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          Cartoon of Liz Truss with shopping trolley

          Tory leadership election: policy shopping is no way to treat people

          Border control at Dover

          The moral argument for open borders

          the quilt

          Join Hands for Ukraine at the Royal Albert Hall

          Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, 08-06-2021 A man was shot to death in the streets of Juárez, the experts work at the crime scene.

          Mexico: new research shows the historic link between opening schools and falling murder rates

          Andy Preston, Middlesbrough Mayor

          Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston faces calls to resign over damning audit report

          The freight area at Teesside Airport

          The ostrich has landed: an update for visitors to Teesside Airport

          girl with violin in sunflower field

          Welcoming the Ukraine Freedom Orchestra: flags, a star and a gigantic quilt

          pills

          Active patients have better outcomes and may reduce the pressure on the NHS

          Keir Starmer

          You might as well cross the floor: an open letter to Keir Starmer

          Trending Tags

          • Ukraine
        • Culture
          • All
          • Animation
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          • Illustrations & More
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          street in Naples

          Five books to read that bring Naples to life

          Derry Girls mural

          Derry Girls: from the beginning

          Live Theatre sign

          Your Voice Your Future: North East

          white stag

          White Stag

        • Lifestyle
          • All
          • Fashion
          • Food & Drink
          • Health & Fitness
          Chef and son

          MasterChef’s’ Posh Street Food chef’s own summer of entertainment

          Scottish highlands

          The beauty of the Scottish Highlands

          Kleo Tabuku

          Top chef to open Newcastle restaurant, Lovage

          Pop up park

          Pop up to the park in Sunderland

          The Blackbird Inn, Ponteland

          The Blackbird Inn flies high with its new summer menu

          gymnast

          Culture of fear in British gymnastics uncovered by the Whyte Review

          Kennedy and Rhind

          Kennedy and Rhind: more time to enjoy a North East favourite

          Hoppings

          The Hoppings is back in Newcastle!

          Chi Onwurah MP

          Chi backs watchdog for fast fashion industry

          Trending Tags

          • Business
            • All
            • Economy
            • Rural
            • Technology
            • Trade
            • Voluntary Sector
            Scottish highlands

            The beauty of the Scottish Highlands

            loo

            A room with a loo

            Newcastle quayside

            Newcastle named as one of the best cities for graduates

            Brexit economics

            New research shows the economic effect of Brexit

            Wetherspoons pub

            Wetherspoons sparkle: has it gone flat?

            Leon Fussell rehearsing

            Unsung Heroes at Queen’s Hall, Hexham

            Houchen and spade

            Vampire daylight: a week in the life of Ben Houchen, Tees Valley Mayor

            Keir Starmer

            Open letter to Sir Keir Starmer

            London Bridge tube station

            A chance meeting with Mary: homeless and begging in a train station

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              • North East
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              Pride flag

              Northern Pride: Newcastle proves it’s loud, proud and still fighting

              Litterpick with Chi Onwurah

              Chi Onwurah publishes action plan for rubbish and calls on constituents to help improve it!

              the quilt

              Join Hands for Ukraine at the Royal Albert Hall

              Andy Preston, Middlesbrough Mayor

              Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston faces calls to resign over damning audit report

              The Wind in the Willows

              The Wind in the Willows and more at Queen’s Hall, Hexham

              The freight area at Teesside Airport

              The ostrich has landed: an update for visitors to Teesside Airport

              loo

              A room with a loo

              Kleo Tabuku

              Top chef to open Newcastle restaurant, Lovage

              mother and child with empty purse

              Welfare Rights support in Kenton, Newcastle

              Trending Tags

              • Opinion
                Titanic coming out of Southampton

                The 110th anniversary of the Titanic’s departure

                There is an England

                There is an England

                Prime Minister Boris Johnson signs the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union"

                The parody of disinformation: Boris Johnson on Ukraine and Brexit

                Boris Johnson’s comments on Ukraine and Brexit are an insult

                TV Agency staff jumping in the air

                The TV Agency celebrates 10th anniversary with global success

                North East of County Dublin

                North East of England and North East of County Dublin: Compare and contrast

                North Sea oil rig

                Copping out of COP: Ukraine, fossil fuels and nuclear fusion

                Placard with Boris Johnson as a clown

                Dictators, media and mobility: erosion of identity, sustenance and safety

                close up on a child's eye

                Racism and misogyny where there should have been safeguarding and security

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              Home Culture Music

              Dear Mr Johnson

              Folk song by Bill Dodds

              North East BylinesbyNorth East Bylines
              07-07-2022 14:29
              in Music, Performance, Politics
              Boris Johnson pants on fire

              Photo by Alex Motoc on Unsplash

              Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
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              North East folk musician, Bill Dodds was asked a while back to write a song about changing behaviour.

              As the Bridge folk club, Newcastle wrote at the time:

              “Bill was challenged to write a song that asked someone to change their behaviour and to show some understanding of why they had acted that way. Plainly, Bill is a folkie and none of his personal contacts have bad habits so he addressed his song to our revered Prime Minister. It’s an amazing performance – no matter how hard you look it’s impossible to see how he sings a lot of the lyrics with his tongue so far in his cheek. “

              North East Bylines felt that now was an appropriate time to revisit the song. The lyrics are below as well as a video of Bill performing at the Bridge.

              Dear Mr Johnson please stop lying
              I know this will be hard for you to do
              The habits of a lifetime are hard to change
              Think of all your children and set a good example
              They shouldn’t have to hear you lie - quite frankly neither should we
              Next time you feel a lie - ready to tumble from your lips
              Why not, just try, to tell the truth
              I know that it’s hard for narcissistic people
              To understand the harm they do
              But please have a care for the needs of others
              Although you’re the greatest politician living
              Help us out so we can help you - that’s all we ask
              Next time you feel a lie - ready to tumble from your lips
              Why not, just try, to tell the truth
              We realise we don’t deserve, someone as good as you
              As leaders go, you’re simply the best
              You’re simply the best, better than all the rest
              Better than anyone, anyone we’ve ever met
              We’re stuck on your heart, we hang on every word you say
              Tear us apart, yeah we would rather be dead 
              Next time you feel a lie - ready to tumble from your lips
              Why not, just try, to tell the truth
              
              

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