strangeways, here we come Lyrics

A RUSH AND A PUSH AND THE LAND IS OURS
HELLO
I am the ghost of Troubled Joe
hung by his pretty white neck
some eighteen months ago
I travelled to a mystical time zone
but I missed my bed
so I soon came home
they said:
"there's too much caffeine
in your blood stream
and a lack of real spice
in your life"
I said:
"leave me alone because I'm alright, dad
just surprised to still be on my own...."
Ooh, but don't mention love
I'd hate the strain of the pain again
a rush and a push and the land that
we stand on is ours
it has been before
so it shall be again
and people who are uglier than you and I
they take what they need, and leave
Ooh, but don't mention love
I'd hate the pain of the strain all over again
a rush and a push and the land that
we stand on is ours
it has been before
so why can't it be now?
and people who are weaker than you and I
they take what they want from life
Ooh, but don't mention love
no - just don't mention love!
a rush and a push and the land that we stand on is ours
your youth may be gone
but you're still a yound man
so phone me, phone me, phone me
so phone me, phone me, phone me
Ooh, I think I'm in love
Ooh, I think I'm in love
Ooh, I think I'm in love
Urrgh, I think I'm in lerv


I STARTED SOMETHING I COULDN'T FINISH
The lanes were silent
with nothing or no one around for miles
I doused our friendly venture
with a hard-faced
three-word gesture
I started something
I forced you into a zone
and you were clearly
never meant to go
hair brushed and parted
typical me, typical me
typical me
I started something
...and now I'm not too sure
I grabbed you by the guilded beams
that's what Tradition means
and I doused another venture
with a gesture
that was...absolutly vile
I started something
forced you to a zone
and you were clearly
never meant to go
hair brushed and parted
typical me, typical me
typical me
I started something
...and now I'm not too sure
I garbbed you by the guilded beams
that's what Tradition means
and now eighteen months' hard-labour
seems..fair enough
I started something
forced you to a zone
and you were clearly
never meant to go
hair brushed and parted
typical me, typical me
typical me
I started something
and now I'm not too sure


DEATH OF A DISCO DANCER
The death of a disco dancer
well, it happens a lot 'round here
and if you think Peace
is a common goal
well, that goes to show
just how little you know
The death of a disco dancer
well, I'd rather not get involved
I never talk to my neighbour
I'd just rather not get involved
Love, peace and harmony?
Love, peace and harmony?
Oh, very nice
very nice
very nice
very nice
...but maybe in the next world


GIRLFRIEND IN A COMA
Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's serious
Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's really serious
there were times
when I could
have 'murdered' her
(but, you know, I would hate
anything to happen to her)
NO, I DON'T WANT TO SEE HER
Do you really think
she'll pull through?
Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's serious
there were times when I could
have 'strangled' her
(but, you know, I would hate
anything to happen to her)
WOULD YOU PLEASE
LET ME SEE HER!
Do you really think
she'll pull through?
Let me whisper my last goodbyes

I know - IT'S SERIOUS


STOP ME IF YOU THINK YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE
Stop me, stop me
stop me if you think that you've
heard this one before
stop me, stop me
stop me if you think that you've
heard this one before
nothing's changed
I still love you, oh I still love you
...only slightly less than I used to
I was delayed, I was way-laid
an emergency stop
I smeltthe last ten seconds of life
I carshed down on the crossbar
and the pain was enough to make
a shy, bald buddhist reflect
and plan a mass-murder
who said I'd lied because I never
who said I'd lied because I never
I was detained, I was restrained
he broke my knees
(and then he really laid into me)
Friday night in Out-patients
who said I'd lied - because I never
who said I'd lied - because I never
Oh, so I drank one
or was it four
and when I fell on the floor...
...I drank more
stop me, stop me
stop me if you thinkthat you've
heard this one before
nothing's changed
I still love you
I still love you
but only slightly
less than I used to


LAST NIGHT I DREAMT THAT SOMEBODY LOVED ME
Last night I dreamt
that somebody loved me
no hope - but no harm
just another false alarm
Last night I felt
real arms around me
no hope - no harm
just another false alarm
so, tell me how long
before the last one?
and tell me how long
before the right one?
this story is old - I KNOW
but it goes on
this story is old - I KNOW
but it goes on


UNHAPPY BIRTHDAY
I've come to wish you an unhappy birthday
I've come to wish you an unhappy birthday
because you're evil
and you lie
and if you should die
I may feel slightly sad
(but I won't cry)
Loved and lost
and some may say
when usuallly its Nothing
surely you're happy
it should be this way?
I say "No, I'm gonna kill my dog"
and: "May the lines sag heavy
and deep tonight XXX"
I've come to wish you an unhappy birthday
I've come to wish you an unhappy birthday
becasue you're evil
and you lie
and if you should die
I may feel slightly sad
(But I won't cry)
Loved and lost
some people say
when usually its Nothing
surly you're happy
it should be this way?
I said "No"
and then I shot myself
so, drink, drink, drink
and be ill tonight
from the one you left behind
from the one you left behind
from the one you left behind
from the one you left behind
XXXXXXXXX


PAINT A VULGAR PICTURE
At the record company meeting
On their hands - a dead star
and ooh, the plans that they weave
and ooh, the sickening greed
At the record company party
on their hands - a dead star
the sycophantic slags all say:
"I knew him first, and I knew him well"
Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package!
Re-evaluate the songs
double pack with a photograph
Extra Track (and a tacky badge)
A-list, playlist
"Please them, please them!"
"please them, please them!"
(sadly, THIS was your life)
but you could have said no
if you'd wanted to
BPI, MTV, BBC
"Please them!, Please them!"
(sadly, this was your life)
but you could have said no
if you'd wanted to
you could have walked away
...couldn't you?
I touched you at the soundcheck
you had no real way of knowing
in my heart I begged "please, take me with you...
I don't care where you're going..."
But to you I was faceless
I was fawning, I was boring
just a child from those ugly new houses
who could never begin to know
who could never really know
Best of! Most of!
Satiate the need
slip them into different sleeves!
Buy both, and be deceived
climber - new entry, re-entry
World tour! ("media whore")
"Please the Press in Belgium!"
(THIS was your life...)
and when it fails to recoup?
Well, maybe:
You just haven't earned it yet, baby
I walked a pace behind you at the soundcheck
you're just the same as I am
what makes most people feel happy
leads us headlong into harm
so, in my legs down to the knees
but me and my `true love'
we will never meet again...
At the record company meeting
on thier hands - at last! - a dead star!
but they cannot taint you in my eyes
no, they cannot touch you now
No, they cannot hurt you my darling
they cannot touch you now
but me and my `true love'
will never meet again


DEATH AT ONE'S ELBOW
Ooh Glenn
don't come to the house tonight
Ooh, Glenn
don't come to the house tonight
because there's somebody here
who really really loves you
stay home
be bored
(it's crap, I KNOW)
Ooh, Glenn
don't come to the house tonight
Ooh, Glenn
don't come to the house tonight
because there's somebody here
who'll take a hatchet to your ear
how the frustration renders me
hateful, Glenn!
don't come to the house tonight
don't come to the house tonight
because you'll slip on the
trail of my bespattered remains
and so, that's why
GOODBYE MY LOVE, GOODBYE MY LOVE
GOODBYE MY LOVE, GOODBYE MY LOVE
GOODBYE MY LOVE, GOODBYE MY LOVE
Belch


I WON'T SHARE YOU
I won't share you
I won't share you
with the drive
the ambition
and the zeal I feel
this is my time
as the note I wrote
was read, she said
has the Perrier gone
straight to my head
or is life plainly sick and cruel, instead?
"YES!"
No - no - no - no - no - no
I won't share you
I won't share you
with the drive
and the dreams inside
this is my time
Life tends to come and go
well, that's OK
just as long as you know
Life tends to come and go
well, that's OK
just as long as you know
I won't share you
I won't share you
with the drive
and the dreams inside
this is my time
this is my time