King of Rome
June Tabor Lyrics

In the West End of Derby lives a working man
There is a man who lives in the Western part of Derby who is a labourer by profession.

He says "I can't fly but me pigeons can
The man admits that though he cannot fly, his pigeons can.

And when I set them free
Whenever he sets his pigeons free,

It's just like part of me
He experiences a sense of oneness with his pigeons,

Gets lifted up on shining wings"
As though his spirit is lifted up on their shining wings.

Charlie Edson's pigeon loft was down the yard
This man's pigeons live in a pigeon loft down the yard of a man named Charlie Edson.

Of a rented house in Brook Street where life was hard
This house is situated on Brook Street and life is difficult there.

But Charlie had a dream
However, Charlie had a dream.

And in 1913
In the year 1913,

Charlie bred a pigeon that made his dream come true
Charlie bred a pigeon that helped him achieve his dream.

There was gonna be a champions' race from Italy
There was going to be a champions' race from Italy.

"Look at the maps, all that land and sea
People were doubtful Charlie's pigeon could win due to the vast distance across land and sea.

Charlie, you'll lose that bird"
They warned Charlie that he might lose his bird in the race.

But Charlie never heard
However, Charlie did not listen to them.

He put it in a basket and sent it off to Rome
He put the pigeon in a basket and sent it off to Rome.

On the day o' the big race a storm blew in
On the day of the big race, there was a storm.

A thousand birds were swept away and never seen again
A thousand birds were swept away and never seen again.

"Charlie we told you so
Once again, the people warned Charlie that he would lose his bird.

Surely by now you know
They believed he should've known by now.

When you're living in the West End there ain't many dreams come true"
They believed that in the West End, dreams rarely come true.

"Yeah, I know, but I had to try
However, Charlie knew he had to try before giving up.

A man can crawl around or he can learn to fly
He believed that a man can either crawl around in despair or learn to fly and rise up.

And if you live 'round here
Moreover, if you live around this area,

The ground seems awful near
One might feel oppressed and hopeless due to their surroundings.

Sometimes I need a lift from victory"
Therefore, sometimes one needs a boost of motivation and victory.

I was off with me mates for a pint or two
The man was drinking with his friends for a while.

When I saw a wing flash up in the blue
He noticed a flash of wings in the sky.

"Charlie, it's the King of Rome
It turned out to be Charlie's pigeon, now known as the King of Rome.

Come back to his West End home
The pigeon came back to its West End home.

Come outside quick, he's perched up on your roof"
They called for Charlie to come outside and see his pigeon, which was perched up on his roof.

"Come on down, Your Majesty
Charlie called for his pigeon to come down from the roof.

I knew you'd make it back to me
He was confident that his pigeon would come back to him, and it did.

Come on down, you lovely one
He called his pigeon a lovely one and invited it back inside.

You made me dream come true"
The pigeon made Charlie's dream come true.

In the West End of Derby lives a working man
The song ends by reaffirming that in the West End of Derby, a working man lives and keeps his pigeons.