Her mother named her Annie
Her father didn't care
He once bit the lord mayor's son
And threw him down the stairs
Annie had her mothers eyes
And her fathers fangs
There'll never be another like Annie of the elephant gang
Annie saw the poor
Who lived to work and worked to live
Annie saw the rich
Who'd take and never give
She saw the chains of poverty
That ran across the land
There'll never be another like Annie of the elephant gang
In nineteen and fourteen
Annie signed for war
Not to fight in France
But to fight for her front door
When she joined that night on old kent road
All the kings head sang
There'll never be another like Annie of the elephant gang
She went from rags to riches
With stealing as her game
She stole from Oxford Circus
She stole from Park Lane
She had a brain for robbery
And a gamblers slight of hand
There'll never be another like Annie of the elephant gang
Annie hit the headlines
In nineteen seventeen
It read the roughest diamond
The world has ever seen
She liked the way that sounded
She liked the way it rang
Then she was known all over as Diamond of the elephant gang
Diamond was a natural
She soon became the boss
And gave a home to every orphan
The gang would come across
The orphans all had mother
Tattooed on a diamond on their hand
There'll never be a mother like Diamond of the elephant gang
They once arrested Charlie
Diamonds friend for life
She waltzed into the jailhouse
With just a carving knife
No one said a word
As she led him free by the hand
There'll never be another like Diamond of the elephant gang
She said the police think their kings
But they never will see
I make them
As much as they make me
When she handcuffed one inspector
He swore he'd see her hang
But they'll never catch the queen, Diamond of the elephant gang
The men were willing victims
They came from all around
She'd fool them into love
Then steal the ring and gown
She'd leave them at the alter
As the church bell rang
There'll never be a lover like diamond of the elephant gang
The landlords strangled London
They thought they owned the town
But every time they upped the rent
Diamond took it down
She couldn't stand no one
That thought they owned the land
There'll never be another like Diamond of the elephant gang
Some will rob you with a mortgage
Some will rob you with a note
Or rob you of your dignity
Or of your right to vote
But she never hurt no one
Who didn't deserve the back of her hand
There'll never be another like Diamond of the elephant gang
So the rich men got together
Decided diamond had to die
They bought the best assassins
Their money could buy
Diamond always said
She'd leave here with a bang
There'll never be another like Diamond of the elephant gang
They followed Diamond through the fog
Thought they had the upper hand
Little did they know
They'd soon be dead where they stand
There was one assassin less
As the first shot rang
There'll never be another like Diamond of the elephant gang
When the bloody day had ended
All the men were lying dead
Diamond dropped her pistols
And staggered up to bed
There she lay forever
Diamonds in her hands
There'll never be another like Diamond of the elephant gang
Every eye was filled with tears
But no one made a sound
It seemed the whole of London came
To see her in the ground
Everyone just listened
As the orphan sang
There'll never be another like Diamond of the elephant gang.
credits
from Live Here & There,
released November 10, 2014
Live Sound Engineer Sef Herman
Stirring Americana set to acoustic arrangements and topped by the legendary Alice Gerrard’s lovely, world-wise voice. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 23, 2023