The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death - The Housemartins

They smiled so much and waved their flags

As she saluted to the military band

Most of the people failed to see

She had a broken bottle in the other hand

And she took them by surprise

When she took them by the throat

And said «My friend you’re not allowed to vote»

But they shook it all off

With a nervous laugh and cough

«Next time,"she said «I'll let those people choke»

The people who grinned themselves to death

Smiled so much they failed to take a breath

And even when their kids were starving

They all thought the queen was charming

She polished all upon the wall

And ran her hands right through her hair

So if the lady took the time to call

All the houses on the street would not compare

And she thought it really funny

That she hadn’t any money

But those she looked up to, they had

But they shook it all off

With a nervous laugh and cough

And when they took her riches it was sad

The people who grinned themselves to death

Smiled so much they failed to take a breath

And even when their kids were starving

They all thought the queen was charming