I Never Liked This Town

there was a victory or two
some minor fireworks for you
any time you panicked a little candy did the trick
what a scary little place
what a dull and boring space
built to make you run away and not come back

yes they love their local aliens
for they grace this hopeless spot
if they ever see you stumble they will love to see you fall

I never liked this town

we’ve got toygrounds for the lame
for the blind for the insane
and I’m sure we’ll find a place for boys like you
some of us are meant to rule
some of us can play the fool
as long as no one screws up with the scheme

this is your land of opportunity
your golden age of chance
just make sure you never stumble we’ll enjoy to watch your fall

I never liked this town
I never liked this

Saints

Harry’s got his motorbike for
once a year a six week ride
sometimes I hate this but then again
the money’s good i can’t complain

the Greek asks for a cigarette
he’s the one to always swear
you know Bob Ross that painter tart
way ahead of all this rubbish modern art
this rubbish modern art

did you see them lose the Tuesday game
a town in grief it’s been a shame
last second’s goal did end a dream
can’t blame it on the home town team

Sergiu said I used to draw
cartoons when i got off my shift
that’s one lost fight i can recall
still few years left to catch those dreams adrift

five past seven clear blue sky
spring just kissed the factoty wall
and the saints
are having a quick smoke
laugh about the same old joke
until the siren calls

Lauren’s stash is everywhere
we all do know but no one cares
as long as that’s what
gets him through the day

once our best girl said my friend
and me we did a runner then
unsubscribed from promised land
and what came through between the lines
sounded pretty much
like hell on earth to me
sounded pretty much like hell on earth to me

five past seven clear blue sky
the evening sun just kissed the factory wall
and the saints
are haveing a last smoke
it’s still the same old joke
until the sirens call again until
the sirens call

Reason

there might come a time when every word is said
there’s not even space to read between the lines
there is no plan b, baby i’m afraid
I’ve got to ride that train wherever it may run
way too late for breaking through but hell i still love sipping
coffee and that old service station blues

you can keep all of the money
you can take all of the fame
for i know you need it badly
you don’t have to be ashamed
i’m just in it for the smiles
for the moments inbetween
and i know that i can’t stop it
for i know it would be hell
for it’s all that keeps me going
if you ever see me quit i bet I’m dead
i bet i’m dead

yes i’m glad you got all sorted for your plan that can not fail
and i wish you all the luck that you will need
I’ve been down into the dungeons where the sun would never shine
wherever i go from here it can’t be worse
some of you might never stumble most of you will never fall
or find out despair’s a virtue not a curse

you might call me an idiot
sure that’s what i’ve always been
taking business plans and schedules
throw them right into the bin
for i have to keep on going
i don’t think there’s too much choice
for the smile upon a face
for the rescue of a heart
for the good and for the bad
if you ever see me quit i bet i’m dead
i bet i’m dead

Not Where I Belong

the alpha-males are out of town
now the punks they take their seats
there’s me making for the jazz club
a place I never ever seen
there’s me going to see the princess
catch her playing some fucked-up jazz
there’s that crazy older lady
perfect hairdo, evening gown

as I crack my bottle open
she slowly turns her head around
with a look of disapproval
cutting through the trombone’s sound

she goes
cut that crap
stop that noise
betcha punk
this is no hang out for you boys
this is no hang out for you boys

the alpha males are out of town
whitley bay gang takes their seats
there’s me making for the folk club
to play some tunes to make my day
there’s me heading north for hours
driving up Newcastle way
the old geezers at the folk club
they hang out here for far too long

they play it strictly geordie folk rules
and they sure know right from wrong
do something to sing along
better sing a miner’s song
and we’ll be fine

now cut that crap
stop that noise
betcha punk
this is no hang out for you boys
this is no hang out for you boys

this is such
a different world
this is such
a different song
i tell you what
this is not where i belong

Air Catalan

oh oh - I’m afraid you are in trouble sir
oh oh - I’m afraid we’ve got a problem here
no no - I’m ok just had a few last night
no no - if you take me home I’ll be alright
oh oh - d’you understand our policy?
oh oh - no red wine for crooks like me

oh oh - there’s a tall guy sitting next to me
points out - “boy, you smell like a brewery”
thank god  - there’s a sick bag right in front of me
sometimes
things can get out of hands
under certain circumstances
at the end of a Catalan tour

oh boy - how come you found the boarding gate
don’t know - but thanks you do appreciate
this is    among the things you shouldn’t do
unless    you’re up for trouble with the cabin crew

a cup of sunshine on my mind
a mug of moonshine in my head
I promise by my grandma’s grave
that I will not misbehave
if you don’t reject me from that flight back home

a cup of sunshine on my mind
a mug of moonshine in my head
I promise by my grandma’s grave
that I will not misbehave
if you don’t reject me from that flight back home

a glass of red wine on my shirt
a massive headache take my word
but I’ll keep calm on your big bird
if you just don’t please please please
kick me off that flight back home

Highway Song

here is me and my guilt and i’ve done what i can
cheating and gambling for some dosh in my hand
when I crash on the pavement wake up in my sick
I’ll get up on my knees, to the gods i will pray
for a dance with the demons on the devil’s highway

here is me going down with a promise for you
if you give me a last kiss you’ll be going down too
when i’m ill on my pallet, coughing blood sweating speed
when i’m down in the gutter i look up into the sky
and the sky’s never blue and i wish i could die

now i’m all empty pockets
and they want their pay back
in return for their favours
those angels in black


and the crowd will be cheering
as they walk me away
for my last dance
down the devil’s highway


Tramontana

All done and dusted, now it’s time to get lost
for them singers and sailors, agents and tailors
where the green-eyed she devils pouring whiskey in pitchers
this is all going downhill and it goes pretty fast, run, boys, run
stammer a hail mary on the slide down the slope, run, boys, run
if you need a last prayer now it’s time to have your say

the sun smells like blood
and the river it washes
the bodies down to the sea
the scent of decay
is the perfume to stay
on our minds ‘til we die

the weeks feel like years but there’s always an end
to that track you stagger down with a bottle in each hand
it’s god on our side and the devil on our back
as we linger on down high street with a rope around our neck, run, boys, run
stammer a hail mary on the slide down the slope, run, boys, run
if you need a last prayer now it’s time to have your say

the blistering sun makes the blood all trickle away
tramontana will tell them how this all gone so terribly wrong
if you sit on the bank of that muddy old river
you might hear him humming this song

and it goes…

run, boys, run


In The South West

the cops they were nervous
and they called in the Mounties
and the boys with the truncheons and dogs
I marched with the students and I
ran with the crowd ‘cause it
felt like the right thing to do

who are you to criticize
in your uptown estate
with your handbook of do’s and of don’ts
these are hearts filled with anger
all righteous hearts
don’t try to stop them you won’t

and the air was on fire
and some oil drums were too
in those days down in the south west
you can’t stop the flood once the levee is down
that’s what happened down in the south west
you better start running once the fuse has been lit
you better acknowledge you better admit
they were right
you were wrong

we cursed at the coppers
and we spat at the dogs
and we ran from the mounted police
I remember you barefoot
in that flowery dress
in the fountain across the cafe

between all the smoke
and blood covered faces
I remember it looked kind of strange
that day we all knew
there were walls coming down
and we sensed it was time for a change

the sky it was crying
and the most of us too
in those days down in the south west
you can’t stop a fire
if you fuel the flames
that’s what happened down in the south west
and you better start running once the fuse has been lit
and you better acknowledge, you better admit
we are right
they are wrong

no one is running though the fuse has been lit
it’s time for a change again
time to admit
something’s wrong

Jericho - Berlin

the boys in their tuxedos
when they kicked it off that night
bound for glory in their madness
screaming prayers off the roof tops
in this city’s fading light
to the patron saints of darkness
with a burning sky behind them
runs them shivers down your backbone
gives you shivers down your spine

I can see the walls a tumblin
and i smell there will be rain
and the heat is just enormous
yes i bet it fries my brain

and Berlin can’t be the answer
no Berlin can’t be the answer
if Jericho’s the name

ran into twenty stone of rabbi
who’d turn water into booze
tonight I’m really shaky
with that fever in my head
and the monkey on my shoulder
sings the depravation blues
runs them shivers down my backbone
runs them shivers down my spine

the crack is getting bigger
tonight it all comes down
I can see the waters rising
and i know that i will drown

and Berlin won’t be the answer
no Berlin can’t be the answer
if the answer’s Jericho

i can feel it coming closer
I can hear them cock their guns
I can feel my head exploding
like a hundred million suns

and this town is not an answer
it’s just a different frame
for a portrait of desaster
Jericho it’s name

no this town is not the answer
it’s just a different frame
for a portrait of desaster
Jericho by name


Crisis

I’ve got a little crisis, got a little low
to put it more precisely, completely lost the flow
I’m drinking like a nutter, broke down the other day
lost my inspiration - nuthin more to say

I may as well go down to the corner buy a bottle a pack of fags
that might do for now to put me back in line
get back into the combat zone for this is just a drag
just a little medication and I know I will be fine

call me
speak to me
try to get a clue
save me
heal me
I know that you can do

good morning little crisis
I think we met before
you’re not here on invitation
see this is not my day
might be little late to reconsider either way

might be that regular depression, i hope it’s nothing worse
that’s something I can cope with, that’s something that i know
it builds up like a symphony, like an avalanche
it always spells trouble when i lose control

I may as well go down to the corner where the boys are hangin out
they will sell me little treatment to get me back on track
get back into the combat zone get back into the crowd
need some readjusting someone to help me out

call me
speak to me
try to get a clue
save me
heal me
I know that you can do

good morning little crisis
I knew you’d come around
again i didn’t call you
again it’s not my day
might be a little late to reconsider either way

lovely little crisis
lovely little low
missed you oh so badly
where did you go

lovely little crisis
where have you been so long
there was something missing
there was something wrong


Bottle Hill

all those critters that you hung out with in secondary school
they all messed it up big time, they never played it cool
but then again I think it doesn’t really change a thing
whichever hand is feeding you, whatever song you sing

some of them lost everything, some others got it still
there’s nothing to get hung about on bottle hill
one of them in sunday best, the other dressed to kill
they never had a dress code for those dates on bottle hill
on bottle hill

one runs for election now, one runs his carreer
all glad to run this treadmill tryin’ to keep up the veneer
what about the promises, what about the dream
voiceless faceless happyness, that’s our favourite scheme

great to see you made it here, great you’re breathing still
no better place for a last drink than bottle hill
not much more to think about, another glass to fill
one way or another destination’s bottle hill
is bottle hill
 

Good Friday

would you take me on a journey
through your crooked mind
that might give me some enlightment
for i suppose that i was blind

i still think there are excuses, maybe something that i missed
when we built our little castle on a toyground out of sand
on that rocky road to fame when things got slightly
out of hands

yes I’ve seen it all a-coming, just before it hit the fan
ignored all of the warnings when those dark clouds did appear
diving head on into trouble, in a most unpleasant year
in a most unpleasant year

I should have known the crop we earned
after years of sweat and toil
those few shiny nuggets that
we scraped out of the soil

they’d be gone just before sunrise, leaving just a bitter taste
of endless fights and disappointment and a hundred broken dreams
and half a lifetime
we did waste

yes I’ve seen it all a-coming, I’m not angry anymore
I’m happy that your greedyness did help to close the door
it helped to close the door