1.Ask

Shyness is nice, and
Shyness can stop you
From doing all the things in life
You'd like to

Shyness is nice, and
Shyness can stop you
From doing all the things in life
You'd like to

So, if there's something you'd like to try
If there's something you'd like to try
Ask me - i won't say 'no' - how could i ?

Coyness is nice, and
Coyness can stop you
From saying all the things in
Life you'd like to

So, if there's something you'd like to try
If there's something you'd like to try
Ask me - i won't say 'no' - how could i ?

Spending warm summer days indoors
Writing frightening verse
To a buck-toothed girl in luxembourg

Ask me, ask me, ask me
Ask me, ask me, ask me

Because if it's not love
Then it's the bomb, the bomb, the bomb, the bomb, the bomb, the
bomb, the bomb
That will bring us together

Nature is a language - can't you read ?
Nature is a language - can't you read ?

So ... ask me, ask me, ask me
Ask me, ask me, ask me

Because if it's not love
Then it's the bomb, the bomb, the bomb, the bomb, the bomb, the
bomb, the bomb
That will bring us together

If it's not love
Then it's the bomb
Then it's the bomb
That will bring us together

So ... ask me, ask me, ask me
Ask me, ask me, ask me
Oh, la ...


2.Bigmouth Strikes Again

Sweetness, sweetness i was only joking
When i said i'd like to smash every tooth
In your head

Oh ... sweetness, sweetness, i was only joking
When i said by rights you should be
Bludgeoned in your bed

And now i know how joan of arc felt
Now i know how joan of arc felt
As the flames rose to her roman nose
And her walkman started to melt
Oh ...

Bigmouth, la ... bigmouth, la ...
Bigmouth strikes again
And i've got no right to take my place
With the human race

Oh, bigmouth, la ... bigmouth, la
Bigmouth strikes again
And i've got no right to take my place
With the human race

And now i know how joan of arc felt
Now i know how joan of arc felt
As the flames rose to her roman nose
And her hearing aid started to melt

Bigmouth, la ... bigmouth, la ...
Bigmouth strikes again
And i've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh ...

Bigmouth, oh ... bigmouth, la ...
Bigmouth strikes again
And i've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh ...

Bigmouth, oh ... bigmouth, la ...
Bigmouth strikes again
And i've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh ...

Bigmouth, oh ... bigmouth, la ...
Bigmouth strikes again
And i've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh ...


3.Girl Afraid

Girl afraid
Where do his intentions lay ?

Or does he even have any ?

She says :

'he never really looks at me
I give him every opportunity
In the room downstairs
He sat and stared
In the room downstairs
He sat and stared
I'll never make that mistake again !'

I'll never make that mistake again
I'll never make that mistake again

Boy afraid
Prudence never pays

And everything she wants costs money

'but she doesn't even like me !
And i know because she said so
In the room downstairs
She sat and stared
In the room downstairs
She sat and stared
I'll never make that mistake again !'


4.Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour
But heaven knows i'm miserable now

I was looking for a job, and then i found a job
And heaven knows i'm miserable now

In my life
Why do i give valuable time
To people who don't care if i live or die ?

Two lovers entwined pass me by
And heaven knows i'm miserable now

I was looking for a job, and then i found a job
And heaven knows i'm miserable now

In my life
Oh, why do i give valuable time
To people who don't care if i live or die ?

What she asked of me at the end of the day
Caligula would have blushed

'you've been in the house too long' she said
And i (naturally) fled

In my life
Why do i smile
At people who i'd much rather kick in the eye ?

I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour
But heaven knows i'm miserable now

'you've been in the house too long' she said
And i (naturally) fled

In my life
Why do i give valuable time
To people who don't care if i live or die ?


5.Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me

Last night i dreamt
That somebody loved me
No hope, 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 ?

The story is old - i know
But it goes on
The story is old - i know
But it goes on

Oh, goes on
And on
Oh, goes on
And on


6.Nowhere Fast

I'd like to drop my trousers to the world
I am a man of means (of slender means)
Each household appliance
Is like a new science in my town
And if the day came when i felt a
Natural emotion
I'd get such a shock i'd probably jump
In the ocean
And when a train goes by
It's such a sad sound
No ...
It's such a sad thing

I'd like to drop my trousers to the queen
Every sensible child will know what this means
The poor and the needy
Are selfish and greedy on her terms
And if the day came when i felt a
Natural emotion
I'd get such a shock i'd probably jump
In the ocean
And when a train goes by
It's such a sad sound
No ...
It's such a sad thing

And when i'm lying in my bed
I think about life
And i think about death
And neither one particularly appeals to me
And if the day came when i felt a
Natural emotion
I'd get such a shock i'd probably lie
In the middle of the street and die
I'd lie down and die ...
Oh, oh


7.Oscillate Wildly

Instrumental


8.Reel Around The Fountain

It's time the tale were told
Of how you took a child
And you made him old

It's time the tale were told
Of how you took a child
And you made him old
You made him old

Reel around the fountain
Slap me on the patio
I'll take it now
Oh ...

Fifteen minutes with you
Well, i wouldn't say no
Oh, people said that you were virtually dead
And they were so wrong

Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, well, i wouldn't say no
Oh, people said that you were easily led
And they were half-right
Oh, they ... oh, they were half-right, oh

It's time the tale were told
Of how you took a child
And you made him old
It's time that the tale were told
Of how you took a child
And you made him old
You made him old

Oh, reel around the fountain
Slap me on the patio
I'll take it now
Ah ... oh ...

Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, i wouldn't say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
Oh, but i do.
Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, i wouldn't say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
I do.
Oh, i ... oh, i do
Oh ...

I dreamt about you last night
And i fell out of bed twice
You can pin and mount me like a butterfly
But 'take me to the haven of your bed'
Was something that you never said
Two lumps, please
You're the bee's knees
But so am i

Oh, meet me at the fountain
Shove me on the patio
I'll take it slowly
Oh ...

Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, i wouldn't say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
Oh, but i do.
Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, no, i wouldn't say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
I do.
Oh, i ... i do
Oh, i do
Oh, i do
Oh, i do


9.Shakespeare's Sister

Young bones groan
And the rocks below say:
'throw your skinny body down, son !'

But i'm going to meet the one i love
So please don't stand in my way
Because i'm going to meet the one i love
No, mamma, let me go !

Young bones groan
And the rocks below say :
'throw your white body down !'

But i'm going to meet the one i love
At last ! at last ! at last !
I'm going to meet the one i love
La-de-da, la-de-da
No, mamma, let me go !
No ...

I thought that if you had
An acoustic guitar
Then it meant that you were
A protest singer
Oh, i can smile about it now
But at the time it was terrible
No, mamma, let me go
No ...


10.Still Ill

I decree today that life
Is simply taking and not giving
England is mine - it owes me a living
But ask me why, and i'll spit in your eye
Oh, ask me why, and i'll spit in your eye
But we cannot cling to the old dreams anymore
No, we cannot cling to those dreams

Does the body rule the mind
Or does the mind rule the body ?
I dunno...

Under the iron bridge we kissed
And although i ended up with sore lips
It just wasn't like the old days anymore
No, it wasn't like those days
Am i still ill ?
Oh ...
Am i still ill ?
Oh ...

Does the body rule the mind
Or does the mind rule the body ?
I dunno...

Ask me why, and i'll die
Oh, ask me why, and i'll die
And if you must, go to work - tomorrow
Well, if i were you i really wouldn't bother
For there are brighter sides to life
And i should know, because i've seen them
But not very often ...
Under the iron bridge we kissed
And although i ended up with sore lips
It just wasn't like the old days anymore
No, it wasn't like those days
Am i still ill ?
Oh ...
Oh, am i still ill ?
Oh ...


11.That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore

Park the car at the side of the road
You should know
Time's tide will smother you
And i will too
When you laugh about people who feel so
Very lonely
Their only desire is to die
Well, i'm afraid
It doesn't make me smile
I wish i could laugh

But that joke isn't funny anymore
It's too close to home
And it's too near the bone
It's too close to home
And it's too near the bone
More than you'll ever know ...

Kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down

It was dark as i drove the point home
And on cold leather seats
Well, it suddenly struck me
I just might die with a smile on my
Face after all

I've seen this happen in other people's
Lives
And now it's happening in mine

I've seen this happen in other people's
Lives
And now it's happening in mine

I've seen this happen in other people's
Lives
And now it's happening in mine

I've seen this happen in other people's
Lives
And now it's happening in mine
Oh ...

I've seen this happen in other people's
Lives
Oh ...
And now it's happening in mine
Happening in mine
Happening in mine
Happening in mine
Happening in mine

I've seen this happen in other people's
Lives
Oh ...
And now, now, now it's happening in mine
(i've seen this happen)
Happening in mine
Oh... now, now

I've seen this happen in other people's
Lives
Oh ...
And now it's happening in mine
(happen)
Happening in mine
Oh ...
Happening in mine
Happening in mine
Happening in mine

I've seen this happen in other people's
Lives
Oh ...
And now, now, now it's happening in mine
Happening in mine
Mine, mine
Happening in mine


12.There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Take me out tonight
Where there's music and there's people
And they're young and alive
Driving in your car
I never never want to go home
Because i haven't got one
Anymore

Take me out tonight
Because i want to see people and i
Want to see life
Driving in your car
Oh, please don't drop me home
Because it's not my home, it's their
Home, and i'm welcome no more

And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten-ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure - the privilege is mine

Take me out tonight
Take me anywhere, i don't care
I don't care, i don't care
And in the darkened underpass
I thought oh god, my chance has come at last
(but then a strange fear gripped me and i
Just couldn't ask)

Take me out tonight
Oh, take me anywhere, i don't care
I don't care, i don't care
Driving in your car
I never never want to go home
Because i haven't got one, da ...
Oh, i haven't got one

And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten-ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure - the privilege is mine

Oh, there is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out


13.The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

The boy with the thorn in his side
Behind the hatred there lies
A murderous desire for love
How can they look into my eyes
And still they don't believe me ?
How can they hear me say those words
Still they don't believe me ?
And if they don't believe me now
Will they ever believe me ?
And if they don't believe me now
Will they ever, they ever, believe me ?
Oh ...

The boy with the thorn in his side
Behind the hatred there lies
A plundering desire for love
How can they see the love in our eyes
And still they don't believe us ?
And after all this time
They don't want to believe us
And if they don't believe us now
Will they ever believe us ?
And when you want to live
How do you start ?
Where do you go ?
Who do you need to know ?

Oh ...
Oh no ...
Oh ...
La ...


14.The Headmaster Ritual

Belligerent ghouls
Run manchester schools

Spineless swines
Cemented minds

Sir leads the troops
Jealous of youth
Same old suit since 1962

He does the military two-step
Down the nape of my neck

I wanna go home
I don't wanna stay
Give up education
As a bad mistake

Mid-week on the playing fields
Sir thwacks you on the knees

Knees you in the groin
Elbow in the face
Bruises bigger than dinner plates

I wanna go home
I don't wanna stay

Da-da-da ...

Belligerent ghouls
Run manchester schools

Spineless bastards all ...

Sir leads the troops
Jealous of youth
Same old jokes since 1902

He does the military two-step
Down the nape of my neck

I wanna go home
I don't want to stay
Give up life
As a bad mistake

Please excuse me from gym
I've got this terrible cold coming on
He grabs and devours
He kicks me in the showers
Kicks me in the showers
And he grabs and devours

I want to go home
I don't want to stay...

Da-da-da ...