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These Hands
The Young’uns
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🇬🇧 English · Original
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The war'd not long been over and the future seemed so bright
We gathered in the church hall in Georgetown at night
He said there's work in England for woman and for man
So I clapped the handsome stranger with these hands
Farewell to Guyana, the land where I was born
We sailed for Southampton on a bright April morn
And the moon was sinking quickly as we looked back to the land
And I held on to the railing with these hands
Now when we came to England it was late in the night
Took a train to Paddington and my what a sight
Was a white woman sweeping up around the paper stand
And I rubbed my eyes in wonder with these hands
Now I was a harp maker and I had skills to share
Songs to sing and joy to bring and children to bear
But no blacks, no dogs, no Irish, I couldn't understand
But I wiped away my tears with these hands
Now the first place that I found to rent, it didn't have a bath
The next place barely had a roof, sometimes you have to laugh
For under an umbrella, well it wasn't what I'd planned
But I cooked the Christmas dinner with these hands
I became a foster mother, took a hundred children in
Loved everyone, kissed everyone, no matter what their skin
And they offered me an MBE, I said I don't need one
Besides I've no good dress to wear it on
So I asked if I could trade it for the things I really need
Like bed sheets and pillow slips for all the kids I feed
And the mayor he listened to me and he made this promise grand
And the keys of a new house were in these hands
But soon jackboots came marching through the streets of our town
Our tyres slashed, windows smashed, our youth club burned down
And I prayed that my children didn't understand
As I wiped their smeared faces with these hands
And the words of the stranger who had led me here
Weren't the words of welcome now but words of fear
And the river was bleeding and the smell was foul
For the stranger's name was Enoch Powell
And at four o'clock one morning a knock came at my door
They took me down to Deptford where raging fires roared
Thirteen would die that night, the flames could not be fanned
And still the smell of New Cross is on these hands
But as the people gathered and as the people cried
As the flames fell and as the flames died
I stood amidst the ashes and beneath the brooding skies
I said my name is Phoenix and we will rise
For these hands where the years have
Loved, they bear the scars of pain
These hands have built a better world and these hands will again
And though these hands are old now, well they've got more to give
These hands don't forget but they forgive
And though the walls are rising now, you may think hope is gone
These hands of mine, they are the proof of all that can be done
So whoever is your neighbour, link arms and make a stand
And we will face the future with these hands
Whoever is your neighbour, link arms and make a stand
And we will face the future with these hands