Song for Dr. Cam

Dad was a big fan of Flanagan & Allen, the British comedy duo popular during WWII. The pair used cockney good humour to gently mock class snobbery, and in general their songs spoke to the trials and tribulations of ‘the ordinary man in the street’. Mum recently lent me a copy of The Very Best Of… and it’s great! Anyway, here’s the lyrics to one of their songs which I think is kinda appropriate (and for more than one reason).

THE SMITHS AND THE JONES
(K. Twomey / A. Goodhart / I. Joseph)

Flanagan & Allen

Who’s building the ships, who’s flying the planes
Who’s manning the tanks and the guns?
It’s the Smiths and the Jones
And the Kellys and Cohens
They’re all democracy’s sons

Who fights in the north, who fights in the south
Who fights in the east and the west?
It’s the Smiths and the Jones
And the Kellys and Cohens
They’re all democracy’s sons

Oh they won’t be back ’til they attack
While there’s a job that must be done

Whose sweethearts will yearn until they return
And who’ll be the happiest ones?
But the Smiths and the Jones
And the Kellys and Cohens
They’re all democracy’s sons

We the people are working night and day
To set the whole world free
And when I say “we”, it’s easy to see
That I mean you and me

Who’s building the planes, who’s building the tanks
Who’s launching the ships by the tonne?
It’s the Smiths and the Jones
And the Kellys and Cohens
They’re all democracy’s sons

Their aim is the same so what’s in a name
There’s just one desire to win
And the Smiths and the Jones
And the Kellys and Cohens
They’ve just begun to begin

Oh, they never stop ’til they’re on top
Why there’s a job that must be done

Who’s paying the tax, who’s buying the bombs
Who’s filling the treasury funds?
It’s the Smiths and the Jones
And the Kellys and Cohens
They’re all democracy’s sons

(Orchestral interlude)

Right is on their side, they’ll fight with pride
And bring us victory

And last but not least they’ll mop up in the east
And then the united has won
With the Smiths and the Jones
And the Kellys and Cohens
They’re all democracy’s sons!