Simon Smith's Songs From 1989

I've come to meet you half way But I'm not quite sure from where You say you've been dying to meet me But you're still standing over there We've been talking about opportunity You've said enough about equality I've reasoned that that ain't true, How about you? You've overloaded me with presents And they've lost their pleasure for me You've just about done a good job At fucking up my equality And you're saying don't be angry Some day you'll need a hand And your saying don't be angry Someday you will understand Well I've been reaching out to you But you just turn away Saying something about a beggar And "I'll change tomorrow" But you'll never change today. Well I've come to meet you half way To talk about you and me You say there isn't a problem None are so blind as those who will notsee I've come to meet you half way But I'm not quite sure from where You say you've been dying to meet me But you're still standing over there Maybe it's because you're scared Or maybe you just don't care Maybe my anger drives you away Maybe guilt would make you stay Maybe the fault isn't mine We don't live in a jungle, We're here to live by the law We're here to give and gain But who is all of it for? From the books in the classroom To the books of government From the designs of architects To the builders cement My hand is reaching out to you My heart is calling out to you

Johnny And Sue 7.1989 Copyright Simon Smith

Johnny talked to Sue While she'd wait for the forty two He'd make her laugh He'd make her cry He'd make her time fly by Johnny leased a car from motability [disability car leasing charity] And drove it 'round Sue's vicinity And one day stopped and said to Sue "Do you want to get in with me" He'd make her laugh He'd make her cry He'd make her time fly by Johnny and Sue grew closer every day Thought their love would never go away Entwined under the burning sun Their life together had begun He'd make her laugh He'd make her cry He'd make her time fly by Sue's mother would often warn Of the burden Johnny'd be Sue's father said she loved out of sympathy And for Johnny's sake she should leave him And for their sake she did He'd make her laugh He'd make her cry He'd make her time fly by A year went by in silence But the kind that said it all When Sue left home to live She didn't laugh no more

Loving Leo

Tonight I dreamt that you were a scorpio

Oh and when we were a loving, you were a loving leo

I saw that you changed and rearranged

I asked you to leave your man and you said no

Oh and when we were a loving , you were a loving leo

I saw them pin up that dress, I saw the Priest about to bless

I saw that you changed, you rearranged and I guess that you couldn't care less

I asked you to leave your man and you said no

And when we were a loving , Baby, you were a loving leo

I saw the loss, the loss that led nowhere

You looked at me, from beneath, your lovely hair

You looked at me and whispered that you just didn't care

I asked you to leave your man and you said no

Oh but when we were a loving, Baby, you were a loving leo

I couldn't cry, I guess the reasons why

I didn't stand a chance, but I kept on looking for your romantic glance

I saw you'd changed, I saw you'd rearranged

I went, when you told me, when you told me to go

But sometimes it takes a dream to tell us what's been real

Sometimes it takes a feeling, to tell us the way we feel

Sometimes it takes too long, to understand what went wrong

Last night I dreamt you were a loving scorpio

But when we were a loving , you were a loving leo

I saw that you'd changed and saw that you'd rearranged

I asked you to leave your man and you said no

And when we were a loving, you were a loving leo

I saw them pin up that dress

I saw the Priest about to bless

I saw that you'd changed, I saw you couldn't care less

I saw the loss, below that loving cross

A loss that led nowhere

I couldn't cry, I couldn't cry

I couldn't cry, but I guess the reasons why

I didn't stand a chance

Oh, but I kept on looking, for your romantic glance

I saw you change, when you told me to go

When you told me to leave you

I knew you weren't a loving leo

But sometimes it takes a dream to tell us what's been real

Sometimes it takes a feeling, to tell us what we feel

He Kicks Off His Shoes

He kicks off his shoes

Lies back on his bed

Puts his hand behind his neck

To take the weight of his head

Looks across to his wife

Eyes are so sore

Crying that tells the world

She can't take any more

The Government, are pulling,

The economy into place

Bringing back the smiles

On the rich kids' face

The Government are making up

For lost ground

The Government are happy,

Coz they can't hear the sound

The middle classes,

Bringing their fears around

Rents go up, inflation goes down,

Crimes goes up and the town feels down

Children grow up

And parents break down

Thatcher stood up

And no-one knocked her down

Kicks off his shoes

Lies back on his bed

Puts his hand behind his neck

To take the weight of his head

Looks across to his wife

Eyes are so sore

Crying that tells the world

She can't take any more

The Government, are pulling,

The economy into place

Bringing back the smiles

On the rich kids' face

Some Say We Go To Heaven

Some say we go to heaven

Some say we go to hell

Some say we're going nowhere

I don't know where we go

When they ring that bell

Now the followers of religion

The religion of Spiritualism

Confirm in their belief

Affirm in their belief

I've always had my doubts

And I always will

From a belief

Is there for it there to kill

Mother Nature plays games

When you want to know what's true

To tease us all

And she teases you

But he plays games

You think you are the best of friends

You are never quite sure

When the friendship ends

Sun Comes Up

Sun comes up

The rain falls down

The moon follows the sun

The rainbow goes round

There's smoke from my car

It follow me home

I shut it from my mind

But it wont leave me alone

The river kills the fish

It's the diplomatic war

When the river starts to die

They fill it some more

There's dead fish

Who are laying

On the shore

This money's ok

For I like it too

When we've earned this money

It will be the end of me and you

There's a feeling in the air

You can feel it too

Everyone knows

What they've got to do

This Government

It makes us fools

And doesn't do

What it knows to be best

Their priority's the profit

They just don't worry for the rest

One day you're gonna die

Live your life to its full

Not every joy

Is worth

The beauty

The beauty of this earth

There's smoke from my car

It follows me

There's smoke from my car

It follow me home

I shut it from my mind

But it wont leave me alone

The sun comes up

The rain falls down

The moon follows the sun

The rainbow goes round

The river kills the fish

It's the diplomatic war

When the river starts to die

They fill it some more

There'a a fish laying

On the shore

Now money's ok

And I like it too

But the way we earn this money

Is the enemy in you

There's a feeling in the air

You can feel it too

Everyone wants to know

What they got to do

This Government

It makes us fools

It doesn't do

What it knows to be best

Their priority's the profit

They just don't worry for the rest

One day you die

Live life to its full

The earth is great

A joy can be worth

The beauty of this earth

What joy can be worth

The beauty of this earth

What joy can be worth

The beauty of this earth

One day you die

There's smoke from my car

It follow me home

I shut it from my mind

But it wont leave me alone

The river kills the fish

A diplomatic war

When the river starts to die

They fill it some more

There's a fish

Laying on the shore

The sun comes up

The rain falls down

It follows the sun

The rainbow comes round

The smoke from my car

It follow me home

I shut it from my mind

But it wont leave me alone

Wont leave me alone

John And Marie

John and Marie they went out to tea

He said “somebody keeps turning out the light, so I can't see”

Marie said “sometimes we take out the bulb ourselves”

So, one night, Marie screwed the bulb back in

She turned the power on, all that time, John had been wrong

All that time, John, oh John had been wrong

Well I've sang a song, about somebody doing something wrong

When, of course, it was me all along

I said a prayer, that you'd be alright

Then I went out, looking for a fight

Oh I said a prayer, that you'd be alright

Then I went out, looking for a fight

A girl I knew, swore to God, and to her man

That no matter what, she'd always be at hand

He left her for another girl, left her to play her part

Well she's still there, her hand on heart

Well, she's still there, she's just playing,

She's just playing, her part

Well I've sang a song, about somebody doing something wrong

When, of course, it was me all along

The hooker and the whore, and the boy next door

They all agreed they knew, where they stood

The hooker, the whore, on the corner of the street

And the man and his heart, under their feet

Well I've sang a song, about somebody doing something wrong

When, of course, it was me all along

I said a prayer, that you'd be alright

Then I went out, looking for a fight

I went looking for a fight

You Pass Me By

I saw you walking past me

I gave a sign so you could see

You pass me by

You never stop to ask me, ask me why

The winter wind blew through me

I placed poems in the dead sea

You pass me by

You never stop to ask me, ask me why

The waves thought nothing of me

Their poetry seemed plain to see

You pass me by

You didn't even stop to say “goodbye”

Lying Like We've Never Lied

Say you're gonna to leave me anyway

The feeling I've got is going to be today

I couldn't wait, so I guess I'll have to pay

The impatience of the heart, so ready to betray

Said you were gonna call back

When you hair was done

I don't know how you do it

But it must be bloody fun

Always so relieved when my life just runs along

But time passes so slowly

When my feelings are so strong

Everything's a task

When I am not in your mind

The pressures I am putting on you

Are leaving me behind

The first kiss to the last wave

Of your hand as you say “goodbye”

From the first dance to the last chance

To tell myself the lies

The speeding of the car

And the wind is in your hair

And we're lying like we've never lied

And we lie that we don't care

Life is speeding past us

And its waving us “goodbye”

Singing us silent melodies

As we lie like we've never lied

To live our life is one thing

If we live it to its full

But to hide behind these lies

Makes us into fools

The saddest waste of time

That time will ever kill

So if you've got something bad to say

For God's sake say it anyway

So from the first kiss

To the last wave of your hand

As you say “goodbye”

From the first dance to the last chance

To tell myself the lies

The speeding of the car

And the wind is in your hair

And we're lying like we've never lied

And we lie that we don't care

Life is speeding past us

And its waving us “goodbye”

Singing us silent melodies

As we lie like we've never lied

The pinstriped politician

The pin striped politician

Explains to his business friends

The political pros and cons

Of driving a Mercedes Benz

They laugh together

Menus in hand

As the old boys pretend

To understand

When they were kids

They understood the major differences

Between bad and good

Now it seems

That lies are in

They hide behind

Their desire to win

The pin striped politician

Is asked by his son to say

Where between the devil and Christ

His intentions lay

Looked at his son

With a forgiving grin

Said, “you know my son”

“You should never sin”

Peter plays pick up

Peter plays pick up

With the girls that he meets

Charms them with his eyes

And knocks them off their feet

Charms them with his lies

Lies between the sheets

Peter's life's been easy

Easy come and go

There's nobody knows Peter

And no-one Peter knows

Paul pays for everyone

And keeps them all amused

Feels lonely after parties

And complains of being used

Consoles himself alone at night

Something's got to change

Buys himself a new suit

From the latest in the range

Steven's in the parlour

Counting out the money

Looks at his lover

And says something funny

Looking for excuses

In the sorrow of her eyes

Looking for the truth

With a heart full of lies

Mark lost his lover

Cried a thousand tears

Filled his heart with regrets

Of how he'd spent his years

Looks out the window

Things look strange

Saw his reflection

Saw that he'd changed

Luke followed his heart

And did what he felt was best

Cast down his nets

And gave away the rest

All his life he'd felt alone

All his life he never felt at home

All his life he'd felt alone

All his life he never felt at home

Can you tell me

Can you tell me what you're feeling?

Can you tell me which way to go?

I've been wondering about you lately

I don't want to hurt you

I just want to know

I can't say I'm in love

I can't say coz I just don't know

I've been wondering about you lately

Can you tell me which way to go

This river runs its course

It runs it course

But a driver he follows his nose

There's a wind that comes each winter

They all know which way to go

I've been wondering about you lately

There's something I want to know

I've been wondering about you lately

Can you tell me which way to go?

I ain't gonna say I don't care

About what you have to say

I ain't gonna ask for lies

I'll just take what you put my way

Tell me which way to go

Baby, tell me, tell me which way to go

Coz baby I just don't know

Baby, can you help me?

Can you help me know?

Don't say you love me

Just love me today

Don't make promises

That will blow away

Don't do nothing

That will make me go

Coz baby, baby, baby

I'm feeling low

Baby, baby, I'm lying here alone

Baby, I'm cold to the bone

Baby, can you help me

Baby, will you dirve to my home

Don't say you love me

Just love me today

Don't make promises

That will blow away

Don't do nothing

That will make me go

Coz baby, baby, baby

I'm feeling low

Baby, baby, when we're not together

We're alone

Baby, can you help me?

Baby, can you come home

Don't say you love me

Just love me today

Don't make promises

That will blow away

Don't do nothing

That will make me go

Coz baby, baby, baby

I'm feeling low

Don't say you love me

Just love me today

Don't make promises

That will blow away

Don't do nothing

That will make me go

Coz baby, baby, baby

I'm feeling low

Tolerate

When the sun comes up I lay down

You ring me up and I can hear you frown

You don't approve, you make it known

Like a hurricane, with its wind a blowing

There's a word, just for you

I'm hoping that, it's gonna do

Coz this word is tolerate

There's small and tall, and black and white

And people with bodies, that will give you a fright

There's people like you, and there's people like me

I've even heard there's people, who come from the sea

There's people who are prompt, but lots are late

There's lines that are predictable, to tolerate

There's those that can, and there's those that can't

There's those that live, with a different slant

There's people who love, and there's people who hate

There's people even telling you to tolerate

There's drums banging out, from holier than thou's

There's people even breaking, the holiest of vows

There's politicians lying, calling you their mate

Just stick you finger in your ear, and tolerate

There's people who swear, who just don't care

Those that dote too much, those that sing songs

That go on too long, looking for a word that rhymes with tolerate

Get on your nerves singing tolerate

There's people like you, and there's people like me

I've even heard there's people, who come from the sea

There's small and tall, and black and white

And people with bodies, that will give you a fright

There's people who are prompt, but lots are late

There's lines that are predictable, to tolerate

There's those that can, and there's those that can't

There's those that live, with a different slant

Valentine's Day

Johnny and Sue went to dinner

Wined and dined the evening through

Exchanged the best of friendship

Said their love was true

Wendy and Mike got drunk together

Cuddled close all through the night

Felt good with one another

Yeah they felt alright

Me and you is not so simple

Me and you is not ok

Questioning the things we have

On this Valentine's Day

I know there's people alone

Nobody close to call

To whom this day reveals

There's nobody at all

Me and you is not so simple

Me and you is not ok

Questioning the things we have

On this Valentine's Day

You Said

When you told me he died

I didn't know what to say

The sadness in your eyes

No tears could wash away

I didn't want to touch you

But you were better left to cry

You said that we must mourn

When our close friends die

I didn't write you letters

With words aimed to console

But the pain was meant to be

Beyond your head's control

I didn't want to touch you

You were better left to cry

You said that we must mourn

When our close friends die

When you told me he died

I didn't know what to say

Saw the sadness in your eyes

No tears could wash away

I didn't write you letters

With words aimed to console

When the pain was

Beyond your head's control

Hard to keep your cool / Us And Them

It's hard to keep your cool

When you're being treated like a fool

It's even harder being who you are

It's hard to speak your mind

When you're getting left behind

That the closest that you know is very far

It's us and them and you and me

And every term I know ends in “body”

But my body is out and I'm nobody

As far as I can see

For the girls and boys who parade around town

I've got to say my envy brings me down

I say to myself a thought I keep

That beauty of this kind isn't very deep

And if I'm gonna be loved

I'd rather be loved for me

It's us and them and you and me

And every term I know ends in “body”

But my body is out and I'm nobody

As far as I can see

There's people in this world

Who think all we need is a fuck

I'm sorry to say

That they're out of luck

I've tried all that

And still don't feel much better

It's us and them and you and me

And every term I know ends in “body”

But my body is out and I'm nobody

As far as I can see

There's seven and a half million people

Who are very quiet today

Shoved under the carpet

Or denied their say

I'm not sure if you're scene is for me

But then I haven't had the opportunity

That maybe the way you want it

But that ain't the way its gonna be

Halfway Through The Week

It's halfway through the week

And there's letters still unsent

Halfway through my life

So much time's been badly spent

It's halfway through the month

I'm still owing on the rent

The cinematic kiss

The silence of retreat

The smell of the shore

After months at sea

The life of lost leaders

Are coming home for me

What could have been

Will never be

There's a tide coming in

And water at my feet

The visitor's book is full

A lover still to meet

She is stepping over puddles

In an early morning street

The cinematic kiss

The silence of retreat

The smell of the shore

After months at sea

The life of lost leaders

Are coming home for me

The radio's playing all night

It ain't live and the DJ sleeps

I'm tired of feeling the blues

The way a woman meets

She's thinking our chance is gone

The finder, the finder,

The finder always keeps

The cinematic kiss

The silence of the street

The smell of the shore

After months at sea

The life of lost leaders

Are coming home for me

What could have been

Will never, never be