Forever Young: The Ska Collection

Buster, he sold the heat with a rock-steady beat

An earthquake is erupting, but not in Orange street
A ghost-dance is preparing, You got to help us with your feet
If you're not in the mood to dance, step back, grab yourself a seat
This may not be uptown Jamaica, but we promise you a treat

Buster bowl me over with your bogus dance, shuffle me off my feet
Even though I'll keep on runnin', I'll never get to Orange street

So I'll say there's nothin' left to say, for the man who set the beat
So I'll leave it up to you out there, to get him back on his feet

Bring back the, who is the, we want the
Bring back the Prince...aahh!

You're looking and listening and hoping that things are changing for the better
You're trying to see if what you're teaching is the truth, sir
You're looking and listening and hoping that things will change for better
Don't wanna preach or teach the blues to you now brother

I just left Victoria Gardens
And walked through Cardboard City land
A burnt out star was asking
How would I like to shake his hand

I walked on in no hurry (hurry, hurry, hurry)
And wondered where did we go wrong

Looking, listening, hoping that things are changing for the better
Don't wanna preach or teach the blues to you now brother

I walked on in no hurry (hurry, hurry, hurry)
And wondered where did we go wrong

Looking, listening, hoping that things are changing for the better
(Only time can tell) don't wanna preach or teach the blues to you now brother

It's a bloody fine situation
That we find ourselves in
He said something I couldn't mention here
And we laughed with him again

I walked on in no hurry (hurry hurry hurry)
And wondered where did we go wrong

Looking, listening, hoping that things are changing for the better
And trying to see if what you're teaching is the truth, sir

She said it's for the good of us all (of us all, of us all)

Looking, listening, hoping that things are changing for the better
Don't wanna preach or teach the blues to you now brother

I'm not so sure (sure, sure, sure)

And now it is early evening
I look across grey Leicester Square
A large and silent crowd were walking
Said they had every right to be there

Looking, listening, hoping that things are changing for the better
(Said they had every right to be there)
And trying to see if what you're teaching is the truth, sir
(Said they had every right to the square)

Looking, listening, hoping that things are changing for the better
(You get what you don't want) [righ to be there]
Don't wanna preach or teach the blues to you now brother
(You want what you don't get) [right to be there]

Looking, listening, hoping that things are changing for the better
(You have what you don't need) [right to the square]
And trying to see if what you're teaching is the truth, sir
(You need what you don't have) [right to be there]

A train ride to Tuesday
A platform far away
Scarlet shades of evening
Move clouds of grey

Awaking arriving
The dirty station where
He passes crowds of people
Who don't see him there

Here's a desert island room
For a man who's cast away
Stranded in this home from home
From his family far away

Home, well this is it
This is it, is this my heart?
I miss you with all my heart
This is not, is this not my home?

One shoelace, cardboard suitcase
One passport from the Queen
One room for a light bulb
Where no one's been

Sticks and stones, my old bones
Not like 1954
Then they liked me fine
But not anymore

This empty room
Where he's marooned
With nothing left to say
But in the dark
He thinks of home far away

Home, well this is it
This is it, is this my heart?
I miss you with all my heart
This is not, is this not my home?

I feel cold getting old
More than the climate's change
Stranded on this island
The rate of exchange

Here's a desert island room
For a man who's cast-away
Today he will not be at work
There is no work anyway

How is it when you feel it?
Do you wonder what gets you down?
You're looking in the windows
When you walk this town

It's just gone noon
Half past monsoon
On the banks of the river Nile
Here comes the boat
Only half-afloat
Oarsman grins a toothless smile
Only just one more
To this desolate shore
Last boat along the river Nile
Doesn't seem to care
No more wind in his hair
As he reaches his last half mile
The oar snaps in his hand
Before he reaches dry land
But the sound doesn't deafen his smile
Just pokes at wet sand
With an oar in his hand
Floats off down the river Nile
Floats off down the river Nile

(All aboard, night boat to Cairo!)

(Night boat to Cairo!)

Naughty boys in nasty schools
Headmaster's breaking all the rules
Having fun and playing fools
Smashing up the woodwork tools
All the teachers in the pub
Passing round the ready-rub
Trying not to think of when
The lunchtime bell will ring again.

Oh what fun we had
But, did it really turn out bad
All I learnt at school
Was how to bend not break the rules
Oh what fun we had
But at the time it seemed so bad
Trying different ways
To make a difference to the days.

The headmaster's had enough today
All the kids have gone away
Gone to fight with next door's school
Every term, that is the rule
Sits alone and bends his cane
Same old backsides again
All the small ones tell tall tales
Walking home and squashing snails.

Lots of girls and lots of boys
Lots of smells and lots of noise
Playing football in the park
Kicking pushbikes after dark
Baggy trousers, dirty shirt
Pulling hair and eating dirt
Teacher comes to break it up
Back of the 'ead with a plastic cup.

Baggy trousers, baggy trousers, baggy trousers
Baggy trousers, baggy trousers, baggy trousers

City! [Repeat x3]

He is just a boy in the city
Dressed the same he's uniformly pretty
He knows it's the time
He can read the signs
He can really change
In the city

The best dressed boy in town he thinks it's funny
Half a dozen jobs makes his money
He is just a boy in the city
Friday night propels Walter Mitty
It's about time
He can read the signs
A night on the town
In the city

Monday is a work day
Tuesday's much the same
Wednesday comes and goes away
Thursday's back again

Friday night is Sunday in the morning
Monday brings the weekend's final yawning
Now it's about time
He has crossed the line
He is miles away
In the city

City! [Repeat x5]

Now it's about time
He can read the signs
He can really change
It is on his mind
He has crossed the line
He has gone once more
From the city