Starting from west to east of St Leonards and Hastings drinking establishments, a good few get a mention. Back in the late 1980s and into the 90s. When Mr Cherry's existed. This song is about Hastings pubs and I decided to name it after a charming part of the old town - now gentrified it seems but the edges still rough thank goodness.
It starts in the east (St Leornards-on-sea), in a pub that back in 1989 ish, had a name change from Mr Cherry's to The James Burton. A wonderful pub where great live music happened - Turpin Brothers, Buick 6.. Frequented by ‘us lot’ most Friday nights back then and yes I believe we possible did end up dancing on the tables.
And so we moved on - Palace Bars, also known as The Pig in Paradise. Big old pub, Newcastle Brown Ale in the bottle, very alternative crowd, anything went and often did. Carlisle! A song on its own there! Rock pub - famous place.
The ‘Street’. A pub/bar/upstairs club. Lots of people hearing the lyric ‘walking down the street to the Street’ may possibly dismiss this as nonsense. It is not, it makes sense when you know the meaning.
The Crypt - tripped, colours… What a club. Grungy, grubby but all were welcome in the days where going to a club meant that you had to put on a shirt and wear shoes.
Then into the old town itself - Jenny Lind, Anchor, Pump House and of course The Nelson - if you have ever been in this pub, you will understand the sentiment ‘like nowhere else on earth’
George Street Blues
Cherry's changed its name to Burton
James or Jimmy can't be certain
Once we made our way to the bar
Wouldn't be straying to damn far (from here)
Dancing on the tables
Checking in to meet them George Street Blues
Moving on into town
Start to move our feet around
Carlisle pub, Palace Bars
Once we start, we won't get far (from here)
Once I felt my ears bleed
Diagnosed myself with the George Street Blues
Walking down the street to The Street
I forgot to use my feet
Must have lost my way and tripped
Ended up inside the Crypt
Once I saw those colours
I knew I'd end up flying to the George Street Blues
Everything became a haze
Streets became a narrow maze
Once you step inside The Nelson
Really just like nowhere else on Earth
Falling out the back door
Rolling across the street to the George Street blues
I got talking to Jenny Lind
On the way to The Anchor Inn
Seaside liquor in my brain
You know I've never been the same again
Meet me at the Pump House
You know I'm bound to get them George Street Blues
(Chris Frampton 2021)