XTC Album

I have learnt there's a magical spot at the hop
Come with me to the church on the corner the hop
There's nuts and there's crisps and there's c-c-c-cola on tap
A good time had by those boys and those girls at the hop

Tell me what do you say (tell me what do you say)
Tell me what do you say
I tell you
Life begins at the hop, boys and girls

Prepare yourself for the boys in the band at the hop
The cheap guitars, they're too young for the bars at the hop
We'll jive around, make fools of ourselves 'til they stop
We're back next week with another ridiculous tie knot

Tell me what do you say (tell me what do you say)
Tell me what do you say
I tell you
Life begins at the hop, boys and girls

Tell me what do you say (tell me what do you say)
Tell me what do you say (tell me what do you say)
I tell you
Life begins at the hop, boys and girls

I have learnt there's a magical spot at the hop
Come with me to the church on the corner the hop
There's nuts and crisps and there's c-c-c-cola on tap
A good time had by those boys and those girls at the hop

Tell me what do you say (tell me what do you say)
Tell me what do you say
I tell you
Life begins at the hop, la la la la la la la
Life begins at the hop, la la la la la la la
Life begins at the hop, la la la la la la la la la la la
boys and girls

We're only making plans for Nigel
We only want what's best for him
We're only making plans for Nigel
Nigel just needs this helping hand

And if young Nigel says he's happy
He must be happy
He must be happy
He must be happy in his work

We're only making plans for Nigel
He has this future in a British steel
We're only making plans for Nigel
Nigel's whole future is as good as sealed, yeah

And if young Nigel says he's happy
He must be happy
He must be happy
He must be happy in his work

Nigel is not outspoken
But he likes to speak, and he loves to be spoken to (In his work)
Nigel is happy in his work (In his work)
Nigel is happy in his work (In his work)

We're only making plans for Nigel
We only want what's best for him
We're only making plans for Nigel
Nigel just needs this helping hand

And if young Nigel says he's happy
He must be happy
He must be happy
He must be happy in his work

Mm, we're only making plans for Nigel
We only want what's best for him
We're only making plans for Nigel
Nigel just needs this helping hand

We're only making plans for Nigel
He has this future in a British steel
Steel, steel, steel, steel, steel
Yeah, yeah

We're only making plans for Nigel
Nigel, Nigel, Nigel, Nigel
Nigel, Nigel, Nigel, Nigel
Nigel, Nigel, Nigel, Nigel

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

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

Hey, hey, the clouds are whey
There's straw for the donkeys
And the innocents can all sleep safely
All sleep safely

My, my, sun is pie
There's fodder for the cannons
And the guilty ones can all sleep safely
All sleep safely

And all the world is football-shaped
It's just for me to kick in space
And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste
And I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in
I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to taste the difference 'tween a lemon and a lime
Pain and pleasure, and the church bells softly chime

Hey, hey, night fights day
There's food for the thinkers
And the innocents can all live slowly
All live slowly

My, my, the sky will cry
Jewels for the thirsty
And the guilty ones can all die slowly
All die slowly

And all the world is biscuit-shaped
It's just for me to feed my face
And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste
And I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in
I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to taste the difference 'tween a lemon and a lime
Pain and pleasure, and the church bells softly chime

And birds might fall from black skies (Whoo-whoo)
And bullies might give you black eyes (Whoo-whoo)
And buses might skid on black ice (Whoo-whoo)
But to me they're very, very beautiful (England's glory)
Beautiful (A striking beauty)

And all the world is football-shaped
It's just for me to kick in space
And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste
And I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in
I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to tell the difference 'tween the goods and crimes
Dirt and treasure
And there's one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in
I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to taste the difference 'tween a lemon and a lime
Pain and pleasure, and the church bells softly chime

Save us from the ball and chain
Save us from the ball and chain
Save us from the ball and chain, oh, yeah
The diggers and the towering cranes

Save us from the ball and chain
Save us from the ball and chain
Save us from the ball and chain, oh, yeah
The diggers and the towering cranes

The diggers and the towering cranes

Save us from the ball and chain
Save us from the ball and chain
Save us from the ball and chain, oh, yeah
The diggers and the towering cranes

Don't want demolition
Don't want your compensation
It's not just bricks and mortar
We are lambs to slaughter

Save us from the ball and chain
Save us from the ball and chain
Save us from the ball and chain, oh, yeah
The diggers and the towering cranes

The diggers and the towering cranes

Must we live in fear
From those who shed no tears?
Our one and only shelter
Your games, your Helter Skelter

Motorways and office blocks
They're standing on the spot where stood a home
They're crushing all the memories of people
Who have since turned to stone
Who turned to stone
They turned to stone

Save us from the ball and chain
Save us from the ball and chain
Save us from the ball and chain, oh, yeah
The diggers and the towering cranes

Save us from the ball and chain
Save us from the ball and chain
Save us from the ball and chain, oh, yeah
The diggers and the towering cranes

The diggers and the towering cranes
The diggers and the towering

Ow

The insect-headed worker-wife will hang her waspies on the line
The husband burns his paper, sucks his pipe while studying their 'causehion-floor
His viscous poly-paste breath comes out
Their wall-paper world is shattered by his shout
A boy in blue is busy banging out a headache on the kitchen door

And all the while Graham slept on
Dreaming of a world where he could do just what he wanted to

No thugs in our house are there, dear?
We made that clear
We made little Graham promise us he'd be a good boy, oh
No thugs in our house are there, dear?
We made that clear
We made little Graham promise us he'd be a good boy

The young policeman who just can't grow a moustache will open up his book
And spoil their breakfast with reports of Asians who have been so badly kicked
Is this your son's wallet I've got here?
He must have dropped it after too much beer
Oh, officer, we can't believe our little angel is the one you've picked

And all the while Graham slept on
Dreaming of a world where he could do just what he wanted to

No thugs in our house are there, dear?
We made that clear
We made little Graham promise us he'd be a good boy, oh
No thugs in our house are there, dear?
We made that clear
We made little Graham promise us he'd be a good boy

They never read those pamphlets in his bottom drawer
They never read that tattoo on his arm
They thought that was just a boys' club badge he wore
They never thought he'd cause folks any harm

The insect-headed worker wife will hang her waspies on the line
She's singing something stale and simple, now this business has fizzled out
Her little tune is such a happy song
Her son is innocent, he can't do wrong
'Cause dad's a judge and knows exactly what the job of judging's all about

And all the while Graham slept on
Dreaming of a world where he could do just what he wanted to

No thugs in our house are there, dear?
We made that clear
We made little Graham promise us he'd be a good boy, oh
No thugs in our house are there, dear?
We made that clear
We made little Graham promise us he'd be a good boy

No thugs in our house
No thugs in our house
No thugs in our house, dear

Ow

No thugs in our house
No thugs in our house, woo
No thugs in our house
No thugs in our house, woo
No thugs in our house
No thugs in our house, woo
No thugs in our house
No thugs in our house, ow

High climbs the summer sun
High stands the corn
And tonight when my work is done
We will borrow your father's carriage
We will drink and prepare for marriage
Soon, my darling, soon, my darling

Shilling for the fellow who brings the sheep in
Shilling for the fellow who milks the herd
Shilling for the fellow with a wife for keeping
How can we feed love on a farmboy's wages?

Deep under winter snow
Deep lay the lambs
And tonight by the full moon's glow
Flask of wine on my feather bedding
We will drink and prepare for wedding
Soon, my darling, soon, my darling

Shilling for the fellow who brings the sheep in
Shilling for the fellow who milks the herd
Shilling for the fellow with a wife for keeping
How can we feed love on a farmboy's wages?

People think that I'm no good
At painting pictures or carving wood
Be a rich man if I could
But the only job I do well is here on the farm
On the farm
And it's breaking my back

We will borrow your father's carriage
We will drink and prepare for marriage
Soon, my darling, soon, my darling

Shilling for the fellow who brings the sheep in
Shilling for the fellow who milks the herd
Shilling for the fellow with a wife for keeping
How can we feed

Shilling for the fellow who brings the sheep in
Shilling for the fellow who milks the herd
Shilling for the fellow with a wife for keeping
How can we feed love on a farmboy's, love on a farmboy's, love on a farmboy's wages?

Funk pop a roll beats up my soul
Oozing like napalm from the speakers and grill
Of your radio
Into the mouths of babes
And across the backs of its willing slaves

Funk pop a roll consumes you whole
Gulping in your opium so copiously from a disco
Everything you eat is waste
But swallowing is easy when it has no taste

They can fix you rabbits up
With your musical feed
They can fix you rabbits up
Big money selling you stuff that you do not need

Funk pop a roll for fish in shoals
Music by the yard for the children they keep
Like poseable dolls
The young to them are mistakes
Who only want bread but they're force-fed cake

Funk pop a roll the only goal
The music business is a hammer to keep
You pegs in your holes
But please don't listen to me
I've already been poisoned by this industry!

Funk pop a roll beats up my soul

Ah, well, that's this world over
Ah, well, next one begins

Will you smile like any mother
As you bathe your brand-new twins?
Will you sing about the missiles
As you dry odd-numbered limbs?

Ah, well, that's this world over
Ah, well, next one begins
Ah, well, that's this world over
You sadly grin

Will you tell them about that far-off and mythical land
About their leader with the famous face?
Will you tell them that the reason nothing ever grows in the garden anymore
Because he wanted to win the craziest race?
That's this world over

Will you smile like any father
With your children on a Sunday hike?
When you get to a sea of rubble
And they ask, "What was London like?"

Ah, well, that's this world over
Ah, well, next one begins, it begins, it begins
Ah, well, that's this world over
You sadly grin

Will you tell them about that far-off and mythical land
And how a child to the virgin came?
Oh, will you tell them that the reason why we murdered everything upon the surface of the world
So we can stand right up and say we did it in his name?

That's this world over
Or so it seems
That's this world over
The end of dreams

That's this world over, over, over and out
That's this world over, over, over and out
That's this world over, over, over and out
That's this world over, over, over and out
That's this world over, over, over and out

It's raining on the beach
She inches close but out of reach
The waves look painted on
Seagulls screaming

The sea is warship grey
It whispers "Fool!" then slides away
Black coastline slumbers on
Seagulls screaming kiss her, kiss her

And all the flags that flap on the pier
Spell why on earth do you want
The fog hides much but one thing is clear
She's nearer

Dead deck chairs under shrouds
And life belts gape like minstrel mouths
Her hair still smells of salt
Seagulls screaming kiss her, kiss her
Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her, kiss her
He who hesitates is lost

If you want her, you should tell her
Take her by the hand If you hesitate
If you wait, November wins her November will win her
She returns to sand
So get ahold of the girl

I say I like your coat
Her thank-you tugs my heart afloat
I nearly didn't hear for
Seagulls screaming kiss her, kiss her

He who hesitates is lost

Laying on the grass, my heart, it flares like fire
The way you slap my face just fills me with desire
You play hard to get
'Cause you're teacher's pet
But when the boats have gone
We'll take a tumble, excuse for a fumble

Shocked me, too, the things we used to do on grass
If you fancy, we can buy an ice cream cone
Your mate has gone, she didn't want to be alone
I will pounce on you
Just us and the cuckoos
You are helpless now
Over and over, we flatten the clover

Shocked me, too, the things we used to do on grass
It would shock you, too, the things we used to do on grass
Grass
On grass
Things we did on grass

Dear God, hope you got the letter, and
I pray you can make it better down here
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer
But all the people that you made in your image
See them starving on their feet
'Cause they don't get enough to eat from God
I can't believe in you

Dear God, sorry to disturb you, but
I feel that I should be heard loud and clear
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
And all the people that you made in your image
See them fighting in the street
'Cause they can't make opinions meet about God
I can't believe in you

Did you make disease, and the diamond blue?
Did you make mankind after we made you?
And the devil too

Dear God, don't know if you noticed, but
Your name is on a lot of quotes in this book
Us crazy humans wrote it, you should take a look
And all the people that you made in your image
Still believing that junk is true
Well I know it ain't and so do you, dear God
I can't believe in
I don't believe in

I won't believe in heaven and hell
No saints, no sinners, no devil as well
No pearly gates, no thorny crown
You're always letting us humans down
The wars you bring, the babes you drown
Those lost at sea and never found
And it's the same the whole world 'round
The hurt I see helps to compound
The Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Is just somebody's unholy hoax
And if you're up there you'll perceive
That my heart's here upon my sleeve
If there's one thing I don't believe in

It's you
Dear God

I've been praying all the week through
At home, at work, and on the bus
I've been praying I can keep you
And to earn enough for us

I can take humiliation
And hurtful comments from the boss
I'm just praying by the weekend
I can earn enough for us

Found a house that won't repair itself
With its windows cracking
And a roof held together with holes
Just because we're on the bottom of the ladder
We shouldn't be sadder than others like us
Who have goals for the betterment of life
Glad that you want to be my wife

But, honest, I've been praying all the week through
At home, at work, and on the bus
I've been praying I can keep you
And to earn enough for us

So you're saying that we're gonna be three
Now a father's what I'll be
Don't get me wrong, I'm so proud
But the belt's already tight
I'll get another job at night

But, honest, I can take humiliation
And hurtful comments from the boss
I'm just praying by the weekend
I can earn enough for us

Just because we're on the bottom of the ladder
We shouldn't be sadder than others like us
Who have goals for the betterment of life
Glad that you want to be my wife

But, honest, I can take humiliation
And hurtful comments from the boss
I'm just praying by the weekend
I can earn enough for us
I can earn enough for us

Never been near a university,
Never took a paper or a learned degree,
And some of your friends think that's stupid of me,
But it's nothing that I care about.

Well I don't know how to tell the weight of the sun,
And of mathematics well I want none,
And I may be the Mayor of Simpleton,
But I know one thing,
And that's I love you.
When their logic grows cold and all thinking gets done,
You'll be warm in the arms of the Mayor of Simpleton.

I can't have been there when brains were handed round
(please be upstanding for the Mayor of Simpleton),
Or get past the cover of your books profound,
(please be upstanding for the Mayor of Simpleton),
And some of your friends thinks it's really unsound,
That you're ever seen talking to me.

Well I don't know how to write a big hit song,
And all crossword puzzles well I just shun,
And I may be the Mayor of Simpleton,
But I know one thing,
And that's I love you.

I'm not proud of the fact that I never learned much,
Just feel I should say,
what you get is all real,
I can't put on an act,
It takes brains to do that anyway. (And anyway...)

And I can't unravel riddles, problems and puns,
How the home computer has me on the run,
And I may be the Mayor of Simpleton,
But I know one thing,
And that's I love you (I love you).

If depth of feeling is a currency,
(please be upstanding for the Mayor of Simpleton),
Then I'm the man who grew the money tree,
(no Chain of Office and no hope of getting one).
Some of your friends are too brainy to see,
That they're paupers and that's how they'll stay.

Well I don't know how many pounds make up a ton,
Of all the Nobel prizes that I've never won,
And I may be the Mayor of Simpleton,
But I know one thing,
And that's I love you.

When all logic grows cold and all thinking gets done,
You'll be warm in the arms of the Mayor of Simpleton.
You'll be warm in the arms of the Mayor of Simpleton.
You'll be warm in the arms of the Mayor.
(Please be upstanding for the Mayor of Simpleton.)

Everyone's creeping up to the money god
Putting tongues where they didn't ought to be
On stepping stones of human hearts and souls
Into the land of "nothing for free"

Well the way that we're living
Is all take and no giving
There's nothing to believe in
The loudest mouth will hail the new-found way
To be king for a day

Everyone's licking up to the new King Pin
Trying to get way up with a smile
Sing for your supper boy and jump to a finger click
Ain't my way of living in style

'Cause the ladder gets longer
And ambition gets stronger
I can't satisfy the hunger
That bad old moon has got you in its sway
To be king for a day
(King for a day)

You're only here once so you got to get it right
(No time to fuss and fight)
'Cause life don't mean much if measured out with someone else's plight
(In time you'll see the light)

'Cause the way that we're living
Is all take and no giving
There's not much to believe in
The loudest mouth will hail the new found way
To be king for a day

I'm floating over strange land,
It's a soulless, sequined, showbiz moon.
I'm floating over strange land,
And then stranger still, there's no balloon.
But I'm getting higher,
Wafted up by fame's fickle fire 'til the...

Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Bringing me back to earth,
Eternally and ever Ermine Street.
(Even I never know where I go when my eyes are closed.)

I'm skating over thin ice,
Upon blunted blades of metal soft.
I'm skating over thin ice,
While some nonesuch net holds me aloft.
But I'm getting higher,
Lifted up on lucks' circus wire 'til the...

Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Bringing me back to earth,
Eternally and ever Ermine Street.

Even I never know where I go when my eyes are closed.
Even I never spied that the scenes were posed.
Even I never knew this is what I'd be.
Even eyes never mean that you're sure to see.

Still I'm getting higher,
Rolling up on three empty tyres, 'til the...

Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Bringing me back to earth,
Eternally and ever Ermine Street.

I'm soaring over hushed crowds,
The reluctant cannonball it seems.
I'm soaring over hushed crowds,
I'm propelled up here by long dead dreams.

Still I'm getting higher,
Icarus regrets and retires puzzled.

Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Oddly complete.
(Even I never know where I go when my eyes are all closed.)

Here I go again.

The disappointed
All shuffle round in circles
Their placards look the same
With a picture and a name
Of the ones who broke their hearts

The disappointed
All congregate at my house
Their voices sob with grief
That they want to be chief
Of the tribe with broken hearts

Once, I had no sympathy
For those destroyed and thrown away by love
Seems your ring upon my finger
Signifies that I've become the spokesman of...

The disappointed
Will bear me on their shoulders
To a secret shadow land
Where a sombre marching band
Plays a tune for broken hearts

And day grows darker now
Everywhere, everywhere

The disappointed
Are coming in their millions
They're spilling from the bus
At a monument to us
Made of bits of broken heart

Once, I had no sympathy
For those destroyed and thrown away by love
Seems your ring upon my finger
Signifies that I've become the spokesman of...

The disappointed
Are growing every second
They blot the sun to black
At the bottom of the pack
I'm the king of broken hearts

The disappointed
(10x)

Let's begin

Peter Pumpkinhead came to town
Spreading wisdom and cash around
Fed the starving and housed the poor
Showed the Vatican what gold's for

But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead?
Oh my!

Peter Pumpkinhead pulled them all
Emptied churches and shopping malls
Where he spoke, it would raise the roof
Peter Pumpkinhead told the truth

But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead?
Oh my!

Peter Pumpkinhead put to shame
Governments who would slur his name
Plots and sex scandals failed outright
Peter merely said any kind of love is all right

But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead?

Peter Pumpkinhead was too good
Had him nailed to a chunk of wood
He died grinning on live TV
Hanging there he looked a lot like you and an awful lot like me

But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead?

Ah, hooray for Peter Pumpkin (hooray)
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkin
Hooray for Peter Pumpkinhead
Oh my oh my, oh
Don't it make you want to cry, oh?