ODE TO MG-ROVER

OLD ROVER
By Roy Livingstone, Graham Searle & Sarah Hartwell
(Tune: The Wild Rover)

Now I've owned an old Rover for many a year
And driven the roads without any fear
The old firm has been passed from pillar to post
And now they've decided to give up the ghost

Chorus:
And its no more Rover, no nay never no more
Cos the Chinese don't want it, so they're closin' the door.

I went to a garage I used to frequent
And there I was told all the spares had been sent
Out to the Owner Club's secret'ry
There to be stored for an emergency

And its no more Rover ....

I now drive an Audi through country and town
It's stylish and comfy and never breaks down
Killed by old methods and bad management
That's where the British car industry went ...

And its no more Rover ....

Poor Rover is dying and we're all to blame
And the cars in the car park they all look the same
The once great company has been brought to its knees
Cos when we changed our cars we all bought Japanese

And its no more Rover ....

Rover is sharing British industries' fate
Just like "Great Britain" it's no longer great
Imported or out-sourced it's all in decline
And finally Rover has also called "time"

And its no more Rover ....

British Leyland and Morris were names that I knew
They've disappeared and now Rover will too
Ashes to ashes and rust unto rust
Just like our country it's turning to dust

(Note: British Leyland collapsed during the 1970s)

NO MORE MG-ROVER
(Tune: The Irish Rover)

I thought it was time that I queued up in line,
I needed to buy a new car
My last one had quit and I wouldn't buy sh*t
I want a new MG-Rover

So I went into town, I put 5000 down
I could drive from Cardiff to Dover
I chose an MG, it had no warranty
And I bought it from MG-Rover

They lost 4000 jobs, the Chinese are yobs
Westminster is flippin' lazy
So they went to a bar and they cancelled my car
Now the public is downright crazy

I hope things are right and the bolts are all tight
I'll be glad when this whole thing is over
I know we'll be blue when this whole thing is through
It's a shame about MG-Rover

 

FIRM CALLED ROVER
By Sarah Hotdesking
(Tune: Four-Leafed Clover)

They're doing over a firm called Rover
That nearly closed down before
Chinese won't buy it, Labour deny it
New working methods? Staff wouldn't try it
No use complaining, it's not remaining
This time closing its doors.
They're doing over a firm called Rover
That nearly closed down before.

 

A-ROVER
(Tune: A-Roving)

At Longbridge works the cars were made
Called MG-Rover
But now their fortunes fail and fade
Now it's all over.
At Longbridge works the cars were made,
The pride of British motor-trade,
They'll make no more the Rover, these sad, sad days.

Chorus:
A Rover, a Rover, now Rover's fell to ruin,
They'll make no more the Rover, it's sad, sad days.

 

In April 2005 British car firm MG-Rover collapsed when the Chinese Shanghai Motors pulled out of a deal (they had cherry-picked the firm and bought the intellectual property rights to the Landrover engine; China usually has a general disdain for IPR!) The "new working methods" in "Firm Called Rover" applied to strikes and walkouts in past years, not to the 2005 collapse.

 

DRAGONQUEEN'S LAIR

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