You lasses all of Haslingden and lads to give consent,
To achieve a glorious object, namely, the Ten Per Cent,
When trade was bad in 48, and with hunger you were spent,
That was the time you was reduced in wages Ten Per Cent
Chorus: So now we'll try to make their hearts relent,
And never rest until we've gained the advance of Ten Per Cent
When trade was bad in '47, the food was very high,
And mother's had to learn again, the art of cookery,
For instead of flour we'd yellow meal, not so pleasant to the eye,
Steam engines superseded were buy American bean pie.
We ask now trade is good again, that employers should relent,
And give us back, without delay, the advance of Ten Per Cent,
We know they can afford it, then why should they resent,
We only ask for justice, when we asked for Ten Per Cent.
In days gone by our town, though less, was more alive,
But now it's sad and gloomy like some monastic hive;
If you wish to know the reason why, - this answer I have fent [sic]
It is because our wages are too low by Ten Per Cent