Category Archives: Song Lyric Sunday

Song Lyric Sunday: Walking with Jesus and Jane

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Jim Adams is the host for Song Lyric Sunday. This week’s theme is New Wave.

It’s New Wave this week, and I’m going for a group from Glasgow: Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. They were a little bit popsy and a lot a bit angsty. And their (non-hit) single, Brand New Friend, ticked both these boxes.

The band also carried off the pouting, floppy-haired look of the mid-eighties, and along with Cole’s witty and often deep lyrics, they were extremely popular among students.

This didn’t lead to major chart success, and the band split up in 1989 after five years, four albums and a handful of singles. Some are pants, some are amazing, and some are just plain bonkers.

Walking in the pouring rain
Walking with Jesus and Jane
Jane was in her turtleneck
I was much happier then

If I were to ask you
What would you do with yourself?
If I were to tell you
Would you just talk to yourself?

Am I asking oh for so much?
I’m not asking to be understood
Am I asking oh for so much?
I’m just looking for a brand new friend
A brand new friend

Walking in the pouring rain
Walking with Jesus and Jane
Jane was in her turtleneck
I was much happier then

Am I asking oh for so much?
You could do anything you wanted to
Am I asking oh for so much?
No, just something that I can hold down
‘Cos it’s all downhill now

So let me count the times that we swore and lied
That we’d tie ourselves to the railway line
Let me count the times when of course we lied
Well we knew no better, it was no crime
Let me count the times [repeat]

I, well I don’t know when I, when I’ll be content
But I do know I need a brand new friend
A brand new friend [repeat to fade]

Songwriters: Blair Gray Cowan & Lloyd Cole
© Warner Chappell Music, Inc

Song Lyric Sunday: ‘Tis Truly Scrumptious

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Jim Adams is the host for Song Lyric Sunday. This week’s theme is Country Music.

Welcome to the world of Country Music, but not as you know it. Forget Stetsons and slide guitar because today we are embracing Scrumpy and Western.

This is a style of music from the West Country of England, which is my neck of the woods, and I was raised on it. Rousing choruses of Blackbird were often heard emanating from our house.

And when I got to the (legal) age of buying alcohol, Drink up Thy Cider became my new anthem.

Cider (or scrumpy, as it is fondly known) is not a gentle apple drink in the UK, but a weapon of mass destruction that renders most humans immobile. I haven’t touched a drop in over twenty years: I value a functioning liver.

But here’s a rural treat with Adge Cutler and his Wurzels singing a naughty little number about going there twice daily.

Live from the Royal Oak, Nailsea on 2nd November 1966.

When I were a lad I were so glad to go out in the daytime
With me fork and a bottle and a cork to help out in the hay time
While tossin’ hay upon the mound met young Lucy Bailey
And I said my dear, are you often here, she said, yes sir, twice daily

We had such fun in the summer sun, Lucy were so thrillin’
Sweet and pure but I weren’t sure that young maid were willin’
Till one day among the hay we was working gaily
She up’s and slips and zummut rips and I went there twice daily

(Oh Ah Oh I did too)

She said dear I do feel queer think I outa tell ee
Tant new bread she sadly said that swelling up me belly
Told her go to Doctor Joe off she went so gaily
He gave a dollop of a gurt thick jollop and said take this twice daily

(Orrible stuff twere )

Now Lucy’s dad were very mad, chased I ’round the hay mound
Said my son you’ve had your fun, the time has come to pay now
My girl you’ll wed, the old man said as he waved his shotgun gaily
If you don’t, he says, I’ll put some lead and you won’t go there twice daily

(Ow painful that)

Well the very next day in the month of May held the ceremony
Paid off the vicar with a gallon of liquor, rode to church on a pony
And the village folks from miles around waved and shouted gaily
There’s no doubt you’ll get found out if you goes there twice daily

(They were right too (I did)

Now to Lucy’s joy she had a boy, what a little darlin’
Round and fat as a Cheshire cat, perky as a starlin’
Skin were smooth as a cider jar and they called him Buster Bailey
Fed him on swedes and charlock weeds and a pint of scrump twice daily

(Fat little bleeder too)

Now weem old, our story’s told, forty years together
And we often stray where we tossed the hay in that old time summer weather
Kids we’ve got full ten or more, we goes on quite gaily
Tho’ I’m old and grey when I’ve gets me way I still go there twice daily

Songwriter: Adge Cutler
© EMI Records

Song Lyric Sunday: Full Metal Racket

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Jim Adams is the host for Song Lyric Sunday. This week’s theme is Metal.

I’m not a big fan of metal, but luckily the Husband is, and he introduced me to the wonder that is Bruce Dickinson. He’s a wee pint-sized bundle of energy with a swooping, operatic voice. And he’s a gingernut who flies planes and wears really odd trousers. What’s not to like?

Best known as the frontman of Iron Maiden, he’s been in the music biz since 1976 and is a phenomenal performer. I’ve never seen him gig, but I have seen him live.

A few years back, he was doing a book tour to promote his autobiography, and at the end of a night of hilarious anecdotes, he sang Revelations a cappella. This man has an amazing set of pipes.

Oh, God of Earth and Altar
Bow down and hear our cry
Our earthly rulers falter
Our people drift and die
The walls of gold entomb us
The swords of scorn divide
Take not thy thunder from us
Take away our pride
Just a babe in a black abyss
No reason for a place like this
The walls are cold, and souls cry out in pain
An easy way for the blind to go
A clever path for the fools who know
The secret of the Hanged Man, the smile on his lips
The light of the blind
You’ll see
The venom tears my spine
The Eyes of the Nile are opening
You’ll see
She came to me with a serpent’s kiss
As the Eye of the Sun rose on her lips
Moonlight catches silver tears I cry
So we lay in a black embrace
And the seed is sown in a holy place
And I watched, and I waited for the dawn
The light of the blind
You’ll see
The venom that tears my spine
The Eyes of the Nile are opening
You’ll see
Go
Bind all of us together
Ablaze with hope and free
No storm or heavy weather
Will rock the boat you’ll see
The time has come to close your eyes
And still the wind and rain
For the one who will be king
Is the watcher in the ring
It is You, oh
It is You
Songwriter: Bruce Dickinson
© Universal Music Publishing Group

Song Lyric Sunday: A Different Light

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Jim Adams is the host for Song Lyric Sunday. This week’s theme is Paisley Underground.

Paisley underground – You what? Had to Google this one and discovered I’d heard of one practitioner of this genre – The Bangles.

I was never a major fan. Yes, I danced like an Egyptian at school discos and had an unbelievably naff perm, but I found these California Girls to be too fluffy for my taste. Apart from this one track.

When I first listened to If She Knew What She Wants, it left me (according to my 1986 diary) with an aching void inside. Teens and poetry should not be allowed to mix.

But the song floored me: how could this idiot of a woman not see that the guy was besotted with her? If only she would give him a chance!

Nowadays, we would applaud her for fending off a stalker and not allowing herself to be gaslighted. I am so glad I’m no longer part of the modern dating scene — talk about minefields.

Over to you, ladies!

Oooooh
If she knew what she wants (he’d be giving it to her)
If she knew what she needs (he could give her that too)
If she knew what she wants (but he can’t see through her)
If she knew what she wants, he’d be giving it to her, giving it to her

But she wants everything (he can pretend to give her everything)
Or there’s nothing she wants (she don’t want to sort it out)
He’s crazy for this girl (but she don’t know what she’s looking for)
If she knew what she wants, he’d be giving it to her, giving it to her
I’d say her values are corrupted
But she’s open to change
Then one day she’s satisfied
And the next I’ll find her crying
And it’s nothing she can explain

If she knew what she wants (he’d be giving it to her)
If she knew what she needs (he could give her that too)
If she knew what she wants (but he can’t see through her)
If she knew what she wants, he’d be giving it to her, giving it to her (giving it to her)
Some have a style
That they work hard to refine
So they walk a crooked line
But she won’t understand
Why anyone would have to try
To walk a line when they could fly

No sense thinking I could rehabilitate her
When she’s fine, fine, fine
She’s got so many ideas travelling around in her head
She doesn’t need nothing from mine

If she knew what she wants (he’d be giving it to her)
If she knew what she needs (he could give her that too)
If she knew what she wants (but he can’t see through her)
If she knew what she wants, he’d be giving it to her, giving it to her
But she wants everything (he can pretend to give her everything)
Or there’s nothing she wants (she don’t want to sort it out)
He’s crazy for this girl (but she don’t know what she’s looking for)
If she knew what she wants, He’d be giving it to her, giving it to her (he’d be giving it to her)
(He could give her that too)
(But he can’t see through her)
Oooooo
Giving it to her
Giving it to her now

Songwriter: Jules Shear
© Juters Music, Funzalo Music, Music Corp. Of America, Inc.

Song Lyric Sunday: Not a Carport Convention

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Jim Adams is the host for Song Lyric Sunday. This week’s theme is Garage Rock.

When I first saw the prompt, I immediately thought of UK Garage. This is not about four young teens banging out acoustic rock songs in their dad’s basement. Because this garage is an offshoot of electronic dance, which started in the early 1990s.

I know, get me and my street ways. But I must confess a little bit of UK Garage goes a long way to my ageing ears. But this one track has stayed with me for years. And this is why I’m twisting today’s prompt to my own ends – sue me!

Meet Shanks and Bigfoot, a pair of producers active for about three years, with two albums and a half dozen singles. Only one of which I like, and here it is. Hope you’re all ready to Sing-A-Long!

C’mon everybody, sing along
(I just sing yabba, dee, dum, dum)
Ah, ah, yeah
To the beat, sing along with me
(We sing along yabba, dee, dum, dum)

If you follow me
You won’t be left behind
I can show you a way
A way to ease your mind
Take your lead from me
I’ll tell you what to do
I will teach you a song
A song to see you through

When it’s raining down on me, yeah
I just sing yabba, dee, dum, dum
It’s the sweetest melody, yeah
Come and sing along yabba, dee, dum, dum
We can sing in harmony, yeah
Or we can hum, yabba, dee, dum, dum
Take my hand and sing with me, yeah
Come and sing along yabba, dee, dum, dum

So when you say these words
You feel this glow inside
You are spinning around
You’re on a fairground ride
Everlasting day
For you my butterfly
Go and spread your wings
Now see how high you fly

When it’s raining down on me, yeah
I just sing yabba, dee, dum, dum
It’s the sweetest melody, yeah
Come and sing along yabba, dee, dum, dum
We can sing in harmony, yeah
Or we can hum, yabba, dee, dum, dum
Take my hand and sing with me, yeah
Come and sing along yabba, dee, dum, dum (ooh)

If you stumble, I will sing for you
And my song will always be your friend
When you’re feeling lonely

When it’s raining down on me (raining down on me)
I just sing yabba, dee, dum, dum
It’s the sweetest melody (sweetest melody, oh, yeah)
Come and sing along yabba, dee, dum, dum
We can sing in harmony (in harmony)
Or we can hum, yabba, dee, dum, dum
Take my hand and sing with me (sing with me)
Come and sing along yabba, dee, dum, dum

When it’s raining down on me
(Yabba, dee, dum, dum, yabba, dee, dum, dum)
(Yabba, dee, dum, dum, yabba, dee, dum, dum)
I just sing yabba, dee, dum, dum
It’s the sweetest melody
Come and sing along yabba, dee, dum, dum

Songwriter(s): Steven Meade & Daniel Langsman
Vocalist: Terri Walker
© Clinical Records