Artful Dodger

(ian hunter)

(transcribed by adrian perkins; minor correction by colin ford)

How ya doin' - all right?

I-i-i spy with my little eye
Something beginning with you
Drool drool drool nearly fell off me stool
I hope you fancy me too
Now i don't wanna set the world on fire
Any old iron, any old iron will do (all right)

Smirk smirk smirk the g 'n t's work
She can knock 'em back like a fish
Smarm smarm smarm i turned up me charm
I think i'm on a promise (he thinks he's on a promise)
Some say yes 'n some say no
And my old man says 'mind how you go'
A little bit o' this, a little bit o' that
If you can't take a joke well sod ya
(oh) i'm a dysfunctional chap
'n they call me the artful dodger

Chat chat chat it's back to the flat
I strum me little spanish guitar
Gloat gloat gloat she said 'n i'll quote
'you can take down my particulars' (take down her particulars)
It's a funny old life if you weaken, innit?
You gonna have a laugh, yeah you've gotta give it
A little bit o' this, a little bit o' that
Look out for pc plodger
If a job's worth doin' it's worth doin' well
'n they call me the artful dodger

(get on yer bike!)
I said yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If you can't take a joke well sod ya
(oh) i'm a bit of a lad
'n they call me the artful dodger
(now) a little bit o' this, a little bit o' that
Hoist up the jolly roger
That's the way to do it!
Call me the artful dodger
'n i'm doin' all right
Yes i'm doin' all right, yes i'm doin' all right
Yes i'm doing very well, thank you
How ya doin' all right (we're doin' all right)
How ya doin' all right (we're doin' all right)
How ya doin' all right (yeah we're doin' all right)
How ya doin' all right (we're doin' all right)
They call me the artful dodger
They call me the artful dodger
They call me the artful dodger
... (repeat and fade)

(ian hunter/darrel bath/honest john plain)

(transcribed by adrian perkins; corrections by colin ford)

Bimbo, flirts, sluts in skirts - muscles brightly glisten
Conversation's full of filth - let's all have a listen
Oh dear oh dear we live in fear
Media bulbs a poppin'
If you're bent, they're on your scent
There can be no stoppin'

Peroxide blondes, vagabonds, into 'eavy metal
Your hair looks like its been done by a dyke with a score to settle
Mud needs raking, photos taken of your murky past
Haunts you, taunts you, love it don't you

Hey hey the gang's all here
Pimps 'n' pervs, straights 'n' queers
Enquiring minds want to sneer at the skeletons in your closet
Sunday morning in the park,
Down the pub or in the bath
We'll all have a good old laugh
At the skeletons in your closet

Skeletons in your, skeletons in your, skeletons in your closet
Skeletons in your, skeletons in your, skeletons in your closet

It's bloody marvellous - innit?
It's bloody marvellous - innit?

Juicy bits, saucy snips, there's gold in them there gutters
Blue rinse mob on the job, curtains all a-flutter
It's cheapo culture, bleeding ulcers, burnt out by the score
Lurid tales never fails to shock you to the core
Kinky boots 'n' rubbber suits,
It's all going on next door!
Caught you, taught you, love it don't you

If you've had your face re-done
If you spank your girlfriend's bum
We can all join in the fun
At the skeletons in your closet
What's the world coming to?
Ain't we got nothin' better to do?
To spend all day sifting through
The skeletons in your closet

Hey hey the gang's all here
Pimps 'n' pervs, straights 'n' queers
Enquiring minds want to sneer
At the skeletons in your closet

Skeletons in your, skeletons in your, skeletons in your closet
Skeletons in your, skeletons in your, skeletons in your closet
Skeletons in your, skeletons in your, skeletons in your closet
Skeletons in your, skeletons in your, skeletons in your closet
Skeletons in your, skeletons in your, skeletons in your closet
Skeletons in your, skeletons in your, skeletons in your closet
Skeletons in your, skeletons in your, skeletons in your closet
Skeletons in your, skeletons in your, skeletons in your closet

(ian hunter)

(transcribed by justin purington; minor corrections by colin ford)

Well i lay underneath an ageless sky
I watched the universe breathing
There's more going on up there than meets the eye
Give me something to believe in

Which way's in and which way's out
Every step is misleading
Well which way is up which way is down
You gotta have something to believe in

Oh, let me dream, let me dream
I spend my whole life dreaming
I've been lucky but i'm still mean
You gotta have something to believe in

I didn't mean to hurt the people i hurt
I was full of fear and loathing
I wasn't up to much, but i was all i had to go on
Couldn't find nothing to believe in

I don't like all them man-made religions
They all need a little spiritual healing
They don't cut across race, they don't cut across culture
But we all need something to believe in

So you believe what you want to believe
Just stay true to your feelings
'cause one man's god's just as good as another now
Gotta have something to believe in

Well i lay underneath a royal throne
The gaudy paint was peeling
Half an inch deep and twice as cheap
Oh give me something to believe in

Fat fred always packing lead
On the corner dealing
Makes more in a night than i can make in forty days
Give me something to believe in

Now people worship what they see
Looks can be deceiving
Violence rages in abandoned hearts
'cause they ain't got nothing to believe in

The chill chill is a bitter pill
When it comes to leaving
'cause there ain't no easy way outta here
When you ain't got nothing to believe in

Just woke up in sarajevo city
I watched all those mothers screaming
Kids getting shot and for what, and for what?
Give me something to believe in

Now there's fire outside, mud that slides
Earthquakes shake the region
Willy and the poorboys lost in america
They ain't got nothing to believe in

For every seed of knowledge found
For every grain of reason
For every shred of decency
There's something to believe in

Now i lay me down to rest
In the silence of the evening
And the moon road shines from here to eternity
I've got something to believe in

You believe what you want to believe
Just stay true to your feelings
'cause one man's god's just as good as another
I've got something to believe in.

(ian hunter)

(transcribed by justin purington; minor correction by colin ford)

I can smile
On a warm summer day
I can laugh
I can listen to the children play
But i'm going to miss
The killer with the kiss
He was a friend of mine
Now is the time
Now is the time

It's going to rain
Hope it don't rain on you
There's going to be a lot of pain
Before this thing is through
If jesus was alive
He'd be standing on the m5
Holding up a neon sign
Screaming now is the time
Now is the time

Now is the time
So many people can't see
They think that love is blind
But it ain't free
There's a line
So many people have crossed
And now their love is lost
Say goodbye
My funny valentine
Now is the time
Now is the time

Now is the time
Now is the time

I can run
Just as far as my eyes can see
And i'm free, yeah,
Just as free as i want to be
But i won't ever forget
That crazy little planet
He was a friend of mine

Now is the time
Now is the time
Now is the time
Now is the time
Now is the time
Now is the time
Now is the time

(ian hunter/mcnasty)

(transcribed by justin purington)

Little flame tormented soul
Tried to get lost in all that rock and roll
Came crashing through here like some hurricane
Too much too soon for you little flame

[chorus]
You can't walk on water
You can't walk on water, don't try
Like a lamb to the slaughter
Oh! but for the grace of god go i

Little flame caught that savage sound
He liked to turn it upside down
Well i think i know what you were talking about
I'm just so sorry that your flame went out

Fun with no conscience, tracks with no tears
The rich get richer and the devil's got no fears
Sounds his call, political lies
There ain't no virtue without sacrifice

You can't walk on water
You can't walk on water
You can't walk on water
You can't walk on water
You can't walk on water
You can't walk on water

You can't walk on
[repeat and fade]

(ian hunter)

(studio version)

(transcribed by justin purington)

In 1935 i was living in paradise, i had a friend up in cicero.
We used to go out to the track, we'd knock a few whiskeys back.
I'd lose my shirt and then i would lose my way home

I was driving my stutz black hawk through justice in the dark,
When suddenly the blood froze in my veins.
She was standing by the road in an incandescent glow,
My heart stood still, my foot slammed on the brakes.

She said "please, please would you dignify my wish?
I'm trying to get to heaven, could you tell me where that is?"

On a wild chicago night, with a wind howling white,
I caught my first sign of resurrection mary.

I was trembling like a leaf, i was scared beyond belief,
After all my conscience ain't that clear.
I used to work for mickey finn, i did the numbers for big jim
Perhaps my day of reckoning lies here?

I said "please, please, i would dignify your wish.
But when it comes to heaven, i'm just a little bit amateurish."

On a wild chicago night, with a wind howling white
I cheated time with resurrection mary.

And i felt tears form in my eyes,
For the first time i felt something deep inside,
And the first time i saw angels high in the air,
For the first time in my life,
And i said "mary, go to the light, it's gonna be alright."

I got down on my knees, i said "sweet mary, please,
Dignify these wishes before you run.
Will you tell him i've reformed, will you tell him i'm reborn?"
She closed her eyes and then she spoke in tongues

I said "please, please, tell me what he said."
She said "you must die
The day before the devil knows you're dead."

On a wild chicago night, with a wind howling white
I waved goodbye.

On a wild chicago night, oh with a wind howling white
I lost sight
Of resurrection mary
Of resurrection mary
Of resurrection mary
Of resurrection mary
With the naked eye
With the naked eye
With the naked eye
With the naked eye

There are a number of differences to the lyrics in the live version as performed at the mick ronson memorial concert at london's hammersmith apollo, 29th april 1994.

(live version, transcribed by wim woittiez)

In 1935 i was living in paradise, i had a friend up in cicero.
We used to go out to the track and knock a few whiskeys back.
I'd lose my shirt and then i'd lose my way home

I was driving my stutz back home through justice in the dark,
When suddenly the blood froze in my veins.
She was standing by the road in an incandescent glow.
My heart said 'run' but my foot slammed on the brakes.

She said "please, please would you justify my wish?
I'm trying to get to heaven, will you tell me where that is?"

On a wild chicago night, with a wind howling white,
I caught my first sign of resurrection mary, rm, rm, rm.

I was trembling like a leaf, i was scared beyond belief,
After all my conscience is not clear.
I used to work with mickey finn, i did the numbers for big jim
Perhaps my day of reckoning was here?

I said "please, please, i'd love to dignify your wish.
But when it comes to heaven, i'm just a little bit amateurish."

On a wild chicago night, with a wind howling white
I cheated time with resurrection mary, rm, rm, rm.

Yeah the tears were forming in my eyes,
For the first time, i felt something deep inside,
And for the first time i saw angels high in the air,
For the first time in my life.
I said "mary, go to the light, it's gonna be alright."

I got down on my knees and i said "sweet mary, please,
Justify the wishes before you run.
Will you tell him i've reformed, will you tell him i'm reborn?"
She closed her eyes and then she spoke in tongues

I said "please, please, will you tell me what he said?"
She said "you must die
The day before the devil knows you're dead."

On a wild chicago night, with a wind howling white
Well i waved goodbye to ressurection mary, rm, rm, rm.

On a wild chicago night, with a wind howling white
I lost sight
Of resurrection mary
Of resurrection mary
Of resurrection mary
Of resurrection mary
With the naked eye
With the naked eye
With the naked eye
With the naked eye.