Digital Tradition Mirror

Trains of Waterloo

Trains of Waterloo
(Les Barker)

     As I was a-walking one midsummers evening,
     All among the brick-red of surburbian sprawl,
     I met a young maid making sad lamentation,
     And it seemed all Basingstoke heard her sad call,

         She walks the street lined with small maisonettes(es),
         The semi-detatched, the town houses too.
         Crying day it is over, executives come home again,
         But my Nigel's not returned upon the Trains of Waterloo.

     I stepped up to this fair maid and said my fond creature
     Oh, May I make so bold as to ask your true loves name
     It's I have done battle in the Cannon Street rattle
     And by some strange fortune I might have known the same

         Nigel Clegg's my true loves name, Merchant Banker of great
         fame
         He's gone to the wars out on platform two
         No-one shall me enjoy but my own darling boy
         No Milkman, and the Postman, and the Man from the Pru

     If Nigel Clegg's his name a commuter of great fame
     Then we fought together the daily campaign
     His brave brolly poking invaders at Woking
     He was my loyal comrade on the five-thirty train

         We fought with our Guardians we fought with our Filofax
         Our rolled umbrellas our telegraphs too
         We fought every evening all down the platform
         And back through the night on the Trains of Waterloo

     Dear lady I bring you the saddest of tidings
     The five-thirty train it was cancelled you see
     And Nigel not looking he went to step onto it
     Straight into the path of the five-thirty-three

         Your poor Nigel Clegg I have brought you his leg
         And so sadly she gazed at the limb she once knew
         And fondly she browsed on one half of his trousers
         Oh My Nigels not returning on the trains of Waterloo

     Words:Les Barker
     Sung by June Tabor and Lesley Davies on
     ORANGES AND LEMMINGS
     The Mrs Ackroyd Band
     Mrs Ackroyd Records DOG 007

AG
oct99

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!

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