Bob wrote this piece to celebrate his 50 years of playing the organ at St Paul's Church. Bob loved to write all his public speeches in rhyme and this was one of his favourites.

ODE TO 50 YEARS AT ST PAUL’S

‘TWAS A COLD DECEMBER DAY
WHEN AT ST PAUL’S I FIRST DID PLAY
‘TIS THE YEAR OF ’62
THE MONTH DECEMBER DAY IS TWO

IT’S SUNDAY EVENING ALL IS STILL
WHEN COMES THE SOUND OF MUSIC SHRILL
IT’S ADVENT AT CHURCH OF ST PAUL
THEY’RE SINGING PSALMS THERE IN THE HALL

CREATING SUCH AN AWFUL DIN
OH JESUS WON’T YOU ENTER IN?
IT’S MY FIRST TIME YOU SEE IN THERE
FOR PLAYING PSALMS I HAD A FLAIR

YOU HAVE TO MOVE THEM ON QUITE QUICK
AND PLAY THE NOTES REAL FAST AND SLICK
OR ELSE WELL THEN THEY LAG BEHIND
TO THEIR SLOW PACE YOU’RE THEN RESIGNED

UNLESS YOU MOVE THEM ON MORE QUICK
(OR BEAT THEM WITH A HEAVY STICK!)
I’D PLAYED AROUND FOR QUITE SOME TIME
ST GILES ORGAN WAS THEN SUBLIME

TO PLAY ON IT WAS MY DESIRE
EVER SINCE I’D LEFT THE CHOIR
PLAYED ON ST LUKE’S HARMONIUM
‘TIL POOR OLD FEET BECAME QUITE NUMB

YOU HAVE TO PUMP WITH AIR YOU SEE
AND PEDAL AWAY QUITE FEVERISHLY
OR ELSE THE THING JUST GROANS AND GROANS
CONGREGATION MOANS AND MOANS

AND THEN TO LADYBAY I WENT
AND AT ALL HALLOWS TIME WAS SPENT
DEPUTY ORGANIST WAS I
TO THE MAIN MAN A LOVELY GUY

WHO WITH SOME CHOIR EVENTUALLY
THREW IN THE TOWEL, SUCH MISERY,
THEN FULL TIME POST WAS OFFERED TO ME
HAD TO DECLINE REGRETFULLY

IT WAS THE VICAR’S FAULT YOU SEE
SAT IN WITH CHOIR EV’RY FRIDAY
AND INTERFERRED WITH WHAT WENT ON
THIS REALLY WAS THE THING NOT DONE

CHOIR AND ORGANIST HAD ENOUGH
AND LEFT THE VICAR IN A HUFF
THERE’S A MORAL AND IT’S THIS
VICAR AND CHOIR JUST DO NOT MIX

ENOUGH OF THIS FRIVOLITY
THERE IS A SERIOUS SIDE YOU SEE
ST PAUL’S SUNDAY MORNING ORGANIST
HAD DECIDED THEN TO QUIT

AND SO I PLAYED IN MORNING TOO
ALL THOSE WEEKS FROM ‘62
LIKE PAUL ON THE DAMASCUS ROAD
I’D SEEN THE LIGHT AND WAS BESTOWED

WITH POST OF FULL TIME ORGANIST
AND WITH A CHOIR WE DID EXIST
FOR MANY YEARS, WE SANG SOME STUFF
BUT REALLY, THIS IS QUITE ENOUGH.

ALL THESE YEARS, MOST FORTUNATELY
WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN, BUT FOR MY FAMILY
THEY DID SUPPORT ME THROUGH AND THROUGH
ANGELA, IZZY AND GABBY TOO

THOSE EVENINGS I LEFT THEM IN THE LURCH
‘CAUSE I HAD TO LEG IT BACK TO CHURCH
IT’S THANKS TO YOU AND YOU’VE BEEN GREAT
AND I DO WELL APPRECIATE

VICARS CAME AND VICARS WENT
BUT IN ALL THE YEARS HERE SPENT
I REALLY HAVE ENJOYED IT ALL
MY TIME SPENT HERE CHURCH OF ST PAUL

AMEN.