The Stranglers : Black and White

Punk-Rock / United-Kingdom
(1978 - United Artists Records)
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Lyrics


1. TANK

I can sign for 1, 2 or 3 or 4
Get three weeks off in a year or more
Save up and get my very own SLR
'Cos I can drive (drive)
My very own tank
Yes I can drive (drive)
My very own tank
Yes I can drive (drive)
My very own tank
Yes I can drive (drive)
My very own tank

Can you see the bullet's high velocity
It can blow a man's arm off at the
Count of three
If I get my hands on one of those
I'm something to watch out for
I can drive (drive)
My very own tank
Yes I can

Yes I can

Don't care whereabouts they send me now
Send picture postcards to my old mother and father
And when I come home they'll have
Someone to be proud of
I can drive (drive)
My very own tank
Yes I can drive (drive)
My very own tank
Yes I can drive (drive)
My very own tank
Yes I can drive (drive)
My very own tank
Yes I can
Maim (maim)

*****

2. NICE & SLEAZY

We came across the west sea
We didn't have much idea of the
Kind of climate waiting
We used our hands for guidance
Like the children of a preacher
Like a dry tree seeking water
Or a daughter
Nice 'n' sleazy
Nice 'n' sleazy does it

Nice 'n' sleazy
Nice 'n' sleazy
Does it does it does it every time

Nice 'n' sleazy
Nice 'n' sleazy
Does it does it does it every time

Nice 'n' sleazy does it

Nice 'n' sleazy
Nice 'n' sleazy
Does it does it does it every time

Nice 'n' sleazy
Nice 'n' sleazy
Does it does it does it every time

Nice 'n' sleazy does it

An angel came from outside
Had no halo had no father
With a coat of many colours
He spoke of brothers many
Wine and women song a plenty
He began to write a chapter
In history
Nice 'n' sleazy
Nice 'n' sleazy does it
Nice 'n' sleazy does it
Nice 'n' sleazy does it
Does it every time

*****

3. OUTSIDE TOKYO

Somewhere outside Tokyo
Invented time
Someone in a factory
Invented time
If people wanted proof to
Carry on they'd like to buy one

50 million watches with a
Strap to sell
50 million watches with a
Strap to sell
If people wanted proof to
Carry on they'd like to buy one

If they should ever sell out
That would be the end of (time)
Be the end of (time)
Be the end of time

*****

4. HEY!

Hey! (hey, hey, what do you say?)
Get out of their way (hey, hey, what do you say?)
Hey! (hey, hey, what do you say?)
Of get way their out (hey, hey, what do you say?)
They're gonna want a union soon
Oil break that's dead on noon

Hey! (hey, hey, what do you say?)
Their way out of get (hey, hey, what do you say?)
You won't have to grease their palms
Shorter hours longer arms

Rise just watch them rise
The rise of the robots
Versatran Series F!

Hey! (hey, hey, what do you say?)
Get out of their way (hey, hey, what do you say?)
Hey! (hey, hey, what do you say?)
Way their of out get (hey, hey, what do you say?)
Metal fashioned into man
No ticker I could drop a tear

Hey! (hey, hey, what do you say?)
Out their way of get (hey, hey, what do you say?)
They're good workers, they don't get bored
Don't get mad at bosses yet

Rise just watch them rise
The rise of the robots
Versatran Series F!

Hey!
Get out of their way (hey, hey, what do you say?)

Hey!
Get out of their way
Just watch them rise
The rise of the robots
Versatran Series F!

*****

5. SWEDEN

Let me tell you about Sweden
Only country where the clouds are interesting
Big brother says it's the place to go

Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time, too little to do
'Cos it's all quiet on the Eastern front

Fluctuations at a minimum
Hypochondriac tombstone
Sense of humour's gone astray somewhere

Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time, too little to do
'Cos it's all quiet on the Eastern front

Cumulus nimbus floats by

Fluctuations at a minimum
Hypochondriac tombstone
Big brother says it's the place to go

It's all quiet on the Eastern front
(All quiet on the Eastern front)
It's all quiet on the Eastern front
(All quiet on the Eastern front)
It's all quiet on the Eastern front
It's all
Quiet

*****

6. TOILER ON THE SEA

I had a woman ship
I took her overseas
She left her hull unlocked
I had to find a dock
I was a toiler on the sea
I was a toiler on the sea
I was a toiler on the sea
I was a toiler on the sea

We didn't use cruel words
To navigate cruel seas
The wind was biting hard
At times I had to scream
I was a toiler on the sea
I was a toiler on the sea
I was a toiler on the sea
I was a toiler on the sea

And when we reached the land
We went aground on the rocks
Became a wreck in the sand
Became a home for a flock
We ventured overland
Fought with the aliens
The young ones used their hands
Pointed the way to a flock
A flock of seagulls!
A flock of seagulls!

Then we retraced our steps
Rebuilt the woman ship
I took her back up north
I lost her in the fog
I was a toiler on the sea
I was a toiler on the sea
I was a toiler on the sea
I was a toiler on the sea
I was a toiler
I was a toiler
I was a toiler
On the sea
On the sea
I was a toiler
I was a toiler
On the sea
I was a toiler
A toiler
A toiler

*****

7. CURFEW

The enemy has cut down all of the power
London south of the Thames is invaded
Westminster is razed down to the ground
The government has fled
The government has fled
The government has fled for Scotland today

Grey becomes black and white
Is it true what they say
They turn the day into night
Black and white becomes

The government has fled into thin air
What's left of our troops have joined with the Scots
To form a defence across of the north
Stay in your homes
Stay in your homes
Be off the streets by nightfall

Grey becomes black and white
Is it true what they say
They turn the day into night
Black and white becomes

Germany failed to protect her borders
She had grown soft with the American dream
Men from the Steppes delivered their vacuum
A new kind of freedom
Freedom's a chain
Maybe I'll find love when their's nothing to do

Grey becomes black and white
Is it true what they say
They turn the day into night
Black and white becomes

*****

8. THREATENED

I don't think things can be (Malfunction malfunctioning)
Pretty or ugly (Malfunction malfunctioning)
All that you can say (Malfunction malfunctioning)
Is if your existence is not threatened in any way (Malfunction malfunctioning)

You are quite safe with me (Malfunction malfunctioning)
I've got my very own philosophy (Malfunction malfunctioning)
All that you can say (Malfunction malfunctioning)
Is if your existence is not threatened in any way
Threatened in any way
Threatened in any way
Threatened in any way
Threatened in any way

Man killed by industry
Man killed by luxury
Man killed by falling tree
Man killed by sanity

Bring me a piece of my mummy
She was quite close to me

*****

9. IN THE SHADOWS

When you're walking on the streets at night
You turn around and die of fright
What's that in the shadows?
What's that in the shadows?

Walking down the streets at night
Turn around and you can die of fright
Walking on the streets at night
Turn around and die of fright
What's that in the shadows?
What's that in the shadows?

Is it a dog?
Is it a cat ?
Is it a dog?
What do you think of that?
When you're walking on the streets at night
Turn around and die of fright
What's that in the shadows?
What's that in the shadows?

Is it a dog?
Is it a cat ?
Is it a dog?
What do you think of that?
When you're walking on the streets at night
Moving, shiny, bright

Walking on the night
When you're walking on the streets at night
Look around you
Look around you

When you're walking on the streets at night
When you turn around and die of fright

Who's there in the shadows?

What's that in the shadows?
What's that in the shadows?
Look around you

*****

10. DO YOU WANNA ?

Do you wanna marry a lumberjack?
Do you wanna freeze to death?
Do you wanna be a beauty queen,
And rule the kingdom?

Let out all the prisoners
Cause that's a jubilee

Do you wanna marry a company director?
Do you wanna go to work?
Do you wanna be a beauty queen,
And rule the kingdom?

Let out all the prisoners
Cause that's a jubilee

Do you wanna marry money?
Do you wanna use your body?
Do you wanna stay at home,
On the range?

Do you wanna blow your mind?
Do you wanna blow your hymen?
Do you wanna blow exams?
Do you wanna fix my muffler?
It's got a hole in it

*****

11. DEATH & NIGHT & BLOOD

Death and night and blood
Death and night and blood

(Death and night and blood)
(Death and night and blood)

When I saw that sparta in his eyes
Young death is good

(Death and night and blood)
(Death and night and blood)

And we decided that to die there was no greater love

(Death and night and blood)
(Death and night and blood)

(Death and night and blood)
(Death and night and blood)

Hey little baby don't you lean down low
Your brain's exposed and it's starting to show
Your rotten thoughts yeuch

(Death and night and blood)
(Death and night and blood)

I was attracted to a night torchlight parade
And there I came

(Death and night and blood)
(Death and night and blood)

Home is a black leather jacket fitting sweetly to my brain

(Death and night and blood)
(Death and night and blood)

Death and night and blood)
Death and night and blood)

Hey little baby don't you lean down low
Your brain's exposed and it's starting to show
Your rotten thoughts yeuch

(Death and night and blood)
(Death and night and blood)

I will force my body to be my weapon and my statement, so

(Death and night and blood)
(Death and night and blood)

(Death and night and blood)
(Death and night and blood)

Hey little baby don't you lean down low
Your brain's exposed and it's starting to show
Your rotten thoughts yeuch

(Death and night and blood)
(Death and night and blood)

*****

12. ENOUGH TIME

What's gonna happen when the sky goes black?
What will you do when the sea comes back?
What if there's no way of moving back?
What when your face falls apart?

Have you got enough time?
Have you got enough time?
Have you got enough time?

You're drifting out like a child who's lost
Who's looking for a better way
You're moving like a coin in the air
What when your face falls apart?

Have you got enough time?
Have you got enough time?
Have you got enough time?

You're maybe looking for a sign of life
You hope it's gonna save your life
What will you do to restore your sight?
What when your face falls apart?

Have you got enough time?
Have you got enough time?
Have you got enough time?

Have you got enough time?
Have you got enough time?

lyrics added by IllusionLord - Modify this lyrics