My wife and I were walking back from feeding chickens for some friends who were away on holiday, and on the way home we passed a big house, with a tall hedge in front.

I immediately felt a rhythm in the words … We’ve got a big house, behind a tall hedge …

It made me think of TV programmes like Escape to the Country where someone looks round a selection of properties with a view to buying … One recurring theme is a requirement for the property to be secluded with no near neighbours.

Writing the song made me think about the rats’ nest that is world politics. It is very tempting sometimes to ignore everything that’s going on and just get on with life …. But …

Here’s the song

Verse 1

We’ve got a big house
Behind a tall hedge
Nobody’s lookin’ in
No-one’s making friends
And that’s the way we live
In these troubled times
Holding on so tight
To everything

Chorus

Do you know what I mean
Do you know what I mean
Can I get some sympathy
Do you know what I mean

Verse 2

We’ve got a big house
Behind a tall hedge
Nobody’s lookin’ in
No-one’s making friends
’Cos we’re not quite sure
If we can let it go
Open up the door
And let you in

Chorus

Verse 3

We’ve got a big house
Behind a tall hedge
Nobody’s lookin’ in
No-one’s making friends
We don’t want to live in feat
So we hide away
From everything

Chorus

Bridge

There are days
when I might make a change
Get a bigger heart
I’ll need a safe space
To make a start

Chorus