Plaistow Patricia
Ian Dury Lyrics

Arseholes, bastards, fucking cunts and pricks
She has had negative experiences with people who are unpleasant and she does not like them.

Aerosol, the bricks
She uses aerosol to draw graffiti on the walls of buildings.

A lawless brat from a council flat - oh, oh
She is a young person who lives in a low-income housing unit and does not follow the rules.

A little bit of this and a little bit of that - oh, oh
She has tried various things, good and bad, in her life.

Dirty tricks
She has done things that might be considered underhanded or sneaky.

From the Mile End Road
She comes from a specific area of London.

To the match-stick Beacontree
She has traveled to the Beacontree neighborhood, known for its rows of uniform council houses.

Pulling strokes and taking liberties
She engages in deceitful behavior and takes advantage of others.

She liked it best when she went up west - oh, oh
She enjoys going to the western part of London.

You can go to hell with your 'well, well, well' - oh, oh
She is dismissive of someone who is trying to lecture or give advice to her.

Who said good things always come in threes?
She questions the notion that good things come in a set of three.

Reds and yellows, purples, blues and greens
She uses drugs of various colors and types.

She turned the corner before she turned fifteen
She began engaging in risky behavior at a very young age.

She got into a mess on the NHS - oh, oh
She had a difficult experience with the National Health Service, possibly due to personal health issues.

It runs down your arms and settles in your palms - oh, oh
She describes the physical sensation of taking drugs.

Keep your eyeballs white and keep your needle clean
She advises to take drugs safely and cleanly.

Her tits had dropped, her arse was getting spread
She is getting older and her body is changing.

She lost some teeth, she nearly lost the thread
She has suffered from dental issues and nearly lost control of her life.

She did some smack with a Chinese chap - oh, oh, oh
She used heroin with a man from China.

An affair began with Charlie Chan - oh, oh
She has a romantic relationship with a man named Charlie Chan.

Well, that was just before she really lost her head
Her life began to spiral out of control around the same time as her relationship with Charlie Chan.

Now she owns a showroom down the Mile End Road
She has become successful and owns a store in the Mile End Road area.

And her outer garments are the latest mode
She wears fashionable clothing.

There's a Siamese cat in the council flat - oh, oh
She owns a Siamese cat that lives in her low-income housing unit.

The finest grains for my lady's veins - oh, oh
She continues to use drugs, but now uses a higher quality.

And when it gets out of order, she goes away for a bit
She checks herself into rehab when her drug use becomes too much to handle.

Plaistow Patricia, Plaistow Patricia
This is a refrain that repeats throughout the song and refers to the central character.

Ohh, go on, girl
This is an expression of encouragement or approval.