Dirty Old Town Lyrics

If you’ve been looking for Dirty Old Town lyrics, especially if you’d like to print them out, then you’re on the right page!

“Dirty Old Town” is a popular song written by Ewan MacColl in 1949. It’s about his hometown, Salford in England, that was at the time an industrial town in the realms of Manchester. As any place of this kind, the city was full of factories and pollution. But, despite the dirt and grime of the smokestack landscape, the singer expresses his love for his hometown along with the wish to escape from the working-class lifestyle.

MacColl is acknowledged as the “godfather” of British folk revival in the 50’s. Dirty Old Town became a folk music standard after being made popular by The Dubliners and The Pogues and is one of his most well known works.

On this page you’ll find the lyrics and a printable PDF file with lyrics for free download. You can also watch a sing-along video by The Dubliners. We are sure that you’ll enjoy the song to the fullest!

Printable Dirty Old Town Lyrics PDF
Dirty Old Town Lyrics

Sing-along Video

Printable Dirty Old Town Lyrics PDF

Click on the button to download a PDF file with lyrics to this song for free.

I met my love by the gas works wall
Dreamed a dream by the old canal
I Kissed my girl by the factory wall
Dirty old town
Dirty old town

Clouds are drifting across the moon
Cats are prowling on their beat
Spring’s a girl from the streets at night
Dirty old town
Dirty old town

I Heard a siren from the docks
Saw a train set the night on fire
I Smelled the spring on the smoky wind
Dirty old town
Dirty old town

I’m gonna make me a big sharp axe
Shining steel tempered in the fire
I’ll chop you down like an old dead tree
Dirty old town
Dirty old town

I met my love by the gas works wall
Dreamed a dream by the old canal
I kissed my girl by the factory wall
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
Dirty old town