Battered Old Bird

<br>The landladys husband came up to town today<br><br>Since he left them both ten years ago to serve the ministry<br><br>The dark down road of his approach in constant rain was drenched<br><br>The tenants boy said &quot;how dya do&quot; then swore in french<br><br>Did you teach this little child these curses on my soul<br><br>You should both be shut down in the coal-hole<br><br>Thats the way to treat a child who cries out in the night<br><br>And a woman who teaches wrong from right<br><br><br><br>Chorus: hes a battered old bird<br><br>And hes living up there<br><br>Theres a place where time stands still<br><br>If you keep taking those little pink pills<br><br><br><br>&quot;hush your mouth you hypocrite&quot;<br><br>His humour cut her deep<br><br>The tight lipped leer of judgement<br><br>That had seen her love desert her just like sleep<br><br>&quot;filthy words on childrens lips are better, my dear spouse<br><br>Then if I were to speak my mind about this house&quot;<br><br><br><br>Chorus<br><br><br><br>On the first floor there are two old maids<br><br>Each one wishing that the other was afraid<br><br>And next door to them is a man so mild<br><br>til he chopped off the head of a visitors child<br><br>He danced upon the bonfire<br><br>Swallowed sleeping pills like dreams<br><br>With a bottle of sweet sherry that everything redeems<br><br><br><br>Chorus<br><br><br><br>And on the second floor is the macintosh man<br><br>Hes in his overcoats more than out of them<br><br>And the typewriters rattling all through the night<br><br>Hes burgundy for breakfast tight<br><br>He says &quot;one day Ill throw away all of my cares<br><br>And it is always christmas in a cupboard at the top of the stairs&quot;<br><br><br><br>Chorus<br><br><br><br>&quot;well heres a boy if ever there was<br><br>Whos going to do big things<br><br>Thats what they all say and thats how the trouble begins<br><br>Ive seen them rise and fall<br><br>Been through their big deals and smalls<br><br>Hed better have a dream that goes beyond four walls&quot;<br><br>You think he should be sent outside playing with the traffic<br><br>When pieces of him are already scattered in the attic