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Sunlight shines on his face in the morning
After a late night out on the town
First light leaves through the front door still yawning
For the first trains that ferry the public around
Shutters up cafes open morning's broken
Over a new city day
Busy streets traffic booms a new day looms
& the hangover won't go away
& everybody's in a rush as they pass him & leave him behind
Moving so fast as they run themselves into the ground
& he just don't know where the traffic goes
& it's driving him out of his mind
As the sunlight glows while he's watching the wheels turn around
Break time caffeine & nicotine fixes
Memories of the wild night out before
Slow time caused by the alcohol mixes
& a mouth like the cigarette ends on the floor
City life it carries on it's like a song
That's stuck in the back of his brain
Hordes of people pass him by he don't know why
They look different but all seem the same
& everybody's in a rush as they pass him & leave him behind
Moving so fast as they run themselves into the ground
& he just don't know where the traffic goes
& it's driving him out of his mind
As the sunlight glows while his watching the wheels turn around
Lunchtime packed out with shoppers & tourists
In line waiting to buy souvenirs
This time's no time for him he's a purist
As he walks on with headphones that cover his ears
& city life it carries on like a song
That's stuck in the back of his head
He makes it to the lunchtime break he's half awake
& wishing he was back in bed
& everybody's in a rut as they pass him & leave him behind
Moving so fast as they run themselves into the ground
& he just don't know where the traffic goes
& it's driving him out of his mind
As the sunlight glows while he's watching the wheels turn around
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2. |
Happy Families
02:41
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She's playing happy families or at least that's how it seems
Got two children & an ideal man
Two bed semi & a car she's living out her dreams
& everything she touches goes to plan
But behind closed doors when it's late at night
There's no love made when they turn out the light
She gets the feeling that something ain't right
Playing happy families & she knows that he ain't playing anymore
Playing Happy families & telling all her friends
Not to worry everything is fine
But the warning signs are there in messages she sends
Suggesting she's not happy all the time
& he puts her down & doesn't even blink
Don't let her go out & don't care what she thinks
& everyone knows he's a bastard when he drinks
Playing happy families & she knows that he ain't playing anymore
She knows that he ain't playing cos of all the thing's he's saying
& at times he treats her like a slave
She's got know way of knowing but she thinks she might be going
To hell & back & back again & back again & to an early grave
To an early grave
& late at night when the lights go out
The neighbours never hear her scream & shout
& no-one knows that he's knocking her about
Playing happy families & she knows that he ain't playing anymore
No more happy families & the semi's up for sale
No more nights of hell behind closed doors
No more happy families or ending to the tale
They found her battered body on the floor
& she's finally free from the cycle of abuse
He says it was the drink & he knows it's no excuse
They've locked the bastard up but they're bound to let him loose
To play more happy families & they'll know that he ain't playing anymore
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3. |
Casanova
02:39
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The party's almost done the writing's on the wall
The autumn leaves are falling to the floor
Guests are leaving one by one til there's no-one left at all
Soon there'll be no parties anymore
He's still got his ponytail though his hair's wearing thin
To remind him of his long lost youth
& his aftershave is stale & he's more out than in
Casanova just can't face the truth
So he cut his ponytail cos his chances were slim
Bought a brand new shirt & shined his shoes
He still tries & always fails cos he's more out than in
Casanova's almost out of use
& the women half his age who he once impressed
Laugh at him & tell him it's all over
He still tries cos in his mind he'll get them undressed
In his mind he's always Casanova
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4. |
Then Autumn Came
03:55
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The midday sun masks the cold on a bright autumnal day
She goes inside takes off her fur coat & waits
She orders coffee & starts to fold the newspaper & put it away
On an autumn day in the autumn of life that she hates
Cos she remembers spring & all it brings & youth & all its joys
She remembers it like it was yesterday
A time when all she cared about in life was chasing boys
Then autumn came & took it all away
She wanders through the city streets on a bright autumnal day
Dreaming of innocent times that were carefree & fun
She lights another cigarette & throws the packet away
& dreams about all the things that she wished she had done
Cos she remembers spring & all it brings & youth & all its joys
She remembers it like it was yesterday
A time when all she cared about in life was chasing boys
Then autumn came & took it all away
& there's no getting over that she's getting older
As she looks through her designer shades at the light of the sun
& nobody told her about getting older
& she's wasting time & time waits for no-one
The midday sun has disappeared now it's a dull autumn day
She returns to the cafe orders her coffee & waits
She wishes that she wasn't old wishes her hair wasn't grey
On an autumn day in the autumn of life that she hates
Cos she remembers spring & all it brings & youth & all its joys
She remembers it like it was yesterday
A time when all she cared about in life was chasing boys
Then autumn came & took it all away
Then autumn came & took it all away
Then autumn came & took it all away
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5. |
Digging For Gold
04:13
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Well she dyed her platinum blonde
To match the colour of her credit card
She's made it clear that she's real fond
Of spending money while he's working hard
She's as bad as he is & she don't think that it's wrong
Cos she knows what side her bread's buttered on
He buys her lots of expensive presents
& they drink the best champagne
He leaves the cheap stuff for the peasants
& she feel exactly the same
They're as bad as each other
They're man & trophy wife
With a narrow vision of the world & an empty life
She knows he knows what he wants & she knows how to get it
He knows she knows what he needs & he don't regret it
Or let it show maybe he knows why she blows hot & cold
& his friends all say he won't be told
That she's digging for gold
Well he's slick & he always impresses
When he makes his dodgy deals
That pay for the designer dresses
The gold the diamonds & high heels
He's as bad as she is
& it's all above the law
& it's no surprise who he votes for
Well they tried & tried & tried real hard
To kid the world they were a perfect match
But cracks appeared in the facade
& to her all along he was just a catch
They're as bad as each other
The man & his ex-wife
With a massive divorce payout & an empty life
She knows he knows what he wants & she knows how to get it
He knows she knows what he needs & he don't regret it
Or let it show maybe he knows why she blows hot & cold
& his friends all say he won't be told
That she's digging for gold
& when there's no foundation & money is your god
& your altar's the material world
There's no celebration when money's all you got
In the land of material boys & girls
She knows he knows what he wants & she knows how to get it
He knows she knows what he needs & he don't regret it
Or let it show maybe he knows why she blows hot & cold
& his friends al say he won't be told
That she's digging for gold
Yeah she's digging for gold
Yeah she's digging for gold
Yeah she's digging for gold
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6. |
One Last Adventure
03:34
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Well he had a realisation when walking back from the station
That his cultural reference points were old or gone
& he could feel his eyes going misty for the time when he was under fifty
& he wants one last adventure before his swan song
Takes of his jacket gets a fag from the packet & he sits down
Turns on the tele while his wife's getting ready with their tea
Calls out a greeting while he turns on the heating & asks her is she had a good day
& thinks about the places that he'd like to go & what he'd like to see
& every night on the tele he can feel his life becoming history
Cos his cultural reference points were dead & gone
& he knows he's gotta be patient with the kids who think that he's ancient
& he wants one last adventure before his swan song
Rolls a one skinner that he'll have after dinner in the garden
He still likes to get stoned but he knows that he'll get moaned at if he's caught
Still likes the feeling of staring at the ceiling & watching circles going round the room
& at times she can't believe him but she knows it's best to leave him with his thoughts
Yeah let him think
So the evening passes with a couple of glasses of some red wine
She's had one too many so she leaves him with the tele on alone
He dunno what's she's feeling when she's staring at the ceiling
Later as she's lying there awake
Nothing gained if nothing ventured & she wants one last adventure of her own
Yeah that'll give him something to think about
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7. |
Cheers!
03:30
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The man with the car meets the man at the bar
They chat & make up for lost time
They know it's true that the world they knew's
A world in a state of decline
& everyone knows that's the way it goes
Life changes as it passes you by
The cool young bucks are now fat old lame ducks
& they've lost the glint in their eye
The man on the train's pissed out of his brain
After another night out with his mate
They reminisced as they sat & got pissed
& agreed that the world's in a state
& everyone knows it's the way it goes
In a blink of an eye it's all gone
They ain't got a clue they just do what that they do
It's the same as they've done all along
They forget their worries leave their troubles behind
& raise a glass & say cheers
& have a little drink & forget about it
Cos you know they just can't live without it
Tonight's the night where they forget all what's wrong in their hearts
They have a little drink & forget their sorrow
Have one more & forget tomorrow
Wake up in the morning & pretend their not falling apart
The man with the car & the man at the bar
Repeat all the things that they've said
About work & life & the kids & wife
The car & the middle aged spread
& everyone knows it's the way it goes
Life changes as it passes them by
They do what they choose cos there's no time to lose
Cos it's gone in the blink of an eye
The man on the train's pissed out of his brain
After another night out with his mate
They talked all night about what ain't right
With their lives & the jobs that they hate
& everyone knows it's the way it goes
In a blink of an eye it's all gone
They're old lame ducks & they've used up their luck
Doing what they've done all along
They forget their worries leave their troubles behind
& raise a glass & say cheers
& have a little drink & forget about it
Cos you know they just can't live without it
Tonight's the night where they forget all what's wrong in their hearts
They have a little drink & forget their sorrow
Have one more & forget tomorrow
Wake up in the morning & pretend their not falling apart
Apart Apart
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8. |
Real Good Geezer
03:54
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When It all turns to dust & there's just nothing left of ambition
& the aspirations of youth have turned to old age
& the man that she married's in front of the television
He thinks that he knows how to please her
With a fitted kitchen & the brand new freezer
He's a real good geezer
But everything's staying the same
When it all turns to dust & trust is a thing in the distance
& they're stuck in a rut & nothing's ever gonna change
& the man that she married is putting up stubborn resistance
He thinks that he knows how to please her
With a fitted kitchen & the brand new freezer
But everything's staying the same
When the day is done & there's tele to watch
He puts up his feet for a while
Sprawls out on the sofa & waits while she's making his tea
Always time for one so he pours a large scotch
& both of them are in complete denial
They've got freedom to live but neither can ever be free
Free
When the day is done & there's tele to watch
He puts up his feet for a while
Sprawls out on the sofa & waits while she's making his tea
Always time for one so he pours a large scotch
& both of them are in complete denial
They've got freedom to live but neither can ever be free
When it all turns to dust & there's rust on the tools in the garage
& he says that he'll get round to doing the garden one day
& the state of the place is a metaphor for the marriage
He thinks that he knows how to please her
With a fitted kitchen & the brand new freezer
He's a real good geezer but everything's staying the same
& he loves & he'll never leave her
She believes because she's a believer
He's a real good geezer but everything's staying the same
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9. |
Streets At Night
03:57
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Rolls himself a cigarette from the last few strands
Of the stale tobacco that he found
Gotta keep on moving as he walks on the street
Gotta keep his eyes peeled at the shoes upon his feet
For discarded dog ends or some change that might be lying on the ground
Looks down at his fingernails on his freezing hands
Knows that it gets colder by the hour
Carries on & looks down at the shoes upon his feet
Wants a place to call his own that's not out on the street
A place to rest his head at night a clean up & a hot meal & a shower
& as the bright young things pass by they never stop to wonder why
He's out there
They never look him in the eye or spare him change they'd let him die
They don't care
& it's probably his fault anyway & something about him ain't right
Another statistic on the city streets at night
Gathers up his few belongings puts them in a bag
Trudges on & looks down at the floor
Knows the night is freezing & the only that keeps
The cold out while he's walking round the bitter city streets
Is just to keep on going the wind's blowing
& he can't take anymore
Finds himself a doorway & unfurls a sleeping bag
For another night under the moon
Lays down on the concrete & he tries to get some sleep
On another night upon a lonely bitter street
With a pillow of newspapers morning's safer
& he hopes that it comes soon
& as the bright young things pass by they never stop to wonder why
He's out there
They never look him in the eye or spare him change they'd let him die
They don't care
& it's probably his fault anyway & something about him ain't right
Another statistic on the city streets at night
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10. |
Other People's Lives
05:42
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Monday morning 8 a.m
Slept through the alarm again
He's in a rush
To get the bus
& if he runs he might
Cleans his teeth puts on his clothes
Aches from his head to his toes
He's feeling bad
Dunno what he had
Or what he did last night
& work's an irritation & the drugs are an escape
& his free time's spent drinking in local dives
The lines done at the weekend match the lines upon his face
& he dreams of living other people's lives
Wednesday morning 3 a.m
Lying wide awake again
Things on his mind
The daily grind
& how it drags him down
Faded dreams faded tattoos
Faded looks from all the booze
& all the pills
From seeking thrills
In a faded English town
& work's an irritation & the drugs are an escape
& his free time's spent drinking in local dives
The lines done at the weekend match the lines upon his face
& he dreams of living other people's lives
& work's an irritation & the drugs are an escape
& his free time's spent drinking in local dives
The lines done at the weekend match the lines upon his face
& he dreams of living other people's lives
Friday evening 10 p.m
He's out on the piss again
With all his mates
They're in a state
But who cares it's a laugh
Sees a woman across the floor
Remembers her from years before
When they were young
But she's not the one
Cos he knows her other half
& work's an irritation & the drugs are an escape
& he spends his free time drunk in local dives
The lines done every weekend match the lines upon his face
& he's tired of living other people's lives
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The Ella Speed Reaction Madrid, Spain
Madrid based songwriter into Punk, Old School Indie, 60s, Psych, Garage,Motown, Stax, Rockabilly, R 'n R ,Dub, Ska, Reggae, Jazz, Krautrock,Blues, Country & a whole lot more.
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