VERSE 2
"Roll up, roll up, come and see the fat girl
Forty stone of loveliness and ev'ry bit's her own"
In went the lads and ee but she were big
And all the lads wi' walkin' sticks were givin' her a dig
She was a right big lassie, we didn't know her chassis
Was blown up with air I do declare.
Everythin' were champion until some silly clown
Stabbed her with a pin, shots the showman with a frown
"All hands to the pump lads, the vessel's goin' down"
At the Rawtenstall Annual Fair.

VERSE 3
Roll up! Roll up! See the House of Mysteries!
Ladies pay a tanner to be' tickled in the dark!
In went the lads just to 'ave a peep
But the showman pulled his lever an' we landed in a heap.
Down he shot 'em straight to the bottom
Frills and bows for everyone to see
There was screamin', shoutin', everything were strife,
I saw some funny things I never saw in all my life
I even saw some things I've never seen upon the wife
At the Rawtenstall Annual Fair.

VERSE 4
Roll up! Roll up! Come and see the mermaid!
See the lovely mermaid half a woman half a fish!
In went the lads and just for a prank
Little Willie 'Iggins poured some whisky in the tank.
Well she got frisky, swimmin' in the whisky
And when she come up for air
She bowed to the audience and gave her tail a swish.
Her tail it came off and she really looked delish.
She said "Now what's your fancy lads a bit of meat or fish?"
At the Rawtenstall Annual Fair.

VERSE 5
Roll up! Roll up! See the tattooed lady!
See the lovely lady all the pictures on her skin!
In went the lads and they all gave a cheer
'Coz tattooed on her back was all the towns of Lancashire.
There was Oswaldtwistle, Manchester City
The town hall standin' in the square
There was Bolton, Burnley, Ashton-under-Lyne,
Coal pit up at Wigan was lookin' mighty fine.
But someone shouted "Daddy, don't go down the mine"
At the Rawtenstall Annual Fair.

I always thought that “Eee by gum” was a Yorkshire saying, obviously was common in other counties. I remember my Grandma saying it.

I know a guy from Bolton, he’s lost the accent though, more Southern English.