Japanese Knotweed
https://audius.co/sidshovel/japanese-knotweed-1 (right click then open link in new tab,) to open song.
lyrics SS : music/vocals Ai
[verse 1]
You've got this little garden, bowlin' along just fine.
Has it's ups an' downs, but this little bit is mine.
Everyone shares the allotment, each has a plot,
all are equal, we follow the rules, like it or not.
[verse 2]
People expect peace an' quiet, it's why we're there.
a place we can do our thing, nice rarefied air.
One rule says be responsible, know what you plant,
be aware what you can, even more, what you can't.
[chorus]
Japanese Knotweed spreads like cancer,
kills all the good things that were there.
If you value what you worked hard for,
my advice is, show it the door.
[verse 3]
The peace of the allotment was shattered one day,
loose cannon took a plot, he was only there to play.
Tipped a load of topsoil out the back of a van,
stood atop a heap of manure, declarin' I'm the man.
verse 4]
At first it all looked well, but beneath lay a hell.
soil was full of Japanese Knotweed, idiot couldn't tell.
Wasn't long, showed itself, began to spread unbound,
choking everythin' it touched, poisonin' the ground.
[chorus]
Japanese Knotweed spreads like cancer,
kills all the good things that were there.
If you value what you worked hard for,
my advice is, show it the door.
[bridge]
Months passed unchecked, all the plots were gone,
Knotweed left alone, had smothered all the beauty.
The commune learnt a lesson, to cut cancers out,
best deal with the poison early, remove any doubt.
[final chorus]
Japanese Knotweed spreads like cancer,
kills all the good things that were there.
If you value what you worked hard for,
my advice is, show it the door.
[outro]
Years before they took the last away,
damage done, is still evident today.
Comments
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Unusual choice of singer. I don't really think it works when allotments are such a British concept. I don't think they're a thing over here. In fact, you might need to explain the concept for your American friends here. You might want to give it another go in an English folk style?
Stopping the spread of knotweed can obviously be a metaphor for a lot of things, as well as a gardening tip, but that's not developed in any way. It doesn't have to be, of course. That can be left to the listener. However, I didn't really get much from this song. Not in the way I usually do from one of yours.
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Thanks for your comments Gavin, never crossed my mind, allotments being a typical British thing, but you're right.
Too late to edit my original so if you don't mind , I'll add it here.
Allotments are very small parcels of land that can be rented from the city council for those city dwellers who want to grow a few vegetables, fruit or herbs, etc. More like a collective farm for gardening enthusiasts.
Sid
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@sidshovel - only you can make something as mundane as a weed sound interesting. and a lesson in British terminology to boot. :)
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Thats a strange thing to write about , but sounds good
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No Gnu's Goats and Tumbleweeds, an three body conflicts are odd, gardening is just serene.
Anyway Elvis, at your age, I would have thought gardening and certainly weed would have been the most attractive,
Nice to hear from you mate,
Sid
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