Being Boring

I came across a cache of old photos
And invitations to teenage parties
"Dress in white" one said, with quotations
From someone's wife, a famous writer
In the nineteen-twenties
When you're young you find inspiration
In anyone who's ever gone
And opened up a closing door
She said: "We were never feeling bored

'Cause we were never being boring
We had too much time to find for ourselves
And we were never being boring
We dressed up and fought, then thought: "Make amends"
And we were never holding back or worried that
Time would come to an end

When I went I left from the station
With a haversack and some trepidation
Someone said: "If you're not careful
You'll have nothing left and nothing to care for
In the nineteen-seventies"
But I sat back and looking forward
My shoes were high and I had scored
I'd bolted through a closing door
I would never find myself feeling bored

'Cause we were never being boring
We had too much time to find for ourselves
And we were never being boring
We dressed up and fought, then thought: "Make amends"
And we were never holding back or worried that
Time would come to an end
We were always hoping that, looking back
You could always rely on a friend

Now I sit with different faces
In rented rooms and foreign places
All the people I was kissing
Some are here and some are missing
In the nineteen-nineties
I never dreamt that I would get to be
The creature that I always meant to be
But I thought in spite of dreams
You'd be sitting somewhere here with me

'Cause we were never being boring
We had too much time to find for ourselves
And we were never being boring
We dressed up and fought, then thought: "Make amends"
And we were never holding back or worried that
Time would come to an end
We were always hoping that, looking back
You could always rely on a friend

And we were never being boring
We had too much time to find for ourselves
And we were never being boring
We dressed up and fought, then thought: "Make amends"
And we were never being boring
We were never being bored
'Cause we were never being boring
We were never being bored

This Must Be The Place I Waited Years To Leave

(Everybody E-E-Everybody
Everybody E-E-Everybody
Everybody E-E-Everybody
Everybody jump to attention...)

Each morning after Sunblest
Feel the benefit, mental arithmetic
I waited by the staffroom
In time for benediction
Living a law just short of delusion
When we fall in love there's confusion
This must be the place I waited years to leave

To our voices nobody's listening
We shiver in the rain by the touchline
Then a coach ride to the station
"My lord, the carriage awaiteth!"
Living a law just short of delusion
When we fall in love there's confusion
This must be the place I waited years to leave
This must be the place I waited years to leave
And how
How long?

I'm listening to the words I thought I'd never hear again
A litany of saints and other ordinary men
Kneeling on the parquet
Whatever has gone wrong?
The fear and feeling hopelessness
I don't want to belong

I dreamt I was back in uniform
And a candidate for examination
History, someone had blundered
And a voice rapped "knuckle under!"
Living a law just short of delusion
When we fall in love there's confusion
This must be the place I waited years to leave
This must be the place I waited years to leave
And how
And how
How long?

(Trebuet nash narod odnogo)
[Our people demand only...]

To Face the Truth

You know it hurts me when you lie
Sometimes it even makes me cry
'Cause I'm so in love with you
If you don't believe what I have said
Take a look, my eyes are red
'Cause I'm so in love with you
But all those sleepless nights in bed
When you've been out somewhere instead
I wonder if you care and cannot bear the proof
It hurts too much to face the truth
To face the truth

A lawyer with a case to prove
Would sift the evidence, then move
It's the only thing to do
So why then can't I face the facts?
Sift this evidence that backs
I am so in love with you
But all the nights when you have said
You must be somewhere else instead
I wonder where you go, but daren't expose the proof
It hurts too much to face the truth
To face the truth
To face the truth

You are the only one, the only one

You know it hurts me when you lie
Sometimes it even makes me cry
'Cause I'm so in love with you
If you don't believe what I have said
Take a look, my eyes are red
'Cause I'm so in love with you
But all the nights you don't show up
I know it's time I should grow up
I ask you if you care, you stand and stare aloof
It hurts too much to face the truth
To face the truth
To face the truth

How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?

You live upon a stage, and everyone's agreed
You're the brightest hope by far that anyone can see
So when you take the limelight you can guarantee
You're gaining fame and claiming credibility
Tell me baby are you gonna get high as a kite?
Tell me baby are you gonna let it happen every night
How can you expect to be taken seriously?

You live within the law, and everyone assumes
You must find this a bore, and try something new
You're an intellectual giant, an authority
To preach and teach the whole world about ecology
Tell me baby are you gonna make any other claims?
Tell me baby are you gonna take any of the blame?
How can you expect to be taken seriously?
How can you expect to be taken seriously?
(Seriously)
(Seriously)

You live within the headlines, so everyone can see
You're supporting every new cause and meeting royalty
You're another major artist on a higher plane
Do you think they'll put you in the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame?
Tell me baby how you generate longevity
Tell me baby how you really hate publicity
How can you expect to be taken seriously?
How can you expect to be taken seriously?
Seriously (seriously)
Seriously, aah

(Do you have a message for your fans?)

How can you expect to be taken seriously?
How can you expect to be taken seriously?

(Seriously)
Seriously
(Seriously)
Seriously
Aah, seriously

Only the Wind

It's only the wind blowing litter all around
Just a little wind and the trees are falling down
There's nobody crying, that was yesterday
Inside we're all smiling, everything's okay

It's only the wind blowing cans along the street
Someone's dustbin lid playing havoc with the peace
There's nobody hiding behind a locked door
And no one's been lying, 'cause we don't lie any more

It's only the wind, how it takes you by surprise
Suddenly begins, then before you know it dies
My hands are not shaking, I don't touch a drop
You must be mistaken, I know when to stop

When life is calmer, I have no doubt
No angry drama, a storm blows itself out

It's only the wind, they say it's getting worse
The trouble that it brings haunts us like a curse
My nerves are all jangled, but I'm pulling through
I hope I can handle what I have to do

When life is calmer, I have no doubt
No angry drama, a storm blows itself out
A storm blows itself out...

I'm sorry

My October Symphony

So much confusion
When autumn comes around
What to do about October
How to smile behind a frown?
It's hard to settle down

It's so bemusing
Will they cancel the parade?
We marched each October
Now they say we were never even saved
We must be very brave

Shall I rewrite or revise
My October symphony?
Or as an indication
Change the dedication
From revolution to revelation?

So we're all drinking
As leaves fall to the ground
Because we've been thinking
How October's let us down
Then and now

Shall we remember
December instead?
Or worry about February?
Mourn our war-torn dead
Never seeing red?

Shall I rewrite or revise
My October symphony?
Or as an indication
Change the dedication
From revolution to revelation?

So Hard

I doublecross you
And you get mysterious mail
I've tried hard not to shock you
It's hard not to with the things I could say
Tell me why don't we try
Not to break our hearts and make it so hard for ourselves?
Why don't we try
Not to break our hearts and make it so hard for ourselves?

You lock your letters in a box
And you've hidden the key
I go one better - I'm indebted
To a contact magazine
Tell me why don't we try
Not to break our hearts and make it so hard for ourselves?
Why don't we try
Not to break our hearts and make it so hard for us?

Everybody's got to live together
Just to find a little peace of mind there
If you give up your affairs forever
I will give up mine
But it's hard
So hard

I'm always hoping you'll be faithful
But you're not, I suppose
We've both given up smoking 'cause it's fatal
So whose matches are those?
Tell me why don't we try
Not to break our hearts and make it so hard for ourselves?

We make it so hard
(It's so hard)

Tell me why don't we try
Not to break our hearts and make it so hard
Tell me why don't we try
Not to break our hearts and make it so hard for ourselves?
Not to break our hearts and make it so hard for ourselves?
We make it so hard for ourselves
We make it so hard
So hard
We make it so hard

Nervously

A nervous boy in several ways
I never knew the world could operate this way
I was nervous when we stopped to speak
And the world came crashing around my feet

We don't talk of love
We're much too shy
But nervously we wonder when and why

A nervous boy, in spite of which
I never thought I could tremble as much as this
Your flashing eyes and sudden smiles
Are never quite at ease, and neither am I

Oh, we'll talk about it all some night
But nervously we never get it
Right
From the start I approved of you
Right from the moment you turned to face me

A nervous boy from another town
With a nervous laugh and a concentrated frown
I spoke too fast with watchful eyes
Of a recent past and some nostalgic surprise

We don't talk of love
We're much too shy
But nervously we wonder when and
Smile
Knowing why I approved of you
Right from the moment you turned to face me

A nervous boy

The End of the World

Floods of tears and doors slamming
Stamping feet across the landing
Because of your obligation
To stay home and fight
Sitting down to a composition
Test the limits of your inhibition
If the phone hasn't rung by midnight
It's over tonight

If someone tried, you'd realise
It's just a boy or a girl
It's not the end of the world

Piles of toast and broken promises
Among the books and pens and reading glasses
It seems there's no escape from the humdrum
It's over and done

If someone tried, you'd realise
It's just a boy or a girl
It's not the end of the world
If someone cried, you'd sympathise
It's just a boy or a girl
It's not the end of the world

At midnight in desperation
Imagine total teenage destruction

The Prophets all predicted extinction
The Virgin spoke in apparitions
And if it all came to pass now
You feel we'd all deserve it somehow

But if someone tried (you'd realise)
You'd realise (and sympathise)
It's just a boy or a girl
It's not the end of the world
If someone cried (you'd sympathise)
You'd sympathise (and realise)
It's just a boy or a girl
It's not the end of the world
It's not the end

Jealousy

At dead of night, when strangers roam
The streets in search of anyone who'll take them home
I lie alone, the clock strikes three
And anyone who wanted to could contact me
At dead of night, 'till break of day
Endless thoughts and questions keep me awake
It's much too late

Where've you been?
Who've you seen?
You didn't phone when you said you would!
Do you lie?
Do you try
To keep in touch? You know you could
I've tried to see your point of view
But could not hear or see
For jealousy

I never knew time passed so slow
I wish I'd never met you, or that I could bear to let you go
At dead of night, 'till break of day
Endless thoughts and questions keep me awake
It's much too late

Where've you been?
Who've you seen?
You didn't phone when you said you would!
Do you lie?
Do you try
To keep in touch? You know you could
I've tried to see your point of view
But could not hear or see
For jealousy
Where've you been?
Who've you seen?
You didn't phone when you said you would!
Do you lie?
Do you try
To keep in touch? You know you could
I've tried to see your point of view
But could not hear or see
For jealousy

Where've you been?
Who've you seen?
You didn't phone when you said you would!
Do you lie?
Do you try
To keep in touch? You know you could
I've tried to see your point of view
But could not hear or see
For jealousy
Where've you been?
Who've you seen?
You didn't phone when you said you would!
Do you lie?
Do you try
To keep in touch? You know you could
I've tried to see your point of view
But could not hear or see
For jealousy

I never knew 'till I met you

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