Hey, does anybody remember '82?
(Yeah, yeah, I remember it)
You do?
(Sure, yeah)
I mean, can I reminisce?
(Sure, go ahead, go on)
You don't mind or anything?
(If you want to)
Can I get personal?
(Sure, do what you wanna do)
It's not to offend anybody or, you wouldn't object or anything?
(Why should it?)
You sure?
(Come on, yeah, do what you want, go on)
Okay
One, two

Yeah
Uh
Let me go back further, let me go back further if I may
(Yeah, please do, go on, yeah)
It was, um, it was a rainy afternoon
It was two, maybe three months ago, I
I first started to reminisce, I first
I first started to reflect, you know
I was walking by the Thames at the time and I
I started to think about the summer of 1980
So what I did, I wrote this down on a piece of lined white paper
While I still felt strong about it
Here's what I recall
It was August 1980
I was searching for the spirit of Brendan Behan in the bars of Dublin
Uh, I mean, at this point, you know, I had a
I had a bit of a reputation as something of a searcher
(I see, I see)
Yeah, yeah, I mean, I still have for that matter, but perhaps even more at this point
Anyway, I went from one bar to another
Uh, I mean, I started off with a couple of friends, but, uh
After a short while, I think they just decided to abandon the search
Well, you know how it is, they probably had other plans or something
(Sure, uh-huh, yeah)
But I mean, me, I carried on, you know, I was determined, I
I went from one bar to another
I went, I went to Brannigan's, I went to Flanagan's

You know, like in the song, you know, the one about the donkey
You know that one? (Yeah, I've heard it, I've heard it)
(Oh, yeah, yeah)
I mean, like, 'cause the thing is, I
I've gotta confess, you know
At this point, I wasn't feeling on top of the world, you know
(No?)
No, frankly, no, no, sir
(In other words, you wasn't exactly laughing)
I mean, I wasn't exactly walking down the road with a spring in my step
You know, happy-go-lucky wasn't, wasn't my middle name
(I know what you mean)
I mean, I'd heard that blind man, that man with the glasses on
I heard him singing
Um, I didn't like the song, you understand
(Of course, yeah, no, right)
No, but I did know what he meant about the higher ground
I knew what he meant about the higher ground
(You did?)
I did, yeah
(You understood)

So anyway, I, I went into this one bar
I can't remember the name of it, it doesn't really matter now
But I, you know, by this time, I was getting
I was getting really impatient
So I plucked up the courage to ask somebody and
And I noticed a man, he was, uh, probably in his early thirties, he was
He was well-built, he had
Ginger hair and a big, fierce, powerful face
Ah, he looks like the type who'd know, I thought
(Yeah)

"Excuse me, do you know where I can find the spirit of Brendan Behan," said I
"Brendan Behan?" said he
"Yes," said I
"New York," said he
"New York" said I
"New York," he said again quickly
(New York) Yeah
(Why, man, that's three thousand miles due west) Yeah
(I mean, you was on the wrong side of the world) I know, I know
(Oh, so what did you do?)
Well, what could I do?
I just got out of there, I put my coat on
I got out of there, I walked straight out of there and I
I walked down the road and I started to sing

Ooh, ooh
Oh, oh
Said, oh

Don't matter much lately
Don't, don't matter much lately
It don't, no
It doesn't matter much
Ooh, ooh
Oh

It doesn't matter, don't matter
It doesn't matter, who matters?
It don't matter, don't matter much lately

(No) No
(No) No
(No) No
(No) No
(No) No
(No) No
It don't matter, it don't
Oh, oh

Ow, ow, ooh
Oh (It don't matter, it don't matter)
Ah (It don't matter)
Oh (It don't matter)
Oh (It don't matter)
It don't matter (Sing)
Ow
Ow (It don't matter)

And then, you know, there's always, uh (It don't matter)
One or two things to be learned (It don't matter)
To be learned from an experience like this (It don't matter)
And I, I, uh (It don't matter)
Um, I know one thing (It don't matter)
(What's that?)
Ken Livingstone is a folk hero
(What are you talking about?)
You know what I'm talking about
(I don't know what your talking bout)
You know what I'm saying
I'm making perfect sense
(That's rubbish)
You're the one who's coming out
(That's crap, man)
You know what I'm saying (It don't matter)
(No, I don't know what you're talking about)
It's the truth, it's the truth, oh, yes
It don't matter
It don't matter
It don't matter
It don't matter