Saturday 24 September 2022

The Playground of the Gay


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You've sung about your Broadway
We've talked about New York
Have you forgot one little spot
They call it Piccadilly, a place of great renown
In the heart of London Town

Piccadilly, Piccadilly, the playground of the gay
Piccadilly, Piccadilly, where the traffic goes one way
In the day time, there's lots of life life
But at night time well, you're apt to lose your wife
In Piccadilly, Piccadilly, dear old London's broad highway.

The soldier up in Poona, the sailor on the sea
The pioneer and the engineer
The captain of the schooner and the finders of the air
Sing of youth and Leicester Square

Piccadilly, Piccadilly, the playground of the gay
Piccadilly, Piccadilly, where the traffic goes one way
In the day time Grandad's searching for truth
But at night time he's searching for his youth
In Piccadilly, Piccadilly, dear old London's broad highway.

There are gay lads, bad lads, see them rolling along
They are searching for wine women and song

In Piccadilly, Piccadilly,
In Piccadilly, Piccadilly, where the traffic goes one way
In the day time, they parade down the street
But at night-time uh they need someone else's feet
In Piccadilly, Piccadilly, dear old London's broad highway.

In the daytime, you meet lovely brunettes
But at night-time oh God save the King they're wrecks

Indeed.

14 comments:

  1. The gay lads are searching for wine, WOMEN and song? I’m so confused.

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    Replies
    1. Me too. Perhaps it was a typo on the sheet music? 😜 Jx

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  2. Lovely tune, sweetpea! The evolution of words never ceases to amaze me! xoxo

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    Replies
    1. I'm pretty certain Miss Hetty Ford knew exactly what she was really singing about... Jx

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  3. Judging by that poster, bouffanted ladies smoking at the buffet table is the biggest perversion out there. Shocking!

    (Unless, it's that some degenerate got those breadsticks from Asda?)

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    Replies
    1. Does Asda have a "Bacchanal Binge" range these days? It definitely caters for "ugly parties", that much I know. Jx

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    2. All that hairspray is a fire hazard.

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    3. Those wigs are probably nylon, to boot. Jx

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  4. Cue Marie Lloyd! About 1970-ish...a chap I knew offered to show me the seamier side of the West End (Not bloody Soho, dear!), but the club he took me to wouldn't let us in. No ladies permitted, Sir, Club rules. So(me, seething!) we left and , in a fit of giggles, he explained why.

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    Replies
    1. That type of club tended not to be in Soho - there was The Coleherne and others in Earls Court, The Block in Islington, the London Apprentice in Old Street and eventually several venues of that ilk in Vauxhall. None of them (as far as I am aware, not being a punter) still exist. So you're welcome just about everywhere nowadays, Dinah. Jx

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  5. Oh to be a wreaked brunette instead of a washed up blonde!
    Sx

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  6. Piccadilly, Piccadilly, the playground of the gay
    In the day time Grandad's searching for truth
    But at night time he's searching for his youth
    In Piccadilly,
    Indeed and I can remember the 'meat rack' when it was a meat rack

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lots of people searching for youths round there! Jx

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