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Berkshire Poppies Lyrics
So many people with nothing to do
Hundreds of buildings that block out my view
Watched by a tramp with a hole in his shoe
Standing alone on the corner
He's thinking that work is all a big joke
While he looks in the gutter for something to smoke
Two hundred kids in one red Mini Moke
Scream down the street fully loaded
Day in the city
Oh what a pity
I could be in Berkshire where the poppies are so pretty
I could be in Berkshire where the poppies are so pretty
I wish that I were there
I want to make it out of here
People like sardines
Packed in a can
Waiting for Christmas that's made in Japan
And I'm having trouble with my apple flan
Sat in the caf' on the corner
I walk through the green gates and into the park
Where murderers crawl after girls in the dark
Down by the shed I head a remark
I turned round but no one could hear me
Hundreds of buildings that block out my view
Watched by a tramp with a hole in his shoe
Standing alone on the corner
He's thinking that work is all a big joke
While he looks in the gutter for something to smoke
Two hundred kids in one red Mini Moke
Scream down the street fully loaded
Day in the city
Oh what a pity
I could be in Berkshire where the poppies are so pretty
I could be in Berkshire where the poppies are so pretty
I wish that I were there
I want to make it out of here
People like sardines
Packed in a can
Waiting for Christmas that's made in Japan
And I'm having trouble with my apple flan
Sat in the caf' on the corner
I walk through the green gates and into the park
Where murderers crawl after girls in the dark
Down by the shed I head a remark
I turned round but no one could hear me
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
I think that the meaning itself is fairly clear: it talks about escaping from the dangers, stress, and hustle of the city into the temporary bliss of "Berkshire", which as far as I can tell, represents a peaceful trip on drugs, especially because of the poppies reference.
However, I think that there are some errors in the lyrics as written. I believe that the refrain actually goes like this:
Day in the city Oh what a pity I could be in Berkshire where the poppies are so pretty I could be in Berkshire where the poppies are so pretty Let's spend an hour there I wonder'f anyone would care
I have another issue with the lyrics. Is the "apple flan" thing really correct? I know that it sounds almost like those are the words being sung, but it doesn't make a lot of sense that way. And did they even have such a thing as apple flan in the cafes of England in 1967, when this song was released?
Furthermore, "cafe" doesn't really fit in the final line of that stanza, because it's pronounced with only one syllable in the song. To me, it sounds more like "Sat/Set in the 'cap' on the corner".
Does anyone have any ideas about the "apple flan" part and the line that follows?
P.S. -- I meant to also write "... where the poppies 'grow' so pretty" in the refrain. I believe that "grow" is the word that is used in the lyrics, not "are".