The “Reid” mentioned in the lyric is Bob Reid, who chaired British Rail at that time, not John Reid who was Minister of Transport a few year’s later.
Jimmy Knapp was somewhat in the news most of the time but in truth wasn’t big news that spring. I don’t think this lyric was used.
JIMMY KNAPP
(To the Tune of “Jimmy Mack” – backing vocals are easier done than read)
CHORUS 1
Jimmy Knapp, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, when are trains coming back?
Jimmy Knapp, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, you’re running off the track.
VERSE 1
MacGregor’s cursing you,
Bob Reid feels the same way too;
You stick to your lines like glue,
BR staff’s relying on you;
Worker’s chief fear is that you will fail,
To save those jobs in British Rail.
CHORUS 2
Hey, Jimmy, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, you’re taking all the flak,
Jimmy, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, it’s trains that Britons lack.
VERSE 2
He calls Reid on the phone,
About three times a day;
But it’s hard to listen to,
What Knapp has to say;
Cos everything Jim says to you,
Is in a deep Glasweigan hue.
CHORUS 3
Hey, Jimmy, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, you’re an old union hack,
Jimmy, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, you’re like a BR snack {stale and vapid}
{Jimmy Knapp, you’re an old union hack, Jimmy Knapp, you’re like a BR snack}
VERSE 3
I wanna say, un-i-ons aren’t getting stronger,
But the trains don’t run any longer,
Briton’s trains are empty,
Cos Jimmy he’s in charge of the RMT.
CHORUS 4
Hey, Jimmy, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, you’d better mind the gap,
Jimmy, (costs are rising), Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, cos British Rail is crap.
I attempted an updated version in June 1995, which went as follows:
JIMMY KNAPP
(To the Tune of “Jimmy Mack” – backing vocals are easier done than read)CHORUS 1
Jimmy Knapp, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, when are trains coming back?
Jimmy Knapp, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, you’re striking Railtrack.VERSE 1
Railtrack are cursing you, commuters feel the same way too;
You stick to your lines like glue, signalmen aren’t working for you;
You took the bosses by surprise, with union action for a huge pay rise.CHORUS 2
Hey, Jimmy, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, you’re taking all the flak,
Jimmy, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, it’s trains that Britons lack.VERSE 2
He calls Bob on the phone, about three times a day;
But it’s hard to listen to, what Knapp has to say;
Cos everything Jim says to you, is in a deep Glasweigan hue.CHORUS 3 (SUNG IN A VERY DEEP GLASWEIGAN HUE)
Hey, Jimmy, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, you’re an old union hack,
Jimmy, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, you’re like a BR snack {stale and vapid}
{Jimmy Knapp, you’re an old union hack, Jimmy Knapp, you’re like a BR snack}VERSE 3 (BACK TO NORMALITY)
I wanna say, un-i-ons aren’t getting stronger,
And the trains don’t run any longer,
Briton’s trains are empty,
Cos Jimmy he’s in charge of the RMT.CHORUS 4
Hey, Jimmy, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, you mind the income gap,
Jimmy, {wages rising}, Jimmy, oh Jimmy Knapp, cos British Rail is crap.
Here are Martha and the Vandellas singing Jimmy Mack – embedded below or click this link to also see lyrics in YouTube: