Overture

This is the story of the Liberty Of Norton Folgate

Old Jack Norris, the musical shrimp and the cadging ramble.....

A little bit of this, would you like a bit of that

But in weather like this, you should wear a coat, a nice warm hat

A needle and thread the hand stitches of time

Battling Levinsky versus Jackie Burk

Bobbing and weaving, an invisible line

So step for step and both light on our feet

We’ll travel many along dim silent street

Would you like a bit of this, or a little bit of that? (Misses)

A little bit of what you like does you no harm, you know that

The perpetual steady echo of the passing beat

A continual dark river of people

In it's transience and in it’s permanence

But, when the streetlamp fills the gutter with gold

So many priceless items bought and sold

So step for step and both light on our feet

We’ll travel many along dim silent street (together)

Once round Arnold Circus, and up through Petticoat Lane

Past the well of shadows, and once back round again

Arm in arm, with an abstracted air

To where the people stare

Out of the upstairs windows

Because we are living like kings

And these days will last forever

Cos sailors from Africa, China and the archipelago of Malay

Jump ship ragged and penniless into Shadwells Tiger Bay

The Welsh and Irish wagtails, mothers of midnight

The music hall carousel enspilling out into bonfire light

Sending half crazed shadows, giants dancing up the brick wall

Of Mr Trumans beer factory, waving, bottles ten feet tall

Whether one calls it Spitalfields, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets

Or Banglatown. We’re all dancing in the moonlight, we’re all

On borrowed ground

Oh, I’m just walking down to, I’m just floating down through

Won’t you come with me, to the Liberty of Norton Folgate

But wait!

What’s that?

Dan Leno

And the Limehouse golem

Purposefully walking nowhere, oh I’m happy just floating about

(Have a banana)

On a Sunday afternoon, the stallholders all call and shout

To no-one in particular

Avoiding people you know, you're just basking in you're own company

The technicolour world’s going by, but you're the lead in your own movie

Cos in the Liberty of Norton Folgate

Walking wild and free, in your second hand coat

Happy just to float

In this little taste of liberty

A part of everything you see

They’re coming left and right

Trying to flog you stuff you don’t need or want

And a smiling chap takes your hand

And drags you in his Uncles restaurant

(ee-yar, ee-yar, ee-yar)

There’s a Chinese man trying hard to flog you moody DVDs

You know? You’ve seen the film, it’s black and white, it’s got no sound

And a man’s head pops up and down

Right across your widescreen TV

(Only a fiver)

('Ow much?)

(Alright, two for eight quid)

(Ee-yar, ee-yar, look, I'm givin' it away)

(Givin' it away!)

Cos in the Liberty of Norton Folgate

Walking wild and free, in your second hand coat

Happy just to float

In this little piece of liberty

You’re a part of everything you see

There’s the sturdy old fellows, pickpockets, dandy’s, extortioners

And night wanderers, the feeble, the ghastly, upon whom death

Had placed a very sure hand

Some in shreds and patches

Reeling inarticulate full of noisy and inordinate vivacity

That jars discordantly upon the ear

And gives an aching sensation to both pair of eyeballs

(Noisy and inordinate vivacity)

Ohhhh ahhhhhh ahhhhh etc etc

In the beginning was a fear of the immigrant

In the beginning was a fear of the immigrant

He's made his way down to the dark riverside

In the beginning was a fear of the immigrant

In the beginning was a fear of the immigrant

He’s made his home there down by the dark riverside

Ohhhh ahhhhhh ahhhhh etc etc

He made his home there down by the riverside

They made their homes there down by the riverside

The city sprang up from the dark river Thames

They made their home there down by the riverside

They made their homes there down by the riverside

The city sprang up from the dark mud of the Thames

I’ll say it again

(Ha ha ha, that's right)

'Cos in the Liberty of Norton Folgate

Walking wild and free

And in your second hand coat

Happy just to float

In this little taste of liberty

Cos you’re a part of everything you see

Yes, you’re a part of everything you see

With a little bit of this

And a little bit of that

A little bit of what you like does you no harm

And you know that

Ohhhh ahhhhhh ahhhhh etc etc (repeat to end)

This is the story of the Liberty Of Norton Folgate

Old Jack Norris, the musical shrimp and the cadging ramble...