The Ballad of Bill Hubbard

...believable bargain It certainly is! Why did you grab it, dear? Well, I bought a thread of pearls from you last year for one daughter So, I figured, well, I'll get to the other daughter this spring Yeah, it's about once a year that you'll see the six-millimeter size Oh, they're beautiful! I'd say, ex-, extremely high luster, perfect roundness And the six-millimeter size, all add up to one thing A phenomenal giveaway Tape something for the album he's watching, so call... Animals... And the box... 179... 97 cents... And it certainly is a top one So it's a much-desired and a marvelous way to, uh, wear your jewelry Isn't that fun? I'm gonna miss you, and that you are And your voice will be in my thoughts and in my heart Happy New Year, Bubba! Tracy, wave at the Canterbury Station, baby, take Harold along Vera? ...and with this practical beast... Two things that have haunted me most Are the days in Villers when I had to collect the paybooks And when I left Bill Hubbard in No Man's Land I was picked up and taken into their trench And I'd no sooner taken two or three steps down the trench When I heard a call "Hello Razz, I'm glad to see you, this is my second night here" He said, "I'm feeling bad," and it was Bill Hubbard One of the men we'd trained in England One of the original battalion I had a look at his wound, rolled him over And I could see that it was probably a fatal wound You could imagine what pain he was in He was dripping with sweat And after I'd gone about three shell holes, traversed that Had it been, had there been a path or a road, I could have done better He pummeled me, "Put me down, put me down I'd rather die, I'd rather die, put me down" I was hoping he would faint He said, "I can't go any further, let me die" I said, "If I leave you here, Bill, you won't be found, let's have another go" He said, "Alright then," and the same thing happened He wouldn't, he couldn't stand it anymore, and I had to leave him In No Man's Land