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The Arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel Lyrics by Sir John Betjeman

This Record was Made by John Betjeman on the 9th day of June 1959

1937

He sipped at a weak hock and seltzer
As he gazed at the London skies
Through the Nottingham lace of the curtains
Or was it his bees-winged eyes?
To the right and before him Pont Street
Did tower in her new built red
As hard as the morning gaslight
That shone on his unmade bed
“I want some more hock in my seltzer
And Robbie, please give me your hand —
Is this the end or beginning?
How can I understand?
“So you’ve brought me the latest Yellow Book:
And Buchan has got in it now:
Approval of what is approved of
Is as false as a well-kept vow
“More hock, Robbie — where is the seltzer?
Dear boy, pull again at the bell!
They are all little better than cretins
Though this is the Cadogan Hotel
“One astrakhan coat is at Willis’s —
Another one’s at the Savoy:
Do fetch my morocco portmanteau
And bring them on later, dear boy.”
A thump, and a murmur of voices —
(”Oh why must they make such a din?”)
As the door of the bedroom swung open
And TWO PLAIN CLOTHES POLICEMEN came in:
“Mr. Woilde, we ‘ave come for tew take yew
Where felons and criminals dwell:
We must ask yew tew leave with us quoietly
For this is the Cadogan Hotel.”
He rose, and he put down The Yellow Book.
He staggered — and, terrible-eyed
He brushed past the plants on the staircase
And was helped to a hansom outside
Credits
Sir John Betjeman

Sir John Betjeman

About “The Arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel” by Sir John Betjeman

Read the complete lyrics to "The Arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel" by Sir John Betjeman from the album "This Record was Made by John Betjeman on the 9th day of June 1959" in 1937. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"The Arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel" is performed by Sir John Betjeman. from the album "This Record was Made by John Betjeman on the 9th day of June 1959" in 1937 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel", explore more songs by Sir John Betjeman using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"The Arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel" is credited to Sir John Betjeman. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"The Arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel" appears on "This Record was Made by John Betjeman on the 9th day of June 1959" in 1937.

Visit the Sir John Betjeman artist page at /artist/sir-john-betjeman for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.