Preservation: Act 1

Once upon a time
In a faraway land
Lived a villain called flash
He was such a wicked man
He terrorized the people
He broke arms and crushed hands
He ruled with a fist and he purchased all the land

Then he plowed up the fields and cut down the trees
For property speculation
And he did it all for a pot of gold
And for his own preservation

The people were scared
They didn't know where to turn
They couldn't see any salvation
From the hoods and the spivs
And the crooked politicians
Who were cheating and lying to the nation

Save the fields and the trees
And give them back to the nation
Bring the government down
A new leader must be found
For the sake of preservation

He said he did it to help us all
And did it for the good of the nation
But he did it for a pot of gold
And for his own preservation

When money is evil
And power is corrupt
The devil moves in and takes over
Mr. flash broke his word
And now he's got to pay
For his crimes and his lies and his evil ways

And it's gonna get rough
And it's gonna get rough
It's a crime and a sin that no one can win
In a story of self preservation

(sung by the vicar)

Some people say that life is a game, well if this is so
I'd like to know the rules on which this game of life is based.
I know of no game more fitting than the age old game of cricket
It has honour, it has character and it's british.
Now god laid down the rules of life when he wrote those ten commandments
And to cricket those ten same rules shall apply.
Show compassion and self-righteousness and be honest above all
And come to god's call with bat and ball.

Now the devil has a player and he's called the demon bowler,
He's shrewd, he's rude and he's wicked.
He is sent by sinful satan and he's out to take your wicket
And you know that that's not cricket.
He'll baffle you with googlies with leg breaks and offspin
But keep a level head and don't let that demon in.
So keep a straight bat at all times, let the bible be your guide
And you'll get by, yes you'll get by.

All through your life he'll try to bowl you out
Beware the demon bowler.
He's crafty and deceitful and he'll try to l.b.w.,
And bowl a maiden over.
The devil takes the weak in spirit and so we must always be courageous
And remember that god is on your side.
So keep old satan in your sights and play the straight and narrow line
And you'll get by, yes you'll get by.

(sung by chorus)

Daylight over the village green early in the morning.
Daylight over the hills and valleys heralding the morning.
Daylight over the mountains, daylight on the village green,
Daylight over the field and the factories.
Another night has gone away and here comes yet another day.

See the early morning risers walking round with bleary eyes.
Worn out housewives grit their teeth ignoring new born babies' cries.
Look at all the busy people this way, that way, everywhere
Biting toast and swallowing tea and breakfast specials on the air.
Feel that daylight.

Feel the sunlight on my pillow and it stops my yawing.
I thank god that i'm still around to see another dawn in.
Daylight over the valleys, daylight lighting up the trees,
Daylight over the hillside,
Smile a smile and sing a song, another night has been and gone.

Middle-aged bankers crack their backs and wish they were young and in their teens,
Lonely spinsters dream of dating roger moore or steve mcqueen.
Health fanatics in their attics training for the empire games,
School boys dream of captain scarlet, battle ships and aeroplanes.

Feel that daylight, daylight.
Daylight on the village green,
Daylight,
Field and the valleys,
Daylight.

(sung by the tramp)

I'm sitting by the side of a river
Underneath the pale blue sky
I've got no need to worry, i'm in no hurry
I'm looking at the world go by.

Just sitting in the midday sun,
Just soaking up that currant bun,
With no particular purpose or reason
Sitting in the midday sun.

Everybody say i'm lazy
They all tell me get a job you slob,
I'd rather be a hobo walking round with nothing
Than a rich man scared of losing all he's got.

So i'm just sitting in the midday sun
Just soaking up that currant bun,
Why should i have to give my reasons
For sitting in the midday sun

Oh look at all the ladies
Looking their best in their summer dresses,
Oh sitting in the sun.
I've got no home,
I've got no money
But who needs a job when it's sunny. wah wah.

I haven't got a steady occupation
And i can't afford a telephone.
I haven't got a stereo, radio or video
A mortgage, overdraft, a bank loan.

The only way that i can get my fun
Is by sitting in the midday sun
With no particular purpose or reason
Sitting in the midday sun.

Oh listen to the people,
Say i'm a failure and i've got nothing,
Ah but if they would only see
I've got my pride,
I've got no money,
But who needs a job when it's sunny. wah wah.

Everybody thinks i'm crazy,
And everybody says i'm dumb,
But when i see the people shouting at each other
I'd rather be an out of work bum.

So i'm just sitting in the midday sun
Just soaking up that currant bun,
With no particular purpose or reason
Sitting in the midday sun.

(sung by chorus)

We are sick and tired
Of being promised this and that.
We work all day, we sweat and slave
To keep the wealthy fat.
They fill our heads with promises
And bamboozle us with facts,
Then they put on false sincerity
Then they laugh behind our backs.

1st chorus
Money and corruption
Are ruining the land
Crooked politicians
Betray the working man,
Pocketing the profits
And treating us like sheep,
And we're tired of hearing promises
That we know they'll never keep.

Money and corruption
(etc. repeat 1st chorus above)

Promises, promises, all we get are promises.
Show us a man who'll understand us, guide us and lead us.

We are sick and tired
Of having to ask them cap in hand
We crawl on the floor
We beg for more,
But still we are ignored.
We're tired of being herded
Like a mindless flock of sheep
And we're tired of hearing promises
That we know they'll never keep.

1st chorus
Money and corruption
Are ruining the land
Crooked politicians
Betray the working man,
Pocketing the profits
And treating us like sheep,
And we're tired of hearing promises
We know they'll never keep.

We've got to stand together
Every woman, every man,
Because money and corruption are ruining the land.
Show us a man who'll be our saviour and will lead us.
Show us a man who'll understand us, guide us and lead us.
Show us a man.
Workers of the nation unite.
Workers of the nation unite.
(mr. black sings)

I visualise a day when people will be free
And we'll be living in a new society.
No class distinction, no slums or poverty
I have a vision of a new society.
And every home will have a stereo and tv,
A deep freeze, quadrasonic and a washing machine.
So workers of the nation unite.

I am your man
I'll work out a five-year plan
So vote for me brothers
And i will save this land
And we will nationalise the wealthy companies
And all the directors will be answerable to me,
There'll be no shirking of responsibilities
So people of the nation unite.

Union man i'll work with you hand in hand
For we're all brothers to our union man.
I am your man,
Oh god how i love this land,
So join together save the fatherland.

I visualize a day when people will be free
And we'll be living in a new society.
No class distinction, no slums or poverty,
So workers of the nation unite,
Workers of the nation unite,
People of the nation unite.

(sung by johnny thunder and chorus)

See johnny thunder sitting on his motorbike
Riding along the highway,
Rock and roll songs from the nineteen-fifties
Buzzing around in his brain.
Johnny thunder he's one of the original bebop generation
And he's got no time for complicated music or too much sophistication.

He's one of the survivors,
The motorbike riders.
You ought to see johnny thunder riding down the highway
One of the rock and roll survivors,
Twelve bars flowing through his brain.
He digs jerry lee lewis, dion and the belmonts,
And johnny & the hurricanes.

He plays hound dog, oh boy, and great balls of fire
And boppin' at the high school hop.
And he's got no time for phonies or posers
'cos they don't know how to reel and rock.
And he plays little egypt and ooh poo pah doo,
And he plays poison ivy and blue suede shoes,
The hollywood argyles, danny & the juniors,
Dion & the belmonts, johnny & the hurricanes.

He's one of the survivors,
The boppers and the jivers,
Yeah and he rocks all day.
Johnny & the hurricanes, johnny & the hurricanes.

Got my freedom riding along the freeway.
I ride a hundred miles an hour but i don't mess up my d.a.
Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock 'n' roll.
You can't stop rock 'n' rollin' music play.
(repeat last two lines)

Feel those vibrations flow in my brain.
Got my freedom riding down the highway,
Keeps me sane, feel alive,
I'm one of the survivors.

Feel all right.
First gear, second gear, third gear, fourth gear, all right.
Old johnny thunder looks a little overweight,
And his sideburns are turning grey.
But he still likes to bebop, boogie and jive
To his worn out seventy-eights.
Johnny thunder.
He's alright.
He's one of the survivors,
Twelve bars flowing through his brain,
Jerry lee lewis, dion & the belmonts,
Johnny & the hurricanes, johnny & the hurricanes.