Ackie One Two Three

The old home town is just a town

Of concrete, cuts and villas

And Grosvenor Road is just a road

Down by the old flour millers

And ninety-three is just a house

By now a little worn

It’s where my heart and blood and bones

And the ones I love were born

No statue and no round blue plaque

Nor signs of them or me

But close your eyes, you’ll hear the echo

Of ackie one two three

School is out and the sun is hot

I hear you calling ready or not

Children race to the sycamore tree

A voice cries out “ackie one two three”

Carefree voices, simple joys

What happened to those girls and boys?

Peek through the bushes you see me

You laugh and shout “ackie one two three”

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Shadows lengthen but still it’s warm

Before the world got creased and torn

We’ll play till we get called for tea

There’s love in every ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Time rolls by and I can see

You’re still looking out for me

I got so small and slow and weak

I lost my game of hide and seek

No more places left to hide

You’re still waiting by my side

Everyone has seen through me

The angels call “ackie one two three”

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

You’re still racing for the tree

You’re loving eyes still seeking me

There’s still a chance we can be free

In echoes of ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

Ackie ackie ackie one two three

(lyrics by Vin Murtagh ©2015)