Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Grandma's Song

This is a clip from a West End show in London based on the movie Billy Elliot. I saw it last year and really loved the whole thing. I've already seen the movie, and the song writing and stage production were top-rate.

But I especially loved this song. Made me really feel for the old woman. Her anger mixed with longing and mourning for her long dead husband. Plus it's pretty funny.



And these are the lyrics:

I hated the sod - for thirty-three year
We should never have married of that I'm quite clear

He spent the housekeeping money on whisky and beer

And never lifted a finger
Times were hard, but the swine rolled back pissed

So we'd fight and he'd swing and he rarely missed

So I'd clobber the sod when he couldn't resist
Asleep, you can't lift a finger.

But we'd go dancing.., and he'd hold me tight

He was air, He was water, He was breath, He was light

And he would hold me there, with all his might.

And it was bliss for an hour or so

But then they called time to go

And in the morning we were sober.


O he'd drink and he'd talk just like a fool
Lie like a bairn and snore like a mule

Rarely was sober, pretty much was the rule

And he never lifted a finger

I suppose times were hard, things were different then

Women were women and men, they were men

Seventeen, that was it, your life ended when
You had a ring around your finger.


But we'd go dancing, he was me own Brando

And for a moment there my heart was a-glow

We had dust in our hair and nowhere to go

But we were free for an hour or three

From the people we had to be

But in the morning we were sober.


But if I went through my time again,

Oh I'd do it without the help of men

Or at least your Grandad

But then again, you know

Best not to linger


What is the use of dreaming now?

I had my chance, well anyhow,

If I'd only known then what I know now

I'd've given them all the finger


And gone dancing, and not give a shit

And spin around and reel and love every bit

And I'd dance alone and enjoy it

And I'd be me for an entire life.

Instead of somebody's wife

And I never would be sober.

And I never would be sober.

[Thanks to steve.alcorn@gmail.com for lyrics]

I liked the repeated use of "..lift a finger", each time with a different meaning. Similar to arabic "Zhairiyat", I think these have a name in english too. Great writing no doubt.

I advise anyone who passes by London anytime soon to get tickets for it, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did :)

16 comments:

Amethyst said...

She's SO cute!

falantan said...

Yeah you really should see it live its awesome!

Unknown said...

You're tagged.

mjkout said...

Good Luck

YOU'VE BEEN TAGGED :D

falantan said...

n. and m.j.kout:
I'm not ignoring you I swear, and I just arrived in SanDiego *falls back on the bed*

Whatever said...

Love it!! Always wanted to attend a show like that =D

Anonymous said...

I love the show!

Fajorie™ said...

that was cute =D

Eluded Euphoria said...

heeeeeeeeey.. LoVed the youtube video there,,, alla weddi ashof el whole play =(

falantan said...

fa6ma, harlow, feminist, brown-sugar: yeah I think its probably the "only" cool and fun thing to do in London is to watch theater.

they get only the good candidates from broadway and they don't only get 1 or 2, they have the entire westend to show atleast 10-12 productions.

and what else is there to do in london? shop? or attend a football game? well I'm neither a woman nor a football fan. I couldn't care less about it.

I can only go to the museums so many times before I tire of them. and the tours.. ok so that's the room where shakespeare wrote.. and..?

falantan said...

and sorry for the very very late reply to everyone. I just came back home to Kuwait and am loving it. my 1 year old just learned to say "abeebe" to me in the airport this morning woohoo ^^

Smart-y said...

الحمدلله على السلامة.
w thats really cuuuute, abeebe!!
< bs ya3ny shnu? Habibi wla it means dad?

وفي انتظار رجوعك كـ بلوغر قريب ان شاء الله :)

falantan said...

smarties: Allah ysalmek o y7afthek ya Rab :)

I think she's simply parroting us when we call her 7abeebe :) it still melts our hearts when she says it nonetheless.

And inshalla I'll post again soon, as soon as I think of something worthy to say :-/

Sh7afana said...

7araaam

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Unknown said...

Hey, thanks for sharing that with us. I really loved it.
Cheers,
Allison