Lambchop “Soaky in the Pooper”
This strange and melancholic song tells the tale of a man dying alone in a toilet and was
requested on the Poetry JukeBox by crime writer, poet and retired turkey inseminator Alfie Crow. In Alfie’s email he said ” It contains a line about a man’s funeral that ‘all the mourners travelled in one car...” A terribly sad song about a lonely death can be achingly beautiful at the same time.
Lambchop, originally Posterchild, is an American band from Nashville. Never a band with a core lineup, Lambchop has consisted of a large and fluid collective of musicians focused around its creative centre, frontman Kurt Wagner.
The song reminded me of a guy I knew years ago who was one of the “cool” people of Newcastle but heroin addiction cut his life short and he died a pauper’s death. Although in his last few years he had few friends, there was a large turnout for his funeral. He was not the first and would not be the last to have his life cut short by heroin and to die a lonely death like Soaky.
Norman
You were always the cool one
With your long black coat and dark hair
You were debonair
With a flare for the outrageous
And a penchant for dangerous drugs
“Norman” is not the coolest name
But you gave it mystery
You were dismissive and disdainful
Of those too eager to please
Indulgent and generous to those
Who you considered a friend
Years later someone said they saw
You begging on the High Street
Asking strangers for change
Your hair grey and dirty
Your good looks stolen
When they buried you
The man from the homeless shelter
Said he was surprised
That so many people turned up
“Usually” he said with a puzzled look
“The mourners come in one car”
© Jeff Price August 2018
of the blog. I am hoping a publisher will take it up. 
from all over the world. There were 2000 visitors mainly from the UK but a big contingent from USA and France and a special mention to a regular visitor from Trinidad and Tobago, a grand total of 36 countries altogether. 
sprinkling of gospel in this track. The lyrics say to watch out for trouble coming and that for a lot of people it can disrupt their lives but we have to press on and not let it stop us. Look for the positive.
intentionally humorous personae and outrageous live performances. Every member of the group has an alias, the band’s founding members adopting the personas Larry Love (Rob Spragg) and The Very Reverend Dr. D. Wayne Love (Jake Black).”