The Half Man Half Biscuit Lyrics Project

Busking this at Embankment Tube tomorrow

179 pop songs picked over by pedants

Not long now before lollipop men are called Darren

Totnes Bickering Fair is another spot of amusing Nappy Valley bashing, and is one of those two-minute uptempo laughalongs which will be a live favourite, without doubt.

See lyrics for Totnes Bickering Fair

24 Letters Sent:
  1. 1

    778

    That’s amazing, I didn’t get half the verse references you’ve picked up on!

  2. 2

    bug

    I’m pretty sure the first line is ‘So much for YOUR journey…’

    I’m also sure the last line is one of the greatest lyrics of all time

    Thanks for a great site, by the way!

  3. Duh, must have been asleep. Thanks.

  4. 4

    NewtonHC

    I *think* it sounds more like “Therefore henceforth” rather than “Therefore in sport” to me.

    Could be wrong though.

  5. Only a few days to wait before we hear the studio version, then we’ll decide!

  6. 6

    vinnie52

    Great site!!

    “So long it’s been hard” I think should be “So on it’s behalf”.

  7. OK guys, your comments were all correct! Ta

  8. 8

    Jon

    Chris
    that great last line has a couple of words transposed

    “Not now long” should read “Not long now”.

  9. Sometimes you can’t see the wood for the trees…

  10. 10

    Gareth Jones

    agree that the last line is one of the greatest ever. For one horrible moment when I first listened to it, I thought it was Gareth, not Darren

  11. 11

    Pachiguy

    OK, this is a bit off-topic, but does anyone know what the reference is in “You quoted Goldman incorrectly as we strolled”? Wikiquotes suggests it could well be “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.” Just wondering. And a great site, Chris – thank you indeed!

  12. 12

    Tom

    Yeah I just assumed it was that Emma Goldman quote, to be honest. I’ve seen it misquoted on t-shirts as “If I can’t dance to it, it’s not my revolution”.

    I can certainly imagine Nigel being the sort to get pedantic about the exact wording.

  13. I suppose there’s an outside possibility it could be “controversial” rock biographer Albert Goldman. I like the Emma Goldman/bad T-shirt idea much better though.

  14. 14

    Jan

    Wonder if it could refer to “Goldmund” from the Herman Hesse masterpiece Narcissus and Goldmund? Perhaps that’s casting the net a bit wide…..

  15. 15

    Hrhpod

    I’m reasonably sure that it’s ‘without your credit card’ not ‘forgot’ since the song is clearly an amusingly spiteful ditty about a divorce.
    As to Goldman, I think he may be referring to William Goldman, author of ‘Lord of the Flies’.

  16. …except he was William Golding I’m afraid. And it’s definitely “forgot”.

  17. 17

    Phil Clayton

    When I used to sing with a folk group (!) about 40 years ago, my mate from Okehampton, Devon taught us a song called Tavistock Goosey Fair.

  18. 18

    Bonnevilleinbits

    …which is still a highlight of West Devon Life:-

    http://www.devon-online.com/towns/tavistock/tavistock-gooseyfair.htm

  19. 19

    s.g.d A Shropshire Lad

    “OK, this is a bit off-topic, but does anyone know what the reference is in “You quoted Goldman incorrectly as we strolled”? Wikiquotes suggests it could well be “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.” Just wondering. And a great site, Chris – thank you indeed!”

    On being told that she shouldn’t dance she wrote :

    “If it meant that, I did not want it”

    This has been used many times:

    If I can’t dance, it’s not my revolution!
    If I can’t dance, I don’t want your revolution!
    If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.
    A revolution without dancing is not a revolution worth having.
    If there won’t be dancing at the revolution, I’m not coming. etc

  20. 20

    Alastair

    An Emma Goldman quote that perhaps fits the song better is:

    “Before we can forgive one another, we have to understand one another”

    Though I’m not sure how it would be misquoted, so it probably is the dancing revolution.

  21. 21

    John Burscough

    From the Red Bull Formula 1 team website on yesterday’s Malaysian Grand Prix, an interview with their lollipop man, Darren

  22. Cracker. If we had an award for astonishing PBRs, that would be this month’s runaway winner.

  23. 23

    John Burscough

    Blimey, thanks Chris (dies happy).

  24. 24

    Vendor of Quack Nostrums

    Close but no lollipop.

    I want one that looks like this.

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