(Ian Hunter)
Forgot my six-string razor - hit the sky Half way to Memphis 'fore I realised Well I rang the information - my axe was cold They said she rides the train to Oreoles Now its a mighty long way down the dusty trail And the sun burns hot on the cold steel rails 'N I look like a bum 'n I crawl like a snail All the way from Memphis Well I got to Oreoles y'know - it took a month And there was my guitar, electric junk. Some spade said "Rock'n'rollers, you're all the same. Man that's your instrument." I felt so ashamed. Now its a mighty long way down rock'n'roll Through the Bradford Cities and the Oreoles 'N you look like a star but you're still on the dole All the way from Memphis Yeah it's a mighty long way down rock'n'roll From the Liverpool docks to the Hollywood Bowl 'N you climb up the mountains 'n you fall down the holes All the way from Memphis Yeah its a mighty long way down rock'n'roll As your name gets hot so your heart grows cold 'N you gotta stay young man, you can never be old All the way from Memphis Yeah its a mighty long way down rock'n'roll Through the Bradford Cities and the Oreoles 'N you look like a star but you're really out on parole! All the way from Memphis
(Ian Hunter)
Little whizz kid mystified me, she was a New York City beat She came on flash - monster mash, motors in her feet Now we moved out of Manhattan to her home on the Brooklyn Heights Her dad's a street punk and her mum's a drunk, but we made out alright Far far from home, oh I felt so alone Could not spin to the speed of the city Oh send me my ticket, I'm too scared to stick With my little whizz kid - such a pity Now she really tried her hardest just to make me leave the band She even hired a toy "rent-a-boy" straight from a Times Square stand Oh thank you little whizz kid, but me and my friends gotta eat So get back to school or the tying pool, just get yourself out on the street Send you victorious, happy and glorious You got the stardust, the sawdust, and the smile Don't lose your sting, how I'd hate you to swing Oh my little whizz kid you got such a style She's a cute super sleeper, she don't dive in deeper A natural leaper, she don't let people pass Watch out for the auto-mite, quick or she's outta sight Oh my whizz kid, you know you're such a gas Such a gas.
(Ian Hunter/Verden Allen)
God ain't jive For I can see his love As it runs alive 'N one by one Through fields of rusted wire The war has just begun Oh, cross over shame like the wise dove Who cares not for fame just for shy love 'N rejoice for the king ain't lost his throne, oh no He's still here, you are not alone Correct your heads For there's a new song rising High above the waves Go write your time Go sing it on the streets Go tell the world, but you go brave Oh my sweet instant Christian you are such a sly clown Too many questions, no replies now 'N rejoice for the king ain't lost his throne, oh no He's still here, you are not alone I got an idea Go tell the superstar All his hairs are turning grey Star-spangled fear As all the people disappear The limelight fades away Cos if you think you are a star For so long they'll come from near and far But you'll forget just who you are (yes you will) You ain't the nazz You're just a buzz Some kinda temporary Cross over shame like the wise dove Who cares not for fame just for shy love Oh-oh, my sweet instant Christian you are such a sly clown Too many questions, no replies now 'N rejoice for the king ain't lost his throne. Oh no. He's still here, you are not alone, you are not alone.
(Ian Hunter)
I was a city child with a dead-end smile And a worm's-eye point of view Oh I knew my way, I was a back-street stray And I had my eyes on you Now I got this friend and he's a screwdriver-jiver You know, some kinda automobeat on the street And he has converted me to rock'n'roll I just wanna dance to Honaloochie boogie yeah Get in time, don't worry 'bout the shirt shine Honaloochie boogie yeah You sure started somethin' Now my hair gets longer as the beat gets stronger Wanna tell Chuck Berry my news I get my kicks outta guitar licks And I've sold my steel-toed shoes Now I got this friend and he's a spider west-sider You know, he's hung up on a protection rejection thing But I have made him see the light He just wanna dance to Honaloochie boogie yeah Get in time, don't worry 'bout the shirt shine Honaloochie boogie yeah You sure started somethin' Honaloochie boogie yeah Get in time, don't worry 'bout the shirt shine Honaloochie boogie yeah You sure started somethin'
(Ian Hunter/Mick Ralphs)
I'm a missing link, poolroom stink, I can't talk (Well that's too bad) What's going on, something's wrong, I can't work Can't go to school, the teacher's a fool, the preacher's a jerk (Well that's such a drag) Got nothing to do, street-corner blues, and nowhere to walk Violence, violence It's the only thing that'll make you see sense (Repeat) Gotta fight, nothing's right, livin' nowhere (That's so sad) Watch out for the gun, snake on the run, hide in my hair You keep your mouth shut, or you'll get cut. Haha - I like to scare (Bet you're so mad) I'm a battery louse, a superstar mouse, I don't care Get off my back or I'll attack, 'n I don't owe you nothin' (OK) Head for your hole, you're sick and you're old 'N I'm here to tell you something Violence, violence It's the only thing that'll make you see sense (Repeat several times )
(Ian Hunter/Mick Ralphs)
Eight-track machine playing 'Half Moon Bay' Drivin' in my Volks down on Hamstead Way Her mother got bust on a 88 And her brother got stuck on my number plate Hey mister bartender won't you gimme some wine I gotta get outta town, meet my baby on time He put five gallons in my petrol tank You know we just about made it but her breath sure stank yeah Drivin' sister rock'n'roll She's got feel on the wheel Drivin' sister rock'n'roll She don't make with no brakes Drivin' sister rock'n'roll She's an automobeat on the street Drivin' sister rock'n'roll She's much too much on the clutch Drivin' sister rock'n'roll She got her feet on the wheel Drivin' sister rock'n'roll She don't make with no brakes I said drive, drive, drive, drive And drive little sister drive I said drive, drive, drive, drive And drive little sister, drive on.
(Ian Hunter/Overend Watts/Mick Ralphs/Verden Allen/Dale Griffin)
I changed my name in search of fame To find the Midas touch Oh I wish I'd never wanted then What I want now twice as much We crossed the mighty oceans And we had a few divides But we never crossed emotion For we felt too much inside You know all the tales we tell You know the band so well Still I feel, somehow, we let you down We went off somewhere on the way And now I see we have to pay The rock'n'roll circus is in town Buffin lost his child-like dreams And Mick lost his guitar And Verden greyed a line or two And Overend's just a rock'n'roll star Behind these shades the visions fade As I learn a thing or two Oh but if I had my time again You all know just what I'd do Rock'n'roll's a loser's game It mesmerises and I can't explain The reasons for the sights and for the sounds We went off somewhere on the way And now I see we have to pay The rock'n'roll circus is in town So Rock'n'roll's a loser's game It mesmerises and I can't explain The reasons for the sights and for the sounds The greasepaint still sticks to my face So what the hell, I can't erase The rock'n'roll feeling from my mind From my mind...from my mind...from my mind From my miiiiiind...from my miiiiind...from my miiiiiiiiind From my miiiiiiiiiiiind
(Mick Ralphs)
When I feel so down, like a worn out shoe Gotta grease my wheels, turn around and crawl to you And you turn me on, like you did before But it won't be long you'll be running through the door Lovin' you is hard enough, lovin' you is strange Burnin' up my days and nights, lock me up in chains Then you cast your spell on me, I hear rock'n'roll Keeps my motor runnin' cool, rollin' down the road I'm a cadillac, I'm just holding back All the speed inside just to let me ride you through You're a thunderbird cruisin' round my heart But don't push your luck, I don't always play my part Lovin' you is hard enough, lovin' you is strange Burnin' up my days and nights, lock me up in chains Then you cast your spell on me, I hear rock'n'roll Keeps my motor runnin' cool, rollin' down the road You know I'm not for sale, I'm just here for fun Call me up sometime, try and catch me on the run...
(Ian Hunter)
I scream at you for sharing 'n I curse you just for caring I hate the clothes you're wearing, they're so pretty 'n I tell to not to see me 'n I tell you not to feel me 'n I make your life a drag, it's such a pity 'n I watch your warm glow palin' 'n I watch your sparkle fadin' As you realise you're failin', cos you're so good Now I don't mean to upset you But there's so much crime to get through If only I could make it easier, then I would Oh I wish I was your mother I wish I'd been your father 'n then I would have seen you Would have been you as a child Played houses with your sisters And wrestled with all your brothers And then who knows I might have felt a family for a while It's no use me pretendin' You give and I do the spendin' Is there a happy ending, I don't think so Cos even if we make it I'll be too far out to take it You'll have to try and shake it from my head Oooooh I wish I was your mother I wish I'd been your father 'n then I would have seen you Would have been you as a child Played houses with your sisters And wrestled with all your brothers And then who knows I might have felt a family for a while
These lyrics have been determined after careful listening to the tracks in question, and are provided for educational purposes only. Due to the possibility of mis-hearing, we cannot vouch for their accuracy. Copyright remains vested in the lawful copyright holders.
Transcribed by Jim Madden; minor correction by Gavin Robertson and Dave Clymer