Under One Roof - The Rubettes

Billy ran away from his home

To find a way to live in peace,

His momma didn’t give a damn about him,

And his poppa’s on the run from the police

When Billy hit the city,

The city hit Billy,

And no-one needs you when you’re down and out

Then one kind guy with the painted eyes

picked him up and bailed him out.

Under one roof

Sharing one room

Nobody cared about them

Under one roof

Sharing one room

Daring the world to part them.

Billy found it hard to find a job

To make some pay

All day looking round, getting let down

Always being turned away

And Johnny was the only one, who didn’t talk

down to Billy from above

And for the first time in his life

Billy found out what it felt like to be loved.

Under one roof

Sharing one love

Nobody cared about them

Under one roof

Sharing one love

Daring the world to part them

Somehow Billy’s poppa found out all about the style of Billy’s life

And it didn’t take long before he came round and he had a knife

He cut up Johnny, stole all his money and called him all the names that he

could find

Said he’d wait for Billy at the factory tomorrow

And show them what they do to Billy’s kind

Under one roof

Sharing one love

Now the whole world knew about them

Under one roof

Sharing one love

Daring the world to part them

Johnny, said Billy, we can run away from the world no more

I’m gonna face my daddy, gonna show the world who I’m living for

And if I lose my job, if I lose my life

You’ll know one thing is true

They can take away anything from me

But they won’t take me from you.

And at 5.30 Billy’s daddy waited at the factory for him to come

And how he did degrade him, he cut him and he slayed him

And spat on him in front of everyone

As Billy lay dying, his poppa started crying

The cops appeared and threw him in the can

And all because the person who was the first to give him love

had been a man.