My Old Man (Said Follow the Van)

My Old Man is a music hall song. It was written in 1919^[1] by Fred W. Leigh and Charles Collins. Marie Lloyd made the song popular.

Chorus

The chorus is known the most:

My old man^[2] said "Foller^[3] the van,

And don't dilly dally^[4] on the way".

Off went the van wiv me 'ome packed in it,

I followed on wiv me old cock linnet.

But I dillied and dallied, dallied and I dillied

Lost me way and don't know where to roam.

Well you can't trust a special like the old time coppers

When you can't find your way 'ome.^[5]