Peter Hicks - Slimy Patricks Scab

Song authored by Peter Hicks and Geoff Francis, and emailed to the proprietor of www.unionsong.com with the following comment:

"We are pleased to donate this song to assist the MUA in their struggle. Please use it widely and pass it on. This song borrows proudly from folk history, and in particular from "Casey Jones, Union Scab."

You can visit Peter Hicks website at: http://home.austarnet.com.au/glazfolk/

Peter sings the song on the MUA Centenary CD "With These Arms."

Video composed by me. Background picture taken from the front page of The Age Green Guide, 10 May 2007.

Lyrics:

There's vampire bats and sewer rats, there's pubic lice and crabs,
But the lowest form of life on Earth is the slimy Patrick's scab.
There's vampire bats and sewer rats, there's pubic lice and crabs,
But the lowest form of life on Earth is the slimy Patrick's scab.

An hour before the sun comes up, he crawls out of his pit,
But you wouldn't get too close to him for the smell of slime and ... other little bits,
Beneath the cloak of darkness he sets off, all clad in black,
To serve his wretched masters goes the slimy Patrick's scab.

And when his treachery is done, on his knees he crawls back home,
His kids don't want to know him, so he eats his tea alone,
They haven't been to school for days, they're ashamed that he's their dad,
"Tell me, what's your father do?". "He's a slimy Patrick's scab."

There's vampire bats and sewer rats, there's pubic lice and crabs,
But the lowest form of life on Earth is the slimy Patrick's scab.

He's not dared step inside a pub or an RSL for days,
'Cos when you're a slimy Patrick's scab the world don't seem too safe.
He sits at home and counts his hoard to find out what he's worth,
But what value would you put upon the lowest slime on Earth?

Alas, accidents do happen, in the wharves and on the shore -
A crash, a smash, a flash, a splash - and our scab's a scab no more,
Nobody mourns his passing, no-one's even slightly sad,
Upon his grave these words inscribed - "Here lies a Patrick's scab."

There's vampire bats and sewer rats, there's pubic lice and crabs,
But the lowest form of life on Earth is the slimy Patrick's scab.

So he walks up to the pearly gates where the heavenly bell does ring,
Says he, "I've worked hard all my life, you'll surely let me in.
"I've always done Mr Corrigan's will, to have served him makes me proud,
"So please give me my halo now, and my little fluffy cloud."

Saint Peter slowly shakes his head and looks him in the face,
"What makes you think that I've got room for scabs inside this place?
"You've robbed your neighbour of his job and his children of their food,
"You've stabbed your brothers in the back and betrayed your sisters too.
"My angels would lay down their harps, do you think that I'm that mad?"
And to burn in hell forever he despatched that slimy Patrick's scab.

There's vampire bats and sewer rats, there's pubic lice and crabs,
But the lowest form of life on Earth is the slimy Patrick's scab.
There's vampire bats and sewer rats, there's pubic lice and crabs,
But the lowest form of life on Earth is the slimy Patrick's scab.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• peter
• hicks
• geoff
• francis
• slimy
• patricks
• scab
• mua
• waterfront
• dispute
• melbourne
• union
• unionsong
• song

[bovverboots86]

@billk29

Mate there is abso-fuckin-lutely nothing good about scabs and the workplaces would be better off without them. The only thing that gives unions a bad name is when the union leaders tell their workers that they should not go on strike when they ought to because the relationship between the bosses and the union leaders.

There is nothing that workers have in common with bosses and scabs are merely gutless bastards who stab their own workmates in the back.

Scabs = No guts, no glory!

[bovverboots86]

...and for all those scabs who crap on and use that line "I've got a family and rent/mortgage to pay..." well guess what....SO DO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT ON THE PICKET LINES!

[CirrusCopernicus]

@billk29 Sounds like the kind of comment a scab would make. It's well justified hatred and quite well thought out I'd say.

[billk29]

This kind of thing gives unions a bad name. It's just cheap hatred. Not even well thought out.

[lonnie65]

three cheers for Peter and Geoff xxxx