A Budget daydream: “Sorry sorry, Brian”

In my opinion, there’s no better way to break the tension before a major economic decision than to adopt the style of Weird Al and write some song parodies. A few months ago, Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah became ‘Board Snip Nua’. Before that, we had Copa-Obama. Today is of course Budget Day and I’d like to recompense blog readers for not re-writing YMCA as NAMA a couple of months ago, by recreating a dream Don McLean had where he was Taoiseach and a luckless lawyer was Vincent Van Gogh.

Sorry, sorry Brian
Taint your career in a day
Took you from the DoJ
To Finance at the darkest time of all
With a deficit that kills
Sketch the cuts and the bitter pills
Catch them on prescription bills
With price hikes that nobody understands.

Now I understand what you tried to say to me,
About staying in Justice and equality
How you took that job with glee
I would not listen, I did not know how.
Perhaps I’ll listen now.

Sorry, sorry Brian
Inflaming tensions with cuts in pay
Surly unions, violent days
Reflect in Lenihan’s eyes of china blue.
Talking to SIPTU can age you with all the strain
Weathered faces lined in pain,
Are irked by the Budget’s humble plans.

Now I understand what you tried to say to me,
How you loved Justice and equality
How you took that job with glee
I would not listen, I did not know how.
Perhaps I’ll listen now.

For they could have loved you,
And still many do like you.
But when no hope was left in sight
On that cold December night,
You cut their pay, as Ministers often do.
But I could have told you, Brian,
This post was never meant for one
With a legal mind like you.

Sorry, sorry Brian
Arguments in empty halls,
Bearded heads and nighttime calls,
With PAs that watch the news and can’t forget.
Like the voters that you’ve met,
The ragged men in ragged clothes,
Children with a bloody nose,
Lie waiting while you handle the IMO.

Now I think I know what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered in your popularity,
How you tried to shift the blame to me.
I would not listen, I’m not listening still.
Perhaps I never will…

And now back to work…