The Queen Is Dead (1986)

The Queen Is Dead

Farewell to this land's cheerless marshes
Hemmed in like a boar between arches
Her very lowness with her head in a sling
I'm truly sorry - but it sounds like a wonderful thing
Dear Charles, don't you ever crave
To appear on the front of the Daily Mail
Dressed in your mother's bridal veil?

So I checked all the registered historical facts
And I was shocked into shame to discover
How I'm the 18th pale descendant
Of some old queen or other

Has the world changed or have I changed?
Has the world changed or have I changed?
As some 9-year old tough peddles drugs
(I swear I never even knew what drugs WERE)

And so, I broke into the Palace
With a sponge and a rusty spanner
She said, "Eh, I know you and you cannot sing."
I said, "That's nothing - you should hear me play piano."

We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry
And talk about precious things
But when you're tied to your mother's apron
No-one talks about castration
We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry
And talk about precious things
Like love and law and poverty
These are the things that kill me
We can go for a walk where it's quiet and dry
And talk about precious things
But the rain that flattens my hair
These are things that kill me

Past the Pub that saps your body
And the church who'll snatch your money
The Queen is dead, boys
And it's so lonely on a limb

Past the Pub that wrecks your body
And the church - all they want is your money
The Queen is dead, boys
You can trust me, boys

(life is very long, when you're lonely
life is very long, when you're lonely
life is very long, when you're lonely
life is very long, when you're lonely)

Frankly, Mr. Shankly

Frankly Mr. Shankly, this position I've held
It pays my way but it corrodes my soul
I want to leave, you will not miss me
I want to go down in musical history

Frankly Mr. Shankly, I'm a sickening wreck
I've got the 21st century breathing down my neck
I must move fast, you understand me
I want to go down in celluloid history, Shankly

Fame, fame, fatal fame
It can play hideous tricks on the brain
But still I'd rather be famous
Than righteous or holy any day, any day, any day

But sometimes I'd feel more fulfilled
Making Christmas cards with the mentally ill
I want to live and I want to love
I want to catch something that I might be ashamed of

Frankly Mr. Shankly, this position I've held
It pays my way and it corrodes my soul
Oh, I didn't realize that you wrote poetry
I didn't realize you wrote such bloody awful poetry, Shankly

Frankly Mr. Shankly, since you ask
You are a flatulent pain the ass
I do not mean to be so rude
But still I must speak frankly, Mr. Shankly

Oh, give us money

I Know It's Over

Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
And as I climb into an empty bed
Oh well, enough said
I know it's over, still I cling
I don't know where else I can go over…

Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
See the sea wants to take me, the knife wants to slit me
Do you think you can help me?

Sad veiled bride, please be happy
Handsome groom, give her room
Loud, loutish lover, treat her kindly
Though she needs you more than she loves you
And I know it's over, still I cling
I don't know where else I can go, over over over over…

I know it's over, and it never really began
But in my heart, it was so real
And you even spoke to me and said:
"If you're so funny, then why are you on your own tonight?
And if you're so clever, then why are you on your own tonight?
If you're so very entertaining, then why are you on your own tonight?
If you're so very good looking, why do you sleep alone tonight?
I know, because tonight is just like any other night
It's why you're on your own tonight
With your triumphs and your charms
While they're in each others arms

It's so easy to love, it's so easy to hate
It takes strength to be gentle and kind, over over over over
It's so easy to love, it's so easy to hate
It takes guts to be gentle and kind, over over…

Love is natural and real
But not for you my love
Not tonight my love
Love is natural and real
But not for such as you and I, my love

Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Mother I can feel the soil falling over my head
Mother I can feel the soil falling over my head
Mother I can feel the soil falling over my head

Oh mother I can feel the soil falling over my head,
Oh mother I can feel the soil falling over my head,
Oh mother I can feel the soil falling over my head.

Never Had No One Ever

When you walk without ease
On these
Streets were you were raised
I had a really bad dream
It lasted 20 years, 7 months, and 27 days
I never, I'm alone, and I
Never, ever oh … had no one ever

Now I'm outside your house
I'm alone
And I'm outside your house
I hate to intrude …
Oh, Alone, I'm Alone, I'm Alone, I'm Alone
I'm Alone, I'm Alone
And I never, never … oh … had no one ever
I never had no one ever
I never had no, no one ever
Had no one never
Never … no …
Oh …

Cemetry Gates

A dreaded sunny day
So I meet you at the cemetry gates
Keats and Yeats are on your side
A dreaded sunny day
So I meet you at the cemetry gates
Keats and Yeats are on your side
While Wilde is on mine

So we go inside and we gravely read the stones
All those people, all those lives
Where are they now?
With loves, and hates
And passions just like mine
They were born
And then they lived
And then they died
It seems so unfair
I want to cry

You say : "'Ere thrice the sun done salutation to the dawn"
And you claim these words as your own
But I've read well, and I've heard them said
A hundred times (maybe less, maybe more)
If you must write prose/poems
The words you use should be your own
Don't plagiarise or take "on loan"
'Cause there's always someone, somewhere
With a big nose, who knows
And who trips you up and laughs
When you fall
Who'll trip you up and laugh
When you fall

You say : "'Ere long done do does did"
Words which could only be your own
And then produce the text
From whence was ripped
(Some dizzy whore, 1804)

A dreaded sunny day
So let's go where we're happy
And I meet you at the cemetry gates
Oh, Keats and Yeats are on your side
A dreaded sunny day
So let's go where we're wanted
And I meet you at the cemetry gates
Keats and Yeats are on your side
But you lose
'Cause weird lover Wilde is on mine

Sure !

Bigmouth Strikes Again

Sweetness, sweetness, I was only joking when
I said I'd like to smash every tooth in your head
Sweetness, sweetness, I was only joking when
I said by rights you should be bludgeoned in your bed.

And now I know how Joan of Arc felt,
Now I Know how Joan of Arc felt,
As the Flames rose to her Roman nose
And her Walk-man started to melt.

Big mouth la da da da da
Big mouth la da da da
Big mouth strikes again and I've got no right to take
My place with the human race

Oh, oh, oh oh oh Big mouth la da da da da
Big mouth la da da da, Big mouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place with the
Human race.

And now i know how Joan of Arc felt,
Now i know how Joan of Arc felt,
As the Flames rose to her roman nose
and her hearing aid started to melt

Big mouth la da da da da
Big mouth la da da da da
Big mouth strikes again and i've got no right to take
My place with the human race

Oh,oh,oh oh Big mouth la da da da da…

The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

The boy with the thorn in his side
Behind the hatred there lies
A murderous desire for love
How can they look into my eyes
And still they don't believe me?
How can they hear me say those words
Still they don't believe me?
And if they don't believe me now
Will they ever believe me?
And if they don't believe me now
Will they ever, they ever, believe me?
Oh…

The boy with the thorn in his side
Behind the hatred there lies
A plundering desire for love
How can they see the Love in our eyes
And still they don't believe us?
And after all this time
They don't want to believe us
And if they don't believe us now
Will they ever believe us?
And when you want to live
How do you start?
Where do you go?
Who do you need to know?

Oh…
Oh no…
Oh…
La…

Vicar In A Tutu

I was minding my business
Lifting some lead off
The roof of the Holy Name church
It was worthwhile living a laughable life
To set my eyes on the blistering sight
Of a vicar in a tutu
He's not strange
He just wants to live his life this way

A scanty bit of a thing
With a decorative ring
That wouldn't cover the head of a goose
As Rose collects the money in a cannister
Who comes sliding down the bannister?
The vicar in a tutu
He's not strange
He just wants to live his life this way

The monkish monsignor
With a head full of plaster
Said : "My man, get your vile soul dry-cleaned"
As Rose counts the money in the cannister
As natural as Rain
He dances again
My god !
The vicar in a tutu
Oh yeah
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh …
The vicar in a tutu
Oh yeah
Oh …

The next day in the pulpit
With Freedom and Ease
Combatting ignorance, dust, and disease
As Rose counts the money in the cannister
As natural as Rain
He dances again and again and again

In the fabric of a tutu
Any man could get used to
And I am the living sign
And I'm a living sign
I am a living sign
I'm a living sign
I am a living sign
I'm a living sign
Sign …
I am a living sign

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Take me out tonight
Where there's music and there's people
And they're young and alive
Driving in your car, I never, never want to go home
Because I haven't got one anymore

Take me out tonight
Because I want to see people, and I want to see light
Driving in your car, oh, please don't drop me home
Because it's not my home, it's their home
And I'm welcome no more

And if a double decker bus crashes into us
To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten ton truck kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure, the priveledge is mine

Take me out tonight
Take me anywhere, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care
And in a darkened under-pass
I thought, oh God, my chance has come at last
But then a strange fear gripped me, and I just couldn't ask

Take me out tonight
Oh, take me anywhere, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care
Driving in your car, I never, never want to go home
Because I haven't got one, oh, I haven't got one

And if a double decker bus crashes into us
To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten ton truck kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure, the priveledge is mine

Oh, there is a light, and it never goes out
There is a light, and it never goes out
There is a light, and it never goes out
There is a light, and it never goes out
There is a light, and it never goes out
There is a light, and it never goes out
There is a light, and it never goes out
There is a light, and it never goes out

Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

From the ice-age to the dole-age, there is but one concern
I have just discovered

Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls are bigger than others (than others)
Some girls' mothers are bigger than other girls' mothers
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls are bigger than others (than others)
Some girls' mothers are bigger than other girls' mothers

As Anthony said to Cleopatra as he opened a crate of ale
Oh, I say

Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls are bigger than others (than others)
Some girls' mothers are bigger than other girls' mothers
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls are bigger than others (than others)
Some girls' mothers are bigger than other girls' mothers

Send me the pillow, the one that you dream on

Send me the pillow, the one that you dream on

And I'll send you mine