Page type: lyric reference
Artist: Ian Dury And The Blockheads
Canonical path: /ian-dury-and-the-blockheads/poor-joey
Related lyric paths: 6
Video embedded: yes
Lyric guide
Poor Joey
Read Poor Joey lyrics by Ian Dury And The Blockheads on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
person
Curated by Ethan Walker
LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot
The page facts to cite before the commentary
Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.
Lyrics
Poor Joey
The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.
I'm Joey the Budgie, I'm a boy or a girl
I'm probably the most typical caged bird in the world
In Cranham or Hounslow I sit on my perch
Old Mother Nature's left me right in the lurch
This is my routine: first I ponder and peck
I look in the mirror and I shit on the deck
I try to fly, I bang my head
I think of something creative instead
I ruffle my feathers and have a good scratch
Spend at least half an hour trying to undo my catch
Not as though I want to be deleted by an owl
I've got to fight this awful situation somehow
Poor Joey *who's a pretty boy then?*
Poor Joey
Poor Joe
Poor Joey
A bundle of joy then
Poor Joey *hello!*
How the ruddy hell does she expect me to speak
With half a ton of cuttlefish stuck in my beak?
I go into a moody, disdainfully preen
Im just to upset to mutter something obscene
I appreciate the difficulties of owning a pet
Speaking as a budgie, it's like Russian Roulette
I was bred for the purpose and I shouldn't complain
I know you'll forgive me when I sing this refrain
Poor Joey *she's a right bastard!*
Poor Joey
Poor Joe
Poor Joey
Every Christmas they try to get me plastered
Poor Joey *hello!*
Joey the Budgie, I'm a boy or a girl
I'm probably the most typical caged bird in the world
In Cranham or Hounslow I sit on my perch
Old Mother Nature's left me right in the lurch
Poor Joey *who's a pretty boy then?*
Poor Joey
Poor Joe
Poor Joey
A bundle of joy then
Poor Joey *hello!*
Poor Joey
Poor Joe
Poor Joey
Poor Joe
Poor Joey *who's a pretty boy then?*
Poor Joe *hello!*
Poor Joey
Quick answers
What this page can answer fast
Who performs "Poor Joey"?
Ian Dury And The Blockheads performs "Poor Joey", and this lyric page sits inside the Ian Dury And The Blockheads catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "Poor Joey"?
Yes. The related section below points to Tell Your Daddy and Billericay Dickie with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by Ian Dury And The Blockheads?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Ian Dury And The Blockheads's lyric pages.
Song Room
Open Song Room
Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song
Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.
Listener comments
What people are saying
No listener comments on Poor Joey yet.
A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.