Debtors Dream

1970
This song was one of the three given to me by Roger Dyer when he learned that I was writing tunes to go with the the words of Alan A'Dale as the link between scenes of the rugby club pantomime Robin Hood.
Roger had been a professional lyricist who had to return to his roots in engineering design when the backer dropped out of his latest production: their loss, my gain.
The original title was Hire Purchase Blues. Before credit cards were invented to relieve us of our money, hire purchase "took the waiting out of wanting". Roger's story tells us that our hero was jailed for non-payment of his TV licence which sounds more like a nightmare - hence the change of name to The Debtor's Dream.
With typical humour, Roger weaves a moral tale leading to an encounter with the Devil himself!

Verse 1

Hire purchase was a blessing

But it turned into a curse

Got behind with all my payments

Getting further with each verse

Chorus

And the hire purchase bringing me down

Got no dough I can’t go to town

Got no wine to ease my sorrow

Got no friends so I can’t borrow

And the hire purchase blues are bringing me down.

Verse 2

I bought a big refrigerator

Then a comfortable armchair

But my shining black Ford motor

Was the start of all my care

And the hire purchase…

Verse 3

I bought a television

But forgot the licence fee

Next I know the old detector van

Is round a-trapping me

And the hire purchase…

Verse 4

I’d time to think it over

Realised where I went wrong

If you steal, you don’t pay interest

Get no bills a mile long

And the hire purchase…

Verse 5

When I came out of prison

I bought a gun on my H.P.

But I forgot the ammunition

And the Court’s still after me

And the hire purchase…

Verse 6

Now I’ve got a gun and bullets

But I still can’t blow my mind

I owe the undertaker

Yes. I’m sixteen weeks behind

And the hire purchase…

Verse 7

I’ve been living oh so well now

Since I signed my soul away

That was thirty years ago, my friend

My time was up yesterday

And the hire purchase…

Verse 8

I didn’t get to Heaven

It was down I had to go

And when I met old Satan

He said; “Sign on the line below!”

And the hire purchase…