I remember it from its beginnings

Its earliest broadcasted days

With stories of lives like our own told

In black and in white and in greys.

 

It starts with its iconic theme tune

For viewers a rallying call

Then cuts to cobbles and terraces

And Bobby the cat on a wall.

 

Annie and Jack ran the Rovers

And she was a surly old bag

Who often locked horns with Elsie

And thought her a cheap common slag.

 

Contemporaries too will remember

If they had the “Street” bug

Minnie and Martha and Ena

Drinking their stout in the snug.

 

And Ena had history with Elsie

Her Denis was always a yob

The incomers then were the Hewitts

Concepta, Lucille and Bob.

 

Lucille had a thing for Brett Falcon

His “Rave On” worked just like a charm

Who long before they were in fashion

Got “Brett” tattooed on her arm.

 

Young Ken lived with his Uncle Albert

Always dead grumpy and mean

Who had in his house a Welsh dresser

The biggest that you’ve ever seen.

 

Then there was that Florrie Lindley

 Who ran the Street’s own corner shop

And who could forget Leonard Swindley

For pomposity he was the tops.

 

His long suffering staff was Miss Nugent

The business’s owner was Greek

Mr  Papougopolous we’re asked to believe

Who’d never appear or lines speak.

 

So with no Emmerdale or Eastenders

Just “Compact” around to compete

We gathered together and tuned in to watch

Our half seven fix of the “Street”.