Windy Militant leads his Basque-like corn grinders to war
The Trumpton Riots probably remains HMHB’s most famous song to this day. Although associated with the band’s first album Back in the DHSS nowadays, the track wasn’t on it originally, coming out as a single/EP nearer the time of the second album, Back Again in the DHSS, on which it featured in the “7-in remix” format. However, the EP version was subsequently added onto the CD release of the first album, and the song reared its head for a third time in a live version on the ACD update of the second album. Someone may want to tell me if there are any lyrical differences between the three!
Other than that, having argued about the lyrics and just about settled on a consensus when we discussed the 2003 remake of the song here, I can now present the lyrics to the original version without, I hope, too much argument ensuing. There are some tiny differences between the two. The original handwritten lyrics, which aren’t quite correct, are published here.
See lyrics to The Trumpton Riots
18 Letters Sent:
Bill Stow
Line 4 – I’m pretty sure that it’s ‘to’ get rid of
and the final chorus starts with an ‘oh’
May 19th, 2009
Chris The Siteowner
Hi Bill
Cheers. I’ve always felt he misses out the “to” in “And the lads are going to launch a scheme (to) get rid of Captain Flack” even though it obviously should be there. Anyone else hear it? Always happy to be voted down.
Chris
May 20th, 2009
Ben
I’ve been singing “ANIMATE” instead of Elevate, and “on their toes” instead of “arm themselves” for 25 years.
For shame.
May 20th, 2009
JohnCooper
I always thought:
“And the lads at Oakham Lontus keep getting rid of Captain Flack”
“Chigley Militant Socialists can storm the market square”
Apr 7th, 2010
cliffy
We’ve had crap performances since 1966 (footie reference I thought
Jun 15th, 2010
Vendor of Quack Nostrums
‘We’ve had Cant conformism since 1966′ could be entered into the Eurovision Song Contest of Spiffingly Clever Lyrics, should such a contest ever be held. It acknowledges Brian Cant, who narrated Trumpton, whilst describing said conformism as empty and uncritical. Also sounds like a rude word when spoken with a Cockney accent. Or possibly refers to an eighteenth century Prussian philosopher, noted for his predictable lifestyle, to the extent that his neighbours would set their clocks by his daily walk.
Jan 30th, 2011
Charles Exford
Glad someone else gets it, Vendor. The scorn with which my (partly self-parodying but mostly just typically pretentious) arguments in the other Trumpton Riots thread were greeted by the fellow Biscuiteers left me feeling lonely and isolated. The pun works even better in lower case, as it does for paradise lost, etc.
Jan 30th, 2011
Vendor of Quack Nostrums
On being awoken from my dogmatic slumbers, I’ve just gone a searchin’ for the other Trumpton Riots thread, which to my shame I don’t think I’ve read before. Thoroughly enjoyed your tangential musings Charles and I’m sure that you can bear the Cross of loneliness and isolation with no perceivable effort. The point which needs to be made to the doubters and non-believers is just what do you expect from this site? To slightly twist the old Stiff Records tag line – If it ain’t pedantry it ain’t worth a fcuk. If you don’t want to discuss the furthest terminus of a feortan this ain’t the place for you.
Cant because of Brian, cant because of the suffocating staidness of stop motion animation towns in Britain in the 1960s. Yes?
Jan 30th, 2011
Martin
Doh! Of course, Brian Cant narrated it. I never made that link before, I’d only thought of the empty and uncritical meaning (beautifully put by the way, VOQN). A once weak lyric is now rather marvellous. I feel I should go and find myself a cafe bar and a pigeon.
Incidentally, back in 1985/86 when I discovered HMHB I wrote a letter (remember them?) to Probe Plus asking for lyrics, and a week later I received a stapled-together set of photocopied hand-written lyrics to Back In The DHSS. Oh how I wish I’d kept that. I think I’d better make that a double cafe bar and pigeon.
Feb 1st, 2011
Dave Kirby
Because of this song, for years, all through my teens and well into my adult life, I thought “erstwhile” meant something like “steadfast”. It doesn’t. Do you think Nigel’s aware of that these days?
Jan 6th, 2012
Vendor of Quack Nostrums
The times in Trumpton, they were a changing back in ’85. Revolutionary forces were busy overthrowing the previous regime. The days of former glories were fast disappearing. The reactionary guard, unsurprisingly, resisted this wind of change. Out of touch, born of the previous generation, ghosts of a time fast fading; hence erstwhile.
Jan 6th, 2012
John Burscough
Well said, VQN. If you live in this world, you’re feelin’ the change of the guard.
Jan 6th, 2012
Exxo
They were the fire crew; they got rid of Captain Flack; they ended up falling for the ‘come-not-to-praise-Flack-but-to-bury-him’ charisma of Snorty and his mob. Foreshadowing the way the miners were used in Romania? Shivers down the spine as another utopian revolutionary dream is hijacked.
Jan 6th, 2012
Vendor of Quack Nostrums
Snort was a shifty character as befits one who ran a military academy for young boys.
As Cant commented at the time;
Captain Snort is a soldier man,
Scarlet and gold a soldier man.
He’ll work a boy as hard as he can,
To turn him into a soldier man.
Captain Snort is a soldier man,
Who lives in Pippin Fort.
Wouldn’t get away with that type of approach these days. The modern Army Cadets promise youngsters the opportunity to develop through fun, exciting and challenging opportunities. Not allowed to work a boy until he is an unthinking, killing machine any more. Today the whole shebang would be doomed from the off. Besides the boys would be too busy canoeing, abseiling and caving. They wouldn’t be allowed to bring about a military coup. Elfin Safe Tea, innit.
Jan 6th, 2012
John Burscough
Without wishing to appear pedantic, when it kicked off in Trumpton PC McGarry would have been the mate called in as back-up from Camberwick Green, rather than the local law – that was Policeman Potter.
One assumes the rioting must have spread to the Green, as that was where Dr Mopp’s surgery was, as well as Mrs Honeyman’s husband’s chemist’s shop (though he was never seen in either series).
Jan 7th, 2012
Mac
So, after all these years, we’re saying it would have been more accurately titled the “Trumptonshire Riots”?
Jan 8th, 2012
Dave Kirby
VQN makes Snorty’s crew sound like the Bridgeburners in the Steven Erikson novels. It’s The Trumptonshire Book Of The Fallen!
Jan 9th, 2012
Dave Kirby
(And yes, I do have Omni stacked, ten-fold, under the bed.)
Jan 9th, 2012
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