The 149

from Humbug 23 by robb johnson

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about

In October the Tory Home Secretary announced that "multiculturalism had failed". The Tory Prime Minister Cameron had made the same announcement on 2011. I decided I didn't want to write yet another song protesting about Tory spite & stupidity, & I certainly wasn't going to have that particular Home Secretary's name in one of my songs. As I happened to be in Haringay that week, I wrote a song about the reality of multicultural London & my favourite London bus instead.
Just as well, really, because she's no longer the Home Secretary , & the Tories have had to wheel Cameron - the toff who fucked up his own Brexit vote - out of his dotage to be the new foreign secretary.

So - here instead of any of that capital P political detail, we have a song about a bus ride.

Do I think it would fare any better with the folk evening audience at the Geese & Fountain? Sadly, we'll never know.

lyrics

THE 149 D A D A intro time for 2 brass riffs
D A
I GET A GOOD ITALIAN COFFEE FROM THE POLISH COFFEE SHOP
THE TURKISH SHOP NEXT DOOR DOES CUSTARD CREAMS
THE BLOKE THERE SAYS I LOVE THESE, THEY GAVE US THESE AT SCHOOL
IN ISTANBUL THEY JUST DON’T DO BAKED BEANS

G D
SOMETIMES IT RAINS, SOMETIMES IT SHINES
G D A
THAT’S THE WAY THE CREDIT GOES
D G D G
ALL ABOARD THE 149
A G D
UP & DOWN THE 7 SISTERS ROAD

I QUEUE UP AT THE BUS-STOP WITH THE SISTERS & THE BROTHERS
ALL WEARING THIS & THAT & THEN THERE’S ME
STILL WEARING DOUBLE DENIM WITH MY LATEST TITFERTAT ON
I’VE LOOKED LIKE THIS SINCE I WAS 17

A G
HALF A POUND OF TUPPENNY RICE, HALF A POUND OF TREACLE
A G
MIX IT UP & MAKE IT NICE
A G
HALF A POUND OF TUPPENNY RICE, HALF A POUND OF TREACLE
A A7
MIX IT UP & MAKE IT NICE, PEOPLE IS JUST PEOPLE

INSTRUMENTAL D A X4

THIS IS NOT THE AGE OF MIRACLES BUT HERE COMES A 149
IT GOES FROM LONDON BRIDGE TO EDMONTON GREEN
THERE’S LOTSA DIFFERENT HATS, LOTSA DIFFERENT CHATS,
KIDS ON PHONES, KIDS IN BUGGIES,
2 SEATS AT THE BACK WHERE YOU CAN SEE WHERE YOU JUST BEEN

CHORUS X2 LAST LINE REPEAT sort of thing -finish with D A as intro

credits

from Humbug 23, released December 1, 2023

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Robb Johnso Hove, UK

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