Funny what makes a celebrity in modern (or post-modern) society. Before I'm a Celebrity, Big Brother, or The Only Way is Essex took the thing to its most preposterous current level, there was Ronnie Biggs. I have always been quite fascinated by the apparent fondness held for this man in the minds of many. If not fondness, at least a degree of admiration. Maybe they saw him as a kind of Robin Hood - tho not for the benefit of the poor. He even had a hit single in collaboration with (some of) The Sex Pistols - whose own moral compass seemed to blow all over the place in the breeze: anti-everything it seemed (except public acclaim, and whatever financial reward they could achieve). Yet whilst the band performed God Save the Queen with heavy irony, Sid Vicious was happy to sport a T-shirt with a Nazi Swastika. So maybe no surprise there that they fell in with each other. The Pistols may even have seen some overlap in their own activities with what Ronnie had got up to...
Ronnie Biggs outlived Sid Vicious by 34 years, and Nelson Mandela. As regards the folklore surrounding the train heist, there is a Northern Irish connection. According to Wikipedia, the robbery was planned carefully using inside information from an individual known as 'The Ulsterman.' The robbers escaped with with over £2.6 million (the equivalent of £46 million today). The bulk of the stolen money was never recovered. Jack Mills, the train driver, suffered head injuries severe enough to prevent him from returning to work. (He was 57 at the time he was struck over the head with an iron bar by one of the robbers). The mystery of who did that particular deed appears to have been resolved in November 2012 (was it him that killed Bambi??!), so we'll not lay the blame at Ronnie's door:
[Photo c/o MailOnline]
but Ronnie could hardly say he wasn't complicit in the deed. And indeed he didn't. Still, I don't think society at large holds him to be as bad as, say, Ian Brady, Idi Amin, Ian Huntley, or Myra Hindley. Yet, when he wrote a 'prayer,' that's the sort of company he lumped himself in with:
2011 cover version here by the band with the catchy moniker, Filthy Lucre:
Note the prominence of the Union Jack. Is this a coded message regarding The Ulsterman? (From the behaviour of some here, you might think we have sole ownership of 'the Fleg,' and recent days have shown that some others are still trying to use violence to end the union. Side alley to an old song about the union here ;-)). Anyway, presumably some Ulstermen and dissident Republicans aren't beyond the reach of the lyrics:
"God save the sex pistols they're a bunch of wholesome blokes
They just like wearing filthy clothes and swapping filthy jokes
God save television keep the programmes pure
God save William Grundy from falling in manure
Ronnie Biggs was doing time until he done a bunk
Now he says he's seen the light and he sold his soul to punk
God save Martin Boorman and nazis on the run
They wasn't being wicked God that was their idea of fun
God save Myra Hindley God save Ian Brady
Even though he's horrible and she ain't what you call a lady
Ronnie Biggs was doing time until he done a bunk
Now he says he's seen the light and he sold his soul to punk
Ronnie Biggs was doing time until he done a bunk
Now he says he's seen the light and he sold his soul to punk
God save politicians God save our friends the pigs
God save Idi Amin and God save Ronald Biggs
God save all us sinners God save your blackest sheep
God save the good samaritan and God save the worthless creep."
The song may well have been just as ironic as God Save the Queen, but was Ronnie B onto something? Not alleging Coke. Maybe not so Pretty Vacant (LOVED that song), maybe not such a Silly Thing (Christmas element in this video).
No-one is innocent - Bobby D & Ronnie agree: Have a listen to Bob's take around the same time as the Pistols - here
Merry Christmas.
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