Ian Robins Dury (12 May 1942 – 27 March 2000) was an English rock and roll singer, lyricist, bandleader, artist, and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music. He is best known as founder and lead singer of the British band Ian Dury and the Blockheads, who were one of the groups of the New Wave era in the UK.
Dury was born in north-west London at his parents' home at 43 Weald Rise, Harrow Weald, Harrow (although he often pretended that he had been born in Upminster, Havering and indeed all but one of his obituaries in the national press stated this). His father, William George Dury (born 23 September 1905, Southborough, Kent; died 25 February 1968), was a bus driver and former boxer, while his mother Margaret (known as "Peggy", born Margaret Cuthbertson Walker, 17 April 1910, Rochdale, Lancashire) was a health visitor, the daughter of a Cornish doctor, and granddaughter of an Irish landowner.
William Dury trained with Rolls-Royce to be a chauffeur, and was then absent for long periods, so Peggy Dury took Ian to stay with her parents in Cornwall. After the Second World War, the family moved to Switzerland, where his father chauffeured for a millionaire and the Western European Union. In 1946 Peggy brought Ian back to England and they stayed with her sister, Mary, a physician in Cranham, a small village bordering Upminster. Although he saw his father on visits, they never lived together again.
One looks for happiness
One longs to find a partner
One knows that nowadays
One love will be the answer
One sees a crazy world
One needs a fresh perspective
One comes to realise
One love's a true objective
One seeks a perfect love
One learns to tell the difference
One finds in consequence
One love is all that makes sense
One hopes there'll be a way
One peers into the distance
One thinks that come what may
One love will be the best chance
One love (one love) and only one (only one)
One love (one love) to last forever
One love (one love), only one love (one love)
One love, it's now or never
One tries to draw a line
One draws a swift conclusion
One tells oneself in life
One love is the solution
One falls in love at last
One celebrates the meeting
One always will because
One love cannot be beaten
One love (one love) and only one (only one)
One love (one love) with no misgivings
One love (one love) only one love (one love)
One love, while we're still living
One tries to draw a line
One draws a swift conclusion
One tells oneself in life
One love is the solution
One falls in love at last
One celebrates the meeting
One always will because
One love cannot be beaten
One love (one love) and only one (only one)
One love (one love) to last forever
One love (one love) only one love (one love)
One love, it's now or never
One love (one love) and only one (only one)
One love (one love) with no misgivings
One love (one love) only one love (one love)
Delilah the dancer from Soho
Was making her way down the lane
Simpson from Harrow
Had fruit on his barrow
He sold it for love and for gain
Simpson said, "Hello, young woman"
"My Pippins are lovely today"
"Don't be suspicious"
"Of Golden Delicious"
"Whatever your granny might say"
There only apples, red and green
Apples, lovely, ripe and juicy and especially for you
Right off me barrow, me old cock sparrow
Apples, red and green
Delilah the dancer from Soho
Took ages to make up her mind
Simpson said, "Madam,"
"You'd know if you'd 'ad 'em"
"That these are the very best kind"
"This is the pick of the orchard"
"Forgive me a figure of speech"
"But apples like these here"
"Just don't grow on trees, dear"
"And this one is really a peach"
There only apples, red and green
Apples, lovely, ripe and juicy and especially for you
Right off my barrow, my old cock sparrow
Apples, red and green
Simpson picked out a green apple
He polished it up on his sleeve
He said, "Do me a favour"
"And savour the flavour"
"Of what you're about to receive"
Delilah the dancer from Soho
Accepted his gift with a smile
She said, "It looks like a good 'un"
"It'll do for my pudden"
"I'll get round to it after a while"
There only apples, red and green
Apples, lovely, ripe and juicy and especially for you
Right off my barrow, my old cock sparrow