My lean run of form was to come to an end after this one – a week later I wrote a corker – but this lyric, like the several that preceded it, was missing the mark for the show.
Writing in March 2018, I realise that the notion of Italian politics being in a total mess is always topical and therefore (in a way) never topical.
WAKE YE UP SIGNORE AMATO
(To the Tune of “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go”)
Lines to be sung correspondingly by the corrupt and the law enforcers. Yehs, yehs to be provided by yourselves.
VERSE 1
Corrupting Italy, reacting bitterly, corrupting Italy, reacting bitterly
You put the kickback into my hand,
They’re on the make down Naples and up in Milan;
Corruption spreading the land,
A state of pay that Ancient Romans would understand.
Di Pietro, he’s no fool,
With his metro-politan rules;
This skulduggery we know ain’t right,
You’ve made a buggery and Italy is in the shite.
CHORUS 1
Wake ye up Signore Amato, else your government must departo,
Wake ye up Signore Amato, don’t want to miss it when you nail that heist;
On the make with lots of Dagos, Eyetie Government’s move we prego,
On the make with lots of Dagos, take me grafting tonight,
I wanna get that bribe, yeh yeh yeh.
VERSE 2
You took the job from Bettino Craxi,
He’s on a graft charge now he spends all day in the Jacksy;
You tried to keep your voce sotto,
You’re in a worse mess than Canal Cafe Risotto.
Watch the English say we’re daft,
They distinguish us for our graft;
They’ll be laughing, so effetely,
Greasy palming, English just do more discretely (absurd Masonic handshakes).
CHORUS 2
Shake them up Signore Amato, or the crowds’ll throw you ripe tomatoes,
Shake them up Signore Amato, don’t want to miss it when you nail that bribe;
Shake them up before you go broke, Or the Eyeties’ll want a new bloke,
Shake them up before you go broke, or this is election year,
Like almost every year.
Below is a vid of Wham singing Wake Me Up Before You Go Go – to read the lyrics too you need to click through to the vid here instead: