in fairness boss

and elvis walks on the water
and judas strolls the streets
while judas has been sanctified
elvis is under a sheet

in fairness boss
in fairness boss

the devil's got a hobby
and he calls it war
is that about the level
that we are looking for?

he got two big bad medals
and they're stuck to his big fat chest
the one says "thanks for the violence"
the other says "lifelessness"

in fairness boss
in fairness boss

the gulf grows wider
and the earthquake shakes (west coast)
goodbye ozone layer
hello earthquake sheiks

it's 5 a.m. sunday morning
and I'm watching 'the hit man and her'
and I'm saddened by the hitman
and I'm horrified by her

in fairness boss
in fairness boss
I'm suffering from short term memory loss

in fairness boss
in fairness boss
in all fairness

in fairness boss
in fairness boss
why did we torture him on a cross?

in fairess boss
in fairess boss
yeah yeah yeah yeah

bobby moore

there'll be a millionaire a week
3 million on the dole
a thousand points of light
shining in a hole

the green shoots
are coming up a treat
in the cracks of the pavements
on austerity street

england died with bobby moore
and there's not a lot left worth fighting for

they're dying in the hospital corridors
while they're shovelling the shit on the commons floor
the third world for london and the fourth for the rest
where we condemn a little more and understand a little less

england died with bobby moore
and there's not a lot left worth fighting for

they're begging in boxes by the house of lords
and the queen only pays what she wants to afford
where charles is a tampax and the rest of us are broke
and the royals on the mobile phones are nothing but a joke

england died with bobby moore
and there's not a lot left to be fighting for

the e. m. forster films are just out of reach
dickie attenborough has made his very last speech
rupert brooke's clock is stuck at ten to three
the dambusters never make it home in time for tea

where crack stalks the shopping centres in a heroin haze
and nintendo kids jerk off while the tvs blaze
and liverpool mourns again
while unemployment is a price worth paying

and when england is dreaming it will always waken up
when bobby puts his carefully cleaned hands around the rim
the sacred rim
of the last thing they'll ever win
the 1966 world cup

england died with bobby moore
and there's not a lot left to be fighting for

in the recession procession
won't you tell me what's true
this is the recession procession
and this one's especially for you

england died with bobby moore
and there's not a lot left worth fighting for

here come the girls 

when the boys 
are learning how to move
the lights go out
they wish they knew
all the places in a girl’s heart
and when the girls get here
it will surely show
when the girls get here
it will certainly show

when the boys are sitting on their own
the talk is big
they wish they could
speak the words the girls speak
and when the girls get here
it will surely show
when the girls get here
it will certainly show

Here come the girls
here come the girls

if only if only if only
if only we couldn’t be ourselves
if only if only if only
if only we could be somebody else

here come the girls

when the girls are with the girls
the night goes quick
they wish they knew
what makes the clock click
and when the morning comes
ssshhh
when the morning comes
ssssssshhhhhhh

here come the girls
here come the girls
 

I drive a little van
I work a 48 hour week
I ain't been much further
than the end of your street

second class delivery
and a clarinet in b flat
I'd come home carrying cans
with girls on the back

I'm you're friendly mailman
but my early morning smile
didn't help me a lot
when they put me on trial

shirley was getting sick in the mornings
I didn't notice it though
and I cried
when she told me to go

I went down the delivery office
to get my letters and my sacks
and I tell you what, sir,
I wasn't ever coming back

I got in my van
I felt my foot hit the floor
and shirley ran out
of the corner store

I had my eyes on the future
and not on the road
while I looked the other way
I heard my little world explode

and to this, to this day sir
I'll sit and think about it
but I'll never know
whether she was waving me to stop
or whether she was waving me to go

and I've been in strangeways, bristol,
dartmoor and shotts
I think about shirley
but I don't miss her a lot

I've been on the roof
'cause there I feel free
I've been naked
on national tv

I've been in strangeways, bristol,
dartmoor and shotts
I think about shirley
but I don't miss her a lot

I've been on the roof
'cause here I feel free
I've been naked
on national tv

I've been naked
on national tv

religious persuasion

they switched on their halos 
adjusted their harps
checked that the blades 
on the pearly gates were sharp
I asked them what they meant 
about religious bent
they said ‘that’s the test’
I said ‘that’s the test-ah-meant’

they were giving holy orders
I think you’ll find
I was up against persuasion
of the religious kind

it was hailing marys 
at the drop of a tract
said the 7 deadly sins 
were staying round at my flat
I pondered on the churches 
of england and rome
hadn’t paid the rent 
for my spiritual home
needed guidance from the leaders 
whose names I knew
archbishop…
and john player number two
I quaked in my sackcloth 
threw away my joss-stick
burned my koran and said I was agnostic
‘I mean an atheist’ I cried 
as they moved in for the kill
the walls tumbled down as they 
handed me the bill

they weren’t impressed 
with my distinctions
I think you’ll find
that I was up against persuasion
of the religious kind

a lamb to the slaughter 
a human sacrifice
I told their spiritual leader 
his sceptre looked nice
a hymn book skimmed my ear 
but I was only grazed
I dived for cover 
as the sawn-off bibles blazed
in the gore I gasped 
‘was it something I said?’
then a solid granite altar 
hit me on the head
a collection plate plunged into my groin
they marched off discussing 
the battle of the boyne

as I expired I was thinking
they’d been rather unkind
but I was up against persuasion
of the religious kind

bleeding and naked 
I was somewhat at a loss
the good samaritan was drinking 
at the sign of the cross
recalling their question I felt totally alone
as I peered out from underneath
the tablets of stone
in the gutter lay the crushed 
remains of a bible
it proclaimed their grievances 
were purely tribal
they made me see the light 
for that I offer my thanks
I was collared by the dogs
now I’ve joined their ranks

onward christian soldiers
I hope you don’t mind
being afflicted by religion
of the persuasive kind

now if you’re visiting some irish town
the politicians’ heads stuck in the ground
and the only bell ringing has a
graveyard sound

someone’s got to stand up or
nothing’s gonna change
till religion
is rearranged

the walking wounded

off-sales selling off
to an indistinct line of cars
with black shades on their windshields
queueing to turn into bars
carry out cases carried off
taken away in single file
when somebody got lucky
they resurfaced the murder mile
for the walking wounded

there’s weeds strangling the factories
roses bloom in the DHSS
where a caged bird sings love songs
under threat of duress
the people are down in the mouth
down the drain down the dole
the government files their problems
in the dead letter box marked soul
no social security
for the walking wounded

the wounded watch from a distance
Channel 4 moving in for the kill
where Paisley’s taking confession
and the Pope advertises the Pill
video screens in the churches
postcards to keep of the people
cameramen collapse in the corner
when the chimneys turn into steeples
nowhere near
the walking wounded

grey faces on a grey backdrop
there’s a grey mist in the air
but the grey doesn’t seem to matter
for who’s got the courage to care
caught between the black and the white
signing on for life
semi-detached from reality
it’s the bar the bookies their knife
for the walking wounded
The axeman in the departure lounge
on guaranteed standby stands by
no one misses the third flight
in the dark he’s being taught how to fly
there’s a light at the end of the tunnel
that no one admits they can see
Maggie and the terrorists 
sign the death warrant
you can watch the execution for free

fed lies
dead beat
can you hear the heartbeats

dead eyes
dead feet
can you hear the heartbeats

fed lies
dead beat
can you hear the heartbeats

heart beats
heart beats
heart beats
heart beats
heart beats

heart beat

she'll get over loving you

you're much too young to know this time
it's not too much to see the sign
it's fun for what it's worth this time
it's not too hard
it's not too hard

she'll get over loving you
if only you would let her
she'll get over wanting you
you could be so much better

she'll get over hating you
if only you would let her
she'll get over loving you
if only you would let her

do you understand the feeling (I could be wrong about you)
every organ reeling (and if I am I'll still be true)
choking me and stealing (nothing's perfect in this world)
every particle of you (except for straight hair when it's curled)

you're much too old to waste your time
it's not too much to be unkind
it's not much fun to wait in line
it's not too hard
it's not too hard

by all accounts you should be doing better
maybe buying houses sorry you just met her
or maybe just move in together
buy an irish setter sorry you just met her

she'll get over loving you
if only you would let her
she'll get over wanting you
you could be so much better

she'll get over hating you
if only you would let her
she'll get over loving you
if only you would let her

she'll get over
she'll get over
she'll get over loving you
she'll get over loving you

do you understand the feeling (I could be wrong about you)
every organ reeling (and if I am I'll still be true)
choking me and stealing (nothing's perfect in this world)
every particle of you (except for straight hair when it's curled)

you're much too old to waste your time (I could be wrong about you)
it's not too much to be unkind (and if I am I'll still be true)
it's not much fun to wait in line (nothing's perfect in this world)
it's not too hard (except for straight hair when it's curled)
it's not too hard

I could be wrong about you (I wish I was)
I could be wrong (I wish I was)
I could be wrong about you
but if I am
I'll still be loving you

cry baby cry

the king of marigold was in the kitchen
cooking breakfast for the queen
the queen was in the parlour playing piano
for the children of the king

cry baby cry
make your mother sigh
she's old enough to know better
cry baby cry

the king was in the garden
picking flowers for a friend who came to play
the queen was in the playroom
painting pictures for the children's holiday

cry baby cry
make your mother sigh
she's old enough to know better
cry baby cry

the duchess of kirkcaldy
always smiling and arriving late for tea
the duke was having problems with a message
from the local bird and bee

cry baby cry
make your mother sigh
she's old enough to know better
cry baby cry

12 o'clock a meeting round the table
for a séance in the dark
with voices out of nowhere
put on specially by the children for a lark

cry baby cry
make your mother sigh
she's old enough to know better
cry baby cry

cry cry cry
cry baby cry
you're mother's old enough to know better
so cry baby cry
cry cry cry
she's old enough to know better
cry baby cry

there were roses

now alan bell from benagh
he lived just across the fields
he was a great man for the music
and the dancing and the reels
o'malley came from south armagh
to court young alice fair
and often we'd meet on the ryan road
and laughter filled the air

there were roses, roses, roses
and the tears of the people ran together

alan he was protestant
and sean was catholic born
but it never made any difference
you know the friendship it was strong
and sometimes in the evening
when we'd hear the sound of the drums
well we said it wouldn't divide us
you know we'd always be the ones
for the ground our fathers ploughed in
well the soil is just the same
and the places where we say our prayers
have just got different names
and we talked for hours about those who died
and hoped there'd be no more
it was little then that we realised
the tragedy in store

there were roses, roses, roses
and the tears of the people ran together

well it was on a sunday morning
that the awful news went round
another killing had been done
just outside of newry town
we knew that alan danced up there
and we knew he loved the band
but when we heard they'd shot him dead
well we just couldn't understand
and we gathered at the graveside
on that cold and rainy day
and the minister he closed his eyes
and prayed for no revenge
and all the ones who knew him
from all along the ryan road
well they bowed their heads
and they said a prayer
for the resting of his soul

there were roses, roses, roses
and the tears of the people ran together

now fear it ruled the countryside
there was fear in every home
when the car of death came prowling
round the ryan road
a catholic will be killed tonight
to even up the score
o christ it's young o'malley
they've taken him from the door
"alan was my friend" he cried
he begged them with his fear
but centuries of hatred
have ears that cannot hear
an eye for an eye
was all that filled their minds
and another eye for another eye
till everyone is blind

there were roses, roses, roses
and the tears of the people ran together

now my song for you this evening
well it ain't to make you sad
nor for adding to the sorrows
of this troubled northern land
but lately I been thinking
and it just won't leave my mind
to tell you about two friends of mine
who were both good friends one time

I don't know where the moral is
or where this song should end
but I wonder just how many wars
are fought between good friends
I know that those who give the orders
well they're not the ones to die
it's bell and o'malley
and the likes of you and i

there were roses, roses, roses
and the tears of the people...

there were roses, roses, roses
and the tears of the people ran together

marion girl

I drove right past a churchyard
where the wedding bells rang
they were singing songs of sweet sad remembrance
to me - but then I was looking for a sign
it was getting late and I was getting restless
all the bars were all closing up for the night
and the shutters coming down against the evening
and the moths battering themselves against the light

looking for marion girl
how can I explain
well I want to see your fanatical heart again

I drew up beside a lamp post to find a new cassette
and the whole street scene opened up in front of me
there was a mother holding up her new-born baby
and some men spraying graffittI for the land of the free (this is the land of the free)
a scottish girl she asked me about the weather
she had dark green eyes was laughing about the news
she was telling me about some story from a country love song
she wasn't you - but then who is

marion girl
how can I explain
well I wanna see your fanatical heart again

marion girl
laying in your dublin bed all morning
you come and you leave without warning

she told me she'd been seen in some second-hand store
pouring over all the old blue junkyard remains
she asked me if everything changes
I said no, why it all still stays the same
she had her short black hair cut curl it up nearly just
saying she was one of the girls
but on a sunday night here you couldn't even get arrested
and I put my foot to the floor just to get out of that place
had the feeling I was just getting tested

looking for marion girl
how can I explain
well I wanna see your heretical smile again

marion girl
well you come and you leave without warning
she used to always sing

yes she said
yes she said yes
yes she said yes yes yes
yes she said yes I will yes I will yes I will...

yes she said yes I will
yes yes yes
yes yes yes

crazy stuff

you got time
the time to choose
you got everything
everything a boy could lose

you got the world
but it ain't enough
you got to give me give me
give me give me some of that
crazy stuff

you got the voice
the voice to speak
you got everything
everything is within reach

I want you to breathe
breathe in the air
you want everything
everything to show you care

but you wanted the world
and it wasn't enough
you got to give me give me
give me give me some of that
crazy stuff

you gave away the money
that's what I want
you gave away everything
everything a boy could want

and you gave up your time
the time to choose
you know you got everything
everything a boy could use

and you gave up the world
but it wasn't enough
you gotta gotta give me give me
give me give me some of that
crazy stuff

said you gave up the world
but it wasn't enough
you gotta gotta give me give me
give me give me some of that
crazy stuff

the world wasn't enough
all you said was everything was
crazy stuff
crazy stuff

a girl I once knew now invisible

nicotine hair
an ashtray smile
smoke rings
everywhere

a girl I once knew
now invisible
a girl I once knew
now invisible

lamplight shine
on a borrowed bed
velvet nights
in november

and a girl I once knew
now invisible
a girl I once knew
now invisible

try not to think
I go misty-eyed
my mind's on the brink
too much

a girl I once knew
now invisible
a girl I once knew
now invisible
 

because she loves it

I got my bible 
I’m not going back to london
I got my bible 
I’m not going back to london

I got my bible 
I’m not going back to london
I left some things there 
that I should have forgotten
there’s a cool breeze 
blowing my thoughts around
and if you really want to baby
we could even leave town

first she did it because she had to
but now she does it only if she wants to
at first she did it because she needed to
but now she does it because she loves it
she loves it

I got my bible 
I’m not going back to london
I got my bible 
I’m not going back to london

we all gathered to go
walking on the beach
seagulls screaming
flying out of reach
the long grass growing up 
past our knees
and if you really want to you can 
close your eyes and see

first she did it because she had to
but now she does it only if she wants to
at first she did it because she needed to
but now she does it because she loves it
she loves it
she loves it…

cinnamon sofa

your oil paint perfume is autumn brown
the stereo sings 
the blues are coming down
there’s murder on the tv
I don’t know what to do
sitting on a cinnamon sofa with you

fast foreign cars flash by my window
the coffee cups are coming through
you hung out my washing 
on the window
the style section tells you what to do
sitting on a cinnamon sofa with you

I know you look so beautiful today
I’m going to send my friends away
what else can you hope for
if you want it that’s what to do
sitting on a cinnamon sofa with you
sitting on a cinnamon sofa with you

six string street 30 mph

he ended up in the middle of the road
I wound up on six string street
he’s happy today 
in the middle of the road
and I’m on six string street

I worked in an office into ’86
and the walls were painted grey
but I still get fluorescent flashes
out on this northern highway
not about my employment
it was no big deal
but a girl I knew was the one who
changed the way I feel
she says 
‘I know you care about this affair
but it can’t go on you know’ 
I said
‘if you’re looking for your 
home sweet home
you better just get up and go’

she ended up in the middle of the road
I wound up on six string street
she’s happy today 
in the middle of the road
and I’m on six string street...

now I’ve found my way out of the countryside
and got back into the town
my true love’s gone forever
but that don’t get me down
she said ‘I couldn’t sort out my life
and I certainly couldn’t sort out you’
oh baby that’s the last thing
that I knew that you would do
when I said

come with me
set yourself free
straight down the middle of
six string street

some of the things I can bring...