Harry’s Gone Fishing

My heart was cold as midnight
My mind was worry worn
As I wondered through the city
Where William Blake was born

Past huddled shapes and doorways
And towers made of glass
Then an old man came towards me
And he would not let me pass

The years had withered in his face
Was he drunk or in despair
He led me to a silent street
Said "see that waste ground there

They never should have knocked it down
If only we'd known how
We could've stopped them doing it"
I said "it's too late now"

And hе said "Harry could've done it
Cause hе could put right every wrong
He could turn sighs into silence
And silence into song

He could turn frowns into laughter
He could turn lost into found
He could turn wine into water
Or is it the other way around

Yes Harry could've done it
And Harry was my pal
But Harry's gone fishing
In the paradise canal"

He said "you see that pile of rubble
With the barbed wire all around
That used to be our local
Now it's a battle ground"

He said "I've lived my life here
In this god forsaken street
That pub was our one bit of hope
It's where we used to meet

Now they want to build an office block
With a car park there as well
A tarty supermarket
I hope they rot in hell

They say it will improve the place
But it won't do much for me
What I need is a bit of beach
And the salt wind from the sea"

And he said "Harry could've done it
Cause he'd have made it turn out right
He could turn the lonely into fighters
And the mighty into blight

He could turn saints into sinners
He could turn ashes into sparks
And he could turn the tables
On the bankers and the sharks

Yes Harry could've done it
And Harry was my pal
But Harry's gone fishing
In the paradise canal

They say it will improve the place
Well nobody asked me
What I want is a bit of beach
And the sunlight on the sea

A lovely stretch of sand
Where me and all my mates can meet
With gentle waves to paddle in
And wash our tired feet

And we'll stretch out on our deckchairs
Let the sunshine soothe our pain
And we'll make the high and mighty
Serve us winkles and champagne

It isn't very much too ask
I'll be a long time dead
Do you think you could arrange that"
I smiled and shook my head

And he said "Harry could've done it
Cause he was always on our side
He could turn Punch and Judy
Into Bonnie and Clyde

He could turn shalt not into why not
He could turn is into seems
He could turn armies into forests
And darkness into dreams

And it would turn your blood to fire
When it was Harry's turn to speak
But one thing he would never do
Is turn the other cheek"

So I left him in that silent street
An old man lost in space
His wild-eyed delusions
Dancing on his wizened face

And I walked on through that city
With it's temples made of brass
Then a great crowd swept towards me
And they would not let me pass

The hungry and the homeless
Downtrodden and distressed
A wretched ragged rabble
Of the outcast and oppressed

The unwashed and the unwanted
On whom the sun has never shone
And the banners they were waving
Said "Harry lives on"

And they sang "Harry's gone fishing
But he will turn up by and by
When a Saman sun rises
In a bright morning sky

And he'll turn shalt not in to why not
He'll turn is into seems
He'll turn armies into forests
And darkness into dreams

He'll turn saints into sinners
He'll turn ashes into sparks
And he will turn the tables
On the bankers and the sharks

He'll turn frowns into laughter
He'll turn lost into found
He'll turn wine into water
No wait; the other way around

And the rich shall wear the saddle
And the poor shall wear the crown
When Harry rises up
And turns the world upside down