Steve Wallis’ musical poem:
My Life (part 1)
Inspired by I Walk The Earth – Voice of the Beehive, Imagine – John Lennon, The Men Below – Latin Quarter, Walk Of Life – Dire Straits, I Want To Know What Love Is – Foreigner, 500 Miles – The Proclaimers, All At Once – Whitney Houston, Disco 2000 – Pulp, Going Down To Liverpool – Katrina & the Waves/The Bangles, Molly Malone (Cockles And Mussels) – Traditional, Beautiful Stranger – Madonna, Borderline – Chris de Burgh, Whatsername – Green Day, Your Latest Trick – Dire Straits, One More Night – Phil Collins, Too Good To Be Forgotten – Amazulu/Galaxia, Walking On Sunshine – Katrina & the Waves, Sun Street – Katrina & the Waves, Last Night I Heard The Screaming – Tracy Chapman and What’s the Story, Morning Glory – Oasis
Written by Steve Wallis
This poem was originally known as I Walk The Earth (Version 2, 21/3/2007)
Dedicated to Paula Mitchell, Naomi Byron, Susan (a revolutionary socialist from Dublin), Sinéad Daly, Whatsername (a Polish anti-racist), Dorotca (a Polish woman who was a lodger of my former best friend Julian Beard), Morag Allen, Cath Bann and Sonya Qureshi
Imagine having to fight
To work two miles down from the air and the light!
And imagine having to plead
That a job that can kill you is a job that you need!
Imagine!
And who knows what we all owe
To the boys in the dust, to the men below!
And who knows what we all owe
To the boys in the dust, to the men below!
During the miners’ strike, there was a slogan: “Coal not dole!”
But I didn’t think they would win – so instead I did the Bogle Stroll!
At university I did that 55-mile sponsored walk;
With many beautiful people, I did talk.
As I walked, I listened to many songs
And to some of them I just had to sing along:
I did the walk!
I did the walk of life!
There was a great song by a band called Foreigner
That was very apt for me as I could hardly have been lonelier!
I sang:
Can’t stop now
I’ve travelled so far
To change this lonely life.
I want to know what love is!
I want you to show me!
I want to feel what love is!
Why can’t you show me?
On the first attempt, I got half way, to Chorley
Before my knee gave way – I didn’t do poorly.
The second time, I just about did 40 miles
Before my knee gave in again amongst groans and smiles.
The third time, I did walk 55 miles!
And the following year, I did walk 55 more!
Yes, I did walk the full 55 miles!
Before collapsing at my door!
CHORUS:
I walk the Earth, oh earthlings
This is my home
I visit you, my darlings
Loving while I roam
At many demos, workers, unemployed people and students shouted:
Maggie! Maggie! Maggie! Out! Out! Out!
But could we oust the Iron Lady?
When the poll tax came along, I had no doubt!
She took the working class and much of the middle class on all at once!
All at once,
She finally took on all of us and I realised that
The working class could now fight back
And very soon we beat her all at once!
I once had a best friend called Jules;
With his hypnotic voice he took us for fools!
One day he introduced me to a friend of his from UCL
I now think that he’d tried to make her life hell
And when we came round to call
She had anti-poll tax stickers on her wall.
Compared to her, I was very tall
And in love with her, I had to fall!
Her name was Paula;
I was too nervous to call her!
I joined Militant before her.
Oh, I really did adore her!
All at once,
I drifted on a lonely sea
Hoping Paula would go out with me!
And failure hurt me more than you know,
So much more than it showed,
All at once.
Later on, when Paula departed
For London, I was broken-hearted.
She became a full-timer for all London branches of the Socialist Party;
Her role is too important to move to Glasgow to be with me!
CHORUS
Hey now!
Where were they going with their UB40s in their hands!
Hey now!
They were going down to Liverpool to do nothing
All the days of their lives!
Unemployment was very bad in Liverpool
But it started getting better during Militant’s rule.
Militant had an MP called Terry Fields;
When called upon to pay his poll tax, he refused to yield!
He was given a prison sentence of 60 days.
As we marched to Walton Jail, we chanted, “Can’t pay! Won’t pay!”
The poll tax was unjust and unfair
But the campaign was nearly wrecked by a riot in Trafalgar Square.
The Tories tried to portray us all as violent thugs
But those who advocated rioting were either big business infiltrators or complete mugs!
There was later a march from Glasgow, Liverpool and South Wales
To London involving around 50 males and females.
There were many demos, meetings and social events on the way;
The People’s March ensured that people would still refuse to pay.
I was one of those who marched from Liverpool
And I met a young woman called Naomi who was no fool!
She had joined Militant at about the same time as me;
We realised that the Tendency could enable the masses to become free!
I gained confidence at chatting to women and talking politics
And between Naomi and me there was a definite spark of magic!
I also gained confidence at public speaking
But I didn’t find the love that I was seeking!
There was a young man who tagged along with us; I think he was called Paul;
He had a girlfriend, but despite that, a relationship with Naomi blossomed – he sure had the gall
To win Naomi’s heart; mine was in a mess!
I was overcome with jealousy and sadness!
Naomi is now a finance organiser for the Socialist Party.
I doubt she will come to Glasgow to be with me!
CHORUS
Militant, now called the Socialist Party, is linked to other organisations across the world via the CWI;
These organisations have similar views, although the best members think for themselves and don’t always see eye-to-eye.
The CWI set up Youth Against Racism in Europe to defeat the far right
And at a YRE camp in Germany, two Irish youth full-timers set my heart alight!
From Dublin’s fair city,
Where the girls are so pretty,
Came two sweet young women called Susan and Sinéad.
When they chatted me up around a campfire I thought I’d got it made!
But I bottled it when they suggested a game of spin-the-bottle;
My heart was pounding at full throttle!
A fascist had been spotted with a Kalashnikov in a field
So we took turns to guard the camp at night and needed to keep our eyes peeled!
I had some romantic chats with a woman on guard duty with me
And there was a stunning young Polish woman I only chatted to briefly!
I fell in love with a beautiful stranger!
I was too shy to look into her eyes;
My heart was dancing all over the place.
To see her was to love her!
I didn't take my chance with a beautiful stranger!
I was going round the camp urging people to go to a CWI meeting;
I wanted to chat for longer but the discussion had to be fleeting!
I remember thinking: I hear my party calling but I want to be with you!
We’ll create a world with no borderline!
If we fail, there’ll be no one alive!
I can remember the time but I don’t know her name!
If I only knew where whatsername has been – and where she is now!
I’d invite her to Glasgow to be with me!
CHORUS
There was a big debate within the CWI and the Socialist Party
About whether Scottish Militant Labour should set up the SSP.
The Scottish Socialist Party now has four members of the Scottish parliament
The Socialist Party and CWI leaders said that reformists would become dominant.
A big debate took place at the 1998 European School of the CWI.
I realised then that many within the Socialist Party are spies
Who have infiltrated the organisation to try to destroy it from within.
I now know that socialist organisations infiltrate too so big business will not win!
In my speech, I talked about prospects for a revival of left reformism;
I argued that few people now think that gradual changes can lead to socialism.
I walked the Belgian streets since I could not sleep, the night before my speech.
As I walked, I contemplated how best the audience I could reach.
I realised the impact I could have on history!
But I ran out of time when making my speech, and with the Chair, acted out a comedy!
I had a tussle with him over the microphone;
When I thought I’d blown it, I felt so alone!
But I later went round people I already knew
Reassuring them that I wasn’t mad – I didn’t have a loose screw!
And it seemed to do the trick
My latest trick!
In that conference in Belgium, I did more than take part;
I was also looking for love because I have a heart!
And I met Susan and Sinéad once again.
My heart was unsatisfied once more but I was enjoying myself too much to feel the pain!
I won a raffle those two Irish women organised
And I shared the prizes; to be greedy would be to be despised!
I’ve had a lot of luck over the years at such lotteries.
Sinéad now lives in Glasgow but I don’t want her to be with me!
CHORUS
At the 1998 European School of the CWI, I became a big factor in world politics!
So conspiratorial organisations on the side of big business had to resort to dirty tricks!
I had arranged to stay at Jules’ flat on my way home;
Jules was not there that night so with his Polish lodger Dorotca I was alone.
He had set me up on a blind date with her one earlier day;
We were attracted to each other but on that occasion ran out of things to say.
However, when I got back from Belgium I had a good chat with Dorotca;
I can’t remember what we talked about but I know I really fancied her!
At night, I wrote down some ideas about setting up a counter-network to spies I assumed were in MI5;
I realised later that many such counter-networks already exist – if that was not the case, I would not even be alive!
I left my notes in my rucksack and after a golf (pitch-and-putt) game
The rucksack was in a neater state – for being freaked out, Dorotca I didn’t blame.
She was a lovely woman and on the side of the masses.
In those days, I didn’t know how to make successful passes!
But I could tell instinctively that we loved each other
And rather more than a son feels for his mother!
I planned to outwit my enemies by pretending to be going to Manchester but really travel to Glasgow;
I wanted to continue to help the Scots and that was the best city where I could go.
But at the tube station I noticed I was being followed,
So I followed my instincts, from which my consciousness flowed
And I phoned Morag and John of the Socialist Party in Manchester;
Morag was the one I most trusted, so I planned to set up the counter-network with her.
Morag Allen was the Manchester/Lancashire regional secretary.
Of thrusting “The Socialist” in people’s faces, she was very wary!
Instead she actually talked to people before trying to sell the paper
And even said what was bad as well as what was good in it – good for her!
When I tried to phone them, their answering machine came on;
Then there was an audible click on the line so I didn’t think my message would get through to Morag and John.
They told me later that they had received it.
By the way, Morag was really fit!
I hastily decided to go on an underground train,
Where I felt a judder in my ankle – very mild, no pain!
I thought it was a bomb and had to think quickly;
I remembered Marge Piercy’s book “Vida” that a lodger of mine called Dylan had given me.
Inspired by that book, I used my brain!
I worked up to a dramatic appeal to people on the train.
I said that they may have heard of assassinations of people like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and JFK;
It happens too in this country; “I’m not as important as them,” I heard myself say!
I said that if they heard of a tube, train or coach crash
Then let it be known that two people I most suspected were state agents, receiving cash
For wrecking the Socialist Party and the CWI.
To the reputations of Niall Mulholland and Phil Frampton I thought it’d be bye-bye!
After making the situation safe, I planned to go to Glasgow.
However, I phoned Jules first and his hypnotic voice persuaded me not to go
But to stay with him one more night…
Just one more night…
I had received a terrible fright!
Jules took me for a cream tea
And at first he seemed to show sympathy
But then he trapped me in his flat and wouldn’t let me out
Unless I sought psychiatric help, something I mustn’t do I had no doubt,
Because I would be admitting I was mad in Belgium!
He was stronger than me so I was under his thumb!
He phoned our mutual friend Jimmy to help him keep me trapped;
It was nothing short of being kidnapped!
He seemed very keen for me to have a drink;
When I sipped a bit of water, I felt drowsy, I think.
So I locked myself in his bathroom and went on hunger strike!
When the police came, I demanded they set up speakers and a mike.
I refused to come out unless persuaded by certain key members of Scottish Militant Labour.
They couldn’t persuade me to leave one way or another
So they broke the door down and handcuffed me.
I spent a month in a psychiatric ward before I became free.
A while later, I worked up the courage to ask Dorotca out on the phone
But she had a boyfriend by then so I had to remain very much alone.
We don’t have much in common so I don’t want her to move to Glasgow to be with me!
CHORUS
Cath was a woman I met in Manchester one day.
When they said I’d lost my marbles, she had an ace card to play!
She was too good to be forgotten – I’d have loved her by my side today!
Too good to be forgotten – It’s a shame I had to let her get away!
She was too good to be forgotten – What more can I say?
Quite a lot more actually! Listen to the poem “Too Good To Be Forgotten”…
I’ve spent a lot of time in my last nine years locked up as a political prisoner.
In that period, Cath was my greatest collaborator
And I was deeply in love with her,
But then I was so bowled over by an Asian nurse called Sonya
After spending one day with her, I thought I may love her more!
Maybe she was the woman I was waiting my whole life for!
I was already getting good at chatting up women I see;
I told her about a girl at school who fancied me,
But she stank of smoke so I rejected her,
And the name of this girl at school was… Sonya!
I asked her on that day for her email address which she gladly gave
And we danced quite closely together to a song by Katrina and the Waves.
Ow!
Mm yeah!
I used to think maybe Sonya loved me, then baby I was sure!
And I just can’t wait till the day when she knocks on my door!
Now every time I read my email I gotta hold myself down!
Because I just can’t wait till she writes me she’s coming around!
I was walking on sunshine! Woh!
I was walking on sunshine! Woh!
I was walking on sunshine! Woh!
And didn’t it feel good! Hey yeah!
I only had escorted leave from the ward at the time,
But many of my walks were sublime,
Because I was alone in the company of a beautiful woman;
I called them “romantic walks” and they certainly were fun!
We did the walk!
We did the walk of life!
We were walking on a sunny street!
But Sonya played hard to get – she didn’t fall at my feet!
We were usually alone but once Jimmy came along;
My friendship with Sonya was by then very strong.
We went to the house I used to live in, in Moss Side;
When we got there, we saw many police outside,
So I sang lines from a great Tracy Chapman song:
Last night I heard the screaming –
Loud voices from behind the wall.
The police come late
If they come at all.
When Sonya did a night shift we made plans
To visit Australia together – when she messed me around on the internet I thought she’d met another man!
The story of my life!
What’s the story? Why can’t I have morning glory?
I realise now that Sonya was helping me avoid making a dreadful mistake.
Perhaps it was partly because our love for each other was getting too strong and she wanted to apply the brake!
But it was also because I’d have to stop off somewhere unsafe on the way:
Somewhere I didn’t know the language, or the bastion of world capitalism that is the USA!
Could Sonya unlock my broken heart? Can she still supply the key?
I think I’ll email her and ask her to come to Glasgow to be with me!
I have recorded this musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file or in MP3 format.