A song in which I complain about a thing that really doesn't matter, namely that journalists and politicians sometimes like to use "North of Hadrian's Wall" as a vaguely poetic synonym for Scotland, which would be nice if only it was an actual synonym. As it happens, there's rather a lot of England north of Hadrian's Wall, and it's a lovely part of the world! So there.
This song namechecks some notable people who were born there, as well as Ant and Dec. And me.
Lyrics and Chords:
[D][G][A][D]
[D]Journalists can't bear to use the [G]same expression twice
They'll [D]always say "Small Rodents" in[A]stead of saying mice,
A [D]fire only burns until it [G]turns into a blaze
[D]Hendrix, the guitarist who [A]played on Purple Haze
Be cre[G]ative as you [D]like but re[G]member that at [D]worst,
The [G]second mention [D]has to mean the [G]same thing as the [A]first
So [G]when you need a [D]synonym for [G]"Scotland" in the [D]press
Re[G]member that it [D]doesn't go as [G]far south as you [A]guessed
[A6][A7]
[D]Two universities and [Bm]one national park
[G]Most of Newcastle, where [A]Shearer made his mark
[D]Warkworth Castle, Bamburgh and the [Bm]Cheviot Hills are all
[G]Things you'll find in [D]England [A]north of Hadrian's [D]Wall
[G][A][D][D]
[D]Politicians think their use of [G]language is a strength
[D]Never say directly what [A]they can say at length
[D]Perhaps it's to persuade us, [G]perhaps it's to confuse,
[D]Perhaps it's so that we'll forget a[A]bout their latest ruse
[G]So while I [D]know they're making [G]efforts to [D]deceive
The [G]Romans didn't [D]get as far as [G]they seem to [A]believe
I'm [G]not expecting [D]much, but there's one [G]thing that I in[D]sist
If you [G]want to govern [D]Scotland, at [G]least know where it [A]is
[A6][A7]
[D]Earl Grey, the Prime Minister who [Bm]liked a cup of tea
[G]Ant and Dec, you might have [A]seen them on TV
[D]Jack and Bobby Charlton, [Bm]wizards with the ball
Like [G]me were born in [D]England [A]north of Hadrian's [D]Wall
[G][A][D][D]
[D]Netherby and Otterburn, [Bm]Wark and Whitley Bay
The [G]Holy Island Lindisfarne, [A]over its causeway
North[D]umberland and Cumbria [Bm]might surprise you all,
With [G]the many miles of [D]England [A]north of Hadrian's [D]Wall
[G][A][D][D]
[D]Artists, actors, singers, and [Bm]scientists have all
Been [G]people born in [D]England [A]north of Hadrian's [D]Wall
[G][A][D][D]