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
My body is all black and blue, my face a deathly gray
And I hope you understand why Paddy's not at work today

While working on the fourteenth floor, some bricks I had to clear
And to throwin' them down from such a height was not a good idea
But the foreman wasn't very pleased, and bein' an awful sod
He said I'd have to carry them down the ladder in me hand

Now shifting all those bricks by hand, it seemed so very slow
So I hoisted up a barrel and secured the rope below
But in my haste to do the job, I was too blind to see
That a barrel filled with building bricks is heavier than me

Well when I got down I cut the rope and the barrel fell like lead
And clinging tightly to the rope I started up instead
I took off like a rocket but to my dismay I found
That half way up I met the bloody barrel coming down

Well the barrel broke my shoulder as to the ground it sped
And when I reached the top I banged the pulley with me head
I held on tight, though numb with shock from this almighty blow
And the barrel spilled out half its bricks fourteen floors below

Now when those building bricks fell from the barrel to the floor
Sure I then outweighed the barrel and I started down once more
I held on tightly to the rope as I flew to the ground
And I landed on the broken bricks that were all scattered 'round

Now as I lay there moaning on the bricks I thought I'd passed the worst
But when the barrel reached the top, that's when the bottom burst
A shower of bricks came down on me, and I didn't have a hope
And as I was losing consciousness, I let go the bloody rope

The barrel again being heavier, it started down once more
And landed right across me as I lay there on the floor
It 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