Music

The Lambton Worm

Written by C. M. Leumane in 1867 for the music hall, The Lambton Worm is based on a much older Sunderland legend which is arguably the most well-known folk tale from the north-east. As the story goes, young John Lambton caught an ugly worm while fishing, which in his absence grew into a colossal dragon and terrorised the local countryside. Returning from the crusades a changed man, Lord Lambton sought the advice of a witch woman and managed to defeat the dragon; however, a curse was placed upon the next nine lords of Lambton, all of whom died in strange circumstances.

It is worth noting that there is a contention with the lyrics, in that the song states the worm would wrap itself 'X times round Penshaw Hill'. Many contemporary versions of the story agree with this, although locally the actual location is believed to be Worm Hill in nearby Fatfield.

The song was featured in the 1988 film The Lair of the White Worm based upon the novel by Bram Stoker, which is itself based upon the Sunderland legend.

The Lambton Worm
Illustration believed to be from the original 1867 pantomime The Lambton Worm at the Tyne Theatre in Newcastle.


Please ask me before using this midi file.

¹
²
³
⁴
⁵
⁶
⁷
⁸

CHORUS
⁹
¹⁰
¹¹
¹²

¹³
¹⁴
¹⁵
¹⁶
¹⁷
¹⁸
¹⁹
²⁰

²¹
²²
²³
²⁴
²⁵
²⁶
²⁷
²⁸

²⁹
³⁰
³¹
³²
³³
³⁴
³⁵
³⁶

³⁷
³⁸
³⁹
⁴⁰
⁴¹
⁴²
⁴³
⁴⁴

⁴⁵
⁴⁶
⁴⁷
⁴⁸
⁴⁹
⁵⁰
⁵¹
⁵²

⁵³
⁵⁴
⁵⁵
⁵⁶

One Sunday morn young Lambton went
a-fishing in the Wear;
an' catched a fish upon he's heuk¹,
he thowt leuk't varry² queer.
But whatt'n³ a kind of fish it was
young Lambton couldn't tell;
he waddn't fash⁴ to carry it hyem⁵
so he hoyed⁶ it doon⁷ a well.


Whisht!⁸ Lads, haad yor gobs⁹,
an' Aa'll¹⁰ tell yis aall an aaful¹¹ story;
Whisht! Lads, haad yor gobs
an' aa'll tell ye 'boot¹² the worm.

Noo¹³ Lambton felt inclined te gan¹⁴
an' fight i' foreign wars;
He joined a troop o' knights that cared
for nowther woonds¹⁵ nor scars.
An' off he went te Palestine
where queer things him befel;
an' varry seun forgat aboot¹⁶
the queer worm i' the well.

But the worm got fat an' growed and' growed
an' growed an aaful size;
he'd greet¹⁷ big teeth, a greet big gob,
an' greet big goggle eyes.
An' when at neets¹⁸ he craaled¹⁹ aboot
te pick up bits o' news,
if he felt dry upon the road,
he milked a dozen coos²⁰.

This feorful²¹ worm wad²² often feed
on caalves an' lambs an' sheep,
an' swally²³ little bairns²⁴ alive
when they laid doon²⁵ te sleep.
An' when he'd eaten aall he cud
an' he had had he's fill,
he craaled away an' lapped he's tail
seven times roond Pensher Hill²⁶.

The news of this myest aaful worm
an' his queer gannins²⁷ on
seun crossed the seas, gat²⁸ te the ears
ov brave an' bowld Sor²⁹ John.
So hyem he came an' catched the beast
an' cut 'im in twe³⁰ haalves,
an' that seun stopped he's eatin' bairns,
an' sheep an' lambs and caalves.

So noo ye knaa hoo aall the foaks³¹
on byeth³² sides ov the Wear,
lost lots o' sheep an' lots o' sleep
an' leeved³³ i' mortal feor³⁴.
So let's hev³⁵ one te brave Sor John
that kept the bairns frae³⁶ harm;
saved coos an' caalves by myekin'³⁷ haalves
O' the famis³⁸ Lambton Worm.

Noo lads, aa'll haad me gob,
that's aall Aa knaa aboot the story
ov Sor John's clivvor³⁹ job
wi' the aaful Lambton Worm.



¹ his hook
² thought looked very
³ what

⁴ wouldn't be troubled, ⁵ home
⁶ threw, ⁷ down


⁸ Listen!, ⁹ shut your mouths
¹⁰ I'll, ¹¹ you all an awful

¹² about

¹³ Now, ¹⁴ to go


¹⁵ neither wounds


¹⁶ very soon forgot about



¹⁷ great

¹⁸ nights, ¹⁹ crawled


²⁰ cows

²¹ fearful, ²² would

²³ swallow, ²⁴ children
²⁵ down



²⁶ Penshaw


²⁷ goings on
²⁸ got
²⁹ bold Sir

³⁰ two


³¹ know how all the folks
³² both

³³ lived, ³⁴ fear
³⁵ have
³⁶ from
³⁷ making
³⁸ famous



³⁹ clever