In 2006 David Cameron said: “This coyness, this reserve, is, I always think, an intrinsic part of being British. We are understated. We don’t do flags on the front lawn.” Now that he’s Prime Minister and there’s a World Cup on, Dave has (quite reasonably) decreed that the Cross of St George will fly above Downing Street.
As a friend commented, it seems “We don’t do flags on the front lawn – unless the football’s on.”
For some reason this reminded me of Merle Haggard’s classic Okie from Muskogee. And so, with apologies to Mr Haggard, here’s a rewritten version that, in a better world, would be England’s 2010 World Cup anthem…
We don’t believe in destiny or Heskey
We don’t travel well at all
We don’t do flags on the lawn unless the football’s on
We like fightin’ right and boozin’ free
I’m proud to be an England man
A place where even chavs can have a ball
We shall sing of 66 and wave old glory
And Wayne Rooney’s still the biggest thrill of all
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