I do parodies, but not usually because I want to send up the original - except "South Australia", where the copyright statement at the foot banned the process, and I did "South Circular" (available here somewhere) as response to a challenge. Usually it's because I have something I think amusing to say, and it seems to want to fit a known tune. So I've done "The bold allotmenteers" who go hunting for the snail to the tune of "The Bonny Ship the Diamond", and "I've been a school teacher for most of my life" (also round here somewhere). I've also done some G&S versions in school. I wouldn't think what I've done would be disturbing to any old sailors, or real lovers of the Wild Rover.

It's a trait I've inherited from my father. Somewhere, there is a copy of an accountancy magaizine with one of his titled "The VATman cometh", which he lost his copy of, as, apparently, did the publisher.

I'm not myself very happy about the couple of comedians (?) who parody the whole act of Flanders and Swann, since a) they are not as skilled, and, more importantly, b) they cover that by going somewhere a Quaker wouldn't.

Penny