The song is based on a traditional English nursery rhyme, folksong, and singing game “Oranges and Lemons” which refers to the bells of several churches, all within or close to the City of London.
Tony Wakeford explains the core of the song in his very own way:
“The Last Man” is an echo from dead L...
[Intro]
Gay go up and gay go down
To ring the bells of London town
Chop, chop, chop, chop
The last man's dead
Chop, chop, chop, chop
The last man's dead
Chop, chop, chop, chop
The last man's dead
[Verse 1]
"Oranges and lemons"
Say the bells of St. Clement's
"Bull's eyes and targets"
Say the bells of St. Margret's
[Verse 2]
"Brickbats and tiles"
Say the bells of St. Giles'
"Halfpence and farthings"
Say the bells of St. Martin's
[Verse 3]
"Pancakes and fritters"
Say the bells of St. Peter's
"Two sticks and an apple"
Say the bells at Whitechapel
[Verse 4]
"Pokers and tongs"
Say the bells at St. John's
"Kettles and pans"
Say the bells at St. Ann's
[Verse 5]
"Old Father Baldpate"
Say the slow bells at Aldgate
"You owe me ten shillings"
Say the bells of St. Helen's
[Verse 6]
"When will you pay me?"
Say the bells at Old Bailey
When I grow rich"
Say the bells at Shoreditch
[Verse 7]
"Pray when will that be?"
Say the bells of Stepney
"Oh, I do not know"
Says the great bell at Bow
[Pre-Chorus]
Here comes a candle to light you to bed
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head
Here comes a candle to light you to bed
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head
[Chorus]
Chop, chop, chop
The last man's dead
Chop, chop, chop
The last man's dead
Chop, chop, chop
The last man's dead
The Last Man was written by Traditional.
The Last Man was produced by Sol Invictus & Tony Wakeford.
Sol Invictus released The Last Man on Fri Aug 12 2016.