The first thing I did when asked to make work about/responding to/located in Goole was to search online for ‘interesting things about or famous people from Goole’. One of the only links I could find was to the 60’s group the Dale sisters. So I started chopping and sampling pieces of their song Billy Boy while also constructing a more current narrative for the titular character.
The exchange between the careers advisor and Billy is based on true events and conversations that I (and countless others) have had when coming up to leaving school. It’s as if there is a distinct endpoint to dreaming of or aspiring to wanting anything ‘more’ than a job and enough to eat.
My first job at 15 was at a chippy and I think my family might have been prouder of me for getting that than of getting my degree!
That, and the very real difference that being from the north or south has/had on what a young person could hope to achieve.
(Also – you absolutely cannot get a decent bag of chips in London – so we’ve always got that!)
TEXT:
BARS: 1-8
ALL THE OTHER BOYS AT SCHOOL WOULD SAY / BILLY’S NOT LIKE US
IGNITED BY THE STARS / AND WITH HIS EYES ALWAYS SKYWARDS
HE HAD HIMSELF A DREAM ABOUT CRUISING TO CYPRUS
WHERE HE’D SING AND ENTERTAIN AND ALL ABOARD WERE DELIGHTED
15 TO HIM IT SEEMED AT LEAST HIS FUTURE DECIDED
HE FAILED TO SEE JUST WHAT WAS COMING ON THE HORIZON
AN ICEBERG THE SIZE OF HIS CAREERS ADVISOR
SAID IT MIGHT BE TIME TO PUT THAT DREAM TO BED AND BEHIND YA…
BARS: 9-16
MAY I REMIND YOU WHERE YOU’RE FROM BILLY AND JUST WHERE WE ARE / SHE –
CONVINCED HIM THAT THERE’S CORNERS TO THE WORLD THAT HE CAN’T SEE
“ADVENTURES ARE RESERVED” SHE SAID BEFORE ASKING CALMLY
HAVE YOU GIVEN MUCH THOUGHT TO JOINING THE ARMY?
COS IT’S – EITHER THAT LAD, OR BUILDING SHIPS
LAYING TARMAC, OR COUNTING BRICKS
FETCHING AND CARRYING AND SHOVELLING SH/GRIT
STACKING SHELVES OR FRYING CHIPS
BARS 17-24
[TAKE YOUR PICK] BUT BE QUICK – THERE IS NEED TO POUT
DISAPPOINTMENT IS WHAT BEING GROWN IS ABOUT
SO / DON’T KICK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH
OPPORTUNITIES HERE ARE NOT THE SAME AS THE SOUTH
DOWN THERE THEY’RE LINING UP OUTSIDE ITALIA CONTI
UP HERE IT IS THE DOLE QUEUES AND KIDS LEFT WANTING
THE FULL MONTY IS OVER – IT’S HALF MEASURES INSTEAD
AND A MOUTH CANNOT SING IF IT HAS NOT BEEN FED
BARS 25-32
WHICH LEFT OUR BOY BILL WITH A DECISION TO MAKE
WOULD HE TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED – WOULD IT BE A MISTAKE?
SHOULD HE SHAKE THE SALT AND THROW IT IN THE EYES OF HIS FATE
WOULD HE EVER KNOW THE FEELING OF ENOUGH ON HIS PLATE?
NOW HE’S NOT THE ONLY ONE HERE WITH POTENTIAL UNTAPPED
THERE’S ALL SORTS OF TALENT AND DREAMS HAVE BEEN CAPPED
TRAPPED IN A CYCLE THROWN IN WITH THE SCARPS
SOME OF ‘EMS OPEN – AND SOME OF ‘EMS WRAPPED
Taylor Le Fin has an MA in Contemporary Fine Art, Sheffield Hallam University & is a multidisciplinary artist and musician who has performed live art throughout the UK and internationally. Taylor has created trans-focussed documentaries that have been shown at a number of film festivals. Taylor is also an experienced youth worker who specialises in working with people from marginalised, vulnerable backgrounds.
Taylor is currently developing a new show called Common People with IOU and Trans Creative with support from Arts Council England.