Old Hodson's made it to 60
Jesus bloody wept
That we who were so beautiful
Are now so near decrepit
I've known him from his 4 B years
(Before beer belly began)
Seen him rise from callow youth
To this distinguished man
I first met him playing cricket
Carry a very straight bat
Even eaten fish and chips
From his 10 gallon hat
He made me join his skiffle group
Though I can neither play nor sing
To Alan bloody Hodson
The merest trifling thing
We met Sonnie and Brownie together
And chatted with Rambling Jack
Been friends from here to eternity
Or from hell to there and back
He's been my oldest friend
Through all my thinking life
And together we survived
Our trouble and our strife
If there really is a heaven
And Hodson beats me there
He'll not greet me from god's right hand
He'll have pinched the bastard's chair