BASINGSTOKE            
Bernard Bolan

Intro: Am

    Am                   C                   G             Am
Now I've got a Cat called Basingstoke, he's a Cat you must admire,
                            C                           G               Am
He's black and white, or he was, till the night that he jumped into the fire.
C                                  E
What a night! The tale it must be told,
(speed up...)
So grip your seat, for you're in for a treat that'll make your blood run cold

Chorus 1:
A                            E
Basingstoke: he used to be so furry,
                              A
Till he tried to Kung-Fu the Canary.
                            D
Up he jumped - soaring ever higher,
          E                   (slow down)                         Am
Then the soaring stopped and down he dropped in the middle of the fire.


In flames and smoke my Basingstoke went roaring 'round the room.
His fiery tum and his blackened bum appeared to spell his doom.
What a Cat: Whoever would have guessed
He could quench his rear in a pint of beer while beating out his chest

Basingstoke: he truly is a trier:
It takes guts to sing when you're on fire!
What a cat - you should have seen him strain:
Stuck like glue in the bottom of the 'loo and trying to pull the chain.


Now life's no joke for Basingstoke, so runs the ugly rumour:
The fiery hob did not just rob him of his sense of humour.
Poor old chap - the prospect it appals -
Just one jump and down with a bump, and he's burned off all his undergrowth...

Basingstoke: his tale is truely tragic.
Fire and smoke have robbed him of his magic.
The former springboard, the terror of the tiles,
Just sits and sighs with tears in his eyes 'cause he only raises smiles.

Basingstoke: he used to be a charmer,
Now ladies joke and talk of fried banana.
Poor old chap - he was too young to retire...

D
Once he was happy, handsome and hairy,
       Dm
Just a red-blooded pussy with a taste for Canary,
E
Now he comes between a Fritter and a Fairy
                     A          E   A.
Since he walked the fire!