Susanne: ISTR it's much older than the 1980s, but more recent than the 1880s! Anyway, the song dates itself: "But Charlie had a dream "And in nineteen thirteen "Charlie bred a pigeon that made his dream come true"

The story behind the song is that its author (Sudbury - sorry, I can't remember his first name) was searching through the reserve collection of a Derby museum when he came across a stuffed pigeon labeled simply "The King of Rome". This perplexed him sufficiently for him to research the exhibit's background, and the song is a fairly true rendition of what he found.

[Note that it's Derby - a UK Midlands town - rather than Darby.]

The notes on the song in DT agree it was recorded by June Tabor on Aquaba. A very fine song on a very fine CD.

G.