The REAL Down and Out in Primrose Hill

 PRIMROSE HILL by LOUDON WAINWRIGHT




Living on the side


Of Primrose Hill

Drinking cans of Tennants

Just can't seem to get my fill

Got a beat up guitar

And a dirty old sleeping bag

And this mangy dog

Whose tail don't wag

Sun's been shining down

On my hillside bed

That's not the only reason

My face is so red

This nasty cut on my nose

Is not from no fight

I just fell down yesterday

Or maybe it was last night

And I used to sing and play

Down in the underground

But a few years back

They started cracking down

Now I'm living on the side

Of Primrose Hill

I'm no tourist attraction

But I give them a thrill




Yeah I see you

Riding by on your flash bicycle

Yeah they can do you for that on Primrose Hill

A pretty young mother goes by

She's pushing her pram

Her little baby leans out

Just to see what I am

From the top of the hill

There's a hell of a view

Houses of Parliament and London Zoo

Those politicians all chatter

They trumpet and roar

That must be what those hyenas all

Are laughing for

When you come up to London

It sure is something to see

It's somewhere to go

But it's no place to be

And there's two things

Keeping me from going 'round the bend

I got my music

And this dog for a friend



'Cause life gets slippery

When you're living on the side

Yeah I know I should quit drinking

But I haven't even tried

My mutt's licking my fingers

And I'm wetting my lips

I got a can of extra strong

And a bag of chicken and chips

If I had a little money

I'd get a few things

Like a bottle of vodka

And a pack of new guitar strings

I guess I could die here

On the side of this hill

I'm no tourist attraction

But I'd give them a chill

And I'm living on the side

Of Primrose Hill

Drinking cans of Tennants

Just can't seem to get my fill

Got a beat up guitar

And dirty old sleeping bag

This mangy dog

Whose tail won't wag


Many thanks to Bazza for bringing this song to my attention and to Loudon Wainwright for writing it.