Mott The Hoople and Ian Hunter

Still Love Rock n Roll

(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,

Wash Us Away

(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

Death of a Nation

(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

Morons

(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!

Purgatory

(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

American Spy

(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?

Dead Man Walkin' (Eastenders)

(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'

Good Samaritan

(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.

Soap and Water

(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

Ripoff

(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 

Knees of my Heart

(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

No One

(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.

Credits

Transcribed by Colin Ford; typo in Dead Man Walkin' corrected by Mick Mitchell