Long Balconies

G D Am C First day of April 1963, Mother fell in the lap of luxury G D Am C Still tells of the day they handed her the keys, 2nd floor palace the long balconies G D Am C They did a little dealing in the shade, still of the cops & priests they were afraid G D Am C They hung their washing out there on parade, when there was good drying Em G D C Nothing was spared, what they had they shared, they kept their worries to themselves D C They knit the community of the long balconies G D Am C Days they were rough but no one got upset, our little homes immaculately kept G D Am C The accent was flat & of that we were proud but only as much as our poverty allowed G D Am C Woke Sunday morning by a jobless anger after Saturday evening down the Black & Amber G D Am C Two scruffy young’f’llas belting out folk standards, they sang their hearts out Em G D C No-one was scared, what we had we shared, we kept our troubles to ourselves D C We lit the community of the long balconies G D Am C G D Am C G D Am C Whether by flaw or design I suspect, they let our kingdom fall in to neglect G D Am C The promises broke, the second we had voted, they said that they cared but had another motive G D Am C So that the high-tech hadn't far to venture, they need homes beside the city centre G D Am C We watched our neighbours slowly disappear & we cried our eyes out Em G D C We became scared, what we had they shared, they had it sewn up for themselves D C They split the community of the long balconies D C But we had a dream you see in the long balconies D C G To never have to leave, leave the long balconies D Am C leave the long balconies G D Am C G leave the long balconies