Cracker Night - John Williamson

Teary eyes at the window,

Where did Mum and Dad go?

I wish someone would hurry up and come and get me,

Gee I’m scared

The cat shot through, She saw the light and fled.

Cracker night was a real big deal, when I was a little kid

They started lettin’them off after tea I ran inside and hid

And all the dogs from everywhere were underneath me bed.

We all went down in our dressing gowns to see the big bonfire

Wide eyes watched the straw man burn on a mile-high pile of tyres

Hot as hell, big black smell and red hot rings of wire.

Sky rockets zinging,

Catherine wheels spinning,

What a flamin’evening,

Fire trucks were screaming

Smoky haze hangin’round for days

And Grandma’s ears were ringing.

Everynight after school draggin’bits of wood,

Boxes and branches and rotten old fences,

And mattresses were good.

We even scrounged a vinyl lounge

And anything we could

Little Guy Fawkes’s and letter boxes

Blown all out of shape

Light the wick and back off quick,

And make the big escape

Cackin’ourselves and rippin’my shirt

Scrambling through the gate

Sky rockets zinging

Catherine wheels spinning

What a flamin’evening

Fire trucks were screaming

Smoky haze hangin’round for days

And Grandma’s ears were ringing.

A house burnt down on the edge of town

We all took off with Pa This thing whizzed across the road

And nearly hit our car

A bang and spark lit up the park

And everyone went Ah!

Ah!

Ah!

Cracker night was a real big deal,

When I was a little kid,

It seems like only yesterday

Tucked away in bed

Dreams of schemes and double bunger

Daring things we did