I like to toy with my clients

I like the deals that we make

I like the way they’re so righteous

– So sure it’s not their mistake

You know who, you know who, you know who, you know who, you know who rules the world

They all think they deserve better

They all think their time is now

They all think my lies are prettier

I told ‘em who really brought the Towers down

You know who, you know who, you know who, you know who, you know who rules the world

And I tell you that it’s easy to pass on the blame

I sing the call to do battle

I sing it in the new places they pray

I sing to the best & to the brightest

Cos the best and the brightest are always plagued

We will all be cared for 

And those who don’t want to be cared for better get the fuck out of the way 

You know who, you know who, you know who, you know who, you know who rules the world

And I tell you that it’s easy to pass on the blame

I like to live near my people

But I like the ear of the king & commissar

I am first among equals

I like to travel First Class 

Amongst those who’re sure this time perfection can be built to last

It’s an army we’re building, we’re no longer just fallen stars

You know who, you know who, you know who, you know who, you know who rules the world

And I tell you that it’s easy to pass on the blame

And we’re falling fallen falling fallen falling….hey hey

I might have been a teacher

A rabbi or a preacher then

But as the path got narrow

I understood I wasn’t one of them

Not for me

The shepherd for a flock of lost souls

I sing I sing I sing

Imperfect words

They roll off my tongue 

I got something for everyone

And as I’ve gotten older

I don’t have the steady shoulder I would like

My framework is more fragile

It’s true I’m less agile in a fight

Not for me

A pugilist scrapping on the kerbs

I sing I sing I sing 

Imperfect words

They roll off my tongue

I got something for everyone

And when I was a dealer

I met people who were meaner than me

They stole my pot my cash 

You could say they let me down reliably

Not again

A merchant of magical herbs 

I sing I sing I sing 

Imperfect words

They roll off my tongue

I got something for everyone

They roll off my tongue

You know I got something for everyone

So gather round friends

Come listen to me

You cunts who thought

I lived the life of a devotee 

Well I’m a big bad wolf

Breathing at your door

You let me in with these words I sing

You let me in once more

In a life that’s full of choice

I got to use my voice, fate smiled

In my strange chosen profession 

I got permission to stay a child

Not for me, responsibility

I’d rather be off with the birds

I sing I sing I sing

Imperfect words

They roll off my tongue 

I got something for everyone

They roll off my tongue 

You know I got something for everyone

Everyone ‘round here

Is driving me insane 

All the contradictions are screwing with my brain

I see their lives are good

I see that life is fine

Then they list all the reasons we’re not living in good times

My mother’s old refrain, I need to complain

I need to complain 

I need to complain – toast me with champagne

I need to complain

A casual remark 

Can earn you the Mark of Cain

And sorry just won’t cut it while the wolves are baying

There’s no hiding in a safe space

And no-one’s feeling safer

Everything you wanna say gets you denounced as traitor

Can you feel the hurricane, I need to complain

  I need to complain

I need to complain – bring on the cocaine

I need to complain

They’re shouting from the rooftops

Everybody’s just the same 

I’m not sure about the rules but I understand the game

They’re waiting for the pill

That changes one into another

Water into wine, sister to a brother

Well at least that’s the claim, I need to complain

I need to complain

I need to complain – smoke the Mary Jane

I need to complain

They’ve complained about desire

Well it leaves a sodden stain

A man might light a fire a woman fan the flame  

They think you can be retrained they think they can rewrite ya

But nature is eternal love will come on back to bite ya

And nothing’s gonna change, I need to complain

I need to complain

I need to complain – find another vein

I need to complain

Everyone ‘round here

Been driving me insane

Recruiting for the cause, every week a new campaign

They say their lives are nogood 

They say their lives are not fine

But I don’t believe they really know

What’s coming down the line

Here we go again, I need to complain

I need to complain   

Toast me with champagne, 

Bring on the cocaine

Smoke the Mary Jane 

Find another vein 

Here we go again – I need to complain

There’s a war that’s coming but you don’t want to fight

Or maybe you’ll fight me

– Hey that ain’t right

The people in this neighbourhood they got better things to do

They think the Fascists won World War Two

Who do you think is coming?

Who do you think is coming for you?

Who do you think is winning

In the battle for this tune?

There’s a battle going on in every street

And a house where there’s no battle is not complete

The enemy is everywhere he disagrees with you

It feels good 

To tear ourselves in two

Who do you think is coming?

Who do you think is coming for you?

Who do you think is winning

In the battle for this tune?

Who did I see you out with last night at the club?

I was warned I shouldn’t let myself fall in love

The people in this neighbourhood 

Have agreed to all split up

There’s a war that’s coming & love ain’t enough

Sometimes I think fighting’s all we got

Who do you think is coming?

Who do you think is coming for you?

Who do you think is winning

In the battle for this tune?

There was war between sapiens & neanderthal

Every century since has a ghastly roll call

You & me are signed on our battles starting small

Our melancholy souls yearn 

For Eden before the Fall

And the ones who know they know 

Are who …

We should fear most of all

Who do you think is coming?

Who do you think is coming for you?

Who do you think is winning

In the battle for this tune?

What can an old lady tell you

That you might want to know

What can an old lady sing

If it’s not only the beginning

I give you a piece of my heart

What else to impart

On this well worn path 

Don’t you forget me

You won’t regret me

I’ll still sing if you let me

Lets drink to getting old

It’s easy to be seduced

By those sirens’ calls

You gladly hand them your cock

But they want your balls

All I’ve got is my fading soul 

And rock ’n roll

That takes it’s toll 

Don’t you forget me

You won’t regret me

I’ll still sing if you let me

Lets drink to getting old

The old and the withered

Were once the young and the strong

Make way make way

For the new youth to sing their song

I’ve moved off centre stage

Traded all that for wisdom or rage

Or a little of both

Don’t you forget me

You won’t regret me

I’ll still sing if you let me

Lets drink to getting old

Let’s make some heaven

In this place that feels like hell 

Get over here baby

You know how to ring my bell

So it’s you and me

Got our grandchildren on my knee

That’s distinctly sexy

Don’t you forget me

You won’t regret me

I’ll still sing if you let me

Lets drink to getting old

If I told you that I loved you

Would it fill you with disgust

Would you tell the world about me

And put me in the dock

Can I tell you I have failed

Failed as a human being

Failed in holding back lust

Failed in the art of seeming

I can tell you

Oh I can tell you

I can tell you without too much fuss

It’s time to take my leave

Yours, with disgust

If I told you you’d entrusted

The world to mad men

Who trade our gorgeous hell

For a totalitarian heaven

Can I tell you I’ve been asked

To spy for the counter revolution

Would it reflect on my probity

Would I be problem or solution

I can tell you

Oh I can tell you

I can tell you without too much fuss

It’s time to take my leave

Yours, with disgust

If I told you that my parents

Met at a school dance

Young and sweet and innocent

That first blossom of romance

Can I tell you that if you could find

The imbalance of power

In something so pure,

Purity is devoured

I can tell you

Oh I can tell you

I can tell you without too much fuss

It’s time to take my leave

Yours, with disgust

If I told you about a world

Where the good had had their way

With me, with you

And none of us could stray

Which means I can tell you

I can tell you

I can tell you

What I want you to say

I can tell you

Oh I can tell you

I can tell you without too much fuss

It’s time to take my leave

Yours, with disgust

I stayed up all night when Ii heard that you’d checked out

From a seedy motel in that seaside resort

The one that we went to together, we weren’t together not then or ever

We did some bad things & never got caught

Truth just the truth you wanted to tell it 

No matter whose feelings wouldn’t be saved

You’d call all my boyfriends losers, I made excuses for your abuses

Then you’d turn around & lie about your age

But you got caught you got caught

You seemed too smart & I never thought

You’d get caught you’d get caught

In a bath in a seaside resort

We spoke a week or so before they called me 

You were on fire about some conspiracy 

Going to court to defend your reputation 

Which needed no defending if they’d only asked me

But you got caught you got caught

You seemed too smart & I never thought

You’d get caught you’d get caught

In a bath in a seaside resort

A man for all seasons a saint of lost weekends

My dear best friend, you loved me thought I

But the syrup of darkness was waiting, no hesitating, so captivating

Into the abyss – die die die die die

And you got caught you got caught

You seemed too smart & I never thought

You’d get caught you’d get caught

In a bath in a seaside resort

But you got caught you got caught

In a bath in a seaside resort

In a bath in a seaside resort

I been thinking about the ten plagues

It took ten plagues for Pharaoh to change his ways

And sometimes we need a gentle prod

To remind us all that we’re not G-d

And we’re not G-d in so many ways

Though the story says in G-d’s image we’re made

But sometimes we have to know what’s what

Which is just how much that we know not

‘Cos we know how to pose like kings 

But we’re blind to our crucial shortcomings

Which sometimes means it’s hard to see

What is actually necessary    

So it’s necessary to free the slaves

And it’s necessary to face down all the plagues

And it’s necessary to shoulder the blame 

For this trip we take, we take alone

There’s not much sleeping to be had 

In the early hours in my king size bed

You’re lying on the other side

I can’t reach you

G-d knows I’ve tried

There’s not much sleeping to be had 

At least admit we’ve given it time 

Neither one of us is in our prime, the engine 

Was gonna stall sometime

There’s not much sleeping to be had

Your ex wives tell the same sad story

Your eyes glaze over once you’ve dug the quarry, & wander 

Looking for new territory

There’s not much sleeping to be had

There’s not much sleeping to be had

I’m like the waking dead

Trying to mend broken thread 

Strangled in my bedspread

There’s not much sleeping to be had

There’s not much sleeping to be had

I’ve forgotten why I had enough

I’ve forgotten what we should discuss

I’ve forgotten why I’m so fucked up

I’m so fucked up

There’s not much sleeping to be had

You drive all night in your black cab

Picking up the stoned and sad, anything 

But coming home’s preferred

There’s not much sleeping to be had 

There’s not much sleeping to be had

There’s not much sleeping to be had

There’s not much sleeping to be had

None of our friends are still together

The rule of thumb from which we measure

While none of it gives me any pleasure

I wish you best of luck in your future endeavours