Following on from Warren Zeavon's Play It All Night Long, here's one of his I can never tire of,
Werewolves of London
"I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain
He was looking for the place called Lee Ho Fooks
For to get a big dish of beef chow mein
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London, ah-hooo
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London, ah-hooo
You hear him howling around your kitchen door
You better not let him in
Little old lady got mutilated late last night
Werewolves of London again
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London, ah-hooo
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London, ah-hooo, huh
He's the hairy-handed gent who ran amok in Kent
Lately he's been overheard in Mayfair
You better stay away from him
He'll rip your lungs out, Jim
Huh, I'd like to meet his tailor
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London, ah-hooo
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London, ah-hooo
Well, I saw Lon Chaney walking with the Queen
Doin' the werewolves of London
I saw Lon Chaney Junior walking with the Queen, uh
Doin' the werewolves of London
I saw a werewolf drinkin' a piña colada at Trader Vic's
And his hair was perfect, na
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London
Heh, draw blood
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London"
Apparently there really was a place called Lee Ho Fooks! Continuing in the theme of great London songs here's a 1980s Pogues classic you won't often hear on the radio.
The Old Main Drag
When I first came to London, I was only sixteen
With a fiver in my pocket and my ol' dancin' bag
I went down to the dilly to check out the scene
But I soon ended upon the old main drag
There the he-males and the she-males paraded in style
And the old man with the money would flash you a smile
In the dark of an alley you'd work for a five
For a swift one off the wrist down on the old main drag
In the cold winter nights, the old town, it was chill
But there were boys in the cafes who'd give you cheap pills
If you didn't have the money, you'd cajole or you'd beg
There was always lots of tuinol on the old main drag
One evening as I was lyin' down in Leicester Square
I was picked up by the coppers and kicked in the balls
Between the metal doors at Vine Street, I was beaten and mauled
And they ruined my good looks for the old main drag
In the tube station, the old ones who were on the way out
Would dribble and vomit and grovel and shout
And the coppers would come along and push them about
And I wished I could escape from the old main drag
And now I'm lyin' here, I've had too much booze
I've been spat on and shat on and raped and abused
I know that I am dyin' and I wish I could beg
For some money to take me from the old main drag
Werewolves of London
"I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain
He was looking for the place called Lee Ho Fooks
For to get a big dish of beef chow mein
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London, ah-hooo
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London, ah-hooo
You hear him howling around your kitchen door
You better not let him in
Little old lady got mutilated late last night
Werewolves of London again
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London, ah-hooo
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London, ah-hooo, huh
He's the hairy-handed gent who ran amok in Kent
Lately he's been overheard in Mayfair
You better stay away from him
He'll rip your lungs out, Jim
Huh, I'd like to meet his tailor
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London, ah-hooo
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London, ah-hooo
Well, I saw Lon Chaney walking with the Queen
Doin' the werewolves of London
I saw Lon Chaney Junior walking with the Queen, uh
Doin' the werewolves of London
I saw a werewolf drinkin' a piña colada at Trader Vic's
And his hair was perfect, na
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London
Heh, draw blood
Ah-hooo, werewolves of London"
Apparently there really was a place called Lee Ho Fooks! Continuing in the theme of great London songs here's a 1980s Pogues classic you won't often hear on the radio.
The Old Main Drag
When I first came to London, I was only sixteen
With a fiver in my pocket and my ol' dancin' bag
I went down to the dilly to check out the scene
But I soon ended upon the old main drag
There the he-males and the she-males paraded in style
And the old man with the money would flash you a smile
In the dark of an alley you'd work for a five
For a swift one off the wrist down on the old main drag
In the cold winter nights, the old town, it was chill
But there were boys in the cafes who'd give you cheap pills
If you didn't have the money, you'd cajole or you'd beg
There was always lots of tuinol on the old main drag
One evening as I was lyin' down in Leicester Square
I was picked up by the coppers and kicked in the balls
Between the metal doors at Vine Street, I was beaten and mauled
And they ruined my good looks for the old main drag
In the tube station, the old ones who were on the way out
Would dribble and vomit and grovel and shout
And the coppers would come along and push them about
And I wished I could escape from the old main drag
And now I'm lyin' here, I've had too much booze
I've been spat on and shat on and raped and abused
I know that I am dyin' and I wish I could beg
For some money to take me from the old main drag