Housemartins - The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death
They smiled so much and waved their flags
As she saluted to the military band
Most of the people failed to see
She had a broken bottle in the other hand
And she took them by surprise
When she took them by the throat
And said my friend you’re not allowed to vote
But they shook it all off
With a nervous laugh and cough
Next time, she said I’ll let those people choke
The people who grinned themselves to death
Smiled so much they failed to take a breath
And even when their kids were starving
They all thought the queen was charming
She polished all upon the wall
And ran her hands right through her hair
So if the lady took the time to call
All the houses on the street would not compare
And she thought it really funny
That she hadn’t any money
But those she looked up to, they had
But they shook it all off
With a nervous laugh and cough
And when they took her riches it was sad
The people who grinned themselves to death
Smiled so much they failed to take a breath
And even when their kids were starving
They all thought the queen was charming