Hello again Magic Rat.

Indulge me, as this will take up a bit of space on you r comments -  but I hope it will give you a laugh.

Rock and Roll

Rock and Roll is about played out.

We’re all still feedin’ off the bloated corpse

-          of a fallen faded Pop Star in Blue Suede Shoes

who told us, “Rock and Roll will never die”, but he stole that from the Blues!

(Ooh-la-la, Sha-la-la, Rock and Roll will never die.)

Rock and Roll, how’d you get so tricked out?

Such a bubble-gum girl with your Pink Cadillac and your Prima Dona pout.

Yeah, we sold you to the Japanese, and look at what they did -

They turned you into Animae, and sold you to our kids!

They’re singin’ “Ooh-la-la, Sha-la-la, Rock and Roll will never die.”

….he just goes to sleep sometimes.

Ooh-la-la, Sha-la-la, Rock and Roll will never die.

….he just goes to sleep sometimes.

And meanwhile at the nursing home, they’re playing “Like a Rolling Stone”

And some old guy keeps tellin’ me, “People all got to be free.”

But look here man, I ain’t got no back-up plan.  I’ve got to kiss your ass to keep this job, - and ‘git on back to school.

I’m gonna hit the books and stay clean cut.  Lord KNOWS it’s so uncool!

But I keep singin’ “Ooh-la-la, Sha-la-la, Rock and Roll will never die.”

….he just goes to sleep sometimes.

I said, “Ooh-la-la, Sha-la-la, Rock and Roll will never die.”

….he just goes to sleep sometimes.

See, the last Free Ride left and hour ago

And the same four chords won’t save the world ANYMORE!

Oh, but Jesus save, Confucius buys, Dick Cheney withdraws!

-          and Rock and Roll is goin’ deaf from the SOUND OF THEIR APPLAUSE!

They’re singin’ it, “Ooh-la-la, Sha-la, Rock and Roll will never die.”

….he just goes to sleep sometimes.

Keep singin’ it, “Ooh-la-la, Sha-la, Rock and Roll will never die.”

….he just goes to sleep sometimes.

Yeah. Once a movement starts setting up ‘schools’ you have to wonder if the movement is in decline, especially in the arts.  And though I’d love to attend yer “Sckhule of Rach” I have to plead poverty. I can’t afford an undressed Elephant. But I hear the School of Hard Knocks is still open.

-          Sara

All right Class, simmer down.  Let's have a look at you.  Hmmm.  I can honestly say you're the brightest set of new pins this teecher has ever had the good fortune to gaze upon.  And I recognise some faces too.  Wilson!  You man the drums over there and every time I make a salient point I want to to hit a KER-CRUNK on the tom toms followed by a loud cymbal smash.  Vassily K, hmm yes, a bit of a troublemaker ain’t ya, but clever with it.  You work the computer over there.  De-frag it please, that’ll keep you occupied for a few semesters.  Sage, Dignam and Honestly-Express-Yourself I want you to take responsibility for any crunching sing-songs we burst into. H-E-Y you can corral the boys and Dignam and Sage I want you to lead the girls, and no mischief now.

So, a few of you have your hands up.  “Mike Joolz”..ah yes, the controversy over the use of the word Skool.  Can’t tell if you’ve your tongue in your cheek, boy, under these low stage lights.  If so, take a gold star.  If not, stay behind and see me after SKOOL for detention.  I have 50 episodes of the Beano comic’s Bash Street Kids strip for you to read in an attempt to reverse your sense of humour bypass.

And Pete, making a point about Red Army Blues.  Hmm, yes.  Well Red Army Blues isn’t a song with an extended outro, so I don’t quite see the point here, though you’re obviously enjoying yourself.  Nor is it an uneconomic arrangement.  I’ve got a rock’rnoll equivalent of a dunce cap for you to wear for the rest of the day.  Yes…it’s a high strapped Spandau Ballet bass guitar that hangs an inch below your adam’s apple and makes you look like a complete plonker. 

Harken, have you finished reciting that very very long poem yet?   OK now listen to three hours worth of DOO-WOP. 

The rest of you, hang loose. I got a record for you to listen to.  This is what rock’n’roll is.  Stevo Music Man, prepare the gramophone.  Let me get this little 7” vinyl motherfucker out of its original 1968 Decca single sleeve with its blue and white spiral pattern….ah…that fuzzy acoustic guitar, the thrumm of the bass, the metronomical crack of Charlie’s drums, and the voice of old louche himself…

I WAS BORRRN IN A CROSS-FIIIRE HURRICANE