The Ballad of Old 604 Gigs Lyrics Comments

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Author
Robyn Hitchcock
Robyn has only performed this song once, at Fulwell bus garage, on May 08, 2012.

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From a post on Facebook
Route 604 was one of two trolleybus routes which served Wimbledon from 1931 (when it was originally numbered 4) up until May 1962, with route 604 running from Wimbledon to Hampton Court via the likes of Worple Road, Raynes Park, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Norbiton and Kingston. This photo shows one of the original fleet of AEC 'Diddler' trolleybuses which ran on routes 604 and 605 between 1931 up until their replacement by a fewer fleet of trolleybuses 1948 with this photo being taken at the former Hampton Court terminus of route 604 during World War 2, seeing as the vehicle has a mask over its tram-style single headlamp.

Lyrics

That trolley bus was gliding down the wires
That trolley bus was gliding down the wires
It left Wimbledon with 40 minutes left to run
Old 604 is gliding down the wires

Marilyn Monroe had 3 months to go
Oh Marilyn had just 3 months to go
In the middle of the dark 604 hit Raynes Park
That trolley bus had one hour five or so

Oh that trolley, that trolley bus
Whoa that trolley, that trolley bus
In the middle of the dark 604 hit Raynes Park
It had one hour five minutes or so

John Kennedy was friends with Marylin
She sang "Happy birthday, Jack" to him
He didn't have that long, 604 had 10 minutes
When that trolley bus pulled out of Norbiton

Oh that trolley, that trolley bus
Oh that trolley, that trolley bus
JFK did not have long, 604 just has this song
And 50 minutes when it pulled out of Norbiton

The Beatles had passed the audition test
George Martin said they had loose Pete Best
So they shed old Pete, 35 minutes out of Eden Street
That trolley bus went to its final rest, right here in Fulwell

Woah that trolley, that trolley bus
Woah that trolley, that trolley bus
Well they shed old Pete, 35 minutes out of Eden Street
That trolley bus went here to its final nest
And curled up right here, would you believe

Uh huh

Listen to the great antennae hum
Like Zebedee the angel, how they strum
Yeah see the way she moves, she's got wires, no grooves
Park into the wires, how they hum (?)

John Lennon had another 18 years
The thought of that reduces me to tears
Time cannot be sold or bought, 604 hit Hampton Court
There was 20 minutes till the final cheers

We all come to Fulwell in the end
Yes, we all come to Fulwell in the end
You cannot keep from seeing ................... (?)
But that trolley bus will always be your friend

Go Roy!

That trolley bus was gliding down the wires
Yes, 604 was gliding down the wires
It drank electricity, it was smoke and diesel free
That trolley bus was gliding down the wires

Oh that trolley, that trolley bus
Oh that trolley, that trolley bus
16 Royal drums, as err.... 
Err... thing was from, it was there but it's gone

Ok
One, two, three, four, five, six, stop!