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Martin Lyrics

I just want to tell you about Martin
Cos nobody I know has got a brother like him
As kids we could never be parted
The neighbours all knew us as the terrible twins
At school some kids were always looking for a fight
But Martin never wanted a fuss
Bigmouth Brown thought he'd push him around
Being three years older than us
So I smashed him in the mush with the cloakroom stool
I got six of the best and suspended from school

But it was worth it with a brother like Martin
It was worth it with a brother like him

We used to nick motors for a joyride
Till we rammed a Black Maria in this XJ6
To give Martin time to get clear
I tried to punch a few policemen before I got nicked
I got Borstal for taking and driving away
And beating up the boys in blue
But Martin never missed a single visiting day
He hitched from Clapham to Crewe
With all me racing mags and the little bits of news
Smuggling in ciggies and a little bit of booze

No-one ever had a brother like Martin
No-one ever had a brother like him

People get the wrong impression with Martin
I know he doesn't mix much but he's no snob
The weekend I got out of remand home
He'd got Uncle Ruby to find me this job
And back at my Nan's he'd repainted my room
And bought me a brand new carpet
There was all me old records and books on a shelf
And a secondhand telly from the market
You can get a bit hard when you've been inside
But I hugged the old bastard and I almost cried

Cos no-one ever had a brother like Martin
No-one ever had a brother like him
2 Meanings

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Cover art for Martin lyrics by Tom Robinson Band, The

Some of the British slang used in the song includes:

"mush" -- face

"six of the best" -- corporal punishment; six strokes with a cane

"nick" -- to steal

"motors" -- cars (from "motor car")

"Black Maria" -- a police van

"XJ6" -- Jaguar XJ6, an expensive car

"nicked" -- arrested

"Borstal" -- a type of youth detention center, prison for young offenders

"taking and driving away" -- legal term for stealing a car; UK equivalent of the US 'grand theft auto'

"the boys in blue" -- police

"racing mags" -- magazines about horse-racing

"ciggies" -- "cigarettes"

"booze" -- "alcohol"

"remand home" -- a detention home for young offenders; in this case, it probably refers to a halfway house between Borstal and release into the community

"Nan" -- grandmother

"telly" -- television

Song Meaning
Cover art for Martin lyrics by Tom Robinson Band, The

Two more items of slang

"hard" -- emotionally withdrawn

"inside" -- in prison

Song Meaning
 
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