Good lord is it so long ago
And we're both still alive
And my remarkable old friend
Has made three score and five
Up there with his bonnie lass
In his paradise Isle of Mull
His happiness profound
His glass ever full
Our Friendship is a friendship
From all those long years past
Our Friendship is a friendship
That seems meant to last
Our ways have somewhat parted
Not seen each other much of late
But he's still my oldest
Of my few old mates
Excuse my laziness
Dear old friend
I've changed the beginning
Not the middle or the end
Old Hodson's made it to 65
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 old gent's chair
