Dirty Old Town

Album: Alan Lomax and the Ramblers with Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger (1956)
Play Video
  • I found my love by the gaslight crawls
    Dreamed a dream by the old canal
    Kissed my girl by the factory wall
    Dirty old town, dirty old town

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

    Clouds are drifting across the moon
    Cats are prowling on their beat
    Springs a girl in the streets at night
    Dirty old town, dirty old town

    I'm going to make a good sharp axe
    Shining steel tempered in the fire
    We'll chop you down like an old dead tree
    Dirty old town, dirty old town Writer/s: Ewan MacColl
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 5

  • Neal Lewing from Polson Montana UsaWho owns the recording rights to Dirty Old Town?
  • Karen Pidcock from Kaslo, Bc CanadaSO grateful for Ewan MacColl’s songs! From Dirty old Town to The First Time ever I saw your face (not a better love song’s been written)!
  • Dh from Lancashire The correct lyric is "Salford wind". The song is written about Salford.
  • Jeff from MichiganI believe the first verse is gas works "croft".
    I believe the third verse is "screams" a girl in the street at night.
  • Paolo from CaliforniDavid Byrne did not cover this. He did a completely different song by the same name.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Mike Campbell

Mike CampbellSongwriter Interviews

Mike is lead guitarist with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and co-writer of classic songs like "Boys Of Summer," "Refugee" and "The Heart Of The Matter."

Donny Osmond

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.

Carl Sturken

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.