(Ian Hunter)
Way back in the 50's - you never said a wrong word People were clean - people were mean Children should be seen, but children should be not heard You learned to keep your mouth shut - you did what you were told But then one day the radio played the sound that we'd all been waiting for The whole of our lives 'n' I still love Rock 'n' Roll - I play it every day Hummin' along, singin' the song It's the only way - I know how to say what's on my mind I get up in the morning - put the kettle on the stove Tommy Steele croons a Guy Mitchell tune I never felt more like singin' the blues - but if I had to choose You know I still love rock 'n' roll I still love rock 'n' roll (let me hear ya) I never been to Lubbock, Texas or Memphis, Tennessee I never washed dishes in Macon, Georgia I wasn't half as good and I wasn't half as pretty as you But I still got the feelings - embedded in my soul A rebel armada - Kettering, Granada It ain't my fault that I never grew up - I got bitten by your bug And I still love rock 'n' roll, I still love rock 'n' roll, I still love rock I know what you're thinkin' - it's a little bit strange to you I know what you're thinkin' - 'cos I'm thinkin' the same way too But oh those two little four letter words - they're all you need to know 'cos when it all comes down to it - I don't like the sound of it When you mess around with it - I'm still in it for the thrill of it I know you tried to kill it but I still love rock 'n' roll - I play it every day Hummin' along - singin' the songs It's the only way I know how to say what's on my mind I get up every morning - I put the coffee on the stove The computer's gone - the turntable's on I can't believe it's 2001 - God, I must be knockin' on But I still love rock 'n' roll, I still love rock 'n' roll,
(Ian Hunter)
On the very first decade that we got to dream in Our fathers were angry, our mother's were screamin' At the clothes we were wearin' and the music we got off on Hitler was dead, welcome to Babylon Carved our initials out across the sand The heart and the arrow, no-one understands Then the tide rolled in and everything ran And washed us away, washed us away, washed us away Up in the attic ambition was burning Now my fingers were bleedin' but the tables were turning Down in the city the future was beckoning And I hated myself on the day of reckoning (Oh yeah) Carved our initials on top of the cake The heart and the arrow - the rattle and the snake How was I to know that the Earth was gonna break And wash us away, wash us away, wash us away Everything's temporary in this world Ain't it a shame when you lose someone Here tomorrow, gone today Wash us away, wash us away, wash us away There was never a fool like a young fool alone in A world without someone he can find a home in And for all the wrong reasons we rescued each other You bandaged my heart I never would recover (ohhhh) No river runs true, it always takes a twist Hearts can be broken, arrows gonna miss How was I to know that it was gonna come down to this And wash us away And we wrote our names on the Dead Sea Scrolls The young and the restless, the brave and the bold How was we to know it was gonna get outta control And wash us away, wash us away, wash us away, wash us away, wash us away,wash us away, wash us away
(Ian Hunter)
I was having a drink with Prince Charles and the Queen When Winston Churchill stepped into my dream His head it was heavy, his voice was shakin' He said, "Look what they've done - it's the death of a Nation" I followed his shadow right out of the bar And we talked all night 'neath the light of the stars He said, "This used to be a cradle of civilization Now look what they've done - it's the death of a Nation" Everything's illusion now, nothing's what it seems Money isn't everything, when you're turning your back on a dream I held you together when you were breakin' You can pull down the flags- it's the death of a Nation Don't say goodbye, don't say goodbye, 'N we'll never die, no we'll never die Don't say goodbye, don't say goodbye, 'N we'll never die, no we will never die From the bottom of this ancient heart I hate to see you falling apart Cos I love you still, I love you still, I love you still You've been getting away with it far too long Your promises ain't worth the paper they're printed on I had a love, but that love's been forsaken Look what they've done, it's the death of a Nation. Don't say goodbye, don't say goodbye, 'N we'll never die, no we'll never die Don't say goodbye, don't say goodbye, 'N we'll never die, no we will never die Don't say goodbye, don't say goodbye, 'N I'll never die, no I will never die Don't say goodbye, don't say goodbye, 'N I'll never die, no I will never die
(Ian Hunter)
We were morons from the day we were born We believed every word that you said - boy were we wrong We're all fat now - on the sofas - mini morons - taking over Cos we're older now, older now, older now, older now We were morons - red, white and blue We were working class kids on the skids - with nothing to do We're all dead now - in our boxes - holding on to what little we go left Cos it's over now, over now, over now, over now Read moron newspapers, watch moron television All laid on by slimy little, sleazy little, phony little morons Etonians, Harrovians, think they're the chosen ones And they poke fun at scruffy little, spotty little, stupid little morons Ha ha ha ha, look at those morons Ha ha ha ha, they do nothing but whine And they're slow all the time Look at those morons, never mind, never mind, never mind, never mind, never mind, never mind, never mind We can leave them behind, while we're dumbing them down, we'll be robbing them blind Ah Ah, morons don't matter at all. No education, no informatioon Morons are boring, ugly and small They lower the tone, lets get rid of them all Will to learn - gone away Force fed garbage every day We're the slaves of smarmy little, self important, petty little morons Oxford - Cambridge - see how the other half live Steer well clear of lazy little, filthy little, funny little morons Ha ha ha ha, look at those morons Ha ha ha ha, they're such terrible types And they're not very bright - look at those morons It's all right, it's all right, it's all right, it's all right, it's all right, it's all right, it's all right, it's all right Let them fight every night, while they're missing the point, we can do what we like Ah ah, I'm 60 and what have I got I live in a warzone, surrounded by morons Don't tell me I'm free when I'm not Ah ah, abandon hope all who live here We are the morons that you declared war on Now everyone's living in fear We're starving, it's something that needs to be said We're starving, it's something that needs to be said We're starving, starving, starving, starving, starving, starving, starving, starving Morons can never escape from the fact, they can never escape and we hate you for that We we're morons - but then again no, no, no!
(Ian Hunter)
Beautiful people - got their beautiful lives - got their Beautiful husbands - got their beautiful wives - got their Beautiful bankers - got their beautiful lawyers All things bright and beautiful The beautiful people are sent to destroy us Beautiful people - got their beautiful kids - got their Beautiful schools where the beautiful other half live - got their Beautiful futures in their beautiful professions All things bright and beautiful The beautiful people got the money for the lessons I'm living in purgatory - I know what purgatory is This ain't no sanctuary - This ain't no way to live You gotta have a sense of humour - you gotta know how to laugh at it Cos, I'm living in Purgatory 'n anything's better than this Beautiful people got their beautiful clothes - got their Beautiful mansions - down their beautiful country roads - got their Beautiful Doctors - in their beautiful surgeries All things bright and beautiful The beautiful people like a little privacy I'm living in purgatory - I know what purgatory is This ain't no sanctuary - This ain't no way to live You gotta have a sense of humour - you gotta know how to laugh at it Cos, I'm living in Purgatory 'n anything's better than this Beautiful losers on their beautiful estates got their beautiful job centres on the beautiful welfare wait and wait Beautiful dreamers - out of their beautiful skulls All things are bright and beautiful As long as they're beautiful, people stay beautiful. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful I'm living in purgatory - I know what purgatory is This ain't no sanctuary - This ain't no way to live You gotta have a sense of humour - you gotta know how to laugh at it I'm living in Purgatory 'n anything's better than this
(Ian Hunter)
Neon lights in the pouring rain - it's just another Saturday Avoid the bovver boys comin' out the Indian - looking for an affray I left home on the 4th of July - in nineteen hundred and seventy five I'm just a pirate with a patch over one eye Wanna buy a drink for an American Spy? I spent fourteen years on the factory floor I never took a day off sick I was workin' away all day on the Centre Lathe Tryin' to get it done quick I was always in the red - never in the black You make a little money 'n they take it all back This ain't the way to spend the rest of my life Wanna buy a drink for an American, Wanna buy a drink for an American Spy? Englishmen don't commit suicide - they move to the USA They got big back yards and Platinum cards 'N everyday's a holiday Seedy little snobs - I don't wanna know 'em I don't trust them fuckers as far as I can throw 'em Cast your fate to the winds say I Wanna buy a drink for an American Spy? Don't ask me - sounded like a plan Go west, go west, go west young man I've had enough of that old school tie Wanna buy a drink for an American Do ya wanna buy a drink for an American (Spy)? Do ya wanna buy a drink for an American Spy?
(Ian Hunter)
I've been here before - this is where my fingers slipped into yours This is where I trembled - when you touched mine This is where the seeds we planted long ago Grew up to tell us we're too old to know I've been here before - this is where the novelty starts wearing off, wearing off, wearing off And all the world's a stage - it's just that I ain't on it anymore, anymore This ain't Eastenders, this ain't Eastenders, this ain't Eastenders, it's the real thing What am I supposed to do now? Crawl down the hole of monotony - monotony - monotony - monotony The silence is deafening - the phone never rings Won't somebody help me cos - I feel like I'm drowning If I should sink - if I should swim It doesn't really matter anymore - Dead man walkin' I've been meaning to tell you for oh so long Baby you got it right 'n I got it wrong Now I know what ageism means - you gotta try a little harder you gotta be a little stronger I've been here before - this is where nothing happens anymore, anymore, anymore, Someone else's rage - someone else's pain Someone else's ego - you will believe, you will believe This ain't Eastenders, this ain't Eastenders, this ain't Eastenders, it's the real thing What am I supposed to do now? Sink to the bottom of obscurity, obscurity, obscurity, obscurity It's a foregone conclusion - a fait accompli It's all taken care of - you don't have to worry If I should lose - If I should win It doesn't really matter anymore - Dead man walkin'
(Ian Hunter)
The sun shone through the window as I lay down on your carpet Staring at the speakers - pretending to be tortured And I never moved a muscle No, I never moved a muscle The sunlight turned to shadows, and the minutes turned to hours Somebody turned the lights on, there was conversation, laughter And you know just what I'm after - you know just what I'm after You will look at me, and your curiosity is gonna get the better of you, will get the better of you Standing next to me now - she's in the air I breathe She says, "I'm marrying a rich man but he still thinks I'm a virgin So I need a little action, I need a little fun I need a good Samaritan, good Samaritan, good Samaritan, good Samaritan" We raged around our cages until all the doors lay open Then we fell upon each other in the fury and the frenzy And we fought like Gods of Thunder - and we played like fives 'n under And the only screams that mattered turn to whispers in my ear You're my good Samaritan, you're my good Samaritan, you're my good Samaritan, you're my good Samaritan Walking down the street - they make such a lovely couple And she freezes when she sees me - but she don't have to worry Cos I needed something deeper - I needed something longer She said, "People who are weaker, need people who are stronger" And I don't know what possessed you, was I just a one night stand And not your good Samaritan, good Samaritan, good Samaritan, good Samaritan.
(Ian Hunter)
I can't believe what you did, you know - you just can't let it go I'm sick 'n' tired of listening to your innuendo I can't believe what you did, you know - you sawed me in half When I was at the end of my endurance All you did was bite the hand that fed you from the start Oh - oh - oh - oh - a little soap 'n' water, na na na na na na - would not come amiss Oh - oh - a little soap 'n' water - a little soap 'n' water, a little soap 'n' water I can't believe what you did, why - why you stoop so low Why am I the target for your slings and arrows I can't believe what you did, when - you showed me no class Every mirror tells a different story Who gave you the right to be the keeper of my past Oh - oh - oh - oh - a little soap 'n' water, na na na na na na - would not come amiss Oh - oh - a little soap 'n' water - a little soap 'n' water, we're gonna have to wash your mouth out if you persist You know, I was never loyal to you - you were never loyal to me We were both loyal to the cause That cause died - there was nothing left inside It ain't my fault, let it - it ain't your fault - let it ride I can't believe what you did, you know - you know how to hurt All you do is drag old memories through the dirt I can't believe what you did - you show no mercy Yesterday don't last until tomorrow My oh my, what a pitiful cry - you're your own worst enemy Oh - oh - oh - oh - a little soap 'n' water, na na na na na na - would not come amiss Oh - oh - a little soap 'n' water - a little soap 'n' water, we're gonna have to wash your mouth out if you persist I got just what you need, I got just what you need I got just what you need, I got just what you need I got just what you need, I got just what you need I got just what you need
(Ian Hunter)
I don't wanna be no traitor to the cause But England is a luxury - not many can afford There's people going under - it's getting out of hand Whatever happened to our - our green and pleasant land? It turned into a wilderness; it turned into a third world country Most people ain't getting what they pay for Some people gettin' more than they should be I know, I know - I'm an alien - but what are you gonna do I wanna live in England - but it gets to you It gets to you, it gets to you, it gets to you I really don't know why - England's such a ripoff It's crazy, but it's true I really don't know why - England wants to rip off you England wants to rip off you, England wants to rip off you What do you do when you find out? Where do you go if you leave? There's no place like home - that's what they say And that's what you always believed Someday you might win the Lottery Someday you might win the Pools But that's all you've got - that's all you've got - to live for, to live for That's all you've got - that's all you've got - to live for, to live for (yeah) To be or not to be - that's the question Oh what's it gonna be? I'd love to live in England - but it gets to me it gets to me, it gets to me, yeah it gets to me I really don't know why - England's such a ripoff It's crazy, but it's true I really don't know why - England wants to rip off you England wants to rip off you, England wants to rip off you I really don't know why - England's such a ripoff It's crazy, but it's true Oh I really don't know why - England wants to rip off England wants to rip off , England wants to rip off
(Ian Hunter)
How do I begin - where do I start When did you first scrape the knees of my heart You said you would never marry a musician I said that's all right - 'cos I ain't good enough to be one You dragged this basket case - in out of the dark And I fell for you - from the knees of my heart The Registrar's Office was a bold council gray I slipped the ring on your finger - it's there to this day Oakington Avenue - corn flakes 'n' jam I sprayed your Anglia black - but it still looks like a pram You got the face of an angel - I felt Cupid's dart All the way down to the knees of my heart You love me - you hate me You move me - you irritate me When I go over the top you always drag me back You fill in all the cracks - I guess opposite's attract And I'm glad of that Down by the river where the humming birds hum I bought you house with a burglar alarm system You're honest, you're faithful - you're loyal and true Where would I be if it was not for you? For always and ever - ''til death do us part I will love you - from the knees of my heart
(Ian Hunter)
I used to come home each night to no one - no one All by myself, turn out the light - no one - no one One knife, a fork 'n' a spoon An empty bed in a cold room Oooh I needed someone - maybe you could help I called you up, I said "There's no one, baby there's no one else" No one ever looked twice at me - no one - no one Take a look at my life - what do you see - no one - no one Kinda nervous 'n' jealous too - I lose me if I lose you Just when I was feeling sorry for myself She called me back, she said, "There's no one, baby there's no one else" With no one to call you - with no one rootin' for you With no one to adore you - you'd be lost and alone With no one to kiss you - with no one to miss you And always be with you - you would turn into stone I've been waiting for the longest time To hold your hand on Sunday Oooh I needed someone - I saw you and I fell I called you up, I said, "There's no one - and I'll never want anyone else" Baby there's no one else Baby there's no one else Baby there's no one else Baby there's no one else
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 Colin Ford; typo in Dead Man Walkin' corrected by Mick Mitchell