Billy Boxhead
Here’s a tale to fill the heart with joy
All about a lonely troubled boy
Who thought the cross that was his lot to bear
Was a load that never could be shared
Billy had a head just like a square
Everywhere he’d go the kids would stare
Teased and shunned he’d hold his head and cry
And secretly he’d pray that he could die
He would turn his face up to the sky
And ask the Lord to share the reason why
Of all the children in the land just he
Was not like all the others he could see
The only child who’d ever talk to him
Was a girl so pretty tanned and slim
Billy loved her more than words could say
But he never told her that he felt this way
One day sitting by the city wall
Billy asked her why they talked at all
“How can you sit by me” he said
“When I have this ugly box-like head”
“I love your head and all it holds” said she
“Besides, there’s something I think
you should see”
Then she took off one large
shoe and there
Revealed a foot shaped just like a pear
Taking Billy’s hand
she led him down
Right across the busy
heart of town
All the people gathered
round to stare
At the wondrous head
and foot so bare
Then to Billy’s joy and great surprise
One by one and right before his eyes
Everyone began —at first a little meek—
To show a part of them that was unique
There were arms bent back
like crescent moons
And bottoms shaped just like
two big balloons
Birds nest hair was hidden
under hats
And furry legs that looked
like shaggy mats
Everyone began to dance and shout
Relieved that they had finally let it out
From that day onward nothing
drew a stare
And Billy lived his life without a care
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Music and lyrics: Toby Roberts. Instrumentation: The Telltales. Recording: Steve Shipley, Lemon Studios, 2004. Produced by The Telltales and Steve Shipley. Mastering: William Bowden. All recordings ©2004 Will Belford, Peter Gifford, Mark Roberts, Toby Roberts (The Telltales). All compositions (lyrics & music) ©2000-2004 Toby Roberts. Painting: from Pieter Brueghel’s Haymaking and Tower of Babel, reproduced courtesy of the State Reference Library, State Library of New South Wales.