I met my love by the gasworks wall
dreamed a dream by the old canal
kissed my girl by the factory wall
dirty old town dirty old town
clouds a driftin across the moon
cats a prowlin on their beat
springs a girl in the streets at night
dirty old town dirty old town
heard a siren from the docks
saw a train set the night on fire
smelled the smoke of the salford wind
dirty old town dirty old town
I'm goin to take a good sharp axe
shining steel tempered in the fire
I'll chop you down like an old dead tree
dirty old town dirty old town
dirty old town dirty old town