Islington John

This part of town is all flatfish tramps

Beautiful women becoming mothers

All night long the piano grins

And I sit drinking sweetheart stout

Hey lonely you, you with the negro face

Say lonely what time does the music start?

Suddenly the actress belly laughs

And I put my hand on hers

Islington John, time you were gone

Look at the clock, it's a quarter to one

And when it strikes the hour

I will steal your poppy flower

I get a nosebleed under the blue lamp

The actress goes up to the ugly man and they kiss

The wind ruffles the polythene

On a woman drunk on powdered milk and gas

Me and the actress meet a crowd walking backwards

Football fans attacking gypsy caravans

Someone hits my head from the back

As I'm peeping at cookery down an extractor stack

Islington John, time you were gone

Look at the clock, it's a quarter to one

And when it strikes the hour

I will steal your poppy flower

Cars beep as we flamenco dance on the pavement

The innards of an old alsatian preserved by frost

Back at her flat the actress gargles

and puts on a record by Juliette Greco

Islington John, time you were gone

Look at the clock, it's a quarter to one

And when it strikes the hour

I will steal your poppy flower

Islington John lifted the nylon

Lay amongst the broken antiques and smiled

Reeking of coffee and piss

Sober enough just to say this:

"I will pay for the fire extinguisher

The sand bucket and case

If you will let me pay for this man's face"

Islington John, time you were gone

Look at the clock, it's a quarter to one

And when it strikes the hour

I will steal your poppy flower

I will steal your poppy flower

I will steal your poppy flower