Howard Eynon - Mad Mike Lyrics

There was a time when I worked in a factory and rode an old bike around town and life was so easy
And those were the days before I picked up the words that I heard old mad mike on the corner sing

There was a time when I worked in an office and drove a fast car around town and made love with ladies
And those were the days before I picked up the words that I heard old mad mike on the corner sing

I'm a rat I'm a rat I'm a rat of Tobruk I'm a rat I'm a rat I'm a ninth brigade cook
And if you don't know a diet of corn beef and sand, slip a two bob in an old digger's hand

There was a time when I married and had a fine family of children around me and people to dine
I had a fine house in a fine city suburb with plenty of music and plenty of wine

Then came the depression financial recession I on with a uniform off to the war
And each day that went by I asked the same question - who are you fighting and what the hell for

There was a time when I came to my home ground and found that my wife had moved on and the kids had
Gone too
The folk in the street kinda looked at me funny like I'd turned into someone that they never knew

Now I stand on the grand city corner they call me mad mike cause I sing in the rain and the snow
And each song I sing is a song that I sung to my children some thirty-five long years ago

Now I stand on the grand city corner and every time somebody passes I look in their eyes
And sing them a song from a dirty old greatcoat -a song that I hope that they might recognise

Now I stand on the grand city corner and they call me mad mike cause I sing for a smoke or a beer
And all of my words don't add up to much more than I'm here and I'm having a grand old time