I was reminded of this song when we gathered for an Ivan Shakespeare Memorial Dinner on 2 March 2017.
Ultimate Love and Happy Tories, Ivan Shakespeare Memorial Dinner, Café Rouge Holborn, 3 March 2017
Mark Keagan was there and it naturally came up in discussion that his father-in-law, David Waddington, passed away last week.
I mentioned that I had mentioned Waddington in one of my early NewsRevue songs. We all agreed that the song might come in handy for Mark and the family over the next few weeks (well you never know). In any case I should Ogblog it pronto for the NewsRevue alumni of our era.
I’m pretty sure this song was used in a couple of runs at that time; the aftermath of the 1992 election.
HAPPY TORIES (To the tune of “Happy Talk”) – tweaked 2 July 1992
CHORUS 1
Happy Tories, Tories, seeking work,
Jobs for the boys you’d like to do;
You’ve got to have a seat, if you don’t have a seat,
You may have to govern Timbucktoo.
VERSE 1
Talk about a Lord, David Waddington, his sentences for death could not be cruder,
He saw a hot place, where they still can hang, now he’s Governor out in Bermuda.
CHORUS 2
Happy Tories, Tories, seeking work,
Jobs for the boys you’d like to do;
You’ve got to have a seat, if you don’t have a seat,
We can find an island just for you.
VERSE 2
Talk about a girl, Thatcher was her name {girl?}, sacked as PM, now a Baroness,
She will not shut up, she is still a pain, now the Tories want her even less.
CHORUS 3
Happy Tories, Tories, seeking work,
Jobs for the boys you’d like to do;
You’ve got to have a seat, if you don’t have a seat,
You can have a sinecure or two.
VERSE 3 (slower – almost weeping on the first line – brightening up for the cushy job)
Talk about a boy, took an early Bath, Chris Patten could end up on the skids,
Stipend from friend John, Governor of Hong Kong, worth a-hundred and fifty thousand quid.
{Various voices choose from the following: “a year”, “tax free”, “plus yacht”, “plus flashy cars” “plus thirty thousand pounds a year expenses” “plus lots of power”}
CHORUS 4
Happy Tories, Tories, seeking work,
Jobs for the boys you’d like to do;
You’ve got to have a seat, if you don’t have a seat,
You may get a mansion in Wah Fu,
So if you’re a Tory, and you cannot win a seat, you may win a fortune in Kowloon.