Reading, Writing and Arithmetic
Album - 16 aprile 1990 - Debaser id 15729

You know, and I've been wondering
You know, all the way home
Whether the world will see
I'm a better man than others by far
And you know, I've had it so good
Yeah but how loathsome
It's not quite my style
Work and vanity
Wasted my time inside

Oh, you see me in a cardigan
In a dress, dress, dress that I've been sitting on

Oh how are you?
Can't say I really care at the end of it all
Actually, oh, well there's something I've found
It's that we're just flesh and blood
Well, now, just one thing I've found
It's that we're just flesh and blood

And you know, and I've been wondering
You know, all the way home
Whether the world will see
I'm a better man than others by far

Ooh how are you?
I shan't say I really care at the end of it all
Actually, oh, there is something I've found
It's that we're just flesh and blood
Well, now, there's one thing I've found
It's that we're just skin and bones
Actually, oh, there's something I've found
It's that we're just flesh and blood
And we're nothing much more
There's something, just something I've found
It's that we're just flesh and blood
And we're nothing much more

Oh no, what did I do wrong?
Oh no, what did I do wrong?
Individual doubts
Just one thing I've found
We are just flesh and blood
Nothing much more
Something, just something I've found
That we're skin and bones
Yeah...

People I know, places I go
Make me feel tongue tied
I can see how, people look down
They're on the inside

Here's where the story ends

People I see, weary of me
Showing my good side
I can see how, people look down
I'm on the outside

Here's, where the story ends
Ooh here's, where the story ends

It's that little souvenir, of a terrible year
Which makes my eyes feel sore
Oh I never should have said, the books that you read
Were all I loved you for
It's that little souvenir, of a terrible year
Which makes me wonder why
And it's the memories of the shed, that make me turn red
Surprise, surprise, surprise

Crazy I know, places I go
Make me feel so tired
I can see how people look down
I'm on the outside

Here's, where the story ends
Ooh here's, where the story ends

It's that little souvenir, of a terrible year
Which makes my eyes feel sore
And who ever would've thought, the books that you brought
Were all I loved you for
Oh the devil in me said, go down to the shed
I know where I belong
But the only thing I ever really wanted to say
Was wrong, was wrong, was wrong

It's that little souvenir, of a colorful year
Which makes me smile inside
So I cynically, cynically say, the world is that way
Surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise

Here's, where the story ends
Ooh here's, where the story ends

give me a story and give me a bed
give me possessions
oh love luck and money they go to my head like wildfire
it's good to have something to live for you'll find
live for tomorrow
live for a job and a perfect behind, high time
England my country the home of the free, such miserable weather
but England's as happy as England can be
why cry

and did you know desire's a terrible thing
the worst that I could find
and did you know desire's a terrible thing
but I rely on mine, a-ah

England my country the home of the free, such miserable weather
but England's as happy as England can be
why cry

and did you know desire's a terrible thing
the worst that I could find
and did you know desire's a terrible thing
but I rely on mine
did you know desire's a terrible thing
it makes the world go blind
but if desire, desire's a terrible thing
you know that I really don't mind

and it's my life
and though I can't be sure what I want any more
it will come to me later
well it's my life.... and it's my life
and though I can't be sure if I want any more
it will come to me later... ah, yeah

Ooh, let me take a candle to a cellar tonight
I'd like to take some matches there and set it alight
I can, cos I've seen those kind of places before
Ooh, I'd like to have a party in a cellar tonight
And I'd love to have a party but it wouldn't be right
I shan't, cos I've seen those kind of people before

I won the war in the sitting room
I won the war but it cost me
I won the war and I feel proud
But I don't know why it's hard to get to sleep in my house

Ooh, I have to pull the blankets up to cover my head
And I have to pull the blankets right up
But I don’t know why it's hard to get to sleep in my house

Well you keep following the feel of the fire
It's not difficult to see that you're
Young and selfish, and liberty and money
Don't go

Let me take a candle to a cellar tonight
And you should see the parties we've had before
Give me the time, give me the time
Give me your watchword, give me whatever you like

I won the war in the sitting room
I won the war but it cost me
I won the war and I feel proud
But God only knows why it's hard to get to sleep in my house

Oh your supercilious smile
Oh your supercilious smile

Well you keep following the feel of fire
It's not difficult to see that you're
Beautiful and young, and critical of nothing
And you keep following the feel of fire
It's not difficult to see that you're
Beautiful and young, but liberty and money
Don't go

Don't ask me why, don't ask me why
I joined the army, The Salvation Army
But it didn't help
Don't ask me why, don't ask me why
I joined the army, but it drove me barmy
And it didn't help

Hideous towns make me throw up

Don't ask me why, don't ask me why
I went into service with The Civil Service
But it didn't help
Don't ask me why, don't ask me why
I went into service, but it made me nervous
And it didn't help

Ooh, hideous towns made me throw up

And sticks and stones may break my bones
But words will just finish me off
Yeah, near enough

Oh oh, my hopeless youth it's so uncouth
And oh, I'd like to be in history
I said, oh in my hopeless youth just so uncouth
So there you go and now you know
But just please don't

Don't ask me why, don't ask me why
I went to the circus, Piccadilly Circus
It was very strange
Don't ask me why, cos I don't know why
Never one to roam, I took the first bus home
And I haven't changed

Ooh, hideous towns made me throw up

And I know sticks and stones may break my bones
But words will just finish me off
Yeah, near enough

Yes they do
Said, oh my hopeless youth it's so uncouth
Said, oh and I'd like to be in history
Said, oh in my hopeless youth it's just so uncouth
So there you go, and now you know
But just please don't...
Please, please, please
Said oh, yeah my hopeless youth just so damn, oh oh
Yeah, my hopeless youth is really very young
Just really very young

Live your life, have your say
Read your stars, day by day
If I could have anything in the world for free
I wouldn't share it with anyone else but me
Oh, live your life, go your way
And I said oh no

Live your life, stake your claim
Wash your clothes, change your name
Ooh, and I said oh, no, no
If I could have anything in the world for free
I wouldn't share it with anyone else but me

You're too twisted by half...
But that's far enough

So live your life, build a home
And fill it full of flowers and a bottle of old cologne
Yeah, if I could have anything in the world for free
I wouldn't share it with anyone else but me
Except perhaps a certain someone
Except perhaps a certain someone

Except perhaps a certain someone
Just to be shown another way out

You're too twisted by half...
But that's far enough

Oh, I'd be careful living in a block of flats
And I never take the lift to the top
No, I never take the lift to the top

Ah, you're too twisted by half...
Ah, but that's far enough

Take a swim round, take a look down
I'll never believe what we've found
We figured it out, we figured it out
We lived in a house, in a cold room

When the weather's fine, when it's sunny outside
Think about the time I kicked a boy 'til he cried
Oh, I could've been wrong, but I don't think I was
He's such a child

When I am alone, I remember so well
How merrily I tripped a boy so he fell
Oh I could've been wrong, but I don't think I was
He's totally wild

And I've been wondering lately just who's gonna save me

Now I have a cold, and no story to tell
I'd marry you but I'm so unwell
And I could've been wrong
Well I don't think I was
He's totally wild

And I've been wondering lately
Just who's gonna save me
Yes, you should've been wise
Oh, hysterical child
Where'd you learn to do that

And the world it shows me up
My clothes they show me up
I never knew this before
My finest hour that I've ever known
Was finding a pound on the underground

And my words came stumbling out
Then I went tumbling out
I've never been hit before
And the finest hour that I've ever known
Was finding a pound on the underground

And I'll keep hoping you are the same as me
And I'll send you letters and come to your house for tea
We are who we are, what do the others know?
But poetry is not for me
So show me the way to go home

And the words came stumbling out of my mouth
And then I went tumbling out...

But I'll keep hoping you are the same as me
And I'll send you letters and come to your house for tea
We are who we are what do the others know?
But poetry is not for me so show me the way to go
Oh, I'm going home

But I'll keep hoping you are the only one
Yes and I'll send you letters, wouldn't it be such fun?
We are who we are whatever the others say
But poetry is not for me
And much as I'd like to stay
Oh, I just want to go home

You're, you're, you're too young
Should've been you, you're, you're too young
It should've been you too, you're too, you're too young
It should've been you you you're too young
You should've been safer, saner
Bribed the judge and then sat down
Ooh you're, you're, you're too young

The Lone Ranger sold his wardrobe
The Lone Ranger sold his bad dog
Well you saw him
And you can't hardly know
'Cause times change
I know

On some days he's more than humble
On some days he's cold and mad, mad as hell
Well you saw him
And you can't hardly know
It's so strange
Well I... I know

Those lakes of golden water
Those lakes of gold are all running out
Well you saw him
And you can't hardly know
It's so strange
Well I... I know

Joy, joy, joy
Work, work, work harder
Sure as the hours
Joy, joy, joy
Work, work, work harder
You say