The London Apprentice

I am the London apprentice for I never will learn her trade

The best that I could hope for is from mistakes I've made

A man who never made any, he never made nothing at all

Sir Christopher Wren had to start again when he built St. Paul's

I am the London apprentice, for I never will learn her ways

When I walk the streets of London I am constantly amazed

How a road I never was on before leads to what I know

But as any cabby will tell you, that's how all knowledge grows

I am the London apprentice and I love the muddy Thames

Pushing its way through the city just to come back again

Through plague and conflagration, and when the bombers came

A symbol of a nation, St. Paul amongst the flames

I am the London apprentice and I'll accept the status quo

That a Cockney must be born within the silent spells of Bow

But London's been a refuge by accident or plan

So ask me who's a Londoner and I'll answer, "Every man"

I am the London apprentice but one thing I know for sure

I'll tell you very bluntly with these words you can't ignore

Remember Doctor Johnson whose wit cut like a knife

When a man is tired of London, oh, a man is tired of life

I am the London apprentice for I never will learn her trade

The best that I could hope for is from mistakes I've made

And a man who never made any, he never made nothing at all