Hello Charles, hello James

How are you today?

Here is a tidy sum

That I would like to pay

You may call it a token

Of my high esteem

Not a spurious backhander

In some illicit scheme

Then arise, arise Sir John

Our Knight of the Cleaver

In honour of your service

As a fortune weaver

Though I have got my fingers

In many a pork pie

You will hear the truth of it

For I cannot tell a lie

So let’s get to the meat of it

I’m quite the entrepreneur

I shit gold for breakfast

How I wish you could be there

We’ve had our eye on you

You’ve made us a believer

We’ll put our faith in you

As a fortune weaver

Here’s tender from my cattle

And profit from my coal

No beast nor man has suffered

In payment of the toll

This pile is from my properties

And you will understand

None of the rents collected

Were done so underhand

We’ve watched you rise to Mayor

You are a great conceiver

In turning all to gold

As a fortune weaver

I’ve been accused of heavy-handedness 

On mortgages and loans

But I would never see poor families

Evicted from their homes

I’m simply a philanthropist

Trying to do his best

To support the aged, the widowed

The poor and the oppressed

We see not the shady face

Of a bold deceiver

Just the gentle honest grace

Of a fortune weaver

So rise again as Baronet

Oh mighty high achiever

In further honour of your skill

As a fortune weaver

(Gary Miller)

© 2019 Whippet Records

Copyright Control MCPS/PRS

This song was commissioned and specially-written for the upcoming project 'The Butcher Baronet', in collaboration with Lone Pine Pictures, about the 17th Century Durham City historical figure John Duck.

Other songs and tunes from this project include : -

'The Beer Token'

'Behind the Wall'

'The Butcher Baronet'

'Ca' Hawkie'

'Cast Out'

'City of Dreams'

'Cloak and Hood'

'Duck's Overture'

'Dunholm'

'Elementary (Turn Turn Again)'

'Flesh and Bone'

'Go Away!'

'Golden Journey: Through Air / Over Water / To Earth / On Fire'

'Here's to You, John Duck!'

'Hold on'

'John's Jacobus (Inscription)'

'Merrily Danced The Butcher's Wife'

'My Butcher Boy'

'Now I Dream'

'Old Duck's Main'

'Old Duck's Rant'

'Rolling on (A Hymn for John and Ann)'

'Shiny Thing'

'Top of the Hill'

'We Don't Talk About Him 'Round Here'