June Tabor - The King of Rome lyrics

In the West End of Derby lives a working man
He says "I can't fly but me pigeons can
And when I set them free
It's just like part of me
Gets lifted up on shining wings"

Charlie Hudson's pigeon loft was
Down the yard of a rented house in Brook
Street where life was hard
But Charlie had a dream and in 1913
Charlie bred a pigeon that made
His dream come true

There was gonna be a
Champions' race from Italy
We got out the maps, all that land and sea
"Charlie, you'll lose that bird"
But Charlie never heard
He put it in a basket and sent it off to Rome

On the day o' the big race a storm blew in
A thousand birds were swept away
And never seen again "Charlie we told you so
Surely by now you know
When you're living in the West End
There ain't many dreams come true"

"yeah, I know, but I had to try
A man can crawl around or he can learn to fly
And if you live 'round here
The ground seems awful near
Sometimes I need a lift from victory"

I was off with me mates for a pint or two
When I saw a wing flash up in the blue
"Charlie, it's the King of Rome
Come back to his West End home
Come outside quick
He's perched up on your roof"

"Come on down, Your Majesty
I knew you'd make it back to me
Come on down, my lovely one
You made me dream come true"