Union Songs
Sixteen On The Dole
A Song by Ed Pickford©Ed Pickford mcps/prs
The future held such promise when he started at the school
Every day a new day full of learning full of rules
They taught him all about his world as by the years did roll
He was sixteen years a school kid now he's sixteen on the dole.
Chorus:
And I've seen him in the city streets more times than I can tell
All around this country his face is known so well
As he wanders round killing time - his life one endless stroll
He was sixteen years a school kid now he's sixteen on the dole.
At school he was no genius but still he didn't care
He was strong and he was happy in the sun and in the air
Soon he would become a man and try to reach his goal
But the joy soon turned to bitterness at sixteen on the dole.
The world he sees about him is a world that doesn't care
It shows him what a teenage kid should eat and drink and wear
Then through its glittering pop world makes him wander like a mole
He was sixteen years a school kid now he's sixteen on the dole.
In time the gravestone of this crime will bear the victim's name
And all the wreaths of flowery words won't hide a nation's shame
The politicians had no cure for cancer of the soul
He was sixteen years a school kid now he's sixteen on the dole.
And I've seen him in the city streets more times than I can tell
All around this country his face is known so well
As he wanders round killing time - his life one endless stroll
He was sixteen years a school kid now he's sixteen on the dole.
Notes
Many thanks to Ed Pickford for permission to add this song to the Union Songs collection.
Ed writes:
Sixteen On The Dole is about youth unemployment and promises not kept'.In October 2011 Ed added the supdated version to YouTube and wrote
'I know you have my song '16 On the Dole' on your site - it is a song I did back in the 1970's but when the unemployment figures came out last week I was dismayed that it was still "up to date". I've changed the gender of the original text.'Find more Ed Pickford songs on this site.
Visit Ed Pickford's website at http://www.ed-pickford.co.uk/
union songs..........a selection by mark gregory