[Intro: full-band three-note fuzz-guitar riff, two bars, vocal enters immediately after] [Verse 1] There were six of us behind the banner Seven if you count the dog Mrs. Evans brought a trumpet That she'd found beneath the shop The council said the gardens Were a suitable place for cars We came with muddy turnips And a box of homemade stars [Chorus] It's a small parade But we're taking up the street Put your good shoes on Bring your ordinary feet If the banner starts to sag Take a corner of the weight It's a small parade But we're on our way [Verse 2] The taxi driver sounded Like he thought we'd block the world Then he rolled his window down And bought a flag from the littlest girl The trumpet only managed Three notes out of five But the man who runs the barbers Came and marched along behind [Chorus] It's a small parade But we're taking up the street Put your good shoes on Bring your ordinary feet If the banner starts to sag Take a corner of the weight It's a small parade But we're on our way [Bridge] We didn't get an answer We got told to leave our names The rain got in the marker pen The purple letters ran You took a photograph of us All squinting through the rain Then wrote next Saturday at ten Across your open hand [Final Chorus] It's a small parade And we're finding out the route There's a woman from the corner shop Who wants to help us out Take the banner home to dry Take a corner of the weight It's a small parade We'll be back again
