I'm new to Mudcat and have just discovered this thread.

I wrote a parody of 'Blood Red Roses' in 1966, while working with some Ferranti Pegasus computers at BAC, Weybridge, Surrey, home of the ill-fated TSR-2 and VC-10.

I can't remember much except the first verse and chorus.
It may have been sauced up a bit since then, with the technology explosion and all, but it went something like this:

The Flexowriter's sounds are still,
Break down, you old computer, break down,
So now I've lots of time to kill,
Break down, you old computer, break down,

Oh, you tapes and print-outs
Break down, you old computer, break down.

There's overtime the whole night through,
Break down, you old computer, break down,
But I wish I was at home with you.
Break down, you old computer, break down

etc. etc, ???

The Flexowriter was a machine with a keyboard that produced punched paper tape for the compter programs and data, rather like a Telex machine, used for Pegasus and ICL 1900 series computers - anybody else remember them?
We used to do 'Ghosters'- all night overtime sessions at time and a half with the following day off - running the 'weights and measures' programs for the aircraft design office on the old Pegasus (radio valve) computer, with 8-inch Decca Magnetic tape drives and a 4K magnetic drum with a kicking plate in case it stopped, on the Pegasus III.

I do like the newer poem - hardly blood red roses tune even with a big mallet!

I don't know whether my contribution helps, but it gives an idea of the original shape of the song.

If anyone can remember any of my other verses = please post them.