Well, a cheeky young lad took the rise out of me
So I clipped his ear, I was twenty three
And I laughed when he ran
Said that he'd tell his dad
'Cause I’d done the same when I was a boy
When cheeking grown ups was a young lad’s joy
But you never let on that you'd gone and done anything bad

Then a cheeky young lad took the mick out of me
So I chased him off, I was thirty three
And I got close enough to see the tear in his eye
And I said if you talk like that once more
I'll tell your dad and you'll get what for
But I smiled to myself the next time the laddie walked by

Cheeky young lad, like I used to be
Cheeky young lad, oh why can't you see?
Cheeky young lad, one day you'll be just like me

Then a cheeky young lad stood and swore at me
So I swore right back, I was forty three
And I could give as good as I got any day of the year
But it made me boil and it made me rage
It made me feel every year my age
And when he stood his ground, well I tell you, then I found fear

Then a cheeky young lad came and jostled me
He just pushed right past, I was fifty three
And when I shouted "Hey!" he just walked away with a sneer
And I raised my fist but I felt afraid
Of the young lad's swagger and the world we'd made
And I wished it was like it had been just yesteryear

Because a cheeky young lad came and battered me
Took my money and ran and I’m sixty three
And I wish I was dead instead of being kept alive
Because a cheeky young lad is waiting for me
If ever I get to seventy three
And the next time I don't think I can survive
The cheeky young lad who's waiting for me to arrive
The cheeky young lad who's waiting for me to arrive