The Beautiful South Album

Daddy was the local drunk
Mommy was the loosest girl in town
Brother just some two-bit punk
Rode his Harley D into the ground

Distant friends and relatives
Each of them a problem they would share
From the in-laws to the out-laws
Quietly she would soak up their despair

She was one of life's lil' angels
A job that don't pay well
Guiding those to heaven
That should've gone to hell
Was it really worth it?
Only time & death may ever tell

She was the brick
At the base
Of the house
A true foundation stone
She was the colour
And the sound
And the taste
And the rose of my cologne

Cousin Bobby killed a man
Packed his bags and left with Lisa-Jane
Sister was an also-ran
Ran and never showed her face again
Those daughters, sons and uncles
All of them with problems of their own
Professors, priests, policemen
All would use the rose of my cologne

She was one of life's lil' angels
A job that don't pay well
Guiding those to heaven
That should've gone to hell
Was it really worth it?
Only time & death may ever tell

She was the brick
At the base
Of the house
A true foundation stone
She was the colour
And the sound
And the taste
And the rose of my cologne

Finally she decided
Less than half an hour it took to pack
Climbed upon her motorbike
Didn't wave goodbye or once look back

Separations, pregnancies
Alcohol abusers, lovers tiff
Murderers, philanderers
Took them all and drove them off a cliff

Henry miller books
'til they flash the lights it's time to go
When she was a little kid she said
"dad, i don't know why
I feel so penniless inside"

She's on the promenade
She's looking for a dress
She's locked outside a world
Just a manchester girl

Oh i'll meet you there
By the old newsstand
Oh i'll meet you there tonight

Shoot-out at the neighbor's house
She pulls the covers on her head
She's counting the shots as they go by
And pandora's litter box
Well it's gettin' mighty high
That cat's gonna keep her up at night

Another scary dream
Another cigarette
She's locked outside a world
Just a manchester girl

Oh i'll meet you there
By the old newsstand

There’s a bench in every park dedicated to
Those who sat there once but didn’t make it through
There are names carved deep in bark on every tree
By those who spent their time like you and me

And wherever geography may place you now
There’s a piece of history all folk carry around
Whatever your situation, whatever it may allow
There’s an even larger piece in every lost and found

There’s a song
There’s always a song
Wherever there’s perfection
There’s a wrong
There’s always a song
But a broken bond
And an unkissed frog
In every village pond

There’s a name that we graffiti’d up on a wall
To the folks who live there now, makes no sense at all
And in every underpass, on every street
A promise someone made but couldn’t keep

A tiny piece of chalk in every coat
In every film the smallest lump in throat
In every song you’ve sung, every novel read
That unkissed love will always rear its head

There’s a song
There’s always a song
Wherever there’s a right
There’s always wrong
There’s always a song
But a broken bond
And an unkissed frog
In every village pond

We've come a long way from the cave
What, you started to shave?
Now we know just how to behave
Since chivalry decided to bathe

And as the skirts we wore were increasingly high
Till the hem was just a cloud in the sky
And the chat up lines got increasingly fly
As the truth bought a suit and a tie

The cat loves the mouse
The mouse loves the cheese
The bees love the birds
The birds love those bees
The bee loves that honey
So honey please
Why are we so different to these?

So when I'm old and I'm grey
You know you already are
When I'm overweight
You know you already are
If I've overstayed my welcome by a day
Just feel free to say
You know I already have

And as the skirts we wore were increasingly high
Till the hem was just a cloud in the sky
And the chat up lines got increasingly fly
As the truth bought a suit and a tie

The cat chases bird
To the top of the tree
The dog chases postman
To the end of the street
The postman he chases
Every girl that he meets
So why are we so different to these?

I've been your bird, I've been your bitch
I've been whatever B you ever wished
I've been your cat, I've been your chick
I've been which ever C you thought to pick
I've been your bat, I've been your cow
I've been whichever B and C that you'd allow
I've been your dog, your dragon and your duck
I've been whatever D you thought was cool to fuck

There was a pool table there at the wedding
That most of the men stood and played
Whilst the women danced in their melancholy
Till the last record started to fade
And as D.J. turned the lights up
And packed his records away
He noticed a lonely figure still there
So quietly turned to say

Tears you thought lasted a lifetime
Won't last too much more than a day
And you'll prove that you still have your strength left
When you wipe those tears well away, well away

Roses in garden bring joy to the bleak
Lilies save wretched from worse
Music lifts up those too weary to speak
So, sister you sing the next verse

The path in life that you have taken
I can figure out just from your frown
Either it's down the up escalator
Or maybe sometimes up the down
And you may not feel that you have travelled
But sure as hell been across town
And certainly if story unravelled
You've lost more than you ever found

One thing's for certain I've travelled
And a not too dissimilar route
Those ups and downs and rounds after rounds
You're wearing them just like a suit, like a suit

So if roses bring joy to the bleak
Lilies save wretched from worse
Music lifts up those too weary to speak
Then D.J. I'll take the next verse

So sister judge strength not by muscle
Or weight that your body can lift
But by heavyweight heart that you carry
That no other young woman could shift
Hey Mr D.J. a special request
Play that last record for me
And make it as long and as painfully sad
As any slow ballad could be

You'll know when romance is dead
Your make up in a toolbox somewhere in the shed
His face is unshaven, the grass overgrown
From the she'd to the bed is a web you call home

You'll know when romance is dead
That deathly cold blast from his side of the bed
Your dreams frozen over, your nightmares on ice
From the bedroom to the bathroom you say
Everything twice (everything twice)

And you'll know when romance is dead
You'll burst into tears at each record that's played
He sits in the sun, you sulk in the shade
You'll know when love starts to fade

You'll know when romance is dead
From the brambles and thorns growing out of your head
Whenever you touch her she tuts or she sighs
One kiss goodnight and she's rolling her eyes

And you'll know when love starts to fade
That balancing act is no longer made
Like penny stacked high in amusement arcade
It's not what you're worth it's the way that you're laid
Yes you'll know when love starts to fade

Like you knew when romance was alive
Each couple you passed they'd smile and high five
Like you'll know when love's back on track
Uncontrollable laugh at each joke that you crack
Giggle and cackle and throw her head back
Her mouth is still smiling, her veins turning black
Her head is elastic but her neck is all slack

You'll know when love's on the rocks
You wearing headphones, him vest and socks
You'll know when love's on the slide
Whenever you're talking, the kids go outside

You'll know when romance is dead
When the look that you get is as hard as the bread
You open your mouth but your stories are stale
From front door to back door it's blowing a gale
You'll know when love starts to fade

Jack confides in Catherine
That he's filing for divorce
Catherine gives her promise
To keep it secret but of course
As soon as backs are turned in soaps
They're sharpening their claws
Meanwhile my whole world is collapsing

The congregation's nervous
Especially bride to be
There's three of them she'd rather have
Gone down on bended knee
Credits roll on âЂŒspeak up now
Or forever hold your peaceâЂќ
Meanwhile my whole world is collapsing

It's pretty odd some two bob god
Can somehow grip the nation
But maybe to us sad old mares
It's a form of consolation
Makes us feel creative
In a life minus creation
Meanwhile our whole world is collapsing
Look out on the streets outside
Catch a conversation
The whole wide world is collapsing

The oldest of the brothers
The audience thought was dead
Returns to find his sister and his wife
Tucked up in bed
If this is true to life
Feed me fantasy instead
Meanwhile the whole world is collapsing

It's pretty odd some two bob god
Can somehow grip the nation
But maybe to us sad old mares
It's a form of consolation
Makes us feel creative
In a life minus creation
Meanwhile our whole world is collapsing
Riots on the streets outside
They're tearing up a nation
The whole wide world is collapsing

These petty little problems
They bring into our home
We actually tend to laugh about
Cause ours would not get shown
And sufferings so much funnier
When it's theirs and not your own
Meanwhile your whole world is collapsing

If there's space out there enough for the moon
Surely your little heart can make some room
If there's room in the hemisphere for so many stars
There's surely a satellite we can name ours

They're building brand new centres, brand new bars
Shoving lonely people into boots of cars
If you want to share the failure or you want to share the flop
We'll both go in the boot right off the top

And if there's ever time in life for genuine mistake
Surely then you got the means to make it
And if you'd like one final slip before you get it right
This moon's asleep, you got the means to wake it

So left alone we're just simple bricks
No more than the stone that the child kicks
But as soon as we're together we are wall
And the stone the child kicks is bouncing ball

They're building brand new motorways, brand new roads
But when travelling on your own that road is closed
I'll be your co-driver and together we'll be tank
And watch as âЂŒno through roadâЂќ sign slowly sank

And they're building brand new hospitals
Building brand new wards
Insure your heart with everything you can afford
No need going private
I will save my bed for you
As I quietly wait my turn in public queue

Don't think of what we can and can't achieve
Perfection like this can't be guaranteed
Hearts get lostâЂ¦ lovers leave
Lets just see what friendship actually needs

And if you ever do wrong I'm right behind you
If ever you may sin, count me in
If that devil doubt should come to find you
Count on me and don't you count on him

If luck should quit this town
If fortune sails
If conversation breaks down
If love derails
I'll be that back up call
If all else fails
I'll swap this bed of roses
For a bed of nails

I wouldn't mind being left up on that shelf
If I hadn't actually built, built the thing myself
But since there's only you and no one else
I don't get too wound up about my health

And if ever shelf may fall I'm right below you
In need of DIY then I'm your guy
If lack of confidence should come to know you
Don't let those tears you cry stop you and I

If luck should quit this town
If fortune sails
If conversation breaks down
If love derails
I'll be that back up call
If all else fails
I'll swap this bed of roses
For a bed of nails

There he stood, gun in hand
At the door, the day she chose to leave
Half of him stood comforting
The other half that couldn't quite believe
Believe that she had left him
Believe that she had found another love
Believe that she decided
When push came to shove, she'd really shove

Friendship after friendship
Can't begin to count the ones I've lost
Voyage after voyage
Couldn't see the water for the docks
Lost my way up mountain pass
Couldn't see the signposts for the frost
Lost every game I've ever played
But I've never lost a chicken to a fox

And that stick thrown into lake
You watch as move you make
Turns into mistake
Your love away
Like that snail on the leaf
You watch as right beneath
That cold hearted thief
Your love away

There he stood still hours on
The only movement, the only trace
The position of the gun
And a single tear running down his face
Inside he was screaming
Outside you could barely hear him cry
Inside orchestration
Regulated outside to a sigh

Friendship after friendship
Can't begin to count the ones I've lost
Voyage after voyage
Couldn't see the water for the docks
Found my way home late at night
Couldn't see my bed for stranger's socks
Lost every game I've ever played
But I've never lost a chicken to a fox

Your love away, your love away
Turns into mistake your love away
Your love away, your love away
That cold hearted thief, your love away

Water the plants, feed the cat
Leave that door key under the mat
I'm your number one from now on
Set the code, close the door
You don't live there anymore
I'm your number one from now on

Nothing grows so quickly as the vine
That wraps you up so tight and says "you're mine"
No time so exciting as the time
You pour away that bottle containing last night's wine

Last night's wine, last night's wine
What you're taking part in is the cleverest of crimes
Last night's wine, just a flickering sign
But a necessary sin from time to time

Fold your dress, leave your hair
Put on your jeans you ain't goin' nowhere
I'm your number one from now on
Cancel the milk, unplug the phone
Close the blinds you ain't gonna be home
I'm your number one from now on

No time quite so easy as the night
To hold her far too close or far too tight
No catch quite so keen, so quick to bite
Than the one that thinks love's possible
First or second sight

Love at first sight, love at first sight
Swinging from the chandelier, it's a one way ticket flight
Love at first sight, so wrong it's right
Swing you by your pigtails, set your world alight

Nothing hooks you quicker than the line
Thrown straight from the bank into your spine
For family and friends you'll surely pine
But sentiment and nostalgia, they just ain't worth a dime

What worth's a dime, what worth's a dime
You can leave those financial worries well behind
What worth's a dime, what worth's a dime
I don't want that bank manager on your pretty little mind
Now that you're mine

Tears have rolled down many good cheek
So when it comes down to your turn
Don't be afraid of admitting you're weak
Cause these are tears that you earn

Strangers, new neighbours, they'll both understand
Who hasn't been there? Hold up your hand
Strangers, neighbours, none of them planned
Tears are the wage of this land

When raindrop first fell to the ground
It seemed like the brightest idea
Even though teardrops were already around
No one yet linked them with tear

Raindrop you notice when stood under trees
Pin-drop you can hear if down on your knees
But if teardrop anyone sees
It's time, gentlemen please

Scars you know take longer to heal
Whilst tears you'll not see again
So which do we try so hard to conceal
The ones that make fools of us men
Bricklayer, teacher, firefighter or vet
One thing in common, the hankies they've wet
But hidden away in the bedroom I bet
Tears in public, not yet
Drums have rolled for hundreds of years
Since we've blown one another to bits
Generals and soldiers still holding their ears
Cause drumbeat and teardrop don't mix

When teardrops fall everyone in the band
Makes out their music's slipped from the stand
Leaving the singer, his head in his hands
Public emotion, be damned