The death of Al Bowlly
17 April 1941

Al Bowlly died in his bed.
I'd always imagined him singing,
In front of a dinner-suit band,
Crooning goodnight to the dancers
Out for the night in tuxedo and gown
In West End escape from the blackout
As heavy explosives rained down.
But Al Bowlly died in his bed.

Al Bowlly died in his bed.
The 10:34 from High Wycombe
Brought him back through the darkness
From topping the bill at the Rex
(Al Bowlly and Jimmy Mesene,
'The radio stars with two guitars')
To his Helen at home in Duke's Court,
Where Al Bowlly died in his bed.

Al Bowlly died in his bed.
He thought he was charmed in the air-raids,
Unscathed by a daytime attack.
So while Helen went down to the shelter,
He stayed in the flat, ignoring the sirens,
Tucked into the sheets with a book.
Maybe he hummed The Last Round-up
Before Al Bowlly died in that bed.

Al Bowlly died in his bed.
A parachute landmine caused that,
By hitting the Jermyn Street pavement.
The blast rocked his second floor flat.
No whispered 'goodnight' for his Helen—
Just blackness, while there on the floor
The cowboy adventure lay open
And Al Bowlly lay dead in his bed.