Lyrics

[Verse 1] Oh Lord, won't you tell me, I'm sure I don't know Who makes the plans that change our lives so? From a place in the country so peaceful and calm We moved up to London as the bombs fell around [Verse 2] On a street by the river where the rent, it was cheap The landlord he told us, "It's yours to keep" For a regular payment, week after week You will always have a roof under which you can sleep" [Verse 3] The years, they passed by, the war came to an end We lived out our lives, did nothing to offend But the landlord's conditions, yearly, they grew With the size of his gut and his housing values [Verse 4] He'd kneel on a Sunday and pray to the Lord For ideals of love his world can't afford When the bastard, he came 'round to raise up the rent We swallowed our pride and we smiled our best [Chorus] Bricks and mortar, a kingdom of stone When you go, you're all alone They'll carve your name where you lie And I, for one, no tears will cry [Verse 5] Greed knows no boundaries, greed does not feel I'm damned if I'll die for a property deal The woman next door, she just passed away For the rent grew so high that she just couldn't pay [Verse 6] And here in her bed, she closed up her eyes The last time she gazed on this world of lies With nowhere to go and nothing to say She went to the next world and the bastard, he smiled [Chorus] Bricks and mortar, a kingdom of stone And when you go, you're all alone They'll carve your name where you lie And I, for one, no tears will cry [Verse 7] Oh Lord, won't you tell me, I'm sure I don't know What makes some people so callous and cold? I've lived in this house for forty-four years My children were born here, it's here I'll grow old [Verse 8] A curse on you, bastard landlord, be damned Who needs one more house like a beach needs more sand? I'll stay 'til I'm done, only then will I go 'Twas never meant one man should treat others so