Exorcising an Old Ghost
The song has been running through my head for most of the last week. In truth, it's always been there, but for some reason it's lately been screaming for attention. So, wish granted.
I don't remember exactly when I first heard this song, but I know I was very young, in either Spain or the Azores... Could even have been Libya, though I doubt it.
After a bit of Googling, I found the lyrics, and it turns out it's from a poem written by A. A. Milne the creator of Winnie the Pooh. How a poem by Milne made it onto a radio on some foreign shore I cannot say... But it's enough that the ghost is now placated.
"Buckingham Palace"
--by Alan Alexander Milne 1882-1956
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
Alice is marrying one of the guard.
"A soldier's life is terrible hard,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
We saw a guard in a sentry-box.
"One of the sergeants looks after their socks,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
We looked for the King, but he never came.
"Well, God take care of him, all the same,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
They've great big parties inside the grounds.
"I wouldn't be King for a hundred pounds,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
A face looked out, but it wasn't the King's.
"He's much too busy a-signing things,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
"Do you think the King knows all about me?"
"Sure to, dear, but it's time for tea,"
Says Alice.
Oddly enough, I still have the melody in my head... so now it's time to work it out on the six-string...
UPDATE: Monday, May 29 -- BenT says he has this tune on MP3. Here's hoping he digs it out and sends me a copy.
I don't remember exactly when I first heard this song, but I know I was very young, in either Spain or the Azores... Could even have been Libya, though I doubt it.
After a bit of Googling, I found the lyrics, and it turns out it's from a poem written by A. A. Milne the creator of Winnie the Pooh. How a poem by Milne made it onto a radio on some foreign shore I cannot say... But it's enough that the ghost is now placated.
"Buckingham Palace"
--by Alan Alexander Milne 1882-1956
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
Alice is marrying one of the guard.
"A soldier's life is terrible hard,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
We saw a guard in a sentry-box.
"One of the sergeants looks after their socks,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
We looked for the King, but he never came.
"Well, God take care of him, all the same,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
They've great big parties inside the grounds.
"I wouldn't be King for a hundred pounds,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
A face looked out, but it wasn't the King's.
"He's much too busy a-signing things,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
"Do you think the King knows all about me?"
"Sure to, dear, but it's time for tea,"
Says Alice.
Oddly enough, I still have the melody in my head... so now it's time to work it out on the six-string...
UPDATE: Monday, May 29 -- BenT says he has this tune on MP3. Here's hoping he digs it out and sends me a copy.
from the mind of... Eric | 9:45 PM
2 Comments:
Spain? Libya? Explanation?
I was a Military brat. Spent 2 1/2 years on the island of Crete in the early 70s. I was there when we shot down the two Libyan aircraft in '73 or '74...whenever the heck it was!
In the early sixties the U.S. Military had an Air Force base in Tripoli. I'll assume right here and now that was before Ghaddafi became dictator/king. I was very young, and only remember a few things. Spent three years in and around Seville, Spain, and 1 year on the island of Terceira, in the Azores.
I am quite sure these stays overseas had a major impact on who I am now, specifically my world view.
Travel, I believe-- especially world travel --is very important in the raising of younguns. Most children never get further than a few hundred miles from home the first 10 years of their lives, and that's pretty sad. Lack of travel, I feel, can seriously stunt a childs imagination... But that's only my impression.
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