Catch us if you can? (56)

Catch us if you can? (56)

1

The Horex motorcycle missed out on the modern age

With the bubble car in Germany dominant by this stage

Yet had Vincent made the Horex in their English factory

Then the Horex could have saved our motorcycle industry

Some say our motorcycles were hammered by the Yen

While others claim lathe turners were out of date by then

But had Vincent made the Horex at their works at Stevenage

With its state of art suspension

And its high-performance engine

We may well have thrashed the bikes made in Japan

Who found pleasure singing “catch us if you can?”

2

During the 1950s - never mind about the year

The Honda motorcycle was beginning to appear

Meanwhile the BSA was still selling like hot cakes

As were the Triumph twins and certain other makes

Some say our motorcycles were hammered by the Yen

While others claim lathe turners were out of date by then

But had Vincent made the Horex at their works at Stevenage

With its state of art suspension

And its high-performance engine

We may well have thrashed the bikes made in Japan

Who found pleasure singing “catch us if you can?”

3

In the middle of the sixties Dylan crashed his machine

With his bike just too powerful for a rider seen as green

By then the splendid Vincent was no longer being made

With the Honda, the new Horex dominating the bike trade

Some say our motorcycles were hammered by the Yen

While others claim lathe turners were out of date by then

But had Vincent made the Horex at their works at Stevenage

With its state of art suspension

And its high-performance engine

We may well have thrashed the bikes made in Japan

Who found pleasure singing “catch us if you can?”

4

Lathe turners back in Britain were forced out of the workplace

Now machinery was able to outsmart the human race

Japanese motorcycles had real shop appeal for sure

But the Horex was still better according to folk law

Some say our motorcycles were hammered by the Yen

While others claim lathe turners were out of date by then

But had Vincent made the Horex at their works at Stevenage

With its state of art suspension

And its high-performance engine

We may well have thrashed the bikes made in Japan

Who found pleasure singing “catch us if you can?”

So farewell to the Horex and the bike that might have been

Had the Horex been a Vincent while still a new machine

Vincent would still be in business and doing rather well

Thanks to German engineering much like BMW now

The End

© Frankie Espirit

The Big Bad Wolf (55)

The Big Bad Wolf (55)

1

When I step into the forest

I treat this as sacred ground

Where once the bears of legend

Well and truly could be found

And the Leopard cat ran wild

A safe distance from the zoo

Leaving just a bunny rabbit

To add flavour to the stew

The forest is a haven for all creatures to possess

It’s the place I like to head to when I feel under duress

Yet the wolves have departed, and the wild cats are few

Thanks to the business model and the greedy farmers too

2

When I step into the forest

With a certain sense of awe

I’m delighted Mother Nature

Binds together grace and law

Yet unfortunately our species

Has the most destructive flaw

With our pride a little monster

Clutching a destructive saw

The forest is a haven for all creatures to possess

It’s the place I like to head to when I feel under duress

Yet the wolves have departed, and the wild cats are few

Thanks to the business model and the greedy farmers too

3

When I step into the forest

It’s farewell to the bright sun

As the foliage growing thickly

Hints that night has just begun

But there is no need to worry

The light maker hasn’t gone

He is shining on the forest

That we choose to trample on

The forest is a haven for all creatures to possess

It’s the place I like to head to when I feel under duress

Yet the wolves have departed, and the wild cats are few

Thanks to the business model and the greedy farmers too

4

When I step into the forest

Where the bear cannot be found

And the clever Leopard tiger

Has the zoo to hang around

And the wolves have departed

In their packs as this works best

It’s a shame the human species

Is more vicious than the rest

The forest is a haven for all creatures to possess

It’s the place I like to head to when I feel under duress

Yet the wolves have departed, and the wild cats are few

Thanks to the business model and the greedy farmers too

5

When I step into the forest

There is not much left to see

With the bulk of God’s creation

Now as dead as dead can be

With so many trees now fallen

And the squirrels sadly grey

Due to human intervention

And a brew we call decay

The forest is a haven for all creatures to possess

It’s the place I like to head to when I feel under duress

Yet the wolves have departed, and the wild cats are few

Thanks to the business model and the greedy farmers too

The End

© Frankie Espirit

Peaceful Protest (54)

Peaceful Protest (54)

1

The police will be brutal stood in their blockade

And waving their batons for which they are paid

It’s hardly unusual when they make you head back

With the mounted police preparing to launch an attack

Protest has always been something they hate

With the top brass Freemasons paid by the state

And their royal blue puppets backed up by the law

With a clear set of instructions to persecute the poor

Fighting oppression can never be dumb

Since freedom and justice according to some

Will thrive if more people will join the struggle

Rather than succumb to live under the thumb

2

Well political parties need money to thrive

So their policies are tailored to keep them alive

It’s a case of corruption without laws being broke

Little wonder democracy has become a sick joke

Freedom of the press is proclaimed in the press

Never mind all the power and wealth they possess

And the lies that they print and the people they hound

If your face does not fit then you must go underground

Fighting oppression can never be dumb

Since freedom and justice according to some

Will thrive if more people will join the struggle

Rather than succumb to live under the thumb

The End

© Frankie Espirit

The Integrity Song (53)

The Integrity Song (53)

1

Integrity, integrity, this is an easy song

John Cohen played integrity, and never got it wrong

“How do you play integrity?” Dylan was heard to moan

While finishing a song he called just “Like a Rolling Stone”

Chorus

Integrity, integrity, it’s time to sing along

How else are we to save the world now Jesus Christ has gone?

Eventually Cohen and Baez will be homeward bound

So singers with integrity feel free to come around

2

Integrity, integrity, Joan Baez was keen at least

John Cohen was delighted when Joan performed for peace

She cares so much about the world she really is the kind

A pity that her boyfriend Bob dawdled far behind

Chorus

Integrity, integrity, it’s time to sing along

How else are we to save the world now Jesus Christ has gone?

Eventually Cohen and Baez will be homeward bound

So singers with integrity feel free to call around

3

Integrity, integrity, John Lennon did his best

But when he played integrity, he did not pass the test

Having dumped sweet Cynthia to be with a new dame

Whose role in a plastic band was her sole claim to fame

Chorus

Integrity, integrity, it’s time to sing along

How else are we to save the world now Jesus Christ has gone?

Eventually Cohen and Baez will be homeward bound

So singers with integrity feel free to come around

John Cohen and Joan Baez have shown us the way

The more that sing integrity

The better that this world will be

Since integrity provides the key

For those that dream today

The End

© Frankie Espirit

The Virgin Austin Allegro (52)

The Virgin Austin Allegro (52)

1

I’m an engineer from Britain

But in China I reside

Working on a brand new Austin

You will soon see far and wide

To be called the new Allegro

She is nothing like the last

Since this one is a virgin

Liberated from her past

When you park her at a motel

She won’t cry out for a man

Like the last Austin Allegro

Once her troubles had began

She was quite a fallen angel

All payments strictly in cash

Even Henry Ford in person

Looking anything but flash

With a little spit and polish

And forgiveness for her past

I believe our new Allegro

Is on top of life at last

Driven by the hands of kindness

And the flame of faith inside

I am confident she’s ready

Much like any other bride

2

You won’t see the new Allegro

Parked outside the Rose ‘n’ Crown

Looking for a little business

In this shabby part of town

From a drunken Irish navvy

On the prowl for love tonight

In the comfort that confession

Will soon put his conscience right

If you see the new Allegro

Rushing past and heading south

She will bypass any layby

Trading dollars for a mouth

Since the new Austin Allegro

Is a virgin through and through

To remind us of Great Britain

Back in 1952

With a little spit and polish

And forgiveness for her past

I believe our new Allegro

Is on top of life at last

Driven by the hands of kindness

And the flame of faith inside

I am confident she’s ready

Much like any other bride

I’m so happy; I’m delighted; she has been born again

After many a misfortune and of course a lot of pain

Well she really is a beauty and worthy of her fame

Since the new Austin Allegro is a wonderful dame

The End

© Frankie Espirit

A Song for Wendy (51)

A Song for Wendy (51)

1

Dear Wendy once played a big part in my life

We had so much fun there was no time for strife

From a meal to a film we might mock late at night

What happened (extended line)

          My darling (extended line)

Please tell me dear Wendy who turned out the light?

2

While others around us might shed a few tears

We occupied Heaven for a number of years

Love burned so brightly; it always felt right

What happened (extended line)

          My darling (extended line)

Please tell me dear Wendy who turned out the light?

3

Love is a mystery that’s hard to explain

Like a colourful rainbow unable to remain

Or the wings of an eagle about to take flight

What happened (extended line)

          My darling (extended line)

Please tell me dear Wendy who turned out the light?

4

Our rainbow just faded; it’s hard to see now

Hearts that are broken recover somehow

Ignoring the tears that fall in the night

What happened (extended line)

          My darling (extended line)

Please tell me dear Wendy who turned out the light?

5

Maybe an illusion corrupted our dream

A damn in a river or else a small stream

An eclipse of the sun or a stray meteorite

What happened (extended line)

          My darling (extended line)

Please tell me dear Wendy who turned out the light?

6

How long is it now? Well it’s been a long time

Since we were together and both in our prime

With love our protector beyond malice or crime

Dear Wendy (extended line)

          My darling (extended line)

The love that we shared was superb and sublime

(Repeat the music of the last line without the lyrics being sang).

The End

© Frankie Espirit

The Red Hunter and the Commie (50)

The Red Hunter and the Commie (50)

1

The Commie that I hunt with has to be one of the best

He makes vodka as a pastime that is excellent for my chest

When the boars see us coming then they shake on their trotters

As the commie born in Russia and the Red Hunter are such rotters!

We entered unknown forest

Our only thought to bag a boar

There was me or the Red Hunter

And a red Russian weary of war

Well the man had been shaken

Somewhere in Afghanistan

After his chopper was struck

By a SAM fired by the Taliban

2

An angel must have saved him

He was cushioned by the sand

And the Red Cross very kindly

Ferried him to New Zealand

He became my hunting ally

Since I needed a crack shot

And his gift for making vodka

You either love or loathe a lot

3

Well what else can I tell you?

He is not the usual kind

With his Orthodox religion

Coupled to a commie mind

He has a gift for hunting

Yet gladly shares his take

And the vodka he doles out

Must be the icing on the cake

The Commie that I hunt with has to be one of the best

He makes vodka as a pastime that is excellent for my chest

When the boars see us coming then they shake on their trotters

As the commie born in Russia and the Red Hunter are such rotters!

The End

© Frankie Espirit

The Red Hunter (49)

The Red Hunter (49)

1

I was riding through the forest

With a rifle on my back

Like an unofficial soldier

Keen and ready to attack

When in fact I was a hunter

With an appetite for pork

To be roasted in the oven

And then decorate my fork

If it’s cooked up nice and slowly

There’s no need to use a knife

But of course gravy is handy

With the help of a good wife

That will serve new potatoes

And hot veggies on a plate

After thanking Mother Nature

For the boars you’ve shot of late

I prefer a horse for hunting in the forest where I go

As it’s nice and economic like the spuds I like to grow

Back in time a Russian hunter gave me his old army hat

After which the “Red Hunter” became my new name in fact

2

I was riding through the forest

As I mentioned once before

Looking like a Bolshevik

Sizing up a greedy boar

It took just a single bullet

Plus a second to make sure

As a wounded boar is likely

To declare a state of war

Well this boar was very kindly

It filled our freezer with meat

To accompany the potatoes

Grown by the silver beet

I’m no fan of wasting money

Stuff the super market chains

Roasted boar is such a honey

Served with vegies for the mains

I prefer a horse for hunting in the forest where I go

As it’s nice and economic like the spuds I like to grow

Back in time a Russian hunter gave me his old army hat

After which the “Red Hunter” became my new name in fact

The End

© Frankie Espirit

A Song for Jennifer (48)

A Song for Jennifer (48)

1

How could I fail to recognise

The good in someone else

Sadly I failed ingloriously

In sight of her old house

At No 30 Bolton Road

In Harrow if you must

Yes I let down Jennifer

Much to my great disgust

Jennifer, sweet Jennifer

A pale fire in the sky

I bask in your forgiveness

For the day I made you cry

With words bound together

And wound up like a spring

With smiles from my sister

As she handed me a sling

Jennifer my darling; let us put away my sins

For being such an idiot; or so this song begins

Yet a lyric late arriving cannot right an old wrong

Any more than a bright nova will flare for very long

2

How could I fail to recognise

Such delicacy and charm

I really was a stupid fool

To ever wish her harm

A travesty of justice

With malice close at hand

Cultivated by the duchess

From Alice in Wonderland

Jennifer, sweet Jennifer

A pale fire in the sky

I bask in your forgiveness

For the day I made you cry

With words bound together

And wound up like a spring

With smiles from my sister

As she handed me a sling

Jennifer my darling, wherever you may be

You are the lovely lady that I really long to see

A treasure once created can ignore the final chime

With your beauty ever lasting in defiance of cruel time

3

How could I fail to recognise

The warmth within her eyes

In life we often get it wrong

To no one’s great surprise

Perhaps love is a mystery

Or is hard to comprehend

But not for loyal Jennifer

Ever faithful to a friend

Jennifer, sweet Jennifer

A pale fire in the sky

I bask in your forgiveness

For the day I made you cry

With words bound together

And wound up like a spring

With smiles from my sister

As she handed me a sling

Jennifer my darling, the past is just a stone

That once it is forsaken, for sin cannot atone

But the future is a diamond or a star yet to shine

For a ring to be moulded or a journey that’s divine

4

How could I fail to recognise

How good she was to me

So trusting and so loving

Qualities we love to see

Leaven made in heaven

Is a gift that’s hard to find

If you dismiss the Aladdin

And the bulk of humankind

Jennifer, sweet Jennifer

A pale fire in the sky

I bask in your forgiveness

For the day I made you cry

With words bound together

And wound up like a spring

With smiles from my sister

As she handed me a sling

Jennifer my darling, I believe in Wonderland

You will not be unhappy if I reach for your hand

Will we be as little children or adults old and wise?

With a garland freshly watered with tears from your eyes

How wonderful such beauty in this universe survives

Amongst the many treasures that exist in paradise

Farewell my beloved; when we finally meet again

I am hoping for a party to occur in God’s domain

The End

© Frankie Espirit