Dear boss I write this note to you to tell you of my plight,
And at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight,
Me body is all black and blue, and me face a deadly gray,
And I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not at work today,

I was working on the 14th floor, some bricks I had to clear,
And throwin' 'em down from such a height was not a good idea,
The foreman wasn't very pleased, he bein' an awful sod,
He said I'd have to take 'em down the ladder in me hod,

Now shiftin' all those bricks by hand it seemed so awful slow,
So I hoisted up a barrel and secured a rope below,
But in my haste to do the job, I was too blind to see,
That a barrel full of buildin' bricks was heavier than me,

Now, when I came down, I cut the rope and the barrel fell like lead,
And clinging tightly to the rope, I started up instead,
I shot up like a rocket and to my dismay I found,
That halfway up I met the bloody barrel comin' down,

Now the barrel broke me shoulder as to the ground it sped,
And when I reached the top I struck the pulley with me head,
I still clung on though numbed and shocked from this almighty blow,
While the barrel spilled out half the bricks, 14 floors below,

Now when the bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor,
I then outweighed the barrel and I started down once more,
Still clinging tightly to the rope, I headed for the ground,
And fell among the broken bricks that were all scattered round,

As I lay there moaning on the floor, sure I thought I'd passed the worst,
And then the barrel struck the pulley wheel and didn't the bottom burst,
A shower of bricks came down on me sure I hadn't got a hope,
And as I was losing consciousness I let go the bloody rope,

Now the barrel it being heavier, it started down once more,
It landed right across me as I lay there on the floor,
I broke three ribs and my left arm, and I can only say,
That I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not at work today.