I said the little leather winged bat,
I'll tell you the reason that,
reason that I fly by night
cause I lost my heart's delight.
I-D,
I-D,
diddle-o-dee,
o-dee,
o-dee,
diddle-o-day,
ta-ra-reed-o,
diddle-o-dee,
to-ro-reed-o, diddle-o-day.
I said the black bird sitting on a chair,
once I courted a lady fair,
she got fickle and turned her back,
ever since then I've dressed in black.
I-D,
I-D,
diddle-o-dee,
o-dee,
o-dee,
diddle-o-day,
ta-ra-reed-o,
diddle-o-day,
to-ro-reed-o, diddle-o-day.
I said the jaybird sitting on a fence,
once I courted a handsome wench,
she took ill and died in bed,
ever since then my head's been red.
I-D,
I-D,
diddle-o-dee,
o-dee,
o-dee,
diddle-o-day,
ta-ra-reed-o,
diddle-o-day,
to-ro-reed-o, diddle-o-day.
I said the little one,
I'll show you how to win her love,
quarter night and quarter day,
give her no time to say one day.
I-D,
I-D,
diddle-o-dee,
o-dee,
o-dee,
diddle-o-day,
ta-ra-reed-o,
diddle-o-day,
to-ro-reed-o, diddle-o-day.
I said the mother,
I was a young one, I'd have two,
one lost faith the way she'd go,
I'd have another string for my fiddle bow.
I-D,
I-D,
diddle-o-dee,
o-dee,
o-dee,
diddle-o-day,
ta-ra-reed-o,
diddle-o-day,
to-ro-reed-o, diddle-o-day,
o-to-ro-reed-o, diddle-o-day.