Mini Was A Preteen Arsonist

from Love Keeps Kicking by Martha

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about

This song is based on the true story of Michael ‘Mini’ Cooper. Mini was born in Craghead, County Durham in 1963 and at eleven years old he was the subject of a BBC documentary, directed by Franc Roddam, which candidly examined his life as an inhabitant of a young offenders home. This song is dedicated to Mini, and to the silenced and the caged. Special Thanks to Michael and Franc for listening to our song, and for the kind words, and to Dave Harper for playing it for them.

lyrics

Mini lit a match as he boarded the train,
He knew he shouldn’t go but he couldn’t remain,
With four white walls and a tortured brain,
Stared into the flicker of a tiny flame,
Mini was a rebel and a tearaway,
He wouldn’t say his prayers and he wouldn’t behave,
He could sing a song, he could write a play,
But they gave him the belt and said he’d never be saved,

Something dies everyday, something precious died when he got locked away,
Funny and intelligent, charming and so eloquent, Mini caught the train,

Oh mini oh, oh mini oh,
You made it to the city,

Mini was a preteen arsonist,
He stole firelighters and a bag of crisps,
So they took him to church, yeah they put him on a list,
But he wouldn’t back down and he wouldn’t desist,
Oh mini,
You never asked for much,
Something hot enough to touch,

I hate the devil for the tricks he played on me,
I won’t believe in something I have never seen,
It’s such a shame,
He just likes the flame.

credits

from Love Keeps Kicking, released April 5, 2019

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Martha Durham, UK

Martha is a pop band from Durham city.

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Bolton, UK

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