South Africa House

Details

 

I can still vividly remember writing this, even though it’s over a quarter of a century ago. I was living in a flat in Aylesbury, and one night just couldn’t get to sleep. I looked out of the window at the normally busy road, and it was so quiet and empty. It felt like ages until a car eventually appeared. It was around 4am, and I wondered just what kind of chaos one could cause at such a time. I imagined building a small wall across the road and the ensuing mayhem. How long would it take – enlist the help of three builders, a wall four or five bricks deep – what, an hour?

It’s still an ambition of mine, so if you do hear of such behaviour – do keep quiet.
The lyrics were superbly matched by Richard’s distinctive bass line. A great song, even though I say so myself.

 

 

Camouflage gets boring in the centre of The Hague,
Girlfriends criticise newsmen, they’re being far too vague,
Echoes that woke me are conspicuous by their absence,
I look for my uniform and then come to my senses.

Alarm clock tells me dawn is still a long way off yet,
What the use of sleeping, I still taste the sweat,
At times like this I’d like to build a wall across the road,
At times like this I’d like to go around and around.

Beside me sleeps a girl oblivious to my hopes and fears,
Interested in fashion and crocodile tears,
Beside me sleeps a girl oblivious to my hopes and fears,
She’s just interested in South Africa House.