The Heartening Tale of John Pratt
Although not explicitly about John Major, the theme of this song, its timing, and also the name of the character, suggest that Leon had the then PM firmly in sight. The song was written towards the end to Major's tenure, when he was lecturing the public on his "back to basics" philosophy, all the while leading a party and government characterised by "sleaze".
Unbeknown to the public at the time, Major was also concealing his affair with fellow Conservative MP Edwina Currie, whom he offered a ministerial position - presumably in recognition of her political "tallent". In the song, Leon depicts a money-grabbing, devious hypocrite of a Tory, climbing the greasy pole of success until he is found to have been having an extra-marital affair. Borrowing from his old song, "Cashiered John Profumo", which contains a similar scenario, Leon invokes the Tory law that, "Thou shalt not be found out".
Unbeknown to the public at the time, Major was also concealing his affair with fellow Conservative MP Edwina Currie, whom he offered a ministerial position - presumably in recognition of her political "tallent". In the song, Leon depicts a money-grabbing, devious hypocrite of a Tory, climbing the greasy pole of success until he is found to have been having an extra-marital affair. Borrowing from his old song, "Cashiered John Profumo", which contains a similar scenario, Leon invokes the Tory law that, "Thou shalt not be found out".
"A composite picture of a Tory of our times. Though, of course, any resemblance between the hero of this song and any person living, dead or any stage in between is just an amazing coincidence." - LR (sleevenotes to Intruders, 1995)
"Thatcher had gone by this time but not Thatcherism. The dead-end of a sleazy Tory government produced 'The Heartening Tale of John Pratt', a throwback to those topical, satirical songs that I was writing in the early sixties and that taught me so much about the craft of songwriting." - LR (Turning Silence Into Song (songbook), p25)
"Thatcher had gone by this time but not Thatcherism. The dead-end of a sleazy Tory government produced 'The Heartening Tale of John Pratt', a throwback to those topical, satirical songs that I was writing in the early sixties and that taught me so much about the craft of songwriting." - LR (Turning Silence Into Song (songbook), p25)
Recordings
Version 1 (1995)