Pop Lyric Sheets: For John Peel's 60th Birthday

John Peel is 60 this week and the BBC is celebrating the event with `John Peel Night' on Sunday. Past Peel proteges featured include Pink Floyd, PJ Harvey, Joy Division, The Smiths, and Blur. A documentary about Captain Beefheart ends the celebrations

For many, many years now

On certain weekday evenings

Broke, bored or hungover

Dumped, drained or just down

In company or alone

There was always the radio.

"That was Half-Man Half Biscuit

with Dickie Davis Eyes..."

And there was the John Peel Show

Now when you consider

That this particular deejay

Has for over thirty years,

played records, which some

would regard as unplayable...

"... in session tonight, The Fall

and I must confess I've not ..."

As long as he felt they would

be of some merit to someone,

somewhere, he played them.

" ..from Ron Johnson Records"

You the listener will not relax.

Not knowing what may come next

"...this is Extreme Noise Terror...

...can't pronounce the title of this

er...may've been the wrong speed"

But knowing that at some point

You may have to turn the volume

temporarily, either up or down,

"....Flaming Lips and this is...

The Spark that Bled

- not THE Kenny Dalgliesh of course"

Wish him well on a winter night

As he slogs home to Stowmarket

Carboot clogged with cassettes.

Or standing scruffy, anonymous

In some village hall viewing

some band you've never heard of

"...and in the end, you may as well

just throw away all the rule books"

Because John Peel is Radio.