Times down here, they was hard as life
Ice on the frozen river
And the promises made by the men in grey
Never seem to be delivered
Beaton and me, we were marking time
In the ranks of unemployed
When they hired us on for a week or so
To work with the Gypsy Boys, oh
Well the factory closed down yesterday
It's the textiles' turn tomorrow
Say what you will, but down this way
Whеn one goes, the othеr follows
So it's up you riggers, up you riggers go
Haul your chains around the joists
'Cause they hired us on for a week or so
To work with the Gypsy Boys
Well the lights came up and the crowd goes home
And we're tearing the stage-hand down
And we're paid our wages in the loading zone
And they'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
Well they pull into town to put on a show
All ice and fire and noise
And they've hired us on for a week or so
To work with the Gypsy Boys, oh