Big boy Evil Boy, big boy Evil Bill

Mummy, money, saw him dip us in the till

Cheek of picky Bill

With his funny walk and funny chills

Gin Gon, gin again, gin gon up the hill

Self help for the bells, self help to the hill

Cheek of picky Bill

With his funny walk and known to kill

And funny chills

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dearest one

Oh dear, oh dear Christ

What's become of

Big boy Evil Bill, big boy Evil Bill

Mummy, money, saw him dip us in the till

Oh, the Bill boy was

Overall Meaning

quite a handful! He was a big, intimidating presence known for his evil ways, hence the nickname "Evil Bill". The first two lines of the song paint a picture of a mischievous child who is caught stealing from the family's money box, or "till". The phrase "Mummy, money, saw him dip us in the till" can be interpreted as the child being caught in the act by their mother, dipping their hand into the box and taking money for themselves.

The chorus introduces a new character, "Gin Gon" who is possibly a reference to the hallucinogenic effects of the alcoholic drink gin. The phrase "self help for the bells, self help to the hill" could be interpreted as taking responsibility for one's own mistakes and seeking redemption, perhaps through religious means. However, this is juxtaposed with the continued mention of Evil Bill's misdeeds, suggesting that he is beyond redemption, hence the line "known to kill".

The repeated phrase "oh dear, oh dear, oh dearest one" seems to be an expression of sadness or lamentation for the state of affairs surrounding Evil Bill, and the lyrical shift to addressing Christ suggests a religious component to the song's themes.

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