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Fly with the Eagles (2013 edition)

An updated version of the calypso anthem of Ealing Eagles Running Club at its Christmas Party, 2013.  Played by Rustaman to the same "tune" as the original, the video of which can be seen and heard here. This performance featured Judith Earnshaw, Arlene Gallagher, Sandra Courtney and debutante Claire Morris as the Fabulous Eaglettes, with Rob Hemmings on bass and Julian Griffiths on congas, and a stunning cameo appearance of Claire Dovey on violin. The images from the slide show are reproduced below (descriptions of some of them can be read by 'hovering' over them). This version contains some additional pictures as some were lost in a Powerpoint disaster shortly before the performance. 

Well you’ve heard me tell about the time I fell into the claws of a bird of prey

when I joined the scene on the Ealing Green that fateful winter’s day.

They took me from athletic obscurity and they put me on the straight and narrah

with a training plan so that the RustaMan could be mistaken for Mohammed Farah.

And so it’s true I come to bring to you all the news about the Eagles flying

and how we trail and bail to get out of jail and why Andy is so often crying.

And to help me tell the story, it’s as good as it ever gets—             

here’s the girls of my dreams—not the Spice or Supremes—it's the fabulous Eaglettes!

   
We fly with the Eagles in the rain and the sun—
Get that Ealing feeling—gonna run and run and run!

Well the Eagles reputation is spreading through the land—

when the banner’s raised the other clubs are phased and they hardly understand,

and the Tom-Tom drums beat out the challenge to the legend that‘s Jose Pabon

and still Piers goes on and on and on and on and on and on.

And in the battle of gender the fast women running down the men

If you’re training’s not strict then you’ll find you’re chicked by a Canadian whose name is Jen.

And as they go across the country they take the other clubs apart

And to their great surprise they won the Pabon Prize when they got lost before they even start.

We fly with the Eagles ...

Now the coaching staff at Eagles have such a range of athletic charms

and Mr Martin White, he will put you right about the proper way to pump the arms,

and you should be chuson Mr Richard Tuson if your legs don’t seem to go,

and Kelvin's not too sure what all the muscles are for but he'll get them all on video!

But the queen of all was Nanda, the beast of the Ealing hills—

just her warm-up stretching would have you retching and reaching for the vitamin pills;

but she’s gone across the sea to Ireland where’s she’s speaking Dublin-Dutch

and we miss all those extra intervals (but not really very much…)

We fly with the Eagles ...

Well the results were once so easy, with just a race or two each week

but now to get it right on the club web site it takes a mathematical geek.

So we lined up a lovely lady for a job we knew would suit her—

she has a smile like the Mona Lisa and a brain like a super computer.

And now we’ve started the great club championship, and it’s very complicated

and there’s a question mark and we’re in the dark ‘bout how the winner will be calculated!

So she works all night to get the algorithm right while she’s marking all the GCSEs

and I’ve still no clue about my placing but I got an A* and a couple of Bs!

    We fly with the Eagles ...

Now I heard a dreadful slander, about Eagles acting drunkenly

But they don’t have a drinking problem, no, it goes down quite easily

And the chairman is their model, though he’s looking increasingly stressed, 

And he’s hoping it’s true that the Doping crew don’t come and do a random test.

Now the subject of nutrition is the athlete’s cup of tea

so when Eagles meet for anything to eat they test it all most thoroughly,

and because they’re conscientious they’ll always get their 5 a day

(that’s one at the New Inn and one at the Grove and after that anywhere’s OK)

We fry with the Eagles ...

Now the job of the social secretary is a dreadful sacrifice,

and we’re grateful to Jane and to Rosie who have paid that selfless price.

Now I’m not questioning any motives, let me make it totally clear,

but I think I see just possibly some kind of pattern emerging here...

Still some people say that this club today are just a lot of plebs and dipsos

Their idea of class is a half full glass and some Jamaican singing bad calypsos

But from where I stand it’s getting out of hand and I don’t mean to insult ya—

for an Eagle taking pleasure in an act of leisure is becoming quite a Culture Vulture!

So if you write a book let Allie take a look and she might put you between the covers,

And then every morn Sam will get the horn and he will blow it like no others

And our love we show it for our Parkrun poet, though her name it is a constant riddle,

But the greatest luvvie’s got to be Ms Dovey cos she’s never playing second fiddle...

(At this point in the performance Claire Dovey walked through the audience playing dramatically on her violin, to join Judith Earnshaw for a dramatic and operatic rendition of the chorus)

We fly with the Eagles ...

Now when it comes down to the bottom line there’s a truth we are embracing—

although we have a passion for the running fashion we probably should stick to racing,

and everyone will say at the Eagles 10K as they run through the finishing gantry

it was a great success thanks to the great prowess of the Race Director—Kieran!  

So they run the ridges and they race the bridges and storm castles as they go

(though I  suspect there’s some who only come to run to be seen with the celebs and Coe)

and we couldn’t do without Paul Thomas, one of greatest organizers alive!

And he’s an ace in a race or with a camera in his face—but maybe someone else should drive…

But there’s a race that they all covet for which everyone’s inspired,

and when the ballot falls and the names they calls we’ll learn which Eagles will get really tired.

So if tonight your numbers coming up (and you’ll know in a little while)

here’s advice from those other Eagles (and I'd better change my style…)

(to the tune of the Eagles "Take It Easy")

Well you're running down the road with your carbo-load

and there's three more miles that's all!

One that's by the river

One that lasts for ever

And one that takes you down the Mall!

Take it easy, take it easy

Don't let the pace that's on your Garmin drive you crazy!

You may lose, you may win

            but you will never be here again

          so make the most of your VLM and take it easy!

Well I was waiting in the dark close to Lammas Park

and its such a fine sight to see—

there’s a girl my friends

in a Mercedes Benz

slowing down to take a look at me!

Come on Sandy

(…don’t mind Andy)

I’ll volunteer for EHM if that’s handy!

Open up while you still can,

don’t even try to understand

cos Kelvin Walker is your man

so take it easy!

Oo-oo-ooh  Oo-oo-oh   Oo-oo-ooh  Oo-oo-oh   

Oo-oo-ooh  Oo-oo-oh   Oo-oo-ooh  Oo-oo-oh

Oo-oo-ooh  Oo-oo-oh   Oo-oo-ooh  Oo-oo-oh  

Oo-oo-ooh  Oo-oo-oh   Oo-oo-ooh  Oo-oo-oh 

Oo-oo-ooh  Oo-oo-oh   Oo-oo-ooh  Oo-oo-oh  

Oo-oo-ooh  Oo-oo-oh   Oo-oo-ooh  Oo-oo-oh  

Better take it ea-easy.

(reverting to the calypso...)

Well tempus surely fugit, when you’re having lots of fun

and there’s a time to rest in the Eagles’ nest at the setting of the sun

but while the older birds are sleeping, the next generation we can see

for new Eaglets have been hatching  (and Piers is heading for a new PB).

So it can never be too early, and it can never be too late

and with Mark and Jen (and just a couple of men) the Beginners reach the starting gate.

So if you’ve got a dream and you’re in a team and you’re running like a metronome

then you’ll find your place in the human race and always Eagles to cheer you home!

We fly with the Eagles in the rain and the sun...

Get that Ealing feeling, gonna run and run and run!