Word gets around

All tracks written by: Jones/Jones/Cable

Words by: Kelly Jones

1. A thousand trees
2. Looks like chaplin
3. More life in a tramps vest
4. Local boy in the photograph
5. Traffic
6. Not up to you
7. Check my eyelids for holes
8. Same size feet
9. Last of the big time drinkers
10. Goldfish bowl
11. Too many sandwiches
12. Bill daveys daughter

A thousand trees
Standing at the bus stop with my shopping in my hands
when I'm overhearing elder ladies
as the rumours start to fly
you can hear them in the school yard
scrap yard chip shop phone box in the pool hall
at the shoe stall
every corner turned around

it started with a school girl
who was running
running home to her mom and dad
told them she was playing
in the change room of her local football side
they said tell us again
so she told them again
they said tell us the truth
they found it hard to believe
cause he taught our steve he even trained me
taught uncle john who's father of three

but it only takes one tree to make
a thousand matches
only takes one match to burn
a thousand trees

you see it in the class room
in the swimming pool
where the matchstick men are made
at the scouts hall at the football
where the wise we trust are paid
they all honour his name
he did a lot for the game
he got his name knocked up above the sports ground gates
but now they are ripping them down
stamping the ground
picture gathers dust behind the bar in the lounge
it takes one tree to make

a thousand matches
only takes one match to burn
a thousand trees

wake up and smell the rain
shake up he's back to stay
he hasn't been on a holiday
his growing seeds
don't believe why he's been away
in the school yard change room playing fields bathroom
phone box office blocks corner turned around
they keep doubting the flame
tossing the blame
got his name knocked up above the sports ground gates
but now they're ripping them down
stamping the ground
picture gathers dust in the bar in
the lounge
it takes one tree to make

a thousand matches
it only takes one match to burn
A thousand trees

Looks like chaplin
I feel the wash close down the street
yet chaplin walks feet nine fifteen
and I hear them call his name
and I see him turn away
they take him in and clean him up
they take him in and strip him down
dry his skin and feed him wine
and I hear them call his name
and I see him turn away

asks to use the phone
yet he lives alone
he lives alone
there's no one home to phone
sits alone home alone
he calls his hone his own
wife is still unknown

More life in a tramps vest
I get camping eyes in the final hour
last minute shoppers picking cauliflower
the fuss they make you'd swear they were buying a car
always moan moan it's not so cheap
cheaper still cheaper still down the street
I lose my rag
and tell them take your bag
and shop down there closing down closing down another road
one way system steals the show
mac the knife swigs a can and sings the day away
there's more life in a tramps vest

flower man sits down in the street
surrounded by stock he bought back last week
bring back the ladies wearing lipstick on their teeth
make up we make up a crappy joke
sit back relax and have a smoke
mac the knife swigs a can and sings the day away
there's more life in a tramps vest

Local boy in the photograph
there's no mistake I smell that smell
it's that time of year again I can taste the air
clocks go back railway track
something blocks the line again
and the train runs late for the first time
pebble beach we're underneath a pier just been painted red
where I hear the news for the first time

and all the friends lay down the flowers
sit on the banks and drink for hours
talk of the way they saw him last
local boy in the photograph

he'll always be twenty three
yet the train runs on and on
past the place they found his clothing

Traffic
we all face the same way
still it takes all day
take a look to my left
pick out the worst and the best

she paints her lip greasy and thick
another mirror stare and
she's going where?
another office affair?
to kill an unborn scare?
talk dirty to the priest?
makes them human at least
is she running away?
to start a brand new day?
or she going home?
why's she driving alone?

is anyone going anywhere?
everyone's gotta be somewhere
she got a body in the boot ?
or just bags full of food ?
those are models legs
but are they womens are they mens?
she shouts down the phone
missed a payment on the loan
she gotta be above the rest
keeping up with the best

is anyone going anywhere?
everyone's gotta be somewhere
wait tables for a crook?
wrote a hard back book?
you teach kids how to read?
sell your body on the street?
a nurse without a job?
another uptown snob ?
but have I got you wrong?
one look and you were gone
is anyone going anywhere?
everyone gotta be somewhere

Not up to you
salt grips the road
awaits his lift again street orange glow
shades the odds against one more sip
a shoe a miss a shaving nick
one extra kiss who's to know whatever!
not up to me not up to you

swings don't swing the parks
been dead for years
how do you know the last swing weren't your last
for good hard book on freaks
fresh summer peach creased magazine
sugar chocolate treat who's to know whatever!
not up to me not up to you

the street's so long where she lost her pocket purse
kept the last picture of the man she committed first
cracked windscreen rain french murder play junk take away
tired street parades who's to know whatever!
whatever!
not up to me not up to you
not up to anything we do

Check my eyelids for holes
I gotta lose weight I swallow honey
is my stand up show still that funny
am I back for good
I said that I said that I would be
she's down waist low trying to make me happy
because I like watching you

it's time I tried tried to check my check my eye lids check for holes
it's time I tried tried to check my check my eye lids check for holes
two weeks late I gotta test for babies
shop take is falling low I'm not going back back to the factory's
because I like what I do
it's time I tried tried to check my check my eye lids check for holes
it's time I tried tried to check my check my eye lids check for holes

Same size feet
A week's too long not to ring
re colours her hair and waits for him
no cat against dog just head over heals
sex twice a date best time in years
oh no why hasn't he phoned
she has to wait until he's on his own
lying and denying so no body knows
I'll tell her this week is what he tells her to keep her on loan
he'll buy her one day

sex drives oral highs cheated wives and spies
cream cakes coffee dates floral gifts goodbye
passed away for the day had a change of kind
sex changes too mundane for the average mind
oh no she just can't see where he is or where he's been
looked prim and straight like she's always been
all that she saved for went missing again
she could be wrong
she could be wrong
it looks like the words got around

they found a body in the lake
maybe it wasn't really his name
same colour same weight same size feet
it's the not knowing that kills you
oh no the clocks stopped slow
everytime you're on your own
ya' hide from the spies so nobody knows
scratch through the pages of the lazy days news for a clue
still looking for you!

Last of the big time drinkers
ten minutes flat after that day at the factory
I'm drinking like a dog in the sun
I don't need to eat or sleep awink at the weekend
just rot my guts and I can't wait for my next drink
the first is gonna sink
I'm the last of the big time drinkers

I take pride in my work
I'm the last of the big time drinkers
the beer don't taste the same with out my name painted on my glass

I don't live to work I work to live and live at the weekend
and maybe spend a week in the sun
I come home wet the bed throw my sheets out the window
and sunday morning comes
and I can't wait for my next drink
the first one is gonna sink
I'm the last of the big time drinkers
I take pride in my work
I'm the last of the big time drinkers
the beer don't taste the same with out my name painted on my glass
and I can't wait for my next drink the first one it's gonna sink
I'm the last of the big time drinkers
I take pride in my work
I'm the last of the big time drinkers
just give me hops or the slops
I'm the last of the big time drinkers
I take pride in my work
I'm the last of the big time drinkers

Goldfish bowl
the same long faces in the workman's hall
caramel crisp counts his birds
cliff chip's lines up his dominoes
kingfisher lead singer calms his nerves
I'm drinking sinking swimming drowning working smirking learning burning sleeping thieving cheating beating I'm eating I'm deep in a goldfish bowl
It's sink or swim

the hall down town just burns to the ground
my boxing ring turned to ash
red head ginger bread sells tickets at the door
stella sleep walks in the sand
I'm drinking sinking swimming drowning working smirking learning burning sleeping thieving cheating beating I'm eating I'm deep in a goldfish bowl
It's sink or swim
they're looking in
they're looking in

hard up outta luck time to ride the village bike
a bike been used ten times or more
grape vine here's the wife lays down her royal flush
I think I've lost another wife

I'm drinking sinking swimming drowning working smirking learning burning sleeping thieving cheating beating I'm eating I'm deep in a goldfish bowl
It's sink or swim
they're looking in
It's sink or swim

Too many sandwiches
shopping spree for the family tree
haven't seen your family tree in quite a while
too many sandwiches and wine
sherry stains down your best mans tie
what a speech
the band arrives
the granny's cry
singer's tongues in the bar maids mouth
what a voice
grandpa drunk a drop or two
his head's still sunk in the portaloo
what a man

you bought a sequin dress for your chichen breast
the disco's late and he's overpaid tonight
you got a diamond ring and the man who sings
the man who sings made love to the barmaid twice
and that's just tonight
the blue rinsed hairs lift up the chairs
the band's too loud they're off down stairs
what a noise
the bride and groom dance their dance
the singer mimes there's still a chance
the bar maid smiles

Billy daveys daughter
I never knew her name
I only knew her fame
she lived near my town
another goldfish to drown
well I just past the bridge
that parts us from them
the bridge that she used
again and again
again
I remember when they found her
billy davey's daughter
the word gets around
the word gets around billy davey's second daughter
threw herself to dirty water
billy's left with nothing but a dream
billy davey's second daughter
threw herself to dirty water
billy's left with nothing but a dream
he dreams

Word gets around