From the recording Tortology

A song dedicated to Sydney's homeless, many of whom share the tiled verandah of the Old Supreme Court in King Street Sydney as their nightly haven.

Lyrics

HOLDING COURT IN KING STREET
(Brian Ralston)

Stephen never knew a family,
His childhood spent in cold and grey State homes
Earmarked to fail, in and out of gaol, released, then left to fend alone

He wanders lonely through the city,
Checking rancid bins, in ragged clothes
Cadging fags, his whole world in two bags, as he swears at unknown foes

But as black skies cloud St Mary's spires,
And as streetlights start to flicker in the dark
He takes his nightly trek, past the benches in Hyde Park

Cause they're holding court in King Street again tonight
The wretched and the homeless huddle out of sight
They laugh and joke, they squabble and fight,
They jostle for position under fag-end light
They're holding court in King Street again tonight

Janey once had a family,
She hasn't heard from them for years
Just an old photograph, kept firmly in her grasp, tattered, torn and stained with tears

So she takes another swig,
Tries to drown the screaming demons in her head
Shuffles past the pin-striped suits, on the way to her tiled bed

Cause they're holding court in King Street again tonight
The wretched and the homeless huddle out of sight
They laugh and joke, they squabble and fight,
They jostle for position under fag-end light
They're holding court in King Street again tonight

We head off for the comforts of our homes,
We leave the human scars behind
Not only justice is blind

Cause they're holding court in King Street again tonight
The wretched and the homeless huddle out of sight
They laugh and joke, they squabble and fight,
They jostle for position under fag-end light
They're holding court, and we don't give a thought
That they're holding court in King Street again tonight



Copyright 2009 Brian Ralston