En riktigt bra låt, och det var en efterlängtat 'riktig singel' som följde de tre mindre lyckade singelsläppen efter The last of the famous international playboys. Någon Armstrong har skrivit den, och eftersom han saknas i It May All End Tomorrows Who´s Who? så måste okunniga jag erkänna att jag inte vet vem det är. All information välkommen. Suggs - som trafikpolis! - hjälper till att göra detta till en charmerande (jag vet att jag har dåligt ordförråd) historia. Men vem sjunger i slutet, från 2.58, och vad sjunger han/hon? Hjälp! Först och främst ska ni få en snabblektion i 70-talets Londonska gayslang!
bona - bra
drag - kläder
vada - se, kolla in
eek - ansikte
riah - hår (japp, "hair" baklänges...)
Sådär. Nu ska bara Morrissey få säga sitt (The Face, mars 1990):
"Palare is gypsy slang that was adopted by the theatre, and in the Seventies I heard it being used by male prostitutes...hahaha. They have their own code words for sizing people up and talking among themselves. The song is about male prostitution in Piccadilly. It became a very big thing in the Seventies. Were you aware of movies like Johnny Go Home? In the North, among most people I know, there was something oddly romantic about the whole thing. It spelt 'freedom'. Catching a coach and spending a day in Piccadilly was extraordinary. It´s very glitzy now because Soho´s been cleaned up, but then it was quite...powerful."
Texten:
Off the rails I was, and off the rails I was happy to stay
Get out of my way!
On the rack I was: 'easy meat and a resonably good buy'
A resonably good buy
The Piccadilly palare was just silly slang between me and the boys in my gang
So bona to vada, oh you, you lovely eek and you lovely riah
We plied an ancient trade where we threw our life´s instructions away
Exchanging lies and digs my way
Cause in a belted coat, oh, I secretly knew that I hadn´t a clue
No, NO. NO, NO, NO, NO. YOU CAN´T GET OUT THAT WAY. YOU FOLLOW ME!
The Piccadilly palare was just silly slang between me and the boys in my gang
Exchanging palare, you wouldn´t understand, good sons like you never do...
So why do you smile when you think about Earl´s Court?
But you cry when you think of all the battles you´ve fought and lost?
It may all end tomorrow, or it could go on forever, in which case I´m doomed
It could go on forever, in which case I´m doomed