1. |
Prologue
00:41
|
|
||
2. |
Mr Boxall
04:02
|
|||
3. |
The wheel
05:10
|
|||
_______________________________
Charlie the crab ran a five K tab
so he's keeping out of sight
he knows he can't pay so he sleeps all day
and only comes out at night
he plays B3 in a fleapit cellar
doing it all for tips
ten days, two hours and fifteen seconds
since a drop has passed his lips
at three o'clock he's gonna take a walk
go straight to the gambling hall
take a place at the table with the roulette wheel,
put his trust in the tumbling ball
see him arrange a handful of change
and put it on thirteen black
say a short prayer to god-only-knows,
he's gotta win his money back
place your bets
no lucky numbers, that's the deal
you bet
when the chips are down
the only thing left to do is spin the wheel
Harry was flash he had plenty of cash
but he never seemed to have enough
he passed Long Tall Sally at Good Time Alley
making a profession of love
she said 'I got a proposition, come and try a new position,
one you've never seen before'
But Harry's kind of rouge is marked on the table
and he's always coming back for more
place your bets
no lucky numbers, that's the deal
you bet
when the chips are down
the only thing left to do is …
...spin the wheel
© David Lloyd 2009
|
||||
4. |
Sending the boys round
03:33
|
|||
_____________________________________
the lord of the manor likes to keep a tidy patch
he gets his knickers in twist
if things don't come up to scratch
and so he has a pair of tearaways to put a bit of stick about
Psycho Billy did his time for blackmail and extortion
Knuckles does the sandwiches it's really quite important
that you never look them in the eye
unless you want to wave goodbye
to your family and friends
riding round the Elephant in swanky car
they're always giving it the chin music blah blah blah
putting out the feelers
to eradicate the squealers
and it's too bad if they know where you are
they're sending the boys round
Harry liked to rabbit on and no-one gave a toss
until it looked as if his bunny might incriminate the boss
a monkey says it's curtains
now he's gone and made the big man cross
they take him to a building site, it's off the beaten track
they call it Savile Row but there's no flannel on the rack
although a concrete made-to-measure suit
is sure to stiffen Harry's back
riding round the Elephant in swanky car
they laugh and joke with everybody ha, ha, ha
another tasty cockney geezer
found dismembered in a freezer
everybody knows where they are
they're sending the boys round
'Anyone seen Harry lately?'
'I heard they turned him into a pillar of the community'
striding round the Elephant - mind the camel coat
these irritating blabbermouths
really get my goat
eating pie and mash and liquor
see they're done up like a kipper
shove the bones deep down their throats
keep it buttoned son
who'dya think you're looking at?
we're sending the boys round
© David Lloyd 2010
|
||||
5. |
Taken for a ride
03:28
|
|||
____________________________________
He's been found out
Now it's time to pay
They push him in the back of the car and it drives away
A glance in the mirror as it starts to rain
Charlie wants to speak, say his piece
Needs a chance to explain
But nothing comes out of his mouth
And he feels sick inside
Everyone knows how it feels when you're taken for a ride
Rocco gets mean
And then he gets tough
He says 'Charlie, where's my dough? You've kept me waiting long enough'
You can't get one over on me
I've got my pride
What do you expect me to do? Can't you see my hands are tied?
You can pay or we'll finish it now
We'll let you decide
You've gotta see that's how it is when you're taken for a ride
You can't get one over on me
I've got my pride
What do they expect me to do? Can't they see my hands are tied?
Drop the body at the side of the road
And they'll call it suicide
You've gotta see that's how it is when you're taken for a ride
© David Lloyd 2010
|
||||
6. |
Hollow in her heart
03:58
|
|||
____________________________________
Sally's taking trouble
with her mascara
teasing out the lashes
of her spiderweb eyes
she lost her independence
when she lost her innocence
no formal education
buys her kind of commonsense
damn the expense
hollow in her heart
she suffers no sensation
dreams of a world apart
dreaming that she can dance
dance like a ballerina
meditation over
that's a car in the drive
standing in the doorway now
there's a desperate man
Rocco snaps his fingers
she's got to pay the price
in return for all those diamonds
he wants a sacrifice
hollow in her heart
she suffers no sensation
dreams of a world apart
dreaming that she can dance
she can dance
he says she's gotta take the DI down
to pillow town
give him everything he wants
and Rocco gets to keep his name out of the frame
Sally you owe me
now it's time to show me
hollow in her heart
she suffers no sensation
dreams of a world apart
dreaming that she can dance
dance like a ballerina
she can dance
she can dance like a ballerina
she can dance
she can dance like a ballerina
© David Lloyd 2010
|
||||
7. |
Cat and mouse
03:36
|
|||
____________________________________
we chase them round the houses
we are the cats, they are the mouses
we ain’t no woodentops
we’re a cut above the other cops
guess who-woo-woo?
DS DC DI
Old DS, he knows the score
and he won’t lift a finger
no witnesses or smoking gun
for him the case is over
before it’s begun
we chase them round the houses
we are the cats, they are the mouses
we ain’t no woodentops
we’re a cut above the other cops
Na-na-na-na-na-na-woo-woo-woo
DS DC DI
Keen DC, young and full of soul
bobs his little head about
like a bladder on a pole
Go on tiger, try to make ‘im sing’
‘Sorry Guv: he won’t tell me anyfing
I said “start talking buddy, or I’ll punch you in your teef”
But he says nuffing except “where’s my brief?” ‘
we chase them round the houses
we are the cats, they are the mouses
we ain’t no woodentops
DS DC DI
a cut above
we are the best
we like the hunt
and the arrest
we’re in the squad
we like a bung
we like fisticuffs and handicuffs; and a liddle hanky-panky
Dapper DI has eyes for Sally and her seduction
is that his suffocating aftershave
or the smell of corruption? He says:
‘Rocco, Rocco, give us Mr B
and we’ll find some poor sap to take the rap
and let you go free’
we chase them round the houses
we are the cats, they are the mouses
we ain’t no woodentops
we’re a cut above the other cops
and we'll be there when the music stops
DS DC DI
© David Lloyd 2012
|
||||
8. |
Cut and deal
03:50
|
|||
____________________________________
I am a haunted man
something weighing heavy on my conscience, yeah
I didn’t pull the trigger, man
but I’m stained; blood is on my hands
my mind is sickening
gotta take myself out of the loop
I can hear a darker voice
says it’s time to make a starker choice
cut me a deal - what else can I do?
It’s better for me, it’s sure as hell better for you
you can forget the mercy and forgiveness
let's prepare to do the monkey business
long live the king, so say all of us
but if the terms are generous
I’ll put a stop to him; I’ll put a stop to him
I’ve been his bag man
he’s had my loyalty; where’s my reward?
show me the swag, man
I’ve eaten at his table now I want a bigger share
I have a method and motivation
I’ll find an opportunity
the more a man is trusted
the easier an unsuspecting hand gets busted
cut me a deal - and set me free
It’s better for you, sure as hell better for me
you can forget the mercy and forgiveness
let’s prepare to do the monkey business
long live the king, so say all of us
I’ll plant a Judas kiss, I’ll be his nemesis
I’ll put a stop to him; I’ll put a stop to him
© David Lloyd 2012
|
||||
9. |
The scapegoat
04:42
|
|||
____________________________________
a scapegoat, a patsy, hung out to dry
by Rocco, the judge and a crooked DI
feels like they gave me all the time in the world
miscarriage of justice - that’s nothing new
but it comes as shock when it happens to you
I didn’t do it despite what they say
unrepentant
I did nothing to offend
my conviction will
stay with me to the end
I’m doing a thirty - that’s ten thousand days
stuck behind bars for my work, rest and play
got an old hand to help me with my routine
I’m a danger to the public so say the police
won’t get no parole board: no early release
just get used to it, the best that I can
unrepentant
I did nothing to offend
my conviction will
stay with me to the end
© David Lloyd 2014
|
||||
10. |
Only the winners
03:17
|
|||
____________________________________
measured by the company you keep
clawed your way to the top of the heap
now that you've made it here
let me whisper in your ear
only the winners
get to fight another day
you look at me so curiously
but seriously
you can't afford to ignore this advice
I'm not gonna tell you twice
only the winners
get to fight another day
© David Lloyd 2010
|
||||
11. |
Mr Boxall redux
01:56
|
Oddlyvalid London, UK
Born in south London one lunchtime, two became five, then four, then two, sometimes three.
Now we are four again, one in each corner. As odd and as valid as we ever were.
Streaming and Download help
If you like Oddlyvalid, you may also like:
Bandcamp Daily your guide to the world of Bandcamp