Well, fancy that. Having thought for many years that “Marrakesh
Express” by Crosby, Stills & Nash was a song about indulging in Morocco’s
finest (by which I do not mean tagine), I now find that Graham Nash was inspired
by an actual train journey he made in 1966, southbound from Casablanca.
Fast forward by fifty years to the present day, and we
find HS2 proceeding at full steam ahead in the UK. Or at least it was until
Carillion collapsed yesterday. Might this be an opportunity for the political
class to admit that HS2 is nothing but an unaffordable vanity project that
ought to be derailed with all due alacrity? Time will tell.
Perhaps this is where Stop HS2 and any associated campaigns
might find themselves in need of an inspiring song to help get the message
through. With grateful acknowledgment to Crosby, Stills & Nash for the
original, here’s a lyrical contribution in reverse parody style – from a joyful
rail journey to a joyless rail project – that keeps as close as possible to the
sound and structure of Marrakesh Express. And it works on solo acoustic guitar,
if slowed down a touch and played in Nashville listening room style – at least
it did for me.
Looking at England through patronising eyes
Plan to drive the train through unspoilt countryside
Ducks and pigs and chickens flee
Animal carnage plain to see
Equestrian ladies scatter, black and blue
Talking cobblers from the dark depths of our mind
Keen to get away with grand designs unkind
Hope our pack of lies ahead
Keeps you back and well misled
Listen not to what we’ve said to you
Don't you know we're riding on the HS2 Express
Don’t you know we’re riding on the HS2 Express
Don’t you know we’re riding on the HS2 Express
Inflicting
much unpleasantness
All on board the gravy train
All on board the gravy train
We’ll be squandering all your money just to take you
there
We sell you garbage and despair
Plot the train from Manchester going south
Blowing smokescreens from the corners of my, my, my,
my, my mouth
Noise pollution hangs in the air
Thundering locos shake the square
Country dwellers, we’ll knock down their homes (don’t
want to hear you now)
Don’t you know we’re riding on the HS2 Express
Don’t you know we’re riding on the HS2 Express
It’s burning money to excess
Don’t you know we’re riding on the HS2 Express
Don’t you know we’re riding on the HS2 Express
Vanity project of distress
All on board the gravy train
All on board the gravy train
