Wow. Accusing Les Barker of being snide and cruel in this parody verse - that's a world class entry in the "taking umbrage for no discernable reason" Olympics. First, it's a parody. For some folks that's enough to irk them. With a parody you get snarky sounding comments, and most times they're for an exaggerated comic effect, with a "persona" for the song. Les' political poetry might run closer to the line on snide - but over it? I don't think so. As someone who has had the pleasure of watching Les perform several times and hosted him in my home AND plays the concertina, I'd have to say it isn't going to be a favorite of his parodies, and I won't be adding it to my repertoire as I have a couple others. Anyone wants further proof that Les has some peculiar ideas about concertinas, need only listen to "Arnold" where a concertina becomes an object of sexual obsession by a myopic armadillo. Someone put that to music, and I would LOVE to have that music - I would take the time to learn that, with concertina. (how delightfully off-kilter his world view - I can't imagine anyone else writing "Sex with a concertina is hardly, if ever discrete") I love Les and I love parodies. Even a master of parodies can't make it to the top of everyone's charts all the time. Joanne in Cleveland
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