A Visit To NewsRevue With Janie, John Random and Friends, 1 August 1997

I went to NewsRevue so often in the 1990s, I’d rarely even note it in my diary.

Thursday night was “writers meeting and see NewsRevue night” most weeks.

But on this particular week things must have been different, as John Random has recently (July 2017) sent me a note from his own diary, as follows:

IT WAS TWENTY YEARS AGO TODAY – SORT OF

John is such a nice chap, his note doesn’t actually ask me to upload the lyric so he can read it.

But I’m a nice chap too and I realise that a revisit to the lyric will please John, me and perhaps other Ogblog readers too, so “up it goes”…as Bill Clinton no doubt frequently used to put it.

Letter to Aiden Tierney, NewsRevue, 22 July 1997

Aiden Tierney 22 July 1997
New Revue

 

Dear Aiden

EDINBURGH

A few rewrites for Edinburgh. Apart from Paisley and Adams, I believe that none of these have been to Edinburgh before.

 

I hope to see you and speak to you soon.

Yours sincerely

 

 

Ian Harris

Encs.

 

NewsRevue Tonight, Multiple Lyric Revisions 1996 & 1997

My main post on this long-running lyric can be found if you click here.

There were several revisions, the last three of which follow.

This one is from 9 January 1996 and is actually numbered “4”:

NEWS REVUE TONIGHT – REVISION NUMBER GOODNESS KNOWS WHAT
(To the Tune of “Comedy Tonight”)

VERSE 1

THATCHER: Someone familiar,
PAISLEY: Someone peculiar,
ALL: Weirdoes from everywhere at News Revue tonight;
BLOKES: Major’s deflecting,
GIRLS: Emma’s defecting,
ALL: No party whipping here at News Review tonight.

MIDDLE EIGHT 1

GIRLS: Nothing that brings share options down,
BLOKES: Bring on Ken Clarke in place of the clowns
GIRLS: Old exploitations,
BLOKES: New corporations,
ALL: Something to make the boss contrite;

CLIMAX 1

ALL: Barbican tomorrow,
News Revue tonight.

VERSE 2

GIRLS: Alan Clark’s diaries,
BLOKES: The Scott enquiry,
ALL: Sleaze factor everywhere at News Revue tonight;
BLOKES: Serbs’ revolution,
GIRLS: Scots’ devolution,
ALL: Side splitting everywhere at News Revue tonight.

MIDDLE EIGHT 2

GIRLS: Nothing with French nuclear tests,
BLOKES: Show us exploding silicon breasts;
GIRLS: News that reflects life,
BLOKES: Diana’s sex life,
ALL: Satire that puts the world to right;

CLIMAX 2

ALL: Maida Vale tomorrow,
News Revue, News Revue, News Revue, News Revue, News Revue..Tonight!!

Next up, revision 5 dated 16 November 1996 – I get the impression I did this in response to a request:

NEWS REVUE TONIGHT – XMAS 1996 REMIX (YOU ASKED FOR IT)
(To the Tune of “Comedy Tonight”)

VERSE 1

MAJOR: Someone familiar,
PAISLEY: Someone peculiar,
ALL: Weirdoes from everywhere at News Revue tonight;
LABOUR: New Labour morals,
TORY: Old Tory quarrels,
ALL: No party whipping here at News Review tonight.

MIDDLE EIGHT 1

GIRLS: Nothing that brings share options down,
BLOKES: Bring on Ken Clarke in place of the clowns
GIRLS: Old exploitations,
BLOKES: New corporations,
ALL: Something to make the boss contrite;

CLIMAX 1

ALL: Barbican tomorrow,
News Revue tonight.

VERSE 2

GIRLS: More cash for questions,
BLOKES: And lewd suggestions,
ALL: Sleaze factor everywhere at News Revue tonight;
BLOKES: Benazir Bhutto,
GIRLS: Tutsis and Hutus,
ALL: Side splitting everywhere at News Revue tonight.

MIDDLE EIGHT 2

GIRLS: Something to treat your Christmas guests,
BLOKES: Madonna and child with big pointy breasts;
GIRLS: News that reflects life,
BLOKES: Bill Clinton’s sex life,
ALL: Satire that puts the world to right;

CLIMAX 2

ALL: Broadway tomorrow,
News Revue, News Revue, News Revue, News Revue, News Revue..Tonight!!

Finally, the sixth and final revision, a version for Edinburgh 1997:

NEWS REVUE TONIGHT – EDINBURGH 1997 VERSION
(To the Tune of “Comedy Tonight”)

VERSE 1

BLAIR: Someone familiar,
PAISLEY: Someone peculiar,
ALL: Weirdoes from everywhere at News Revue tonight;
LABOUR: New Labour morals,
TORY: Old Tory quarrels,
ALL: No party whipping here at News Review tonight.

MIDDLE EIGHT 1

GIRLS: Nothing that brings share options down,
BLOKES: Take off Ken Clarke bring in Gordon Brown.
GIRLS: Old exploitations,
BLOKES: New corporations,
ALL: Something to make the boss contrite;

CLIMAX 1

ALL: Edinburgh tomorrow,
News Revue tonight.

VERSE 2

GIRLS: War in Tirana,
BLOKES: Canaan Banana,
ALL: Globe trotting everywhere at News Revue tonight;
BLOKES: Congo’s solution,
GIRLS: Scot’s devolution,
ALL: Side splitting everywhere at News Revue tonight.

MIDDLE EIGHT 2

GIRLS: MP’s we chase, much like fox hunts,
BLOKES: Jack Straw and Gordon Brown are……;
GIRLS: …….at lunch;
GIRLS: News that reflects life,
BLOKES: Camilla’s sex life,
ALL: Satire that puts the world to right;

CLIMAX 2

ALL: Royal Mile tomorrow,
News Revue, News Revue, News Revue, News Revue, News Revue..Tonight!!

Submission To Aiden Tierney Re NewsRevue, 29 June 1997

Aiden Tierney
News Revue
(London WC1 Address Redacted)

LIST OF SONGS SUBMITTED AND TAPE TRACK LISTING
EDINBURGH 1997 RUN

Dear Aiden

Welcome back to News Revue!! It was good to get your message the other day. As you requested, here is a starter pack which consists of my latest songs plus some older ones which have longevity or are still topical.

Feel free to give me a call on (0171) 243-0725 if you want anything else or want a rewrite or two. Good luck and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Ian Harris

Song Title
Original Title/
Artist on Tape Approx.. No. of weeks performed
7+ 4-6 1-3 New
side 1
labour medley world war two songs by ghastly soldiers 7+
david hellfgott in concert all by myself / eric carmen 4-6
jack straw my name is jack / manfred mann N
gordon brown golden brown / stranglers 4-6
when you fall out when you’re in love / dr hook 4-6
me and paula jones me and mrs jones N
maggie might maggie may N
ffion rave on / buddy holly 1-3
julio down by the seaside julio down by the school yard / paul simon N
side 2
the shit of araby the sheik of araby / spike jones 7+
plagiarise walk on by / dionne warwick 4-6
my cherie earns more my cherie amour / stevie wonder 4-6
taliban carrie anne / hollies N

You, Me & Julio Down By The Seaside, NewsRevue Lyric, 24 June 1997

This was an attempt at a perennial silly summer holiday song for NewsRevue. I’m not sure it works, despite a few good lines. I’m pretty sure it didn’t get used in NewsRevue.

YOU ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SEASIDE
(To the Tune of “You Me And Julio Down By The School Yard”)

 

VERSE 1 – BOTH

We’re Sharon and Tracy, plan to get away,
Want to fly to the Costa Brava;
Gary got sloshed, so we borrowed his dosh,
Which started the whole ffff palaver.
It’s not against the law,
It’s not against the law,
A bit of fun and more,
That’s what we came ‘ere for.

VERSE 2

SHAZZA: Julio waits in the “Cafe Ole”,
So we ordered his huge paella,
TRACE: Shazza got laid, while muggings here paid,
And got a bleedin’ dose of salmonella
We’re well on our way,
We don’t know where we’re staying,
We’re well on our way,
We’ll ‘ave some fun while we sort it out;
Goodbye to Gary and Wayne back in Essex,
It’s you, me and Julio down by the seaside;
Screw you, me and Julio down by the seaside.

VERSE 3

In a couple of days, coppers took us away,
And the Spanish cells are not well nice;
The judge looked delighted when he had us extradited,
We was all over El Pais;
(TRACE: You was all over the bleedin police ‘n’ all
SHAZZA: Shut up you fat slag. You can bleedin’ talk)
We’re well on our way,
We’re flying back to England,
We’re well on our way,
Hopin’ Gary and Wayne don’t mind;
Goodbye to Julio and his Tapas on the ‘ouse
(SHAZZA: Tap us on the arse – ha ha
TRACE: Shut up you fat slag),
You, me, Wayne and Gary down home in Southend,
You, me, Wayne and Gary sloshed down in Southend,
Shaz, Trace, Wayne and Gary sloshed down in Southend – Ole.

Below is the official Paul Simon video of Me And Julio Down By the Schoolyard which I’d never seen before and is well worth the three minutes investment required.

Click here for the lyrics to Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard.

Ffion, Newsrevue Lyric, 23 June 1997

The suggestion, back in 1997 when William Hague, the then Tory leader, married Ffion Jenkins, was that this was a marriage of convenience.

Writing more than 20 years later, in May 2019, it appears either that the chatterati were mistaken or that it remains convenient.

Anyway, my lyric below was in the show for some while, until someone else came along (was it Debbie Barham? John Random? Noel Christopher?  Other?) and wrote a wonderful version of Wimoweh – “Ffion Sleeps Tonight”, inferring even less subtly than my lyric below that there was little intimacy between William and Ffion.

FFION
(To the Tune of “Rave On”)

 

CHORUS 1 – OTHER FEMALE

We-e-e-e-e-ll the little bitch dates William Hague,
I’d sooner have bubonic plague,
F-Ffion,
A crazy moniker,
I’d need,
A gin and tonic or
Prozac,
To get laid,
F-F-Ffion with him.

CHORUS 2 – FFION

The way he dances on the floor,
You’d think he’s pushing eighty four;
F-F-F-Ffion,
I’m William’s totty,
And folk say,
I must be potty,
He’s like,
A three pound note,
Straight as a claw.

MIDDLE EIGHT

F-F-F-F-FFion,
A crazy party,
Votes in,
Her bloke, a smarty,
Pants who,
Takes a tarty,
To look cool.

OUTRO

F-F-F-F-F-FFion
He’s like a willow,
Hague would
Prefer Portillo
Than spend,
A night with you,
F-F-F-F-F-F-F-FFion, you knew,
F-F-F-F-F-F-F-F-FFion, true blue.

Below is a video of Rave On by Buddy Holly with lyrics on the screen.

When You Fall Out With That Widdicombe Woman, Newsrevue Lyric, 28 May 1997

Ann Widdicombe was a high-profile Tory MP back in the 1990s. She did not get on well with the then home secretary and aspiring Tory leader, Michael Howard, if this lyric is to be understood. Writing this up in 2019, she is back in the news as a very Brexity person. 

WHEN YOU FALL OUT WITH THAT WIDDICOMBE WOMAN
(To the Tune of “When You’re In Love With a Beautiful Woman”)

VERSE 1 – MICHAEL HOWARD

When you fall out with that Widdicombe woman, its hard,
When you fall out with that Widdicombe woman, you know it’s hard,
(WIDDICOMBE AS CHORUS: your job is hard, but your knob’s not hard);
Everybody boos me,
No-one will choose me,
Nobody wants me for the top Tory post.

VERSE 2 – HOWARD

When you fall out with that Widdicombe woman, watch your friends,
(WIDDICOMBE AS CHORUS: what’s a friend, you’ve never had a friend);
When you fall out with that Widdicombe woman, it never ends,
(WIDDICOMBE CHORUS: this bloke’s the end, it’s known as Howard’s end);
She says I faked it,
Screwed up at Parkhurst,
{Everybody hangs up when I call on the phone},
{WIDDICOMBE: everybody hangs up when he calls on the phone};
When you hang out with that ghastly old woman, you go it alone.

MIDDLE EIGHT – HOWARD WITH MINY HOWID VOWILS

Maybe its just a legal problem,
People might still rally round my flag;
But they’re fair weather friends,
I’m a faint hearted candidate,
And every time she speaks out,
I want to kill that old bag.

VERSE 3 – WIDDICOMBE

When I speak out on that Parkhurst fiasco, watch his eyes,
(HOWARD: better watch my eyes, don’t want to catch her eye);
When he reposts on that Parkhurst fiasco, you should be looking for lies,
(HOWARD: I never tell a lie, I might save the odd truth for a rainy day);
You know that he’s crazy,
You cannot trust him,
BOTH: There is something of the night in this jerk,

(HOWARD: (aside) That’s why they call her Doris Karloff)

BOTH: Since we fell out with the people of Britain, we’re both out of work.

Below is a video of Dr Hook singing When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman with the lyrics on the screen:

Maggie Might, NewsRevue Lyric, 27 May 1997

Soon after Tony Blair became Prime Minister, news broke of him having “secret” meetings with Mrs Thatcher. This lyric for NewsRevue examined the possibilities around such meetings. I’m not sure whether or not it was used. I don’t recall seeing it performed.

MAGGIE MIGHT
(To the Tune of “Maggie May”)

VERSE 1 – BLAIR

Come back Maggie, I think I’ve got something to say to you,
We’re deep in Europe and about to join the EMU;
I’ve got a summer of summits this year, and still have no idea,
Oh Maggie, I can’t stand Leon Brittan’s face.

MIDDLE EIGHT 1 – BLAIR

You led us away from home, you’ve even read The Treaty of Rome,
You sold us out and that’s what really hurts.

VERSE 2 – THATCH/BLAIR

THATCH: All you need now is a mum to lend a helping hand,
THATCH: That damned fool Major did the same with old Jim Callaghan;
BLAIR: I laughed at all of your jokes, like your Tory Cabinet blokes;
THATCH: Those sleaze bags have all gone without a trace.

MIDDLE EIGHT 2 – BLAIR

You led us for donkey’s years, you might allay the worst of my fears,
The Germans think the EMU is world war three;

VERSE 3 – THATCH/BLAIR

THATCH: You should give that ghasty Kohl a mighty gagging,
THATCH: Take me with you and I’ll give Helmut a handbagging;
BLAIR: I’ve listened to the words that you’ve said, think I’d sooner stay at home in bed;
BLAIR: Oh Maggie, I wish I’d never won this job.

MIDDLE EIGHT 3 – BLAIR/THATCH

BLAIR: You’ve made a first class fool out of me,
THATCH: That job was pitifully easy,
BLAIR: Our secret meeting was on every damned front page;
THATCH: You’ve made me look like a prize bender,
THATCH: James Goldsmith’s livid back in his hacienda,
BLAIR: Mandelson and Tony Benn are in a rage.

OUTRO (as they exit)

BLAIR: Same time next week, then, Maggie?
THATCH: Certainly. It was great fun. I’ll bring the whips and amyl nitrate next time.

Below is a video of Rod Stewart singing Maggie May – click here to find the lyriics in the notes below the vid.

That’s Feng-Shui, NewsRevue Lyric, 28 May 1997

I very much regret that no-one saw fit to give this lyric a go in NewsRevue. I know it isn’t exactly topical but feng-shui was all the rage that year.

I probably should have written the lyric with a particular type of plant pointing in a particular direction on my desk. My bad.

THAT’S FENG-SHUI
(To the Tune of “Whip Crack Away”)

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The phrase “Feng-Shui” is pronounced “Feng-shoe-way” (really)
OTHER IMPORTANT NOTICE: This song should only be sung facing North with the stage door at 45 degrees from the nearest staircase

VERSE 1

Well the Feng-Shui craze is at it all over the place,
That ancestor energy thing from the Chinese race;
Replace your bed,
And paint your lounge red;
That’s Feng-Shui, that’s Feng-Shui, that’s Feng-Shui.

VERSE 2

Yes the Californians love Feng-Shui’s appliance,
It makes Scientology seem like pure science;
Replace your floor,
And move your front door,
That’s Feng-Shui, that’s Feng-Shui, that’s Feng-Shui.

MIDDLE EIGHT

The Chinese are inclined,
To divine,
Where you need a fish tank;
In Hong Kong China lurks,
While the British –
Bank (or wank, take your pick)

VERSE 3

Yes, the Feng-Shui craze is rampant all over the hills,
Even Downing Street should really be rebuilt,
Relight your halls,
With spherical balls;
That’s Feng-Shui, that’s Feng-Shui, that’s Feng-Shui.

This craze is all,
Such spherical balls;
That’s Feng-Shui, that’s Feng-Shui, that’s Feng-Shui.
Crap Feng-Shui!!

Below is Doris Day singing The Deadwood Stage (Whip Crack Away):

Click here to see the lyrics of The Deadwood Stage (Whip Crack Away).

Me And Paula Jones, NewsRevue Lyric, 28 May 1997

This one ran and ran in NewsRevue in the summer of 1997. My log shows that I wrote it in late May.

John Random sent me a note recently (July 2017) mentioning a visit to the show in August 1997 and this lyric, so it felt timely to place this one in cyberspace asap.

Slow numbers don’t often work in NewsRevue, but this one was a surefire winner.

ME AND PAULA JONES
(A solo for Bill Clinton to the Tune of “Me and Mrs Jones”)

VERSE 1

Me and Paula Jones,
We had a thing going on;
I know right from wrong, but I took my dong,
And let it show now.
I showed Paula my mark,
In the trailer park;
(My troopers), my troopers made sure she’d be there;
Holding hands, shaking my growing glands,
As those troopers helped me service my shlong.

VERSE 2

Me-ee a-and Paula, Paula Jones (Paula Jones, Paula Jones, Paula Jones)
We’ve got a case going on;
We both know that it’s long, but she claims I’m wrong,
When I let it show now.
I’ve now gotta be extra careful,
I can’t afford to get my bone up too high,
Cos she has her own litigation,
And so, and so do I

VERSE 3

Me-ee a-and Paula, Paula Jones (Paula Jones, Paula Jones, Paula Jones)
We’ve got a case going on;
We both know that it’s strong, but it’s much too long,
To let it go now.
Now it’s time for us to be courting,
The Supreme Court, the Supreme Court inside;
Now she’ll brief her silk and I’ll brief mine,
Tomorrow we’ll meet, the same court the same time

OUTRO

Me-ee a-and Paula, Paula Jones (Paula Jones, Paula Jones, Paula Jones)
We’ve got a thing going on;
Sax solo voters – I’ve always been extra partial to playing with my sax

(Bill wanders off, playing his sax)

Here is the original video of Billy Paul singing Me and Mrs Jones, which is absolutely cracking! So 1970’s; the fag hanging out of Billy Paul’s mouth is massively symbolic. In any case, although the song has now been so overplayed as to seem a cliché, in truth I still think it is a fabulous song: