|
| album: |
Black Sea |
 |
| year: |
1980 |
| written
by: |
Andy Partridge |
| length: |
5 minutes 23 seconds |
Towers of London
Towers of London
when they had built you
did you watch over the men who fell?
Towers of London
when they had built you
 Victoria's
gem found in somebody's hell
Pavements of gold leading to the underground
Grenadier Guardsmen walking pretty ladies around
Fog is the sweat of the never never navvies
who pound
spikes in the rails to their very own heaven
Bridges of muscles spanning so long and high
Merchants from Stepney walking pretty ladies
by
Rain is the tears of the never never navvies
who cry
for the bridge that doesn't go in the direction of Dublin
—And I've seen it in a painting
—And I've seen it in engraving
—And I've seen it in their faces
Clear as children's chalk lines on the paving
Towers of London
la la Londinium.
London Tower
London Tower (the Tower of London) is actually comprised of several
buildings and towers, including White Tower, Raven's Lodging, Jewel
House and Bloody Tower to name a few. White Tower was the first
tower built in the compound; its construction, commissioned by King
William I, began in 1078. There are many stories surrounding the
buildings and grounds of London Tower and it figures prominently
in most of England's folklore. [ Camelot
Village: Britain's History and Heritage ]
Victoria
Queen Victoria reigned over Great Britain and Ireland throughout
the Industrial Revolution, 1837-1901. Victoria was a strong-willed
and well-respected monarch, who stayed abreast of political ongoings,
while she worked with her husband Albert to further Britain's arts
and sciences. [ Britannia.com
- British Monarchs: Victoria ]
Victoria's Gem
The Tower of London houses the Crown Jewels. [ Camelot
Village: Tower of London - The Crown Jewels ]
Grenadier Guardsmen
The Grenadier Guardsmen were one of five "Royal Regiments of
Guards" established by King Charles during his exile in Spain
during the mid-1600s while Oliver Cromwell presided over Britain.
Formed in Burges in 1654, Grenadier Guardsmen fought in alliance
with Spanish forces to help restore the exiled monarch to the throne
of England. The regiment was bestowed the title "The First
or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards" after the Battle of Waterloo
in 1815. (This title is shortened to "Grenadier Guards.")
A grenadier is a French foot soldier who job it is to lob grenades
at the opposing forces. [ The
Grenadier Guards website ]
Navvy (Navvies)
Navvy is a bastardized version of the word navigator, a canal
construction worker. The word dates from about 1834, the Industrial
Revolution, so it shouldn't be too surprising that it was also adapted
to refer to railway workers (see the line: "navvies who pound
spikes in the rails") and eventually any construction laborer.
Navvy has the connotation of meaning "unskilled worker"
and is sometimes used in Britain as a derisive term for Irish laborers
(see the line: "navvies who cry for the bridge that doesn't
go in the direction of Dublin"). [ World
Wide Words - Q&A: Navvy ]
Stepney
Stepney is a Tower Hamlet in London. On the western border of this
is the area stands theTower of London. The Tower Bridge is situated
a short ways away as is St. Katherine's dock — home to many
tea merchants and importers during the 18th century. [ Discover
Tower Hamlets: Area Guide: Stepney and Wapping ]
Children's chalk lines on
the paving
Some children draw with chalk on pavement. I know I did when I was
a kid — on sidewalks, driveways, streets. Chalk lines on the
pavement also alludes to the outlines police often draw around a
dead body to mark its position. I'm not sure if this might be related,
but during the Industrial Revolution, child labor was cheap and
plentiful. Children were prized workers because their small hands
and bodies could fit in places where adults couldn't. Many families
lost children due to industrial accidents.
Londinium
The ancient Roman name for the city of London. "Londinium"
is Celtic in origin, not Latin, and is possibly in reference to
a farm that once stood on the site of the city. [ Britannia.com
- London History from the Romans to the 20th Century ]
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