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Tigermilk (1996)[]

BelleAndSebastianTigermilk-1-

1. The State I'm In[]

I was surprised, I was happy for a day in 1975
I was puzzled by a dream that stayed with me all day in 1995
My brother had confessed he was gay, it took the heat off me for a while
He stood up with a sailor friend, made it known upon my sister's wedding day


I got married in a rush to save a kid from being deported, now she's in love
Oh, I was so touched, I was moved to kick the crutches from my crippled friend
But she was not impressed, 'cause I cured her on the sabbath, I went to confess
When she saw the funny side, we introduced my child bride to whisky and gin


The priest in the booth had a photographic memory for all he had heard
He took all of my sins and he wrote a pocket novel called "The State That I'm In"
And so I gave myself to God, there was a pregnant pause before he said "okay"
And now I spend my days turning tables 'round in Mark's and Spencer's, they don't seem to mind


I gave myself to sin, I gave myself to providence
And I've been there and back again, the state that I am in


Oh, love of mine, would you condescend to help me? 'Cause I'm stupid and blind
Oh, and desperation is the devil's work, it is the folly of a boy's empty mind
Oh, and now I'm feeling dangerous, riding on city buses for a hobby is sad
Why don't you leave me to a living end, and I promise that I'll entertain my crippled friend


I gave myself to sin, I gave myself to providence
And I've been there and back again, the state that I am in


I gave myelf to sin, and I've been there and back again, oh yeah

2. Expectations[]

Monday morning wake up knowing that you've gotta go to school
Tell your mom what to expect, she says it's right out of the blue
Do you want to work at Debenhams? 'Cause that's what they expect
Start in lingerie and Doris is your supervisor


And the head said that you always were a queer one from the start
For careers you say you want to be remembered for your art
Your obsession gets you know throughout the school for being strange
Making life-size models of The Velvet Underground in clay


In the queue for lunch they take the piss, you've got no appetite
And the rumor is you never go with boys and you are tight
So they jab you a fork, you drop your tray and go berserk
While you're cleaning up the mess, the teacher's looking up your skirt


Hey, you've been used
Are you calm? Settle down
Write a song, I'll sing along
Soon you will know that you are sane
You're on top of the world again


Monday morning wake up knowing that you've gotta go to school
Tell your mom what to expect, she says it's right out of the blue
Do you want to work in C&A? 'Cause that's what they expect
Move to lingerie and take a feel of Joe the storeman


Tell Veronica the secret of the boy you never kissed
She's got everything to gain, 'cause she's a fat girl with a lisp
She sticks up for you when you get aggravation from the snobs
'Cause you can't affor a blazer, girl, you're always wearing clogs


At the interval you lock yourself away inside your room
Head of English gets you, asks you, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Do you think that you're better than the other kids? Well, get outside"
You've got permission, but you've got to make the bastard think he's right

Hey, you've been used


Are you calm? Settle down
Write a song, I'll sing along
Soon you will know that you are sane
You're on top of the world again


And you're cool, and you know
You're a star, you'll go far
Think of me as a friend
Not just a boy who plays guitar
You're on top of the world again

3. She's Losing It[]

Lisa knows a girl who's been abused
She changed her philosophy in '82
She's always looking for a fight
She keeps the neighbors up all night


I go to her when I'm feeling slack
The girl is using me as a punching bag
I think that I could help her out
But the girl's got a lot to be mad about


But in the first moment of waking up she knows she's losing it, oh yeah, she's losing it
But when the first cup of coffee tastes like washing up, she knows she's losing it
Oh yeah, she's losing it, oh yeah, she's losing it


Lisa met Cheslea at the knocking school
Chelsea didn't feel like following the rules
So she left the place for another school
Where the boys go with boys and the girls with girls


Chelsea was the one who's been abused
It changed her philosophy in '82
She says, "Inch for inch, and pound for pound"
"Who needs boys when there's Lisa around?"


But in the first moment of waking up she knows she's losing it, oh yeah, she's losing it
But when the first cup of coffee tastes like washing up, she knows she's losing it, oh yeah, she's losing it
She goes to the mirror to put on her stuff, she knows she's losing it, oh yeah, she's losing it
She doesn't speak to anyone 'till four o' clock, she knows she's losing it
Oh yeah, she's losing it, oh yeah, she's losing it

4. You're Just a Baby[]

You're just a baby, baby girl
So kiss me on the cheek and then go on to school


You're just a baby, baby girl
So kiss me on the cheek before you know what's cool
You will be leaving in the morning
And I won't be there to see you go off your head
Yeah, you will be working in the morning
And I won't be there to see you go off your head


There must be a reason for all the looks we gave 
And all the things we never said before, so what's the score?

There must be a reason for all the looks we gave 


And all the things we never said before, before


You're such a baby, baby girl
So kiss me on the cheek before you know what's sweet
You're just a baby, baby girl
So kiss me on the cheek before you go to sleep
You will be working in the morning 
And I won't be there to see you go off your head
Yeah, you will be crying in the morning
And I won't be there to see you go off your head

There must be a reason for all the looks we gave 


And all the things we never said before, so what's the score?


There must be a reason for all the looks we gave 
And all the things we never said before, before


You're just a baby, baby girl
So kiss me on the cheek before you go to sleep


You're just a baby, baby girl
So let go of my hand so we can get some sleep
You will be crying in the morning
And I won't be there to see you go off your head
'Cause you will be married in the morning
And I won't be there to see you go off your head

5. Electronic Renaissance[]

Play a game with your electronics, take a step to the discotheque and people
Go outside where there's someone watching cars go by, and the city's tall with steeples
Hand in hand with the electronic renaissance is the way to go, yeah
Hand in hand with the electronic renaissance is the way to go, boy
Hand in hand with the electronic renaissance is the way to go, you're learning
Soon you will do the things you wanted, since you were wearing glitter badges


If you work for much very longer, you'll be know as the boy who's always dancing
If you work for much very longer, you'll be know as the boy who's always working
Monochrome in the 1990s
You go disco and I'll go my way
Monochrome in the 1990s
You go disco and I'll go Funkadelic, man
It's the way to go
So drop a pill and then say hello

6. I Could Be Dreaming[]

I could be sleeping, I could be dreaming
I could have ordinary people chasing me from town to town
Mission impossible, they've got a spy for every blink of your eye
I'm feeling awkward, I'm feeling tounge tied
They've got a knife for every time you take the same train into work
A family's like a loaded gun, you point it in the wrong direction, someone's gonna get killed


If you had such a dream, would you get up and do the things you believe in?


Is he your husband, or just your boyfriend?
Is he the moron who's been beating you and keeping you inside?
I've never done this kind of thing, but if I kill him now, well, who's gonna miss him?
I went up to the school, I took a walk up Castlehill
For every step there was a local boy who wants to be a hero
Do you want to do it now? Outside the butcher's with a knife and a bike chain


If you had such a dream, would you get up and do the things you believe in?
While your head is clear

7. We Rule the School[]

On a beach tree, rudely carved, "NC loved me"
Why did she do it? Was she scared? Was she bored?
On a beach tree, rudely carved, "NC loved me"
Why did she do it? Was she scared? Was she pushed?


Do something pretty while you can, don't fall asleep
Skating a pirouette on ice is cool
Do something pretty while you can, don't be a fool
Reading the gospel to yourself is fine


On a bus stop in the town, "We rule the school"
Written for anyone to read and to see
On a bus stop in the town, "We rule the school"
Written for anyone with eyes in their head

Do something pretty while you can, don't fall asleep


Driving from California to New York


Call me a prophet if you want, it's no secret
You know the world was made for men
Not us

8. My Wandering Days Are Over[]

You know my wandering days are over
Or does it mean that I'm getting boring? You tell me
I'm tired of listening to myself here
I'm tired of fixing things for Michael and the rest of them


You know my bip bopping days are over
I hung my boots up and then retired from the disco floor
The center of my so-called being is 
The space between your bed and wardrobe with the louvre doors


You know, my celebate days are over
You put me straight on the finer points of my speech rehearsed
In the mirror of my steamy bathroom
Where the lino tells a sorry story in a monologue


Six months on, the winter's gone
The disenchanted pony left the circus boy, the circus boy got lonely
It's summer and it's sister song's being written for the lonely
The circus boy is feeling melacholy


It's got to be fate that's doing it
A spooky witch in a sexy dress has been bugging me
With the story of the way it should be 
With the story of Sebastian and Belle the singer, yeah


You know my one-man band is over
I hit the drum for the final time and I walked away
I saw you in a japanese restaurant
You were doing it for businessmen on the piano, Belle
You said it was a living hell
You said you were in hell

Six months on, the winter's gone


The disenchanted pony left the circus boy, the circus boy got lonely
It's summer and it's sister song's being written for the lonely
The circus boy is feeling melacholy

9. I Don't Love Anyone[]

I don't love anyone, you're not listening
You're playing with something, you're playing with yourself
I don't love anyone, you're not listening, even now
You're playing with something, you're playing with someone else


If there's one thing that I learned when I was still a child, it's to take a hiding


I don't love anything, not even Christmas
Especially not that, I don't love anything
I don't love anyone, well, maybe my sister
Maybe my baby brother too, yeah
I don't love anyone


If there's one thing that I learned when I was still a child, it's to take a hiding
If there's one thing that I learned when I was still a child, it's to be alone


Out in the street, the kids are out playing, having fun
But I pass them by, I'm not a kid, no, I don't love anyone
I met a man today, and he told me something pretty strange
There's always somebody saying something
He said the world was as soft as lace


But I don't love anyone

10. Mary Jo[]

Mary Jo, living alone, drinking tea on her own
She wants, I don't know what you want
Mary Jo, living alone, drinking gin, the telly's on
She wants


The night to follow day and back again
She doesn't want to sleep, well who could blame her if she wants

The night to follow day and back again


She doesn't want to sleep, well who could blame her if she sleeps?
Oh, who could blame her if she sleeps?
Who could blame her if she's sleeping?


Mary Jo, back with yourself for company
Keep telling yourself you're young and it'll happen soon
Mary Jo, no one can guess what you've been through
Now you've got love to burn


It's someone else's turn to go through hell
And you can see them come from 50 yards, yeah, you can tell
It's someone else's turn to take a fall
And now you're the one who's strong enough to help them
The one who's strong enough to help them all


Mary Jo, you're looking thin, reading the book, "The State I'm In"
It doesn't help at all
'Cause all you want is a cigarette and a thespian with a caravanette in hull


Your life is never dull in your dreams
A pity that it never seems to work the way you see it
Life is never dull in your head
A sorry tale of action and the men you left for women
And the men you left for intrigue
And the men you left for dead

If You're Feeling Sinister (1996)[]

Belleandsebastian-ifyou27refeelingsinister-1-

1. The Stars of Track and Field[]

Make a new cult every day to suit your affairs
Kissing girls in English at the back of the stairs
You're a honey with a following of innocent boys
They never know it, because you never show it
You always get your way


Have you and her been taking pictures of your obsessions?
'Cause I met a boy who went through one of your sessions
In his blue velour and silk you liberated a boy I never rated
Now he's throwing discuss for Liverpool and Widnes
You liberated a boy I never rated
And now he's doing business


The stars of track and field you are
The stars of track and field are beautiful people


Could I write a piece about you now that you've made it?
About the hours spent, the wilderness of your training
You only did it so that you could wear terry underwear
Feel the city air run past your body


Could I write a requiem for you when you're dead?
"She had the moves, she had the speed, it went to her head"
"She never needed anyone to get around the track"
"But when she's on her back, she had the knowledge to get her into college"
"But when she's on her back, she had the knowledge to get her what she wanted"


The stars of track and field you are
The stars of track and field are beautiful people

2. Seeing Other People[]

You lay on the bed there, kissing just for practice
Could we please be objective? 'Cause the other boys a queueing up behind us
A hand over my mouth, a hand over the window
Well, if I remain passive and you just want to cuddle
Then we should be okay and we won't get into muddle
We're seeing other people, at least, that's what we say we are doing


So, how are you feeling? 
I don't think you could be dealing with the situation very well
You take a lover for a dirty weekend, that's okay
When it's over you are looking at the working week through the eyes of a gigolo


You're kissing your elbow, you're kissing your reflection
And you can't understand why all the other boys are going for the new, tall, elegant rich kids
You can bet it is a bitch, kid
But if they don't see the quality, then it is apparent
That you're gonna have to change, or you're gonna have to go with girls
You'd be better off, at least they know what they're doing


You lay on the bed there, kissing just for practice
Could we please be objective? 'Cause the other boys a queueing up behind us
A hand over my mouth, a hand over the window
Well, if I remain passive and you just want to cuddle
Then we should be okay and we won't get into muddle
We're seeing other people, at least, that's what we say we are doing

3. Me and the Major[]

Me and the major could become close friends
'Cause we get on the same train and he wants to talk to me
Me and the major could become close friends
'Cause we get on the same train and he wants to talk
But no, there's too much history, too much biography between us


Me and the major don't see eye to eye on a number of things
He'll take a guy like me, oh yeah
Me and the major don't see eye to eye on a number of things
He'll take a guy like me and put him in the army
'Cause the queen's own army makes a man of you


He doesn't understand and he doesn't try
He knows there's something missing and he knows it's you and I
And we're the younger generation, we grew up fast
All the others did drugs, you're taking it out on us
You're taking it out on us


Me and the major are from different worlds
But if I get stuck in a lift, it's always with a toff
Me and the major are from different worlds
But if I get stuck in a lift, it's always with the man of noble standing
Who looks down on me like I was never born


I think the major's going quite insane
He goes along the pavement and comes back again, oh yeah

I think the major's going quite insane


He goes along the pavement and comes back again
Like he is on parade, he's on parade, at least he thinks so


He's swapping his tent for a sheltered home
He doesn't have a family and he's living alone
He remembers all the punks and the hippies too
And he remembers Roxy Music in '72

He doesn't understand and he doesn't try


He knows there's something missing and he knows it's you and I
And we're the younger generation, we grew up fast
All the others did drugs, you're taking it out on us
You're taking it out on us


I want to dance, I want a drink of whisky
So I forget the major and go out to town, oh boy
I want to dance, I want a drink of whisky
So I forget the major and I go out to town
Because the snow is falling
Yeah, the snow is falling
The snow is falling, falling, falling, falling...

4. Like Dylan in the Movies[]

Lisa's kissing men like a long walk home
When the music stops
Take a tip from me, don't go to the park
When you're on your own it's a long walk home


Well, if they follow you, don't look back, like Dylan in the movies
On your own, if they follow you, it's not your money that they're after, boy, it's you


Pure easy listening, settle down
All the pillows soft, when they've all gone home
You can concentrate on the ones you love
You can concentrate, hey, now they're gone

Well, if they follow you, don't look back, like Dylan in the movies


On your own, if they follow you, it's not your money that they're after, boy, it's you


Yeah, you're worth the trouble and you're worth the pain
You're worth the worry, I would do the same
If we all went back to another time
I will love you over
I will love you

Well, if they follow you, don't look back, like Dylan in the movies


On your own, if they follow you, tenderly you turn the light out in your room
If they follow you, don't look back, Dylan in the movies
On your own, if they follow you

5. The Fox in the Snow[]

Fox in the snow, where do you go to find something you could eat?
'Cause the word out on the street is you are starving
Don't let yourself go hungry now, don't let yourself grow cold
Fox in the snow


Girl in the snow, where do you go to find someone who will do?
To tell someone all the truth before it kills you
And listen to your crazy laugh before you hang a right
And disappear from sight


What do they know anyway? You read it in a book
What do they know anyway? You read it in a book tonight


Boy on the bike, what are you like as you cycle 'round the town?
You're going up, you're going down, you're going nowhere
It's not as if they're paying you, it's not as if it's fun
At least not anymore


When your legs are black and blue, it's time to take a break
When your legs are black and blue, it's time to take a holiday


Kid in the snow, way to go
It only happens once a year, it only happens once a lifetime, make the most of it
Second just to being born, second to dying too
What else would you do?


Fox in the snow (When your leg's looking black and blue)
Fox in the snow (It's not as if they're paying you)

6. Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying[]

Oh, get me away from here, I'm dying
Play me a song to set me free
Nobody writes them like they used to, so it may as well be me
Here on my own now after hours
Here on my own now on a bus
Think of it this way, you could either be successful or be us


With our winning smiles and us
With our catchy tunes, oh us
Now we're photogenic, you know, we don't stand a chance


Oh, I'll settle down with some old story
About a boy who's just like me
Thought there was love in everything and everyone, you're so naive
They always reach a sorry ending
They always get it in the end
Still, it was worth it as I turned the pages solemnly and then


With our winning smile
The boy with naivety succeeds
At the final moment, I cry, I always cry at endings


Oh, that wasn't what I meant to say at all
From where I'm sitting, rain
Falling against the lonely tenement has set my mind to wander
Into the windows of my lovers
They never know unless I write
This is no declaration, I just thought I'd let you know goodbye


Said the hero in the story
It is mightier than swords
I could kill you, sure, but I could only make you cry with these words
Cry with these words
Oh, get me away I'm dying
Oh, I'm dying

7. If You're Feeling Sinister[]

Anthony walked to his death because he thought he'd never feel this way again
And if he goes back to the house, then things would go from bad to words, what  could he do?
He wants to remember things exactly as he left them on that funny day
And if there is something else beyond, he isn't scared, becaue it's bound to be less boring than today
Bound to be less boring than tomorrow


Hillary went to her death because she couldn't think of anything to say
Everybody thought that she was boring, so they never listened anyway
Nobody was really saying anything of interest, she fell asleep
She was into S&M and bible studies, not everybody's cup of tea, she would admit to me
A cup of tea she would admit to no one


Hillary went to the catholic church because she wanted information
The vicar, or whatever, took her to one side and gave her confirmation
Saint Theresa's calling her, the church up on the hill is looking lovely
But it didn't interest, the only thing she wants to know is how and why, and when and where to go
How and why and when and where to follow


But if you are feeling sinister, go off and see a minister
He'll try in vain to take away the pain of being a hopeless unbeliever


When she got back, her spirituality was thrown into confusion
So she got a special deal on renting from the man at Rediffusion
Look at me, I'm on TV, it makes up for the shortcomings of being poor
Now I'm in a million pieces picked up for deliberation by the people listening at home
By the people watching on the telly

But if you are feeling sinister, go off and see a minister


He'll try in vain to take away the pain of being a hopeless unbeliever


But if you are feeling sinister, go off and see a minister
The chances are you'll probably feel better if you stay and played with yourself

8. Mayfly[]

Lovesick on a sunny afternoon, you are tired of staying in, you are waiting for a sign
Mayfly, woken up when skies are clear, I don't mind you coming near
Keep me company 'till she comes again


You are the one who's making due, I am the one who's privy to
'Cause you saw him in the park, 'cause you saw him at the bridges
With the people in the dark


Cana was the start of something big, you were there in the beginning, you were there so see him play
Mayfly, woken up woken up when skies are blue, I don't mind the sight of you

Keep me company 'till she comes again


You are the one who's making due, I am the one who's privy to
'Cause you saw him at the celebrations standing at the side
You had the moves to save the day, and you would love him anyway


Lovesick, it came back upon yourself, you are the one left on the shelf
You are incapable of playing the fool
Longing, so what's different today? He sent the boy and girl away
You are concerned with matters lofty


But puzzled so it makes you sick
Your diary's looking like the Bible with its verses lost in time
Lost in meaning for the people who surround you
It's a crying shame, you know it's a crying shame

9. The Boy Done Wrong Again[]

(The boy done wrong again) Hang your head in shame and cry your life away
Are you okay now?


On saturday I was an angel shining fair
You shone louder, longer, you put my shine to shame
Put me to shame now


What is it I must do to pay for all my crimes?
What is it I must do? I would do it all the time
Do it all the time now


All that I wanted was to sing the saddest song
And if you would sing along, I will be happy now


The woodland spring has purged the darkness from your thinking
If this town's your sinking ship, then you know where to jump


Talking dirty for a hobby, that's alright, pour another glass of wine
I'll think of England this time

All that I wanted was to sing the saddest song


And if you would sing along, I will be happy now

10. Judy and the Dream of Horses[]

Judy wrote the saddest song, she showed it to a boy at school today
Judy, where did you go wrong? You used to make me smile when I was down
Judy was a teenage rebel, she did it with a boy when she was young
She gave herself to books and learning, she gave herself to being number one
Judy I don't know you, if you're gonna show me everything


Judy got a book at school, she went under the covers with a torch
Fell asleep 'till it was morning, she dreamt about a girl who stole a horse
Judy never felt so good except when she was sleeping


Judy, let's go for a walk, we can kiss and do whatever you want
But you will be disappointed, you will fall asleep with ants in your pants
Judy, are you trying to find and keep the dream of horses?
And the song she wrote was Judy and the dream of horses
Dream of horses


The best looking boys are taken, the best looking girls are staying inside
So, Judy, where does that leave you? Walking the street from morning to night
With a star upon your shoulder lighting up the path that you walk
With a parrot on your shoulder saying everything when you talk
If you're ever feeling blue, then write another song about your dream of horses
Write a song about your dream of horses
Call it "Judy and the Dream of Horses"
Your dream of horses

The Boy with the Arab Strap (1998)[]

Belle sebastian - the boy with the arab strap-1-

1. It Could Have Been a Brilliant Career[]

He had a stroke at the age of 24, it could have been a brilliant career
Painting lines in a school that was too well known
Painting lines with a friend who had gone before
She challenged everyone to a fight
But the people all backed down and they ran her out of town
'Cause she drank and swore and spoke out of turn, she was the village joke


She had a stroke at the age of 24, it could have been a brilliant career
Getting clients to finance her strategies
She's filling time in the safeway on Saturdays
She wears the clothes of an emperor
But her paintings are a sham, and they're going for a grand
When the dealers come to view, do they ever see the real you?


He had a stroke at the age of 24, it could have been a brilliant career
Selling lies to the boy with the old Dansettes
Pulling the wool, playing the fool
It's no wonder that he is dribbling spit tonight
And the one he sent away was the only one who stayed
With a spoon and a decent book, you can tell by the way she looks
She is sorry and resigned, as he wets himself for the final time

2. Sleep the Clock Around[]

And the moment will come when composure returns
Put a face on the world, turn your back to the wall
And you walk twenty yards with your head in the air
Down the Liberty Hill, where the fashion brigade
Look with curious eyes on your raggedy way
And for once in your life you've got nothing to say
And could this be the time when somebody will come
To say, "Look at yourself, you're not much use to anyone"


Take a walk in the park, take a valium pill
Read the letter you got from the memory girl
But it takes more than this to make sense of the day
Yeah, it takes more than milk to get rid of the taste
And you trusted to this, and you trusted to that
And when you saw it all come, it was waving the flag
Of the United States of calamity, hey
After all that you've done, boy, I know you're going to pay


In the morning you come to the ladie's salon
To get all fitted out for the paperback throne
But the people are living far away from the place
Where you wanted to help, it's a bit of a waste
And the puzzle will last until somebody will say
"There's a lot to be done while your head is still young"
If you put down your pen, leave your worries behind
Then the moment will come and the memory will shine


Now the trouble is over, everybody got paid
Everybody is happy, they are glad that they came
Then you go to the place where you've finally found
You can look at yourself, sleep the clock around

3. Is It Wicked Not to Care?[]

Is it wicked not to care when they say that you're mistaken?
Thinking hopes and lots of dreams that aren't there
Is it wicked not to care when you've wasted many hours
Talking endlessly to anyone that's there?
I know the truth awaits me, but still I hesitate because of fear


Skipping tickets, making rhymes, is that all that you believe in?
Wearing rags to make you pretty by design
Rusting armour for effect, it's not fun to watch the rust grow
For it will all be over when you're dead


Counting acts and clutching thoughts by the river where the moss grows
Over rocks, the water running all the time
Is it wicked when you smile even though you feel like crying?
Even though you could be sick at any time
But if there was a sequel, would you love me like an equal?
Would you love me 'till I'm dead?
Or is there someone else instead?

4. Ease Your Feet in the Sea[]

Ease your feet off in the sea, darling, it's the place to be
Take your shoes off, curl your toes, and I will frame this moment in time
Troubles come and troubles go, the trouble that we used to know
Stay with us 'till we get old, stay with use 'till somebody decides to go


Soberly, without regret, I make another sandwich
And I fill my face, I know that things have got to you, but what can I do?
Suddenly, without a warning, on a pale blue morning
You decide your time is wearing thin, a concscious choice
To let yourself go dangling, hovering, it's an emergency
There's no more wait and see


Maybe if I close my eyes, your trouble will be split between us
People come and people go, you're scouring everybody's face
For some small flicker of the truth to what it is that you are going through
My boy, I left you dry, the signs were clear
That you were not going anywhere
Save for a falling down
Everything's going wrong


Later on, as I walked home, the Plough was showing and Orion
I can see the house where you lived, I can see the house where you gave
All of your time and sanity to people
Then you waited for the people to acknowledge you
They spoke in turn, but their eyes would pass over you
Who's seeing you at all?

5. A Summer Wasting[]

Summer in winter, winter in springtime
You heard the birds sing, everything will be fine


I spent the summer wasting, the time was passed to easily
But if the summer's wasted, how come that I could feel so free?
I spent the summer wasting, the sky was blue beyond compare
A photograph of myself is all I have to show for
Seven years of river walkways
Seven weeks of staying up all night


I spent the summer wasting, the time was passed so pleasantly
Say "Cheerio" to books now, the only things I'll read are faces
I spent the summer wasting under a canopy of
Seven weeks of river walkways
Seven weeks of reading papers
Seven weeks of feeling guilty
Seven weeks of staying up all night


Summer in winter, winter in springtime
You heard the birds sing, everything will be fine

6. Seymour Stein[]

Seymour Stein, I've been lonely
Caught a glimpse of someone's face
It was mine, and I've been crying
Half a world away, ticket for a plane
Record company man, I won't be coming to dinner


My thoughts are far away, I'm working on that day
North country girl, I think she's going to stay
Promises of fame, promises of fortune
LA to New York, San Francisco back to Boston


Has he ever seen Dundee? Won't he hire a limousine?
Seymour bring her back to me


I heard dinner went well, you liked Chris's jacket
He reminded you of Johnny before he went electronic
Seymour Stein, sorry I missed you
Have a night flight home, It's a good day for flying

7. A Space Boy Dream[]

(Spoken word)
I dreamt I had to go to Mars. I'm always kidding on about going to Mars for the day, but faced with the reality of it, in a dream, I was terrified. And it wasn't going to be like a moon trip - there was three of us going, but we couldn't all go on the same ship; we had to go one at a time with a day between us. I had to go first, and it was the thought of passing through all that black space, all the darkness with nothing in it, and then being the first one to land there, all alone... I knew it was supposed to be all dark around, with just a red surface, but what if I got there and it was light, all civilized and populated and stuff? So I made a plan.
The other astronauts were going to be my dad and my sister, and my dad would come first after me, so I decided when I landed I would just stay in my seat until he got there, and then we could get out together and have a look around and see what sort of things were there. And when I woke up and I was lying in the darkness, I thought I had landed. And I just lay still for a while, waiting for my dad to get there too.

8. Dirty Dream Number Two[]

I'm lucky I can open the door and I can walk down the street
Unlucky I've got no place to go and so I follow my feet
A choice is facing you, a healthy dose of pain
A choice is facing you, as you stare through the rain
A choice is facing you, but I choose to refrain for today
Tomorrow we'll be back in trouble again


Dream one, you had a whole lot of fun with a comedian
You stop short of going all the way, you'll have to make it someday
Why is this happening to you? You're not a child
Why is this happening, you've too much on your mind
Things creep up on you when you are fast asleep
You are dreaming, you are sleepy
You are stuck to the sheets


In a town so small, there's no escaping you
In a town so small, there's no escape from view
In a town so small, there's nothing left to do


Dream two, you couldn't see her face, but you saw everything else
Dream two was pretty special, easily beats loving yourself
Could you put a name to someone else's sigh?
Could you put a face to someone else's eyes?
Is it someone that you'd maybe recognise?
But it all fades into morning when you open your eyes

9. The Boy with the Arab Strap[]

A mile and a half on a bus takes a long time
The odour of old prison food takes a long time to pass you by
Day upon day of this wandering gets you down
Nobody gives you a chance or a dollar in this old town


Hovering silence from you is a giveaway
Squalor and smoke's not your style, I don't like this place, we'd better go
Then I compare notes with your older sister
I am a lazy git, she is as pure as the cold driven snow


What did you learn from your time in the solitary cell of your mind?
There was noises, distractions from anything good
And the old prison food
Colour my life with the chaos of trouble
'Cause anything's better than posh isolation, I missed the bus
You were laid on your back with the boy from the Arab Strap


It's something to speak of the way you are feeling
To crowds there assembled, do you ever feel you have gone too far?
Everyone suffers in silence a burden
The man who drives minicabs down in Old Compton, the asian man
With his love/hate affair with his racist clientelle


A central location for you is a must as you stagger about
Making free with your lewd and lascivious boasts
We know you are soft because we've all seen you dancing
We know you are hard because we all saw you drinking from noon until noon again
You're the boy with the filthy laugh
You're the boy with the arab strap


Strapped to the table with suits from the shelter shop
Comic celebrity takes a back seat the cigarette catches and sets off the smoke alarm
What do you make of the cool set in London?
You're constantly updating your hit parade of your ten biggest wanks
She's a waitress and she's got style, sunday bathtime could take a while

10. Chickfactor[]

What was it that I saw in New York? I'm not the same anymore
How will I hide these feelings inside? Call my girl on the phone
Neon lights shine bright, taxi cabs glide by
Aeroplanes they fly, high up in the sky
Pretty girl says "Hi, what's the worst job you've had?"
"What do you read? What's driving you mad?"


Met the cigarette girl, took a note of her charms, but no cigar
Met the indie cool queen, took me out of the bar and showed me the scene
My little girl I can't find, she's five hours behind
It's the singer, not the song
"Something's gone wrong," said the spider to the fly
Do I like this girl? It's such a big word
I like the tone of her voice, loved the sound of her voice


When I get back to London from outer space, will it fall into place?
I'll hold on to my smile, find my girl in a while
Look myself in the face, don't know what you see
Am I playing in your movie? You're in my magazine
Are you talking to me? Chickfactor

11. Simple Things[]

If you want me I'll be there, a boy to deal with all your problems
But part of the deal is for you to feel something
If you want me, look me up, I don't exist in usual places
Subtle as the wind is grey


If you want me, you know where I am
I saw your arms in a dream, and there were blue veins
Blue, blue veins


If you want me all you have to do is ask a thousand questions
Triplicate and file under "Simple things you ask to make a young boy sigh"
Young boy sigh

12. The Rollercoaster Ride[]

Hey, people looking out the window at the city below
Hey, people looking out the window full on fun and sorrow
Hey, people looking out the window at the city below
Hey people looking out the window, you'll be gone tomorrow
The rollercoaster ride of all the trouble kept her inside


Take Judy, with her bow and arrow, she's a mastermind
Too frumpy for the teenage population of her time
Car coat, she has a quilted jacket with a hood if it rains
Big pockets for the pharmaceuticals she takes to fix her brain
The rollercoaster ride of all the trouble kept her inside


A puzzle, for the moment settle down to do it with him
You're happy because you're cozy and the rain comes rattling in
It tickles, and it's something that is very good for the skin
You're waiting for a baby, baby, watch the idiot running
The rollercoaster ride of all the trouble kept her inside


You're hanging from the balcony upon the riverboat glass
You're watching with your mouth wide open for the top of the class
She came on with the boys while you were stuck in various poses
If you were to remove your clothes, do you think the singer would notice?
The rollercoaster ride of all the trouble kept her inside

==Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant (2000)

FoldYourHandsChildCover-1-

==

1. I Fought in a War[]

I fought in a war
And I left my friends behind me to go looking for the enemy
And it wasn't very long before I would stand
With another boy in front of me and a corpse that just fell into me
With the bullets flying 'round


And I reminded myself of the words you said when we were getting on
And I bet you're making shells back home for a steady boy to wear 'round his neck
While it won't hurt to think of you as if you're waiting for this letter to arrive
Because I'll be here quite a while


I fought in a war
And I left my friends behind me to go looking for the enemy
And it wasn't very long before I found out 
That the sickness there ahead of me went beyond the bedsit infamy
Of the decade gone before

I reminded myself of the words you said when we were getting on


And I bet you're making shells back home for a steady man to wear 'round his neck
While it won't hurt to think of you as if you're waiting for this letter to arrive
Because I'll be here quite a while


I fought in a war
I didn't know where it would end, it stretched before me infinitely
I couldn't really think
Of a day beyond now, keep your head down, pal, there's trouble plenty
In this hour, this day, I can see hope, I can see light

I reminded myself of the looks you gave when we were getting on


I bet you're making shells back home for a steady man to wear 'round his neck
While it won't hurt to think of you as if you're waiting for this letter to arrive
Because I'll be here quite a while

2. The Model[]

I will confess to you, because you made me think about the times
You turn the picture on to me and I'll turn over
The picture was a masterpiece of comic timing, you wouldn't laugh at all
And I wonder what the boy was thinking
The picture was an old collage of something classical, the model with the tragic hair
Because without a doubt he'd given up the fight
The ghost of somebody at his side


I will confess to you, because I didn't think about the message
As I walked down the alleyway, it was a Sunday
All my friends deserted me because you painted me as the fraud I really was
And if you think you see with just you're eyes you're mad
Lisa learned a lot a lot from putting on a blindfold, when she knew she had been bad
She met another blind kid at a fancy dress
It was the best sex that she ever had


I'll send a dress to you, because it's needing badly taken in
I was so embarassed that I missed your party, it was me that paid for it eventually
Because you know how much I wanted to mee your friend the star of stage and local press
The dream of all the bowlie kids that hang around here
I'm not different from the rest, I'm not proud to say that I'm okay
With the girl next door who's famous for showing her chest


You're not impressed by me, but it's a funny way for you to tell me
A whisper in a choir stall, the man was talking about you simultaneously
Frankly, I let my heavy eyelids flutter because I have been sleeping badly lately
I know you were hisorical from all the books I've read
I thought you could be bluffing, and with this chance I've missed I feel remiss
It's days and months before I'll see you again

3. Beyond the Sunrise[]

Joseph was travelling with a heavy load
His dreams were broken and deep sorrow flowed from his brow
Closser to sundown he prepared to rest
Set down the burden, lay upon his chest, then she came


Sir, come to me and I will keep you warm
Taste hope in my skin and faith with the dawn
You will rise
Beyond the sunrise that is where we live
Feeding our counsel and true comfort give travelling men


Joseph was sure the liquor had caused this dream
His eyes were sure that heaven was not her scene, she was no saint


Sir, come to me and I will keep you warm
Taste hope in my skin and faith with the dawn
You will rise

4. Waiting for the Moon to Rise[]

All the way back home I'm telling you I caught the sun
Creeping up behind my shoulder, and another day's begun
I was following a trail I'd never been along before
Chasing darkened skies above me
Looking like the spring, like the winter and the morning
If there's a place I want to go, then I'll be there with you
'Cause in my dreams the things I'm wishing for keep coming true


Now a new day comes, clears the darkness out of sight
And the shadows that were sleeping come and dance beneath the light
And I'm trying hard to hide, keeping the sun out of my eyes
Close them tight and now I'm waiting for the moon to rise


Don't try to say to me that this was never meant to be
'Cause the days are long where I come from, the next few days I'm free
There's a train I want to catch, but it won't leave here for a while
'Till darkness fills the eastern sky and the streetlights stretch for miles
Through the spring and the winter and the morning

5. Don't Leave the Light On Baby[]

It's been a bloody stupid day, my baby called me up to say
Don't call me love, don't call me, it's not all she said
I truly love her but I know I'm bad for her, I'm bad and so
At least she may forgive me for my honesty
My friend came back from being abroad, he was rich and I was overawed
His ship came in, I'm standing on the harbour wall


Another friend, the one I love turns to me, "Have you seen enough?"
"Let's hang about, there's nothing like a sunset here tonight"


It's been a bloody stupid day (Don't leave the light on baby)
My baby called me up to say (Don't leave the light on baby)
(I'll see you sometime, maybe)
(Don't leave the light on baby)


It finally dawned on me tonight, best to go down without a fight
I know you will forgive me for my honesty 

6. The Wrong Girl[]

I went looking for my darling, I went looking for a sign
And I found her in the morning somewhere in the back of my mind
I'm not what I could be, I need a true love
I went looking and I found one


The wrong girl, the wrong kind
The wrong hand to be holding
The wrong eyes to go searching behind
The wrong dream to have in my mind


I'm not what I could be, I need some loving
I went looking and I found some 

7. The Chalet Lines[]

He raped me in the chalet lines
The girl I shared with was away for the night
I couldn't get up for my shif today
I'll have to leave the camp now anyway
I'll go to London, there's a mate of mine I know
She'll give me a place full of woe and further to go


He raped me in the chalet lines
I had just said no for the final time
Although it's last month, it's like yesterday
I missed my time, I don't think I could stand to take the test
I'm feeling sick, fuck this, I've felt like this for a week
I'd put a knife right into his eyes, my friend can't see
She asks me why I don't tell the law
Oh, what's the fucking point at all


He raped me in the chalet lines
It was a party, it was going fine
With the boys from the amusement park
A few were idiots, it was a really good laugh
They had the shows on 'till way after dark
I hope she'll give me a place full of woe and further to go
(She caught the bus) Oh, I'll go anywhere
(She caught the bus) Her face was just a smear on the pane

8. A Nice Day for a Sulk[]

A nice day for a sulk, the girl smells of milk
Her horsey teeth explode around us and we run for cover
She found us in the cheapo bar with a bag of chips
A nice day for a mood, the forecast is good
The kids are melting in the doorway, keep the gang together
There's no way you will ever misunderstood by me


Nice day for a jam, the fall, Manfred Mann
Dance party, summer lasts forever
When the band's together and Bobby
Drank too much and fell in the clyde

9. Women's Realm[]

I don't care wether you hear this
I don't care if I'm alone here singing songs to myself, there's nobody else around, around
Meet you up at the Indian part of the town
The town's shut down, the people left with their bags
They're kids, so there's not a sound, a sound


But I must get from there to here
There's a small voice crying on the other side of the river from here
It's too late to phone her now
What went wrong, your grades were good
It would take a living Robin Hood to pay for school
Your dad's a boozer and you keep him alive


Just a minute, close your eyes
If we settle for this compromise I'll stay with you
The river looks so good tonight
I don't know, what's with your friend?
She met a boy and at the summer's end
She said she'd had enough of playing games


I don't care 'cause I'm by myself
All the dancers left, but I can't dance so I will stay and clean the mess they left behind
But I dream as I set to scrub all the floors, the walls
I'm thinking of a song or two, a boy, a girl and a rendezvous


Are you coming or are you not?
There is nothing that would sort you out
There's nothing I could say or do
You're going to crash, I'll set the bails in front of you
Are you coming or are you not?
There is nothing that would sort you out
A interesting way of life
Deny yourself the benefits of being alive


You slept better in a sleeping train in a shed in a station
With a torch and a Woman's Realm to keep you warm, to keep you company
You slept better in a sleeping train in a shed in a station
With a torch and a Woman's Realm to keep you company tonight

10. Family Tree[]

I've been feeling down, I've been looking 'round the town
For somebody just like me, but the only ones I see
Are he dummies in the window, they spend their money on clothes
It saddens me to think that the only ones I see are mannequins
Looking stupid, looking used and being thing
And I don't know why I hang around with them


The way hey act, I'd rather be fat than be confused
The way they act, I'd rather be fat than be confused
Than be me in a cage with a bottle of rage and a family like the mafia


I've been feeling blue and I don't know what to do
And I never get a thrill, and they threw me out of school
'Cause I swore at all the teachers, because they never teach us
A thing I want to know, we do chemistry, biology and maths
I want poetry and music and some laughs
And I don't think it's an awful lot to ask


So won't you please get up off your knees and let me go
So won't you please get up off your knees and let me go
'Cause I'm here in a cage with a bottle of rage and a family like the mafia


If my family tree goes back to the Romans, then I will change my name to Jones
If my family tree goes back to Napoleon, then I will change my name to Smith
If my family tree goes back to the Romans, then I will change my name to Jones
If you're looking at me to be an accountant, then you will look but you will never see
If you're looking me to start having babies, then you can wish because I'm not here to fool around

11. There's Too Much Love[]

I could hang about and burn my fingers
I've been hanging out here waiting for something to start
You think I'm faultless to a T, my manner set impeccably
But underneath I am the same as you


I could dance all night like I'm a soul boy
But you know, I'd rather drag myself across the dance floor
I feel like dancing on my own, where no one knows me
And where I can cause offence just by the way I look


And when I come to blows, when I am numbering my foes
Just hope that you are on my side, my dear


But it's best to finish as it started
With my face head down us staring at the brown formica
It's safer not to look around, I can't hide my feelings from you know
There's too much love to go around these days


You say I've got another face, that's not a fault of mine these days
I'm brutal, honest and afraid of you
I's safer not to look around, there's no have I feelings for you now
There's too much love to go around these days


You say I've got another face, that's not a fault of mine these days

I'm brutal, honest and afraid of you

Storytelling (2002)[]

Belle and sebastian - storytelling-front-1-

7. Black and White Unite[]

In the summer all the hikers hike out for the highest peaks
All the children watch the cricket and they never wash for weeks
In the suburbs young protestors write, "Black and white unite"


They're tearing up the streets, I'm half in love with every girl I meet
The gasman loves the street, he loves to drill
He loves to think about his girl, the sun is melting half the street


In the summer all the workers head out for the sandy beach
Stay together in the weather, entertainment through your grief
Communities of prejudices travel on the train
The upper class will have to pass the chance up of a knees up with the gang
Your record profits will buy you an island


There's a jigsaw with a picture, all the country as a map
Hikers hiking, cyclers cycling, if I go I'm not going back
I'm all in love in love with all the girls I meet, the hardcore summer kind
Kitchen porters, budding painters, whiskey touring guides
In the rain all your plans will fade, you'll be left with the jigsaw

10. Storytelling[]

Picture a scene in your mind, look at all the people and take note of the setting behind
Listen, watch and wait, a plot begins to take shape
There's a story and then characters will come to you, relating events as they choose to
But all their words and actions come entirely from you


If you're a storyteller you might think you're without responsibility
And you can lead your characters anywhere you want, you have immunity


Have you considered the way people might react to all the things that your characters say?
And are their actions hand in hand with what you want to portray
Are you sick? Are you crippled, insane?
Expressing the desires that daren't speak their name? Are you the one to be blamed?

Now you're a storyteller you might think you're without responsibility


But in directions, actions and words, cause and effect, you need consistency


How can you finish the tale? Lives which have played a part are summarised from the very start
And episodes left out to make it all go your way
It's a mighty big world, some of it I've seen, but mostly I've only heard
And stories are all fiction from their moment of birth

You're a storyteller, you're not trying to escape responsibility


If we believe you, then you're successful, but you don't make claims of verity

12. I Don't Want to Play Football[]

I don't want to play football, I don't understand the rules of the game
I don't want to play football, I don't understand the thrill of running, catching, throwing
Taking orders from a moron, grabbing for the sweaty crotches
Getting hit by people, I don't know, sugar
I'd rather play a different sort of game, sugar
The girls are just as good as boys at playing

14. Wandering Alone[]

Wandering alone on the ridge of a coast, lost to the world he had known as a boy
He knows his lover lies south in the city
Passing along and sleepy as night, warm in t he woods that conceal him from the light
He is accustomed to hiding from people
Taking his time as he crosses the bridge, holding the flowers he picked from the ridge
Walking in shadows to his señorita
Safe in dawn he gets under the sheets, his señorita a heavenly sweet soul
That was put there to save and protect him
He knows that time cannot endlessly go, traps will be set by the people below
She will be caught too and he could not bear it
Hope in the freedom he can almost touch, folk take for granted as they walk to church
He says his prayers and God listens to him
Sir, all I want is a chance to amend past infidelities 
Please do not send me far away from my wise señorita

16. Scooby Driver[]

I'm coming over in the wrong direction
I only want to be the center of your attention for long enough to show you
I'm worth the trouble that you take
I want to see the way that you portray a boy who's going to try and change his life today
I want to see the way that you portray a boy who maybe doesn't maybe have too much to say
And you can draw your own conclusions
But you'll find, I'm not a fake
You can turn away from me, but there's nothing that'll keep me here, you know
And you'll never be the city guy and more than I'll be hosting the Scooby Show

18. Big John Shaft[]

I'll make another movie, the same one as the year before
I'll take a tired idea, I'll put it in the hands of Hollywood
I need to talk to someone, I've been living someone else's life
I don't get no mail at my house anymore, my manager's my bride

I'm leaving on a jet plane, I'll see my baby soon enough
I won't take her to the movie, I'm worried that the line's become all blurred
I couldn't help but feeling something when the boss told us to act this way
I'm ashamed of my profession, I would do the same again

I'll make another movie, same one as the year before
I'm looking for a story, something ludicrous to come up from the street
I won't play another heavyweight, I won't play another Big John Shaft
Put me in a frock and leave me to recite
Maybe my career will die
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