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THERE WE WERE, sitting in the student cafeteria at Otago University back in early 1983, talking about the good old days when all three of us, in one guise or another, were supporters of "The Revolution", and
contrasting our red past with our pink present. Each of us was serving on the campaign
committee of a Labour Party candidate: Me in Dunedin North, Brian in Dunedin West and Ian, if I remember rightly, in Wellington Central. We all shook our heads, laughing wryly at our respective excuses, and I
felt a song coming on …
We’re All Working For A Labour Victory
(Sung to the tune of Cliff Richard’s Summer Holiday.)
We’re all working for a Labour Victory,
No more Trotsky, no more Lenin or Mao.
We’re all working for a Labour Victory
I’m glad the comrades cannot see us now.
We all used to carry placards,
We all used to hurl abuse.
But now the Marxist vanguard
Just murmurs ‘What’s the use?’
Chorus
We all used to think that the workers
Would follow our clarion call,
But we’ve given up the Revolution
To go canvassing door-to-door.
Chorus
We’re told that ambition is a good thing
But we’re warned that dissension is a sin,
So we’ve learned to turn the rhetoric down
When David’s listening in.
Chorus
But it hasn’t all been plain-sailing,
The conservatives shook their heads,
When we forced through a remit requiring
Retirement homes for Reds.
We’re all working for a Labour victory,
No more Trotsky, no more Lenin or Mao.
We’re all working for a Labour victory,
I’m glad the comrades cannot see us now.
(I’m glad the comrades cannot see!)
Chris Trotter
1983
This posting is exclusive to the Bowalley Road blogsite.
