Dubliners The Sick Note Lyrics

The Sick Note Lyrics

Dear Sir, I write this note to you to tell you of me plight
and at the time
of writing, I am not a pretty sight;
me body is all black and blue, me face
a deathly gray
and I write this note to say why Paddy's not at work today.


While working on the fourteenth floor some bricks I had to
clear;
now, to throw them down from such a height was not a good
idea.
the foreman wasn't very pleased, he beeing an awkward sod
he said
I'd have to cart them down the ladders in me hod. 

Now, clearing all
these bricks by hand it was so very slow,
so I hoisted up a barrel and
secured the rope below.
But in me haste to do the job I was to blind to
see
that a barrelful of building bricks was heavier than me. 

So when
I untied the rope the barrel fell like lead
and clinging tightly to the rope
I started up instead.
Well, I shot up like a rocket till to my dismay I
found
that halfway up I met the bloody barrel comming down. 

Well,
the barrel broke me shoulder as to the ground it sped,
and when I reached
the top I banged the pully with my head.
Well, I clung on tight through
numbed shock from this almighty blow
and the barrel spilled out half the
bricks fourteen floors below. 

Now, when these bricks had fallen from
the barrel to the floor
I then outweighed the barrel and so started down
once more;
still clinging tightly to the rope, I sped towards the
ground,
and I landed on the brocken bricks that were all scattered round.


Well, I lay there groaning on the ground, I thougth I'd passed the
worst,
when the barrel hit the pully-wheel and then the bottom
burst.
Well, a shower of bricks rained down on me, I hadn't got a hope
as
I lay there moaning on the ground, I let go of the bloody rope. 

The
barrel than being heavier, it started down once more,
and landed right
across me, as I lay upon the floor.
Well, it broke three ribs and my left
arm and I can only say
that I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not a work
today.