BASTARD LANDLORD

Oh Lord won't you tell me I'm sure I don't know,
Who makes the plans that change our lives so,
From a place in the country so peaceful and calm,
We moved up to London as the bombs fell around,
On a street by the river where the rent it was cheap,
The Landlord he told us "Its yours to keep",
For a regular payment week after week,
You've always a roof under which you can sleep.

The years passed by, the war came to an end,
We lived our lives did nothing to offend,
But the Landlord's conditions yearly they grew,
With the size of his gut and his housing values,
He'd kneel on a Sunday and pray to the Lord,
For ideals of love his wealth can't afford,
When the Bastard he came round to raise up rent,
We swallowed our pride and we smiled our best.

Bricks and mortar, a kingdom of stone,
When you go when you're all alone,
They'll carve your name where you lie,
And I for one no tears will cry.

Greed knows no boundaries, greed does not feel,
I'm damned if I'll die for a property deal,
The woman next door she just passed away,
For the rent grew so high that she just couldn't pay,
And there in her bed she closed up her eyes,
The last time she gazed on this world of lies,
With nowhere to go and nothing saved,
She went to the next world and the Bastard he smiled.

Bricks and mortar, a kingdom of stone,
When you go you're all alone,
They'll carve your name where you lie,
And I for one no tears will cry.

Oh Lord won't you tell me I'm sure I don't know,
What makes some people so callous and cold,
I've lived in this house for forty-four years,
My children were born here, its here I'll grow old,
A curse on you, Bastard Landlord be damned,
Who needs one more house like a beach needs more sand,
I'll stay here till I'm done only then will I go,
Was never meant one man should treat others so.

Note: Big thanks go to Jem Finer for providing an accurate transcription of the lyrics. Thanks Jem!

Your intrepid maintainer is DzM.