"The Artful Glasgow Dodger", a song preserved in a scrapbook entitled Old Glasgow Street Songs etc, 1850 which is held at the Mitchell Library.
The publisher claims that this song was particularly popular in Glasgow pubs, presumably the notorious "singing saloons" in the Saltmarket and its narrow wynds. It tells of the life of an artful dodger, and must have struck a chord with so many poor Glaswegians living on low wages or unable to find work, who found food and shelter by scams and cons. "Glasgow town is the place to lodge... The folks are always on the dodge."
Reference: GC 398.5 GLA
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
confidence tricksters, folks songs, Jews, keelies, lyrics, Old Glasgow Street Songs etc, 1850, pawnbrokers, pawning, pawnshops, poetry, poverty, pubs, singing saloons, street songs, tailors, taverns, The Artful Glasgow Dodger