I hope you enjoy my CD. I wrote some of the songs in my folk singing days in Liverpool in the late 1960s/early 1970s (tracks 2, 4, 5 and 8, apart from the tune to track 5 which is, I think, traditional).The others are from late 2006. All were recorded at home in Bartestree in January/February 2007 using a 4 track digital recorder, the final mixes being transferred to a PC for recording onto CD-Rs.
I'd like to thank family, friends and places for inspiration for songs, Tony Scott for suggesting the project and Dave Ormandy for his support throughout.
Here are some notes and the lyrics.
I'd like to thank family, friends and places for inspiration for songs, Tony Scott for suggesting the project and Dave Ormandy for his support throughout.
Here are some notes and the lyrics.
When I'm Gone part 2
Please forgive my twisted sense of humour for the title -
I dreamt that I’d won the freedom of a city
They didn't say which one it was - that was up to me
Paris, London, Hong Kong, New York
Tokyo, Barcelona or Cork
They gave me just a minute but it didn’t take that long
It told them it was Liverpool, the place where I belong
Take me back to Liverpool when I’m gone
And bury me in a right red football jersey
And at my final song, be sure to sing along
To Gerry and his ferry ‘cross the Mersey
I went on a cruise around the British coast
We had a competition for the place we liked the most
And when the votes were counted they named that place that won
It wasn’t Cardiff, Glasgow or London
It wasn’t Workington, Morecambe or Hull
The winner was, of course, the port of Liverpool
Take me back to Liverpool ....
I met a man who’d been round England in a year
To visit each cathedral, far and near
He’d seen St. Paul’s and Canterbury
Chester Leicester and Coventry
But the ones that he said that impressed him the most
Were Liverpool’s cathedrals on the street called Hope
Take me back to Liverpool ....
Now here’s a quiz, let’s see how you do
You have to name a town from the clues I’m giving you
The capital of Ireland, the capital of Wales
The home of the friendliest people in the world
The port of departure for millions to the States
The City of Culture for 2008
The home of the Beatles and other famous bands
.. and of the best football in the land
Did you get the answer, or did I have you fooled?
It’s the world’s greatest city - of course it’s Liverpool
Take me back to Liverpool ...
They didn't say which one it was -
Tokyo, Barcelona or Cork
They gave me just a minute but it didn’t take that long
It told them it was Liverpool, the place where I belong
Take me back to Liverpool when I’m gone
And bury me in a right red football jersey
And at my final song, be sure to sing along
To Gerry and his ferry ‘cross the Mersey
I went on a cruise around the British coast
We had a competition for the place we liked the most
And when the votes were counted they named that place that won
It wasn’t Cardiff, Glasgow or London
It wasn’t Workington, Morecambe or Hull
The winner was, of course, the port of Liverpool
Take me back to Liverpool ....
I met a man who’d been round England in a year
To visit each cathedral, far and near
He’d seen St. Paul’s and Canterbury
Chester Leicester and Coventry
But the ones that he said that impressed him the most
Were Liverpool’s cathedrals on the street called Hope
Take me back to Liverpool ....
Now here’s a quiz, let’s see how you do
You have to name a town from the clues I’m giving you
The capital of Ireland, the capital of Wales
The home of the friendliest people in the world
The port of departure for millions to the States
The City of Culture for 2008
The home of the Beatles and other famous bands
.. and of the best football in the land
Did you get the answer, or did I have you fooled?
It’s the world’s greatest city -
Take me back to Liverpool ...
William's Suicide
A bit of nonsense from my Liverpool folk singing days - I think I only performed it once - with actions. The little tune is a recent addition.
A bit of nonsense from my Liverpool folk singing days -
Young Betsy’s sweetheart William was feeling very low
And William vowed to Betsy that to his death he’d go
Then, climbing through the window, he stood upon the ledge
“I will jump and kill myself dear Betsy” was his pledge
“Oh Willy, dearest William, please don’t jump below
“I love you with all my heart, my darling please don’t go
“Come back in my darling, I’ll give you all you crave
“Do not jump down from the ledge into an early grave”
For four long hours she talked to him, trying to keep him calm
“Come back in my darling, don't do yourself this harm”
She even gave him food but he left it on the shelf
“It’s no good dearest Betsy, I’m going to kill myself”
When six long hours had passed and gone she made him change his mind
“I’ll come back my darling, I won’t be so unkind”
Then, climbing through the window, his step he had to check
And slipping upon a cold meat pie he fell and broke his neck
And William vowed to Betsy that to his death he’d go
Then, climbing through the window, he stood upon the ledge
“I will jump and kill myself dear Betsy” was his pledge
“Oh Willy, dearest William, please don’t jump below
“I love you with all my heart, my darling please don’t go
“Come back in my darling, I’ll give you all you crave
“Do not jump down from the ledge into an early grave”
For four long hours she talked to him, trying to keep him calm
“Come back in my darling, don't do yourself this harm”
She even gave him food but he left it on the shelf
“It’s no good dearest Betsy, I’m going to kill myself”
When six long hours had passed and gone she made him change his mind
“I’ll come back my darling, I won’t be so unkind”
Then, climbing through the window, his step he had to check
And slipping upon a cold meat pie he fell and broke his neck
Alive and Kicking
Written to help mark an upcoming reunion of four Liverpool friends (including me) who plan to reach the age of 60 this year (2007). Subtitle for the reunion is ‘240 And Still Kicking’
.
I’m kicking, alive and kicking
Some of the bones may be clicking
Some of the muscles may be sticking
But as long as my heart keeps ticking
I’ll be kicking
I can’t remember the cub scout law
Or even the sound of Akela's roar
Restless scouts on the first night of camp
And cooking in the cold and damp
Does it matter, not a lot
Because I’m kicking
I can’t remember what we used to sing
When we went down the pub to make the rafters ring
Ignoring the protests of the locals
Regaled them with our tunes and vocals
Does it matter, not a lot
Because I’m kicking, alive and kicking
Some of the bones may be clicking
Some of the muscles may be sticking
But as long as my heart keeps ticking
I’ll be kicking
I can’t remember the statue bare
And speaking with an accent exceedingly rare
Johnny Todd and old Seth Davy
Liverpool Judies and Maggie May
Does it matter, not a lot
Because I’m kicking
Well of course it isn’t really that way
I remember it all as yesterday
And look back on those times with pleasure
Lots of memories I’ll treasure
And yes it matters, quite a lot
And I’m kicking, alive and kicking
Some of the bones may be clicking
Some of the muscles may be sticking
But as long as my heart keeps ticking
I’ll be kicking, alive and kicking
Some of the bones may be clicking
Some of the muscles may be sticking
But as long as my heart keeps ticking
I’ll be kicking
I can’t remember the cub scout law
Or even the sound of Akela's roar
Restless scouts on the first night of camp
And cooking in the cold and damp
Does it matter, not a lot
Because I’m kicking
I can’t remember what we used to sing
When we went down the pub to make the rafters ring
Ignoring the protests of the locals
Regaled them with our tunes and vocals
Does it matter, not a lot
Because I’m kicking, alive and kicking
Some of the bones may be clicking
Some of the muscles may be sticking
But as long as my heart keeps ticking
I’ll be kicking
I can’t remember the statue bare
And speaking with an accent exceedingly rare
Johnny Todd and old Seth Davy
Liverpool Judies and Maggie May
Does it matter, not a lot
Because I’m kicking
Well of course it isn’t really that way
I remember it all as yesterday
And look back on those times with pleasure
Lots of memories I’ll treasure
And yes it matters, quite a lot
And I’m kicking, alive and kicking
Some of the bones may be clicking
Some of the muscles may be sticking
But as long as my heart keeps ticking
I’ll be kicking, alive and kicking
His Face Was Unkind
Again from my Liverpool days -
The first time I saw him it was late in the night
And I was on my way home
He stopped me and asked me if I had a light
And then he rushed off on his own
His clothes were dishevelled, his face was unkind
But I soon put the incident out of my mind
And I’ll never see him again
No he won’t come back again
The next time I saw him it was in a photograph
Held in the hand of the law
“Have you seen him before” was the question he asked
“Yes last night I’m quite sure
“His clothes were dishevelled, his face was unkind
“But I soon put the incident out of my mind”.
And I’ll never ....
The next time I saw him in the dock he stood
And I in the witness stand
Accused of murdering a girl in the wood
He stood there wringing his hands
His clothes were dishevelled, his face was unkind
And I can’t put that look of his out of my mind
And I’ll never ....
The next time I saw his face under headlines
“Appeal against sentence denied”
He was hanged the next day for his terrible crime
Like so many others have died
He claimed he was innocent, he’d committed no crime
But his clothes were dishevelled, his face was unkind
And I’ll never ....
Now today I have seen his face one more time
Printed in newspapers all
Someone else on his deathbed admitted the crime
And the wrong man from the gallows did fall
A victim of justice, justice was blind
For his clothes were dishevelled, his face was unkind
And I’ll never see him again
No he won’t come back again
His clothes were dishevelled, his face was unkind
And I was on my way home
He stopped me and asked me if I had a light
And then he rushed off on his own
His clothes were dishevelled, his face was unkind
But I soon put the incident out of my mind
And I’ll never see him again
No he won’t come back again
The next time I saw him it was in a photograph
Held in the hand of the law
“Have you seen him before” was the question he asked
“Yes last night I’m quite sure
“His clothes were dishevelled, his face was unkind
“But I soon put the incident out of my mind”.
And I’ll never ....
The next time I saw him in the dock he stood
And I in the witness stand
Accused of murdering a girl in the wood
He stood there wringing his hands
His clothes were dishevelled, his face was unkind
And I can’t put that look of his out of my mind
And I’ll never ....
The next time I saw his face under headlines
“Appeal against sentence denied”
He was hanged the next day for his terrible crime
Like so many others have died
He claimed he was innocent, he’d committed no crime
But his clothes were dishevelled, his face was unkind
And I’ll never ....
Now today I have seen his face one more time
Printed in newspapers all
Someone else on his deathbed admitted the crime
And the wrong man from the gallows did fall
A victim of justice, justice was blind
For his clothes were dishevelled, his face was unkind
And I’ll never see him again
No he won’t come back again
His clothes were dishevelled, his face was unkind
A Liverpool Traffic Warden
And another from the Liverpool days -
In Liverpool city centre one evening on my beat
I spied a limousine parked in a no-parking street
Across two yellow lines it was, as bold as bold could be
I strolled up to investigate, but no-one could I see
He’s a jolly good warden, a traffic warden, but trouble he did cause
By booking a limousine that broke the parking laws.
Obviously my duty was to book that limousine
So I filled in a ticket and I left it on the screen
Nothing very special, just another small job done
But little did I realise the trouble I‘d begun
He’s a jolly ....
Next evening in the Echo I read a sorry tale
The Lord Mayor’s car it had been booked while he was on the ale
All hell was let loose, didn’t he complain
“It’s disgusting, it’s vindictive, it must not happen again”
He’s a jolly ....
Council business was disrupted, priorities were changed
Normal service couldn't be resumed, the mayor was so enraged
So they finally decided - the fine it must be paid
So the council paid the council and nothing more was said
He’s a jolly ....
I spied a limousine parked in a no-
I strolled up to investigate, but no-
He’s a jolly good warden, a traffic warden, but trouble he did cause
By booking a limousine that broke the parking laws.
Obviously my duty was to book that limousine
So I filled in a ticket and I left it on the screen
Nothing very special, just another small job done
But little did I realise the trouble I‘d begun
He’s a jolly ....
Next evening in the Echo I read a sorry tale
The Lord Mayor’s car it had been booked while he was on the ale
All hell was let loose, didn’t he complain
“It’s disgusting, it’s vindictive, it must not happen again”
He’s a jolly ....
Council business was disrupted, priorities were changed
Normal service couldn't be resumed, the mayor was so enraged
So they finally decided -
He’s a jolly ....
How Can It Be?
Written to express what I think must be some of the frustrations and aspirations of our youngest daughter Natalie who is unable to speak.
How can it be you don't understand me
I try so hard to explain
But somehow it seems that the words that I mean
Don't come out like they are in my brain
How can it be?
It's really quite easy to say I feel queasy
Or show that I'm happy today
I can sign this and that but I can't really chat
There's so much that I'd like to say
How can it be you don't understand me
When I try to say how I feel
The words just go round and I can't make the sounds
So you think that my problems aren't real
How can it be?
I can smile, I can hug, I can cry I can tug
You'll know if I'm happy or down
But I wish I could sing or say any thing
Just like nearly everyone can
How can it be you don't understand me
You don't know what I'm trying to say
There's words in my head that want to be said
But somehow I can't find the way
How can it be?
When I'm upset I don't misbehave
Although that's the way it may seem
I just can't make you see what it feels to be me
But sometimes I can when I dream
How can it be you don't understand me
I try so hard to explain
But somehow it seems that the words that I mean
Don't come out like they are in my brain
How can it be?
I try so hard to explain
But somehow it seems that the words that I mean
Don't come out like they are in my brain
How can it be?
It's really quite easy to say I feel queasy
Or show that I'm happy today
I can sign this and that but I can't really chat
There's so much that I'd like to say
How can it be you don't understand me
When I try to say how I feel
The words just go round and I can't make the sounds
So you think that my problems aren't real
How can it be?
I can smile, I can hug, I can cry I can tug
You'll know if I'm happy or down
But I wish I could sing or say any thing
Just like nearly everyone can
How can it be you don't understand me
You don't know what I'm trying to say
There's words in my head that want to be said
But somehow I can't find the way
How can it be?
When I'm upset I don't misbehave
Although that's the way it may seem
I just can't make you see what it feels to be me
But sometimes I can when I dream
How can it be you don't understand me
I try so hard to explain
But somehow it seems that the words that I mean
Don't come out like they are in my brain
How can it be?
(The) Ballad of Joseph Glover
The true story of Joseph Glover who drowned in the Liverpool/Leeds canal on Friday 18th November 1859 - from a Wigan Observer report of the inquest which took place in the Royal Oak Inn. Joseph was married to Mary Ormandy. Dave Ormandy and I became aware of the story while researching the Ormandy name (also my Mum’s maiden name) - and have walked Joseph’s final journey as best we could.
The true story of Joseph Glover who drowned in the Liverpool/Leeds canal on Friday 18th November 1859 -
On a cold and dark November night in 1859
Joseph headed home between the hours of 8 and 9
To an Orrell farm where he did dwell
At the lock at Crooke he tripped and fell
Into the deadly waters when he missed the towpath’s line
The landlord of the Royal Oak whose name was Henry Ball
Said that in the morning he received an urgent call
Asking him to help to pull
A body from the Leeds canal
And he saw it was Joseph Glover, a man that he knew well
The jury at the inquest heard 2 others had met their end
In the canal’s waters at the same deceptive bend
The foreman asked that funds be found
For safety railings in the ground
And the coroner said a letter to the company he’d send
If you’re by the Liverpool/Leeds just by the old Crooke lock
Please stop for a moment and be sure to take a look
And give a thought to the grieving wives
And the children of those who lost their lives
And be careful of your footing on the last route Joseph took
He’s buried at Upholland, so if you are out that way
Please remember Joseph Glover and how he lost his life that day
Joseph headed home between the hours of 8 and 9
To an Orrell farm where he did dwell
At the lock at Crooke he tripped and fell
Into the deadly waters when he missed the towpath’s line
The landlord of the Royal Oak whose name was Henry Ball
Said that in the morning he received an urgent call
Asking him to help to pull
A body from the Leeds canal
And he saw it was Joseph Glover, a man that he knew well
The jury at the inquest heard 2 others had met their end
In the canal’s waters at the same deceptive bend
The foreman asked that funds be found
For safety railings in the ground
And the coroner said a letter to the company he’d send
If you’re by the Liverpool/Leeds just by the old Crooke lock
Please stop for a moment and be sure to take a look
And give a thought to the grieving wives
And the children of those who lost their lives
And be careful of your footing on the last route Joseph took
He’s buried at Upholland, so if you are out that way
Please remember Joseph Glover and how he lost his life that day
Tankards of Good Ale
Another from the Liverpool days -
Spring brings primroses and daffodils and leaves upon the trees
And new born lambs out in the fields and, in the flowers, bees
The birds come out to build their nests it’s a time of awakening
Of all the seasons of the year the brightest is the spring
So we’ll gather midst the daffodils with tankards of good ale
It makes you faster than the ferret, make you slower than the snail
It makes you merry, makes you sad, it makes you boys or men
So drain your tankards now me boys and fill then up again
It’s mild and bitter, black and brown
It perks you up to get it down
All the seasons of the year are incomplete without good beer
The long hot days of summer follow closely after spring
And in the sky above us all the birds do sweetly sing
A time for walking in the fields and swimming in the sea
But when we’re hot and tired me boys you know where we will be
We’ll gather in the sunshine with tankards ....
Autumn brings the falling leaves all yellow, gold and brown
The days are shorter and the crops are full grown in the ground
A time to harvest and to store for winter’s cruel run
A time to bid farewell unto the pleasures of the sun
So we’ll gather midst the falling leaves with tankards ....
Winter follows Autumn and brings the ice and snow
And causes all of us to freeze and slither as we go
But Christmas comes with winter - the season of good cheer
A time for peace and friendship and the drinking of good beer
So we’ll gather round a roaring fire with tankards ....
And new born lambs out in the fields and, in the flowers, bees
The birds come out to build their nests it’s a time of awakening
Of all the seasons of the year the brightest is the spring
So we’ll gather midst the daffodils with tankards of good ale
It makes you faster than the ferret, make you slower than the snail
It makes you merry, makes you sad, it makes you boys or men
So drain your tankards now me boys and fill then up again
It’s mild and bitter, black and brown
It perks you up to get it down
All the seasons of the year are incomplete without good beer
The long hot days of summer follow closely after spring
And in the sky above us all the birds do sweetly sing
A time for walking in the fields and swimming in the sea
But when we’re hot and tired me boys you know where we will be
We’ll gather in the sunshine with tankards ....
Autumn brings the falling leaves all yellow, gold and brown
The days are shorter and the crops are full grown in the ground
A time to harvest and to store for winter’s cruel run
A time to bid farewell unto the pleasures of the sun
So we’ll gather midst the falling leaves with tankards ....
Winter follows Autumn and brings the ice and snow
And causes all of us to freeze and slither as we go
But Christmas comes with winter -
So we’ll gather round a roaring fire with tankards ....
St. Ethelbert the King
Based on fact but no doubt well embellished over the years. It seems clear that King Ethelbert was murdered in Herefordshire on the orders of Offa who had aspirations to become the king of all England. This version of the story is the one I tell as part of my role as a City Of Hereford Mayor’s guide. It normally goes down well.
Based on fact but no doubt well embellished over the years. It seems clear that King Ethelbert was murdered in Herefordshire on the orders of Offa who had aspirations to become the king of all England. This version of the story is the one I tell as part of my role as a City Of Hereford Mayor’s guide. It normally goes down well.
A Saxon king of Anglia was brought to Hereford
By Offa King of Mercia who gave to him his word
Safe passage and his daughter's hand
In exchange for influence o’er his land
He was betrayed by Offa’s queen and killed by his own sword
Offa’s queen Quendrida thought herself a better prize
But Ethelbert refused to be persuaded by her wiles
So the young man was to lose his head
Because he refused Quendrida’s bed
And she persuaded Offa to order the king’s demise
By the strength of her persuasion Offa had arrangements made
The young man was beheaded - they used his own sword’s blade
No grave for Ethelbert was found
They didn’t bury him in the ground
Just threw his broken body by the river's edge instead
Offa sought to make his peace with Christianity
But was haunted by his treacherous act of 793
The bishop’s judgment was to say
A cathedral was the price to pay
And return poor Ethelbert's body there so it could rest in peace
The church was built at Hereford just as the bishop said
And a search for Ethelbert was made in that cold reed bed
His body was put upon a cart
To Hereford they made a start
A well sprung where they’d found him - a miracle had occurred
An old blind man was making his way on down the Aylestone hill
When a cart passed by he stepped aside just as the kings’ head fell
It tripped him, then as oft he’d yearned
By a miracle his sight returned
And the story of his fortune he did for ever tell
Just before they reached the place they had set out to bring
The body of King Ethelbert there appeared a spring
Its waters to this very day
Restore the sight of those who pray
Remembering the murder of St. Ethelbert the King
So that's the tale of Ethelbert killed with his own sword
The saint of the cathedral which stands in Hereford
And if you should chance to be
Offered the hand of royalty
Remember his betrayal and the tragedy that occurred
By Offa King of Mercia who gave to him his word
Safe passage and his daughter's hand
In exchange for influence o’er his land
He was betrayed by Offa’s queen and killed by his own sword
Offa’s queen Quendrida thought herself a better prize
But Ethelbert refused to be persuaded by her wiles
So the young man was to lose his head
Because he refused Quendrida’s bed
And she persuaded Offa to order the king’s demise
By the strength of her persuasion Offa had arrangements made
The young man was beheaded -
They didn’t bury him in the ground
Just threw his broken body by the river's edge instead
Offa sought to make his peace with Christianity
But was haunted by his treacherous act of 793
The bishop’s judgment was to say
A cathedral was the price to pay
And return poor Ethelbert's body there so it could rest in peace
The church was built at Hereford just as the bishop said
And a search for Ethelbert was made in that cold reed bed
His body was put upon a cart
To Hereford they made a start
A well sprung where they’d found him -
An old blind man was making his way on down the Aylestone hill
When a cart passed by he stepped aside just as the kings’ head fell
It tripped him, then as oft he’d yearned
By a miracle his sight returned
And the story of his fortune he did for ever tell
Just before they reached the place they had set out to bring
The body of King Ethelbert there appeared a spring
Its waters to this very day
Restore the sight of those who pray
Remembering the murder of St. Ethelbert the King
So that's the tale of Ethelbert killed with his own sword
The saint of the cathedral which stands in Hereford
And if you should chance to be
Offered the hand of royalty
Remember his betrayal and the tragedy that occurred
A Double Rainbow
Inspired by my Mum who died in 2005.
A double rainbow came by today
I thought that maybe you had something to say
But I heard nothing and it went away
The clouds came over and the sky turned to grey
Are you flying high, are you flying high?
Is there nothing you can't see?
Are you all wise, up above the skies?
Are you watching over me?
I saw a snowdrop trying to break through ...
... the soil and the snow to see the sun
Its gentle beauty reminded me of you
Your strength and compassion and your sense of fun.
Are you flying high, are you flying high?
Is there nothing you can't see?
Are you all wise, up above the skies?
Are you watching over me?
I saw an angel, above a hill
Watching me as I travelled forth
Its awesome presence making me feel
The welcome and the wonder of the Angel of The North
Are you flying high, are you flying high?
Is there nothing you can't see?
Are you all wise, up above the skies?
Are you watching over me?
A double rainbow came by today
I thought that maybe you had something to say
But I heard nothing and it went away
The clouds came over and the sky turned to grey
Christmas Again
Just came to me around Christmas 2006.
Another year over, one less to live
Already it's time to forget and forgive
October already and grumpy old men
Can start to complain that it’s Christmas again
Oh yes it’s Christmas again
And time to wish goodwill to all men
Except politicians and celebrity chefs
Ridiculous drivers and most football refs
So apart from them it’s goodwill to all men
It's Christmas again
It’s only November - they’ve already played
A sure sign of Christmas - that record by Slade
Carols are blaring out in the shops
And drink driving warnings coming out from the cops
Oh yes it’s Christmas again
And time to wish goodwill to all men
Except traffic wardens and Chelsea FC
And the people who make reality TV
So apart from them it’s goodwill to all men
It's Christmas again
Now it’s December the year’s must-have toys
Have already sold out to upset girls and boys
House fronts are blazing with naff fairy lights
And carol singers are spoiling our nights
Oh yes it’s Christmas again
And time to wish goodwill to all men
Except for the French and George Bush and his mates
Who think that the world should be run by the States
So apart from them it’s goodwill to all men
It's Christmas again
The Queen’s on the telly, the turkey’s on a plate
So maybe there’s really not that much to hate
The crackers are cracking, there’s happy children
So perhaps it’s not bad that it’s Christmas again
Oh yes it’s Christmas again
And time to wish goodwill to all men
And we should really include all of them
It's Christmas again
Already it's time to forget and forgive
October already and grumpy old men
Can start to complain that it’s Christmas again
Oh yes it’s Christmas again
And time to wish goodwill to all men
Except politicians and celebrity chefs
Ridiculous drivers and most football refs
So apart from them it’s goodwill to all men
It's Christmas again
It’s only November -
And drink driving warnings coming out from the cops
Oh yes it’s Christmas again
And time to wish goodwill to all men
Except traffic wardens and Chelsea FC
And the people who make reality TV
So apart from them it’s goodwill to all men
It's Christmas again
Now it’s December the year’s must-
House fronts are blazing with naff fairy lights
And carol singers are spoiling our nights
Oh yes it’s Christmas again
And time to wish goodwill to all men
Except for the French and George Bush and his mates
Who think that the world should be run by the States
So apart from them it’s goodwill to all men
It's Christmas again
The Queen’s on the telly, the turkey’s on a plate
So maybe there’s really not that much to hate
The crackers are cracking, there’s happy children
So perhaps it’s not bad that it’s Christmas again
Oh yes it’s Christmas again
And time to wish goodwill to all men
And we should really include all of them
It's Christmas again
When I'm Gone
Well this really is called ‘When I’m Gone’. I wonder ......
I wonder what'll happen when I'm gone
I know that life will just carry on
But will my memory fade
When to rest I'm laid
I wonder what'll happen when I'm gone
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la
What will happen to the family tree?
Will someone keep it going after me
Will they add my final dates
When I’ve passed the pearly gates
Or will it be consigned to history
La la ....
I wonder what my epitaph will say
Perhaps 'we wish him well along the way'?
Or maybe 'Peace at last, chaotic times are past'
Or 'we hope we’ll meet again another day'
La la ....
I think I'd better put the kettle on
And make myself a drink while I can
And toast myself with tea, wish good luck to me
I wonder what will happen when I'm gone
La la ....
Now we’ve reached the end of the song
I hope you've been humming along
It’s the end of my CD now part of my legacy
Maybe you’ll play it when I’m gone
La la ....
I know that life will just carry on
But will my memory fade
When to rest I'm laid
I wonder what'll happen when I'm gone
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la
What will happen to the family tree?
Will someone keep it going after me
Will they add my final dates
When I’ve passed the pearly gates
Or will it be consigned to history
La la ....
I wonder what my epitaph will say
Perhaps 'we wish him well along the way'?
Or maybe 'Peace at last, chaotic times are past'
Or 'we hope we’ll meet again another day'
La la ....
I think I'd better put the kettle on
And make myself a drink while I can
And toast myself with tea, wish good luck to me
I wonder what will happen when I'm gone
La la ....
Now we’ve reached the end of the song
I hope you've been humming along
It’s the end of my CD now part of my legacy
Maybe you’ll play it when I’m gone
La la ....