Prefab Sprout Website: A Life of Surprises

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Cover: Protest Songs


Protest Songs


Released in 1989
CBS Kitchenware Records KWCD 4

  
(03:51)   The World Awake
(04:05)   Life Of Surprises
(03:30)   Horsechimes
(03:59)   Wicked Things
(04:18)   Dublin
(03:49)   Tiffanys
(03:38)   Diana
(03:20)   Talking Scarlet
(03:44)   īTil The Cows Come Home
(04:36)   Pearly Gates

Darling it's a life
of surprises

It's no help growing
older or wiser

 
All songs composed by Paddy McAloon
Photos by Lawrence J. Bogle. Produced by Prefab Sprout
 

The World Awake

That frightening little sound it's just the world awake
It's just a way of saying we're in business
It's just a lightning strike, it's just a family row
It's just the give and take of forgiveness

Chance being a fine thing brought us together
But we're not magnets well not forever
It's just the way I am, it's just the way we are
It's just a nervous flickering of old flames

Now everybody wears the look of the child who wished to marry you
Who, knocking proudly on your door, was greeted by your pretty wife
If this is life make no mistake it keeps the weary world awake

Chance being a fine thing brought us together
But we're not magnets well not forever
It's just the way I am, it's just the way we are
It's just a nervous flickering of old flames
So don't you cry they're, they're only words
They're only the saddest thing you've ever heard

Now everybody wears the look of the child who wished to marry you
Who, knocking proudly on your door, was greeted by your pretty wife
If this is life make no mistake it keeps the weary world awake


Life Of Surprises

You can keep the good times righteousness
The best parting line
Rather then pretend we are A1 ultrafine
Shall I be the first then to say what we have found
There's something in our lifetime won't let us settle down

Darling it's a life of surprises
It's no help growing older or wiser
You don't have to pretend you're not crying
When it's even in the way that you're walking

Never let your conscience be harmful to your health
Let no neurotic impulse turn inward on itself
Just say that you were happy, as happy would allow
And tell yourself that that will have to do for now

Darling it's a life of surprises
It's no help growing older or wiser
You don't have to pretend you're not crying
When it's even in the way that you're walking - Baby talking

Never say you're bitter Jack
Bitter makes the worst things come back

Darling it's a life of surprises
It's no help growing older or wiser
You don't have to pretend you're not crying
When it's even in the way that you're walking - Baby talking

Never say you're bitter Jack
Bitter makes the worst things come back

Darling it's a life of surprises
It's no help growing older or wiser
You don't have to pretend you're not crying
When it's even in the way that you're walking


Horsechimes

Hello Johnson your mother once gave me a lift back from school
- That's no reason to get so excited
I'd been playing football with the youngsters,
Johnson says don't dramatise
- And you can't even spell salacious
In a caravette with such a pretty widow,
but wheels aren't there to be looked at.
- And it's cheap to say that she's delicious
When she's someone's daughter

Horse chimes so stupid and so mean
On the offensive all wolf whistle and jeans
Horse chimes they neigh they never bell
All straw and piss they never kiss but tell
Horse chimes - Coarse times are here
And don't I know it, and I'm ashamed
And you won't say it, that we're to blame
And I must change

There is a saying tailormade for her she is the apple of your eye
- Lord don't smother her in soapy feelings
You buy a pedestal only to rest it in a wheelchair
- Beauty can't be beauty 'till it's dying
And I think I'll die unless I kiss you,
please don't murder me
- Hark I hear the ghost of feeling leaving
- And you know what pushed her

Horse chimes so stupid and so mean
On the offensive all wolf whistle and jeans
Horse chimes they neigh they never bell
All straw and piss they never kiss but tell
Horse chimes - Coarse times are here
And don't I know it, and I'm ashamed
And you won't say it, that we're to blame
And I must change


Wicked Things

Your Mother's got bags of good advice the don'ts exceed the do's
But she's not you
All it takes is a little nerve as I close in for the kill
Just stand still

What could make a girl believe the wicked things he'd say ?
What could make a girl believe the wicked things he'd say ?
Like by the grace of God he'll be the bugle boy on judgment day

All the jokers running wild, their politics are street, but still elite
The revolution's underway the dream is coming true - But not for you
All it takes is a little nerve as they close in for the kill
You just stand still

What could make a girl believe the wicked things he'd say ?
What could make a girl believe the wicked things he'd say ?
Like by the grace of God he'll be the bugle boy on judgment day

Why must honest Joe reap the wicked seed they sow ?
Maybe honest Joe hides from things he hates to know
If Joe goes on this way on honest wind will surely come and blow


Dublin

Who does not adore the sound
Of music in the name of towns
To build a city on such picturesque ground
That takes some sort of flair

We draw a line the ink is fear
You stay that side we'll stay here
It's far harder to keep it up
Than to tear it down

Does it take you back to the kind of world
Hindsight calls the good old days ?
Now that there's no room in an Einstein world
For simple cause and effect

Dublin Dublin home of pretty Coleens
Dublin Dublin, nurse of such bitter dreams

Behind the soft and peachy skin
Where D.N.A. or God begin
Where sub-Gaelic rot sets in
With stories from your mother
In myths and less exalted forms
The heady cocktail glory is born
You know it's not a bottled storm
So why do you indulge it ?

Dublin Dublin home of pretty Coleens
Dublin Dublin, nurse of such bitter dreams


Tiffanys 

Time is the healer, time was on my hands
The bus stopped at Tiffany's
So I went to hear the band
I saw Cinderella, then the curtain dropped
Time hung heavy on my hands but today
The clock just stopped

I heard the music saw those pictures on the wall
I fell in love with Tiffany's I thought it said it all
Soothed by your saxophones I thought you'd understand
I'd love to sing my songs for you but I don't know if I can
Said don't know if I can, don't know if I can

Midnight is striking there's a pumpkin by the door
It's five o'clock and the streets are clear am I alone once more ?
I watched the dawn in an electric storm my compass blew haywire
There she stands with a slipper in her hand
And her eyes were the colour of fire

I saw you crying from that doorway for sometime
It's no use drying your eyes 'cos I see those tell tale signs
I saw you crying from that doorway for sometime
It's no use drying your eyes 'cos I see those tell tale signs
I see those tell tale signs, I see those tell tale signs

Time is no healer in truth she plays no part
When money's got you in your pocket where can she put your heart ?
She led a charmed life so I believe
Before she left she wrote a note and this is how it reads

I saw you crying from that doorway for sometime
It's no use drying your eyes 'cos I see those tell tale signs
I saw you crying from that doorway for sometime
It's no use drying your eyes 'cos I see those tell tale signs
I see those tell tale signs, I see those tell tale signs


Diana

All the boys I know love Diana, some calming apparition you bet she is
The world careering nightmare somewhere it is her arms reach out
And stop the savagery at least they do for me

Her eyes china blue saucers she's born that way
She tastes of apple strudel you can tell she does
With arms that hold sweet William to her breast

I wish that it were true our family includes you
Even though you're warped and unattractive
I see I've made you cry by saying here comes the bride
There's always some sweet petticoat grabs the eye
That's why the boys and girls love Diana

Looking for a star, looking for a star
Looking for a star is fine. If we don't find it here
If we don't find it now what are we going to say
What are we going to say ?

Her eyes china blue saucers she's born that way
She tastes of apple strudel you can tell she does
With arms that hold sweet William to her breast

The darling of, the darling of, creation of the editor
I guess that's what, suppose that's what she's for
I hope they're crying in their sleep for promises they cannot keep
For disappointments rooted deep
That's why the boys and girls love Diana


Talking Scarlet

Carry no bright torches for me...

You hide under the eiderdown all you can't sweep
   underneath the carpet
When you cover your neighbour's wife scalding marks appear 
   you're talking scarlet
Kid yourself that it's platonic love

Best of friends - Eyes all smiling - Watch them turn to iron filings

I will say late one evening while moonstruck beside her
I'll break the bonds of friendship one by one. I'll tell her
I'm more than some friendly fellow, I will say How ya doin ?
So casually she never suspects I'm harbouring thoughts
   of kissing her neck
I think my mouth's been drinking my basest thoughts do the thinking
You've no shame when Scarlet is your name trust in flames 
When Scarlet is your name

Yes he's crying in his sleep, yes he's thoroughly miserable for me
Losing his looks for me. Losing

Certain themes keep recurring, boundaries start a blurring

I will say late one evening while moonstruck beside her
I'll break the bonds of friendship one by one. I'll tell her
I'm more than some friendly fellow, I will say How ya doin ?
So casually she never suspects I'm harbouring thoughts
   of kissing her neck
I think my mouth's been drinking my basest thoughts do the thinking
Oh my God someone tell her - I know she's a star, celestial feast
In the zoo of my heart she is thrown to the beast, tell her
The mouse here beside her won't always be denied her
I've no shame, Scarlet is my name, trust in flames
Scarlet is my name

Carry no bright torches for me


īTil The Cows Come Home

Aren't you a skinny kid - Just like his poppa
Where's he working ? - He's not working
Thin as the smile I wear
Cold as the beaches you comb
Till the cows come home

Tell the truth again - Tell the truth again
Near to the knuckle, near to the knuckle
Why're you laughing ? - You call that laughing ?
Wearing your death's head grin - Even the fishes are thin
When the boat comes in

Things are better now - Things are better now
We've education
I doff my cap to a life that lets you
Dream a poor man's dream
But he can't have his coffee with cream
Till the cows come home


Pearly Gates

Feel the sun upon your back
Someone somewhere wants to steal it
Pray each night you'll catch the thief
But while you sleep he comes and takes it

Does that make you think little girl ?
Doesn't it just little boy

There'll be no stampede on the Pearly Gates
I'll say after you you'll say I don't mind the wait
There'll be no stampede on those imposing doors
Naked and afraid, cowering we crawl on all fours

See the smile on her young face
Watch life casually erase it
Now I know she's all grown up
She wears a look I can't quite place yet

What makes you cry little girl ?
Maybe I'm scared little boy

There'll be no stampede on the Pearly Gates
I'll say after you you'll say I don't mind the wait
There'll be no stampede on those imposing doors
Naked and afraid, cowering we crawl on all fours
There'll be no stampede on the Pearly Gates
I'll say after you you'll say I don't mind the wait