'Merrie Olde England' - Greeny Original

[Greeny]

Tanglewood acoustic, Harley Benton 12-string electric, Fender MiM Strat, Jazz bass, Garageband drums and synth. Plus various pedals (mainly univibe and fuzz). All recorded and mixed on the MBR.

Some local London 'language' in the lyric that might be confusing for some.

merrie olde england
shakespeare's open arteries
like ink upon the page
ravens pick the traitor's eyes
this danse macabre plague

the poets in their garrets
in a hemlock swoon
as you listen to your 45's
in a squalid rented room

german bombs never brought destruction
like this smirking fascist clown
bring out your dead on the Mile End Road
two punnets for a pound

strike a light and stone the crows

merrie olde england
in the arches with the rust
of a London taxi grave
jesters up before the beak -
both equally depraved

the poets in their garrets
in a hemlock swoon
as you listen to your 45's
in a squalid rented room

german bombs never brought destruction
like this smirking fascist clown
bring out your dead on the Mile End Road
two punnets for a pound

strike a light and stone the crows

[SE]

Quality stuff, really  not surprising cause your stuff never disappoints.
Trying  to pick out the sites the Tower of London, Mile End Road, east end of London  maybe?
I've got a brother who lives in Surrey, so have been a few times, always  feels warmer than cold and rainy Scotland.
Oh by the way loved the tune!!

[Oldrottenhead]

Lovely jubbly, me old china!

[Ray Brookes]

Always enjoy listening to your songs, Tim and your lyrics are always incisive and thought provoking. Love some of the 'London -isms' in this text - "Strike a light" "Stone the crows" "Up before the beak" - sayings I have not heard for a long time. The music of course is first class with great melodic vocals and that jingling 12-string guitar that creates such a lovely texture. I was just wondering if the "smirking facist clown" could be a veiled reference to BJ?

[Greeny]

Yes - the smirking fascist clown is Johnson.

[Ray Brookes]

Thought so; he looks like a typical Oxbridge baboon and probably couldn't organise a chook raffle.

[Jean Pierre]

I don't know why (the voice doesn't sound the same)..but it makes me think of Lennon..

subtle the  metaphor  to BJ ...Bravo Ray for having put the finger on it

[Groundy]

Loving it Tim, first class production as always... Alex

[Ferryman_1957]

I think you are the rightful successor to the Kinks with songs like this. It's beautifully crafted so that the structure of the lyrics is in lock step with the arrangement and the instruments. That's a real skill you have. It's also got that wonderful acerbic Englishness that you do so well (and really appeals to me). It's also got an absolute killer of a riff underpinning the verse, I really like the way you use different sounds throughout the song to vary the feel of that and the way the "Merrie Old England" line follows it. A killer chorus as well, and great vocals and harmonies. Loving the bass as well.

I guess overall you could say I liked this! It's superb and I'll be singing it all day.

[Ferryman_1957]

Back for another listen on my monitors, it sounds fab. I'm getting Radiohead (that riff!) meets the Kinks with a big helping of Greeny magic. Loving it!