XTC Album

It's in the order of their hedgerows
It's in the way their curtains open and close
It's in the look they give you down their nose
All part of decency's jigsaw I suppose

Heard the neighbour slam his car door
Don't he realise this is respectable street
What d'you think he bought that car for
'Cause he realise this is respectable street

Now they talk about abortion
In cosmopolitan proportions to their daughters
As they speak of contraception
And immaculate receptions on their portable
Sony entertainment centres.

Heard the neighbour slam his car door
Don't he realise this is respectable street
What d'you think he bought that car for
'Cause he realise this is respectable street

Now she speaks about diseases
And which sex position pleases best her old man
Avon lady fills the creases
When she manages to squeeze in past the caravans
That never move from their front gardens.

Heard the neighbour slam his car door
Don't he realise this is respectable street
What d'you think he bought that car for
'Cause he realise this is respectable street

It's in the order of their hedgerows
It's in the way their curtains open and close
It's in the look they give you down their nose
All part of decency's jigsaw I suppose

Sunday church and they look fetching
Saturday night saw him retching over our fence
Bang the wall for me to turn down
I can see them with their stern frown
As they dispense the kind of look that says
They're perfect.

Heard the neighbour slam his car door
Don't he realise this is respectable street
What d'you think he bought that car for
'Cause
He realise this is respectable street
He realise this is respectable street
He realise this is respectable street

Generals and majors, uh-huh
They're never too far
From battlefields so glorious
Out in a world of their own
They'll never come down
'Til once again victorious
Woah, generals and majors always
Seem so unhappy 'less they got a war
Generals and majors, uh-huh
Like never before
Are tired of being actionless

Calling generals and majors
Generals and majors everywhere
Calling generals and majors
Your World War III is drawing near

Generals and majors, uh-huh
They're never too far
Away from men who made the grade
Out in a world of their own
They'll never come down
Until the battle's lost or made
Woah, generals and majors always
Seem so unhappy 'less they got a war
Generals and majors, uh-huh
Like never before
Are tired of being in the shade

Calling generals and majors
Generals and majors everywhere
Calling generals and majors
Hey, your World War III is drawing near
World War III

Generals and majors, uh-huh
They're never too far
From battlefields so glorious
Out in a world of their own
They'll never come down
'Til once again victorious
Woah
Woah
Woah
Woah
Generals and majors
Generals and majors
Generals and majors

Living through another Cuba
It's 1961 again and we are piggy in the middle
Living through another Cuba
While war is polishing his drum and peace plays second fiddle
Living through another Cuba
Russia and America are at each other's throats
But don't you cry
Living through another Cuba
Get on your knees and pray, and while you're
Down there, kiss your arse goodbye
Living through another Cuba

Living through another Cuba
We're the bulldog on the fence
While others play their tennis overhead
Living through another Cuba
It's hardly love all and somebody might
Wind up red or dead
Living through another Cuba
Pour some oil on the water quick
It doesn't really matter where from
Living through another Cuba
He love me, he loves me not
He's pulling fins from an atom bomb
Living through another Cuba

Living through another Cuba
This phenomenon happens every 20 years or so
Living through another Cuba
If they're not careful your watch won't be the
Only thing with a radioactive glow
Living through another Cuba
I'll stick my fingers in my ears
And hope they make it up before too late
Living through another Cuba
If we get through this lot alright
They're due for replay, 1998
Living through another Cuba

Living through another Cuba
Living through another another, living through another another...
Living through another Cuba
Cuba cuba cuba....
Living through another Cuba
ba ba ba ba...
Living through another Cuba
Look out for my corpse in the colour supplement

Living through another Cuba
Living through another Cuba just like 1961 again
Get the bulldog to put its teeth back in
Living through another Cuba
Living through another Cuba
Living through another Cuba
Living through another Cuba
Cu-ba, Cu-ba, Cu-ba the ba-ba
Living through another Cu-BA!

See the lovers all gone crazy
Looking for romance it seems
Many sleepless nights will follow
Some may lose but some succeed

Love at first sight
What they want is

Make a play of lust intention
Only just one thing in mind
Make a slip could be forever
Wedding bells, the shotgun kind

Love at first sight
What they want is
Love at first sight
What they want is

Mouse takes the bait
As soon as he leaves his seat
There's no escape, very soon their eyes will meet

Love at first sight
What they want is
Love at first sight
What they want is

Mouse takes the bait
As soon as he leaves his seat
There's no escape, very soon their eyes will meet

Love at first sight
What they want is
Love at first sight
What they want is

Take your partner to surrender
Then your misdemeanour's done
Sacrifice of maidenhood
But little boys must have their fun

Love at first sight
What they want is
Love at first sight
What they want is
Love at first sight
What they want is
Love at first sight
What they want is

Birds beware, expect me up there
Me and air are feeling light today
Jets should hide, I'll fly alongside
Me and pride are bolted tight today

I've been set off by a pretty little girl
I'm like a rocket from a bottle shot free
I've been just explosive since you lit me
I've been up with the larks
I've been shooting off sparks
And I'm feeling in love

Hate step back, my smile might just crack
Can't stop grins from going wide today
Hell look sharp, angels play your harp
I feel strong like the tide today

I've been set off by a pretty little girl
I'm like a rocket from a bottle shot free
I've been just explosive since you lit me
I've been up with the larks
I've been shooting off sparks
And I'm feeling in love

I'm like a rocket from a bottle shot free
I've been just explosive since you kissed me
I've been up in the clouds
I've been shrugging off shrouds
And I'm feeling in love

I'm like a rocket from a bottle shot free
I've been just explosive since you lit me
I've been up with the larks
I've been shooting off sparks
And I'm feeling in love

I'm like a rocket from a bottle shot free
I've been just explosive since you kissed me
I've been up in the clouds
I've been shrugging off shrouds
And I'm feeling in love

I'm like a rocket from a bottle shot free
I've been just explosive since you lit me
I've been up with the larks
I've been shooting off sparks
And I'm feeling in love

A rocket from a
I - I - I
A rocket from a
I - I - I
A rocket from a
I - I - I
A rocket from a

There is no language in our lungs
To tell the world just how we feel
No bridge of thought
No mental link
No letting out just what you think

There is no language in our lungs, lungs, lungs, lungs

There is no muscle in our tongues
To tell the world what's in our hearts
No no no no no we're leaving nothing behind
Just chiselled stones
No chance to speak before we're bones

There is no muscle in our tongues, tongues, tongues, tongues

I thought I had the whole world in my mouth
I thought I could say what I wanted to say
For a second that thought became a sword in my hand
I could slay any problem that would stand in my way

I felt just like a crusader
Lionheart, a Holy Land invader
But nobody can say what they really mean to say and
The impotency of speech came up and hit me that day and
I would have made this instrumental
But the words got in the way

There is no language in our...

There is no language in our lungs
To tell the world what's in our hearts
No no no no no we're leaving nothing behind
Just chiselled stones
No chance to speak before we're bones

There is no language in our
Lungs
Lungs
Lungs

Towers of London
When they had built you
Did you watch over the men who fell
Towers of London
When they had built you
Victoria's gem found in somebody's hell

Pavements of gold leading to the underground
Grenadier Guardsmen walking pretty ladies around
Fog is the sweat of the never never navvies who pound
Spikes in the rails to their very own heaven

Towers of London
When they had built you
Did you watch over the men who fell
Towers of London
When they had built you
Victoria's gem found in somebody's hell

Bridges of muscles spanning so long and high
Merchants from Stepney walking pretty ladies by
Rain is the tears of the never never navvies who cry
For the bridge that doesn't go
In the direction of Dublin

Towers of London
When they had built you
Did you watch over the men who fell
Towers of London
When they had built you
Victoria's gem found in somebody's hell

And I've seen it in a painting
And I've seen it in engraving
And I've seen it in their faces
Clear as children's chalk lines on the paving

And I've seen it in a painting
And I've seen it in engraving
And I've seen it in their faces
Clear as children's chalk lines on the paving

Towers of London
When they had built you
Did you watch over the men who fell
Towers of London
When they had built you
Victoria's gem found in somebody's hell

Towers of London, Towers of London
Towers of London, Towers of London

La La Londinium, La La Londinium
La La Londinium, La La Londinium
La La Londinium...

Paper, iron, won't buy Eden
working for paper and for iron
work for the right to keep my tie on
working for paper and for iron
work for the unicorn and lion

I pray the kids aren't starving
no chicken for the Sunday carving
I'll stay for one more farthing

I take home my notes and coins every week
I'm told I'm worth much more
but the Church says turn the other cheek
the other cheek
paper, iron, won't buy Eden.

I know the family needs me
can't moan, the factory feeds me
won't bite the hand that bleeds me

I take home my notes and coins every week
I'll inherit the earth I'm told
but the Church says to remain this meek
remain this meek
I'm still a proud man.
Won't show anybody else my wage
a blend in the crowd man
is this anybody's golden age
is this anybody's golden age
is this anybody's golden age
or am I dreaming of a golden cage

La la lo it's paper
la la lo it's iron
la la lo just paper
la la lo just iron

Never seen her glowing
all that bright she's throwing
like some aurora
from her head it's growing
reaching to the ground and all around
like a Navajo blanket

Never heard her singing
now she's gently ringing
like copper wind chimes
what on earth is bringing up this stream
the cat who got the cream is licking her lips
and smiling like her Cheshire cousin
She claims she's found a way to make her own light
all you do is smile, you banish the night

She says she's burning with optimism's flames, away away
she says she's burning up all her guilts and shames, away away
she says she's burning with optimism's flames, away away
she says she's burning up

Now you see I'm smiling
back to juvenile'ing
I learnt her lesson
in like flint and styling
all the world is neatly curled around my littlest finger

I can't stop this grinning
so assume I'm winning
threw pessimism
in the air it's spinning
crashing to the floor and nevermore
will it lure me away with sweets
and shiny things just like a magpie

Now every bird and bee just fuel the fire for me
now every closing door just fans the flames some more

(Now I'm thinking okay)
(I'm turning night into day)

Hey, Rock, Rock!
Hey, Rock, Rock!
Hey, Rock, Rock!
Hey, Rock, Rock!

I'm enlisting, overseas aid
need assisting, help with a maid
get the expert, on mademoiselles
he could diffuse, any bombshell

If I could only be tough like him
then I could win
my own, small, battle of the sexes

Sgt. Rock is going to help me
make the girl mine
keep her stood in line
Sgt. Rock is going to help me
make the girl mine
keep her stood in line
make the girl mine, wave the victory sign

I'm invading, territories
Girls are foreign, and strange to me
get the expert, at kissing and stuff
he stays easy, when things get rough

Sometimes relationships don't go as planned
some girls, can make themselves so cold
a no-mans land.

If I could only be tough like him
then I could win
my own, small, battle of the sexes

Sgt. Rock is going to help me
make the girl mine
keep her stood in line
Sgt. Rock is going to help me
make the girl mine
keep her stood in line
make the girl mine, wave the victory sign

Hey, Rock, Rock!
Hey, Rock, Rock!
Hey, Rock, Rock!
Hey!

You've learnt no lessons
all that time so cheaply spent
there's no youth culture
only masks they let you rent

Travels, travels in Nihilon
we've seen, no Jesus come and gone

Fashion, their vampire
drapes itself across your back
as you fall from style
it waits rebirth on its rack

Building your whimsy
hypnotising you to need
dance goes full circle
one step ahead of your greed

You've learnt no lessons
all those years to get it right
flashes of promise
burn out faster than strobe light