The Half Man Half Biscuit Lyrics Project

January The Sixth. Epiphany.

110 pop songs picked over by pedants!

I half expected a nymph to appear

What a great concept (”a true story” claims Nigel, live) - a bloke sharing his innermost thoughts with a bloke called Edward instead of his “sweet darling”. Tending The Wrong Grave For 23 Years is a wonderful song, although I suspect there might be one or two discussions around some of the minutiae on this one. Thanks to Eskimo Eric, Joe, gNick, Paul and Neil.

See lyrics to Tending The Wrong Grave For 23 Years

7 Letters Sent:
  1. dj

    i think it’s Edward McCrae

  2. grim

    It does sound rather like Edward McRae, although for a few years I realise I’ve been singing it as Edward McVeigh… which it doesn’t sound like at all. (Do I hear a rolled ‘R’ in the recording there?)

    Also I think it’s The Times who are uncontrollable; I picture incensed headlines.

  3. Neil G

    I thought it was Edward McVeigh (Vay).

  4. ive always thought it was Edward McCrabe

  5. Max Williams

    GRIM - isn’t it “I’m inconsolable, and at times uncontrollable”? That makes perfect sense to me, rather than a newspaper being uncontrollable…

  6. Well, yes, there is no dispute that it makes sense that way. To me, though, it seems to make sense both ways.

    Anyway, I so like the image of the local rag stirring up some frothingly vitriolic campaign of self-righteous indignation over exactly such a display of parish incompetence, that I’m willing to forgo the truth of the matter, and stick with that which pleases me the most.

  7. Neil G

    Just a thought regarding ‘Edward Mc whatever’. In Letters Sent, a letter is sent to a Miss McVeigh.

    Dear Miss McVeigh
    It pains me to say
    The school choir was dull
    And the blame lies with you

    Could this be a relative of Edward? It still sounds like McVeigh/Vey/Vay to me.

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