When I first came to London I was only sixteen
With a fiver in my pocket and my ole dancing bag
I went down to the dilly to check out the scene
And i soon ended up on the old main drag

There the he-males and the she-males paraded in style
And the old man with the money would flash you a smile
In the dark of an alley you'd work for a fiver
For a swift one off the wrist down on the old main drag

In the cold winter nights the old town it was chill
But there were boys in the cafes who'd give you cheap pills
If you didn't have the money you'd cajole or you'd beg
There was always lots of tuinol on the old main drag

One evening as I was lying down by leicester square
I was picked up by the coppers and kicked in the balls
Between the metal doors at vine street I was beaten and mauled
And they ruined my good looks for the old main drag

In the tube station the old ones who were on the way out
Would dribble and vomit and grovel and shout
And the coppers would come along and push them about
And I wished I could escape from the old main drag

And now I'm lying here I've had too much booze
I've been shat on and spat on and raped and abused
I know that I am dying and I wish I could beg
For some money to take me from the old main drag


Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death, edited by epiwoosh

The Old Main Drag Lyrics as written by Shane Macgowan

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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The Old Main Drag song meanings
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  • +2
    General Comment

    Yes, that's what "off the wrist" mean. Definition from a slang dictionary:

    one off the wrist; quick one off the wrist noun (of a male) an act of masturbation. The adjective ‘quick’ (or occasional variations) does not denote an especially speedy endeavour, its purpose is to elaborate the basic term. UK, 1973

    
    
    Great song, btw.
    GongusWronguson January 13, 2012   Link

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