Mi ‘arl Fella

Johnny Wok was a legend, the ginger Tom Jones
He had plenty of groupies in his life on the road

Then he copped off with Winnie who ‘ad a houseful o’ kids
He moved in, settled down, started livin’ in sin

He was the world’s greatest step dad and Winnie’s best friend
a new modern man who cooked the tea and made the beds

After two years together, he got Winnie knocked up
I am Johnny’s first baby, an’ her 6th little one

For the first five children Johnny Wok lost his step
they’d moved on from their real dad ‘cause he chose to neglect

Their first years where happy, then us kids went astray
Winnie’s heart took the knock, so she pushed Johnny away

See, we’d changed from The Waltons to a challenging brood
Getting lippy with teachers, having fights, being rude

My teen years arrived and I grew desperate to leave
watching mum and dad fight was just too sad to see

So I left home at eighteen then Johnny Wok left mi Ma
I had a baby at twenty, then we lost my brother that year

Johnny Wok stood with Winnie as they grieved for their son
The bloodline meant nothing when his ashes where thrown

‘cause Johnny Wok loves us kids, even those that weren’t his
I defy you to find a better Dad than him

Now Johnny Wok’s ill. Cheeky get had a stroke
Now the ginger Tom Jones is a grey haired, frail bloke

I’m grieving for Johnny and he’s not even gone
He’s fragile and weakened he’s all skin and bone

He’s rhythm, not lead since the stroke took his grip
Now the frailty takes power from the songs on his lips

But Johnny Wok’s back on stage.That’s how Johnny Wok copes,
like a heavyweight boxer bouncing back from the ropes

Now he won’t play guitar, so he sits with his pint
He’s more crooner than belter…. that’s what his new groupies like

Johnny Wok is my Dad, how lucky am I?
and he’s the world’s greatest Grandad, he’s just a proper boss guy

Johnny Wok’s still a legend and he’s grey like Tom Jones
All legends are ageing that’s how hist’ry unfolds

By Emma Seasman © 06/06/2016


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