Humpty Dumpty was Pushed

Written by Tommy Sands in the mid-seventies and inspired by grafitti in the toilets of a pub in Belfast, Sands’ song challenges the media portrayal of the “truth” in the context of Northern Ireland, especially in relation to unfair imprisonment. He states: “If all the truths that I was inoculated with since, through education, press and media are anything to go by, then Mr. Dumpty was probably pushed off the wall”
(Liner notes to Singing of the Times).

This song was performed in a play of the same name at the Belfast Festival at Queen’s.

Copyright courtesy of Tommy Sands (Elm Grove Music)

On the album ‘‘Singing of the Times’

Lyrics:

Humpity Dumpty was pushed, head over heels all over the wall
Humpity Dumpty was pushed, nobody knew it at all

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Gathered around and kicked him again
Then they sent for the press and a couple of friends
And knelt on the ground and they chanted amen

Humpity Dumpty was pushed, head over heels all over the wall
Humpity Dumpty was pushed nobody knew it at all

The following morning the headlines would tell
Really it was inevitable
Mr Dumpty was drunk, and he fell from the wall
And perhaps a bit cracked and shell-shocked and all

Humpity Dumpty was pushed , head over heels all over the wall
Humpity Dumpty was pushed nobody knew it at all

They wrote in the papers, they wrote in the news
They wrote it in all of the history books
They wrote it in blood and they knew it would stick
And I swallowed it all and I nearly got sick

They took me to hospital, put me in bed
They took off my clothes and examined my head
You’re poisoned, you’re poisoned, with needles they said
My system rejected the things I was fed

Humpity Dumpty was pushed, head over heels all over the wall
Humpity Dumpty was pushed, nobody knew it at all

They took me from there and they called me insane
The walls they were padded the door it was chained
Then they took me from there and they put me in jail
For electing that life I suffered in shame

I cried every night and I slept every day
And I waited for someone to take me away
Nothing was right and nothing was wrong
Until I was forced for to learn this knew song

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
...You know the rest….