But first of all a regression to childhood yet again.
I always liked Harry Secombe. I like zany comedy as in Monty Pythons, The Goons, Round The Horne etc etc. For some potty reason I remember a piece of nonsense where the rather rotund Secombe was dressed as a schoolboy and it was all based on an advert for either Fruit Pastels or Fruit Gums. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure it was Fruit Gums as it included the line "Don't forget the fruit gums mum."
Now here's a bit of trivia for you: Don't Forget the Fruit Gums, Mum" It was an advertising campaign that ran for three years from 1958 to 1961 which included the slogan "Don't Forget the Fruit Gums, Mum". The slogan was invented by the copywriter Roger Musgrave (1929-2007).
I have no idea why this sticks in my mind. But what has this got to do with anything I hear you ask.
Well Secombe famously recorded the song "If I Ruled The World" for the musical Pickwick which was of course based on Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens. I re-read this book only last year and still find it delightful. I haven't seen the musical.
If I ruled the world
Every day would be the first day of spring
Every heart would have a new song to sing
And we'd sing of the joy every morning would bring
If I ruled the world
Every man would be as free as a bird
Every voice would be a voice to be heard
Take my word, we would treasure each day that occurred
My world would be a beautiful place
Where we would weave such wonderful dreams
My world would wear a smile on its face
Like the man in the moon has when the moon beams
If I ruled the world
Every man would say the world was his friend
There'd be happiness that no man coud end
No my friend, not if I ruled the world
Every head would be held up high
There'd be sunshine in everyone's sky
If the day ever dawned when I ruled the world
Of course, none of us will ever rule the world but that doesn't stop us dreaming about what we would do if we did.
I would ban all forms of bureaucracy and red tape and get rid of all the unnecessary forms that seem to plight our lives.
I would ban sprouts. Eating them would be illegal (oh dear that will get me in trouble).
I would ban ridiculous talent competitions like The Voice and the Masked Dancer (oh dear I reckon I've just lost 100 bloggettes with that one).
I would fix it so Norwich City won the Premiership (let's face it without a ruling from the leader this will never happen).
I would do so many ridiculous things that I would probably end up being overthrown and somebody else would Rule The World.