1. |
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This one plays bass, that one plays guitar,
Albert plays drums, he's the real star
Alberto Zi and the Uptown Three
Alberto Zi and the Uptown Three
Oh and the Uptown Three
I love the look I love the name
Your songs have too many hooks,
It's hard to pick my favourite
Alberto Zi and the Uptown Three
Alberto Zi and the Uptown Three
Oh and the Uptown Three
I love the look, I love the name,
And I love the way, you all dress the same
I just can't help myself I watch you everyday
Hey hey hey hey
I've seen the lot, I've seen them all
From the cotton club, to the albert hall
Alberto Zi and the Uptown Three
Alberto Zi and the Uptown Three
Oh and the Uptown Three
You looked so good untouched by fame,
Now just a distant blur upon a crowded stage
Alberto Zi and the Uptown Three
Alberto Zi and the Uptown Three
Oh and the Uptown Three
The circle tightened, you lost fans like me
And man yeah I know you're frightened, it's not how it was supposed to be
But one more time for
Albert and the Uptown Three
Oh the Uptown Three
This one plays bass, this one plays guitar
That one plays drums, he's the real star
Alberto Zi and the Uptown Three
Alberto Zi and the Uptown Three
Oh and the Uptown Three
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2. |
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Well I roam around, and I roam uptown,
Looking for any place,
Where trouble can be found,
Mr officer don't you understand?
Without a drop of liquor, I'm half a man
You see the scars on my face,
You know I'll live to regret it
But I made mistakes and life won't let me forget it
(So I say) I am the flood, I am the storm
I am the dead, I am the born
You've been a real good friend to me
and now I'm here to tell you my story
The lights flash to green, then flicker back to red,
It's Halloween and all the patients are dead
Chauffeur you just drive and ask questions later
This town's as tough as the hide of an alligator
They tried to build a shrine, but all they left was a crater
You want the truth its lying, in a sea of data
(So I say) I am the cause, I am the root
I am the floor hand, and the suit
All travelled roads lead back to me
So pull a seat I'll tell you my story
Ah last week I built another shed
Then re-enforced the garden with lead
There's concrete in the flower bed
They ask me have you taken your meds
I tell them 'you leave me alone,
all you do is moan!'
So listen here young man, one thing to understand
This is all a game and you've the losing hand
I won the royalty case and see that's the key
now everything that you make is coming back to me
You think I'm giving that up?
You must be out of your tree
In fact I raise a cup,
To every penny that you don't see
(So I say) I am the plague, I am the rot
from the country club to my luxury yacht
It's been a long and hard journey
but now I'm back to tell you my story
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3. |
So Thankful
04:05
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I got the letter that you sent me
by candlelight and quill,
you scratched 'I hate you still'
When should I expect you home?
You asked the shaman if he met me
He said 'Girl I've got some vim but I wouldn't go near him,
Now you just leave well alone'
Well darling the Shaman is a fool
I'm right here waiting
Firm and Faithful as a mule
Everyday that god gives me I come away thinking
That I still want you to hold
Won't you come home?
these two halves will make one whole
I'm waiting, bring me back in from the cold
The birthday boy received the biscuit
He's just like your brother Roy with that big old box of toys
and a face as hard as stone
'Cause darling he misses you too,
We're right here waiting
Trying to get in touch with you
Everyday that god gives me I come away thinking
You shake your head, smiling no
You never knew me though
come home
these two halves will make one whole
I'm waiting, bring me back in from the cold
Just how clear can I be?
I'm grateful for the friendship
that you've given me
I sold your mother to pay the meter,
it's not like I had a choice but of course I heard your voice
What was I supposed to do?
I'm poorer than the old woman in the shoe,
I'm right here waiting,
trying to get in touch with you
Every day that god gives me I come away thinking
That I still want you to hold
Won't you come home?
These two halves will make one whole
I'm waiting, bring me back in
From the cold
Everyday that god gives me I come away
Everyday that god gives me I come away
Hey, Hey
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4. |
Drug Deal
03:39
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Lockdown, my beard is growing
Cried out, I'll shave the skin off my face
There's not much left now
Funghi is growing in the floorboards
I'll grow some for my wierdo friends
There's always a place they can't rent
Pennies fall into the wishing water
Wish for and then it's time for slaughter
I try to call them back again and again,
I'm gonna spend
Drug deal is happening right behind me
Silver capsules falling out their car
Step on the gas
Keep laughing, keep laughing
Keep laughing, keep laughing
Don't be afraid
Nothing's going to happen
Death on their heads
Keep laughing, keep laughing
Keep laughing, keep laughing
Keep laughing, keep laughing
Keep laughing, keep laughing
Don't be afraid
All that's going to happen
Death on their heads
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5. |
Archway Blues
02:36
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Now the dogs have lost their bark
Big Jimmy's playing in the park
sister's afraid of the dark
And the pubs are soon to close
everyone's getting up to go
I'll join them later, I suppose
Oh, I know you've gone,
now everything has gone away
will I see you in my dreams one sunny day?
Oh, I know you've gone,
now everything has gone away
will I see you in my dreams one sunny day?
No one told me years ago
that for every blue day there's a grey
no one told me, good times they go away
will I see you in my dreams one sunny day?
Now the hounds are laughing too
I'm still tying up my shoes
drunk like a school boy, and confused
Oh, I know you've gone,
now everything has gone away
will I see you in my dreams one sunny day?
oh, I know you've gone,
now everything has gone away
will I see you in my dreams one sunny day?
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6. |
Pure As The Word
03:22
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I'm pure, pure as the word
skin as fresh as mountain dew
pure as faith, the one who waits
sitting patiently for you
pure as joy, pure as pain
empty words that ring hollow
from the soil to the grave
pure as places light won't go
my sunshine, the palest white
so pay no heed the stones they throw
clear as sight, pure as the dream
down any stream my waters flow
pure as scorn, it remains
it don't matter where I go
I am born with the stain
there are marks that always show
'Cos you're pure, pure as the new
the sky the earth and all that moves
pure as snow, the white shadow
that stares you down the avenue
pure as night, pure as day
if everything I ever knew
is a knife to the flame
pure is pure what means to you
boy I could talk to her all night
I'm the lucky one, let it be known
I'm a funny one, let it be shown
'Cos I'm pure
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7. |
Wally Pine
02:33
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They put it out on cherry red,
'we'll press 100' Ian said
it's not doing so hot
oh god, I'm all out of that kind of luck today
So leave the boxes there
downstairs there's more there to your left
just give them a shove
there's more where they came from,
do you think that we've got enough?
You beg them would they reply 'olé!'
can't give them away
The bread I'm loathe to borrow,
wind up in dickies hollow
am I saying too much?
they'll land you in double dutch
revision, no religion
shrimps on LSD
their eyes are big, the legend underneath
just hiding from the reef
We put it out on cherry red
this thermostat still runs cassette
if you're not in a rush
their red off the press hit the needle,
you'll stay to lunch
they closed the cash dispenser,
and no I've not the rent sir
The bread I'm loathe to borrow
wind up in dickies hollow
am I saying too much?
they'll land you in double dutch
revision, no religion
shrimps on LSD
their eyes are big, the legend underneath
just hiding from the reef
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8. |
Sick Free Idol
02:14
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Cried today, 'cos nothing seems to go my way
And I don't like the things you say, well oh no
What a shame, take me back to Saturday
And everything will be okay, well oh no
Well I don't care
as long as I can get my share
Truth be told
I can't see, the pain that's caught inside of me
I think I'll run away to see, growing old
But I've got pride
And they can't take it if they tried, truth be told
Once, when I was young
You came along and I felt like I belonged
And now you're gone and I carry on
But I'll be fine and I'll prove everybody
wrong this time
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9. |
Mr White
03:52
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Mr white sleeps alone all day and night
dreams are high and his lights are
low down too
somebody won't you go and check on him?
with his funny spells
Mr white, keeps his whiteness out of sight
lifting rice, who would miss his egg fried mice?
hear him sing, telephones that never ring
hell if he can't tell
Mr White's been laying on the lawn
all the lights went out now he is warm
what a funny day, now he's too tired to move
I'm sure he laughed his days away
always in a haze, all the lights were dim
who cares it always ends the same
In disguise again look at him
Mr White, says he lost his appetite
Nickelwise, killers floss behind the eyes
Hear him sing, oh I think there's someone in
What a funny smell
I'm sure he laughed his days away
Always in a haze, that's the way to live
Who cares it always ends the same
He's turning white again, look at him
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10. |
Joanna & Miguel
04:05
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We live close to the beach,
behind the refectory
Yo, Joanna and Miguel, Echoes in a shell
living by the sea, washed up in a cell
nothing left to sell, Joanna and Miguel
Born in a torn country, into the wrong family
Yo, Joanna and Miguel, Echoes in a shell
living by the sea, washed up in a cell
nothing left to sell, Joanna and Miguel
It's not a dream, it's just a web of lies
who goes to sleep with crosses on their eyes?
No, not Joanna and Miguel, echoes in a shell
living by the sea, washed up in a cell
nothing left to sell, Joanna and Miguel
We live close to the beach
dreams floating just out of reach
Yo, Joanna and Miguel, echoes in a shell
living by the sea, washed up in a cell
nothing left to sell, Joanna and Miguel
Joanna and Miguel
Joanna and Miguel
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11. |
Sunday's Lost
03:44
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Church steeple chimes on sunday morn,
clocks stop the day that you were born
My Friend, You haven't changed
Hear the clink of glasses raised
As they kick the hands away
Monkeys stop to speculate
Talking shop with the delegate
the moneys drunk on dead handshakes
and restroom breaks
father plays in stocks and trades,
cleans his rifle on Saturdays
the birds he hunts are made of clay
and they thank him in the ricochet
How many men have cursed his name?
a penny earned for every pound he made
Rose see that man he drinks for free,
you'll laugh 'he's a better man than me benny'
His voice is soft
and hands lined with clay as he stares
into the grey
Children's toys stay locked away
For the hand me down matinee
The day their piggy banks all break
like cheap porcelain
Orphans curtsey as they wait
Just like the dogs that daddy trains
it's thirsty work, they pile the plates:
higher every day
The landlord's listening to country music
rose she's talking to god, does he hear me?
does he hear me?
Knives drawn a shark's eye for the street
top heavy but talks light on his feet
making time for any passing lady
watch him move from man to child
with every flicker of his smile
no free admission on Sundays
Lost to tear aways
papal visits for emigres
in blood they trust the bailiffs pay, everyday
Oh blast I never had it at all to lose it
I never thought it would cost me everything,
oh just everything
The moat runs cold and drawbridge raised
canon balls are going to waste for
paper weights
half dead statues hold their truths,
Count the candles and chambermaids
they smile at you, but the lips don't move
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