Northampton's Child

Northampton general 1994
Mixed race baby born
Christmas well a week before
Mum's 16, family's poor
Family's all she needs
How they gonna show her door
Babyfather's mum, any room at the inn
Military road, open doors, welcome in
Charlotte's born, mum's 17
Search for Rhys, where's he been?

All alone with two kids
Got a flat from the council
Spring Boroughs made the news, said that she's using, carrying a pram
Sam wait here, I'll get you a juice quick
Three flights and she gotta do two trips
No electric back to the news' housing association moving
Fam to the Eastern District, Lings
Number six near the garages

Fell in love with a drug dealer
Picked us up in a limousine
I remember lights
Like a movie scene
Took mum to dazzling heights
Where she deserves to be

Only queen, lays me up and kept me clean
Tell me right even when I wronged
Wiped my arse and changed nappies
Taught me time, we made a clock
12 hour shifts all week
Tell me it never stops
12 hour shifts all week

Only queen lays me up and kept me clean
Tell me right even when I wronged
Wiped my arse and changed nappies
Taught me time, we made a clock
12 hour shifts all week
Tell me it never stops
12 hour shifts

Loyalty's royalty, that shit is priceless
Mum took loans to make her home look nice
Worked to the bone to put food on her side
Clothes on the back and the shoes that we like
Only one there when her brother's on pipe
Only one that cared and dealt with his shite

Stepdad cheating before my brother died
He had no reason, the best woman in his life
When my brother was born it was hospital visits
Two g's alike, you know muscular dishes
Shower cuddles and kisses
Up to Oxford to get told in two weeks he ain't living
When he died we moved up to a village
It was Hibaldstow Scunthorpe one Christmas
Then it's back to North, what's the difference

Stepdad on drugs I think that he's lost his mind
Three crates a night, she pretending now someone's dying
I know we all angry too
What's mum done to you?
You're lucky I'm not as big as you
I'll punch you 'til my hands turn blue

Kicked us out, now we living at Tasha's
In her living room
Funny how good vibes turn the room to a palace
Dreams come true
Mum told us, kids
Just imagine, do anything as long as you do it with passion
Have everything

No way I can pay you back
I just hope I can make you proud
I'm sorry for the times I was bad
Acting like a spoilt child
You're the strongest person I know
Made us happy even when you felt down
Always other people first
But I'm thinking for you right now

Only queen
Raised me up and kept me clean
Taught me right even when I wrong