Tag: William Waldegrave

Prior to my attempt at destroying “We’ll Meet Again” with my “Wheel Vera Lynn” lyric…

Wheel Vera Lynn, NewsRevue Lyric And Beyond, 24 April 1995

…I had a go at the old classic in the matter of Dutch veal a few months earlier.

I think this might have been used briefly. Certainly the Wheel Vera Lynn one was a big NewsRevue hit.

I subsequently met William Waldegrave en passant occasionally; he and his family lived locally in those days and were big fans of the Park Inn restaurant. If May had a function there, the Waldegraves tended to show.

VEAL MEAT AGAIN
(To the Tune of “We’ll Meet Again”)

INTRO – CALVES

Let’s say goodbye with a smile, calves,
Just for a while, calves,
We’re en route.
Don’t let departing distress you,
We’ll all impress you,
En croute.

CHORUS 1 – WILLIE WALDEGRAVE

Veal meet again,
Don’t know where don’t know when,
But I’ll sell veal meat again some market place.
Keep them in stew, while they’re rare or they’re blue,
I’ll pretend I think the Dutch are a disgrace.

MIDDLE EIGHT – STILL THE IDIOT WALDEGRAVE

So will you calves all be brave for Will’yim Wald’grave,
With Dutch courage and spice;
Please don’t stay looking puce, lilly liver’s no use,
It might depress your price.

CHORUS 2 – CALVES

Veal meat again,
On a Dutch boat and train;
And you know we’ll be in pain,
Stuck in a crate.

MIDDLE EIGHT – BACK TO WILLIE

So will you go to yer grave cursing me, Waldegrave,
Selling you down the shops;
You’ll be happy I know, that you all got to go,
And be veal escalopes.

CHORUS 3 – CALVES

Veal meat again,
Shipped back by boat and train,
Cos you know we’ll meet again,
On British plates.

Here is Vera Lynn singing We’ll Meet Again with the lyrics on the screen:

William Waldegrave was a cabinet minister in John Major’s government.

It transpired that he was also a neighbour of mine in Notting Hill Gate and a regular at our favourite Chinese restaurant around the corner, The Park Inn, where he and his family became nodding acquaintances of ours.

But I didn’t discover the latter until after I had written this lyric (and others) about him. As far as I know, Waldegrave never discovered that I, his fellow diner, was also that lyricist.

                                         _ LITTLE WILLIE WALDEGRAVE _

                                      (To the Tune of “Little Willy”)
 
(Abba wigs might come in handy for this song)
 
VERSE 1
 
Big lies, small lies, Little Willie Waldegrave’s so fair he’s a chevalier,
Touchy, Duchy, Willie looks so silly with his bouffant funny looking hair;
Way past one and Willie’s such a sight,
Cos when Waldegrave debates he may talk all night,
Hey there, stay there, grey hairs, flair.
 
CHORUS 1
 
Cos Little Willie Willie’s hair, won’t comb,
And you can’t make Willie wear hair styling foam;
Tried telling him that he looks like a coxcomb,
Little Willie Willie’s hair, won’t comb.
 
VERSE 2
 
Left wing, right wing Little Wally Willie says its couth to express an untruth,
Hanky-panky Willie drives em silly on Profumo and Hartley Booth,
Tories sell arms to Iraq and Iran,
But Willie pins the lies on James Callaghan,
Forsooth, war sleuth, half-truth, proof.
 
CHORUS 2
 
Cos Little Willie Willie won’t tell lies,
Though he says all other MPs tell pork pies;
Now Willie Waldegrave’s the one they despise,
Cos Little Willie says MPs tell lies.
 
CHORUS 3
 
Little Willie says he won’t resign,
Though the Scott Inquiry says Willie did sign;
He oughtta style hair like Michael Hestletine,
Michael is ascendant while Willie’s in decline.

Here’s a video that plays Little Willy by The Sweet with the lyrics on screen:

While here is The Sweet on TOTP performing their song. Brian Connolly’s tank top and yellow outfit has to be seen to be believed – remember that this stuff was described as “Glam Rock” at the time, 1972: