When I play this song at gigs, I normally introduce it with
"This song is the ultimate extrapolation of the subtle social programming messages of the Public Information Films of the Green Cross Code Man."
Every country has its own way of producing films for public safety, and in the UK from the mid 60s to mid 80s there were many different ways that children were taught about road safety, from Tufty, to SPLINK (with Jon Pertwee), to cartoon hedgehogs staying alive, to misuse of Grand Master Flash's The Message.
But, perhaps, most iconic was David Prowse (yes, Darth Vader himself) as The Green Cross Code Man, and his sign off
"Always use the Green Cross Code, because I won't be there when you cross the road."
So, in the face of potentially a life-threatening situation, young children in the 70s were being told that they were on their own.
Great.
It's a wonder we all turned out as well as we have!
Incidentally, the playground sounds and scream are from Mellotron special effects tapes, and are the same ones used on Supertramp's 'School.'
It'll be a bit lighter tomorrow - see you then!
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