London Town
Date: 11/03
Jon confesses, “This is not a song I was terribly keen on until Paul Sartin turned it into Bellowhead’s biggest rabble rouser – so I have learnt to love it. I do prefer this slightly different version of the melody (the one Bellamy uses) for singing it unaccompanied.” Mainly Norfolk covers Bellamy to Bellowhead via Tony Rose and the various sleeve notes make interesting reading. It is of course an essential staple of Bellowhead live and as it’s in London I see them play, has a particularly rambunctious and lively reception. As Bellamy points out, there are several songs on this theme with either party ripping the other off. I guess the sense of “Up to the rigs, down to the jigs…” means wise to the tricks and rather than the apparent innocent abroad, quite capable of acting out your own scam. It’s interesting to hear this shorn of Bellowhead’s power and pace, it somehow makes the dirty deeds sound all the more calculated, although I can’t wait for Shepherd’s Bush and the chance to bellow along.