He has such good parties
I go there all the time
It’s all so fascinating
Cheap thrills and lousy wine
His records – Joe Passe
So classy
I don’t know
I’ve seen his collection
And now I’ve got to go
My fine friends wave to me
They’re dancing high in their tree
It’s all so fascinating
I’m stuck for words, but then
His girls are X-rated
He’s making films again
The boys are all in leather
It’s real hot weather but they don’t mind
You’re taking a chance
If you don’t know what to find
My fine friends wave to me
They’re dancing high in their tree
{instrumental break}
I don’t know why I bother
To get dressed up for this
I’d rather be writing just one hit for this mess
I think I’ll start dancing
And throw some glass around
Then first thing tomorrow
I’m going to quit this town
My fine friends wave to me
They’re dancing high in their tree
{instrumental break}
(spoken)
Oh boy the movie’s on
I just know it must be blue
They’re falling over
Throwing up
‘Cos there’s nothing else to do
Everyone’s crawling around
On all fours
And I wouldn’t leave now if I were you
‘Cos they’re shutting all the doors
Originally on Jack o the Green by Jools Holland, from a remastered 1983 demo tape:
In a dream of a desolate land
Finding my feet on the wide white sand alone now
Shot down in apathy during the war
Never been north of the wise old Thames before
Muslims and Christians, lions and tigers,
Bombers and fighters
Harder than they’ve seen before
Any god that we’ve needed in time
Stormed out the door and he slammed it shut behind
When I leave is not important
And when I die I’ll die alone
And when I see my camel crossing
I’ll know I’ve found myself back home
My Legionnaire of today took all the food
and he ran away just laughing
‘It’s never too late’, he said
Out of his head as he walked towards the sun
Found him when it had gone down
Slumped into the ground, a cross upon his back
Then we decided, heaven’s a stranger away in a manger
Never too big for the sack (?)
When I leave is not important
And when I die I’ll die alone
And when I see my camel crossing
I’ll know I’ve found myself back home
Cultured by con men
Fathered by fools
Commerce is good business these days
Compulsory waste in our schools
He died to convince us all
Nothing could make us fall but that’s not true
So I know myself, I know myself
It’s now or never
When I leave is not important
And when I die I’ll die alone
And when I see my camel crossing
I’ll know I’ve found myself back home
Oh dear John
I hate to be the one to break the news
But it’s concerning me and you
This is the letter no-one ever wants to write
You may not believe me but it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done
My eyes see other glories
Other dreams and other stories
And I want to live before I die
Dear John
Ten years on
I still dream and we still hesitate
The passion’s all but gone
Oh dear John
Seems we have a bad day every day
I want to sleep my life away
This is the letter no-one ever wants to read
And though it hurts like hell
It may be what you need to tell you
I never wanted to be cruel
But I’m so tired of being the strong one
And I don’t always have the energy
And you always leave it up to me
Dear John
My eyes have seen the glory
There’s more to life than my life story
And I’ll probably never find him
But I have to keep on looking
And I’m very very sorry dear John
Cover Versions
Written by Kirsty at the end of her 10 year marriage to Steve Lillywhite, but never released by Kirsty herself at the time. Kirsty’s demo version was eventually released on ‘From Croydon to Cuba ’ in 2005. Eddi Reader performed the song on the BBC2 tribute program in March 2001, on ‘Later with Jools’ and released her studio version as a single in 1994.
Oh you shouldn’t have kissed me and got me so excited
And when you asked me out I really was delighted
So we went to a pub in Belsize Park
And we cheered on England as the sky grew dark
Oh you shouldn’t have kissed me cause you started a fire
But then I found out that you’re a serial liar
You lied about your status
You lied about your life
You never mentioned your three children
And the fact you have a wife
Now it’s England 2 Colombia 0
And I know just how those Colombians feel
If you hadn’t passed out while I was talking to your friend
It could have really ended badly cause you very nearly had me
If he hadn’t taken pity on my heart full of desire
I might never have found out you’re a serial liar
You lied about your status
You lied about your life
You forgot you have three children
You forgot you have a wife
Now it’s England 2 Colombia 0
And I know just how those Colombians feel
It is not in my nature to ever pick the winning team
Sometimes I think I’m happy then I remember it’s a dream
Now it isn’t in my nature to ever pick a winner
I always pick a bastard who would have me for his dinner
I can never possess the object of my desire
Cause he’s bound to turn out to be a serial liar
OK I didn’t mention my kids, I thought I’d wait a bit
But I am free and single and he’s a lying git
Cause he lied about his status
He lied about his life
He forgot he had three children
He forgot he had a wife
And it’s England 2 Colombia 0
I know just how those Colombians feel
So I got into a taxi and sobbed all the way home
Called my friend up in Sao Paulo and cried down the phone
I played some tragic music and I lay down to die
But later I woke and I hadn’t stopped crying
You should never have kissed me, you tasted of deceit
Your perfume was Adultery but I’m not a piece of meat
So I’ll be the one that you couldn’t acquire
I found out in time you’re a serial liar
You lied about your status
You lied about your life
And I pity your three children
And I pity your poor wife
Now you can go to Hell
I’m going to Brazil
Still it’s England 2 Colombia 0
Covers
Kate Dimbleby (2014)
Samuellificationable (2018)
Norwegian band Halvsøstra with ‘Norge 1 Mexico 0’ on their 2019 release ‘Helhjerta fra Halvsøstra’.
I’m an autumn girl, flying over London
With the trees on fire it looks like home
I’m an autumn girl on the endless search for summer
Cause I need some love to cook my frozen bones
You needed something to get
your teeth into
And in my voodoo kitchen you said
“I’ve got something to show you,
It’s a recipe handed down from father to son
For a thousand years, and it goes with those hot salt tears.”
I’m an autumn girl, crying over London
With a heart on fire but no-one home
I’m an autumn girl on the endless search for summer
Cause I need some love to heat my frozen bones
Get me on the boil and reduce me
To a simmering wreck with a slow kiss
To the back of my neck
Carve up my heart on a very low flame
Separate my feelings then pour them down the drain
Close my eyes and sweeten me with lies
Pierce my skin with a few well chosen words
Now you can stuff me with whatever you’ve got handy
And on a cold grey day a cold grey man will do
I’m an autumn girl, flying over London
With the trees on fire it looks like home
I’m an autumn girl on the endless search for summer
Cause I need some love to heat my frozen bones
So give me something to whet my appetite
And chill my soul with a sudden lack of interest
Oh, but the winter freezes on and the candle’s burned low
Fill me with the hot stuff then say you’ve got to go
Take my mind, marinade it in red wine
Grate my thighs with your chinny chin chin
And I will let you in
Oh on a long dark night a long dark man might …
Cover Versions
Paisley and Charlie:
Also, Kendall Meade is a former member of Helium and Sparklehorse. Blogger Jim Hanas wrote about her ‘smoking cover of this smokey ode to loneliness and resignation from MacColl’s final record’.
As long as you hold me I’ll get by
As long as you need me I will try not to die
I don’t want the shame
I don’t want the blame
I don’t want the fame anymore
If only they’d tell me, tell me why
If I could believe them and their lies
But I don’t want their name
I don’t want their pain
I won’t play their games anymore
I always look at the last page of the book
How will it end?
The suspense robs me of lovers and friends
I don’t want the shame
I don’t want the blame
I don’t want the fame anymore
Just a perfect day
Drink sangria in the park
Then later, when it gets dark, we go home
Just a perfect day
Feed animals in the zoo
Then later a movie too, and then home
Oh it’s such a perfect day
I’m glad I spent it with you
Oh such a perfect day
You just keep me hanging on
You just keep me hanging on
Just a perfect day
Problems all left alone
Weekenders on our own
It’s such fun
Just a perfect day
You made me forget myself
I thought I was someone else
Someone good
Oh it’s such a perfect day
I’m glad I spent it with you
Such a perfect day
You just keep me hanging on
You just keep me hanging on
You’re going to reap just what you sow
You’re going to reap just what you sow
You’re going to reap just what you sow
You’re going to reap just what you sow
You’re going to reap just what you sow
She called me up the other day
And left a message on my machine
She called to say you broke her heart
And she wondered if I’d seen you
I didn’t know what to do
I never called her back
Oh how could I break the news like that?
No I don’t want to see Caroline
Don’t want to see her face when she finds out you’re mine
Can’t look in her eyes and tell her love is blind
No I don’t want to see Caroline
I don’t want to see Caroline
How can I want you so bad
She has to lose again
How could you walk out on her
And turn to her best friend?
It was wrong from the start
I wish I’d turned you away
And my head said go
And my heart, my heart said stay
And now I don’t want to see Caroline
Don’t want to see her cry when she knows you’re mine
Can’t look in those eyes and tell her she’ll be fine
No I don’t want to see Caroline
I don’t want to see Caroline
I’m so ashamed of myself but I still want you
What a terrible thing for a friend to do
I think I’ve gone too far this time
I leapt across that thin blue line
God help this selfish heart of mine
No I don’t want to see Caroline
I can never face Caroline
Though I lie here with you
Can’t get her out of my head
Do you think she knows that you share my bed?
Well I don’t want to see Caroline
Don’t want to see her face when she finds out you’re mine
How can a friend be so unkind?
No I don’t want to see Caroline
I don’t want to see Caroline
I don’t want to see Caroline
I don’t want to see Caroline
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