Ballad Of Josie Evans cover by Clair Lewis (now Mx Dennis Queen) 2007

This cover of Johnnie Crescendo’s classic song ‘The Ballad of Josie Evans’ was performed in 2007 at the Annual General Meeting of Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People (GMCDP).

British Sign Language interpretation by Anthony Redshaw.
Transcript below video.

Transcript

Josie was a wheelchair user
spent 11 years inside
A short stay institution
where she was banged up without trial

11 years the white coats
met and talked and analysed
Dispensed the drugs politely
until one day Josie died

"Not me" said the social worker
"I was Josie's friend
She was our best customer
I was with her 'til the end
Our boss said no resources
were available at the time
I'm just an employee
can't put my job on the line"

"Not me" said the manager
"I can't be held to blame
It's the politicians who make decisions
I'm just a pawn in their game
I agree most strongly that Miss Evans was done wrong
But the council wanted cuts
and I had to sing their song"

The finger of guilt
draws a circle in the sand
And who'll take the blame
for the desperate and the dammed
And which people vote for injustice in the land?
Is it you or your father?
Is it you? Is it you?

Well the leader of the council
wrung his hands and shook his fist
"You've got to blame the government
for a scandal such as this"

"Blame Thatcher, blame John Major
blame the ones that put them in"
And he went to wash his hands
declaring he was clean of sin

"Oh, I give to charity everyday"
says John Major at the table
"It's the very least that I can do
to help the poor disabled
Efficiency is what we need
poor management's to blame
Now would you like a small donation
to the memory of what's her name?"

The finger of guilt
draws a circle in the sand
Who'll take the blame
for the desperate and the dammed
And which people vote for injustice in the land
Is it you or your mother?
Is it you? Is it you?

Josie left a letter
which I found amongst her things
It said "I am, I survive
and my heart still has wings
They can take away my freedom
They can drug me with their lies
But they don't have my permission
And I'll hang on to my pride"