Oh, sister 16. (Memoirs of Robert Brown iv)

It’s fine tae be a workin’ class hero

But when yer wealth amounts tae zero

Then ye have tae push that ideology aside

An’ try an’ bridge the great divide

It’s no the common folk ah’m tryin’ tae deride

It’s certain beliefs that I cannae abide

Attitudes entrenched in the minds o’ the workin’ population

That they’re born tae serve and cannae rise above their station

Times were hard and the system wis unjust

But why settle for crumbs fae the upper crust

Ye don’t have tae be born wi’ a silver spoon

Savvy can provide that desired boon

The hindrance tae the majority o’ the nation

Wis the lack o’ a proper education

Ye cannae be succeedin’

If ye don’t know anythin’ aboot writin’ an’ readin’

An’ learnin’ tae count

What good is money if ye don’t know the amount?

Ah acquired ma knowledge fae Father Beast

Remember me tellin’ ye aboot the dirty priest?

Well, for that wee attempted molestation

Ah demanded that he gave me an education

Or ah’d gie away his secret an’ make a lot o’ noise

Aboot what he wis daein’ tae a lot o’ the young boys

He must’ve seen the sincerity in ma eyes

Because he didnae hesitate tae compromise

So, when the despicable wee vermin wisnae giein’ a sermon

Or listenin’ tae somebody confessin’

Ah’d be there for a daily lesson

I might no have went tae an uppity school

But what ah had wis a valuable tool

Withoot it life can be horribly cruel

And if ye’re prepared tae break the rules

Ye’ll find abundant gullible fools

More so wi’ the elite

Who were by far the easiest tae cheat

It’s wan thing havin’ a proper education

But if ye’ve never had that indignation

O’ bein’ oan the street

Strugglin’ tae make ends meet

Then ye’re oblivious tae the art o’ deception

As desperation is the root of dishonesty’s conception

Only a fool believes that there is honour among thieves

There is only wan person o’ interest for the wan that deceives

The business wi’ the lassies wis jist the beginnin’

It wis the trust o’ the cream that ah wis intent oan winnin’

Their admiration

Pavin’ the way for fraternisation

An’ tae start ah intended tae use Siobhan

Ah knew what wis goin’ on

Wi’ her an’ her lady friend

An’ that tae me me wis the ultimate godsend

For such an illicit act

It was guaranteed that we’d form a pact

The threat o’ exposure for the upper class sinner

Wid ultimately ensure that ah wis a winner

Money wis what ah had in mind

But first ah had tae mix wi’ her an’ her kind

Tae hell wi’ scruples

When chance ensures yer wealth quadruples

An’ the lassies makin’ money oan the side?

Who wis ah tae chide?

They were jist the same as me

Daein’ what it takes for the chance tae be free