I remember years ago, the Good Old Days were bad,
The dolly-tub, the clothes - all piled up in the yard,
The scrubbing-board and dolly-peg, the mangle standing by
To help to get the washing clean - enough to make you cry.

Hot water by the bucket-full we poured into the tub,
And when Mam's arms were aching, we took our turn to rub,
For we were poor but not alone - others were the same,
But even so our clothes were clean - no-one called our name.

I thank my mam for what she did to try and keep us clean,
Especially now I've lived a bit and seen the things I've seen,
Some people in the world today are never satisfied,
Will even rob their neighbours nearest to their side.

Of course we had our 'Penny Day', excitement running high,
Looking in the window for the sweets that you could buy,
Jelly babies, sherbert, perhaps a chocolate doll,
You'd only spend an ape'nee, you wouldn't spend it all.

You'd keep the rest for Monday when you went to school
And pop into the shop again - you'd never break the rule
That if you spent it all at once you were soon to know,
That to school without some sweets you would have to go.

But even though those times were hard this I have to say,
We stuck together, everyone, in my mother's day,
For the present we live again and not to shed a tear for
The days gone by so long ago - those days of yester-year.