Tigermilk (1996)[]
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)[]
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)[]
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)
==
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)[]
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