The Jam Album

In the city there's a thousand things I want to say to you
But whenever I approach you, you make me look a fool
I wanna say, I wanna tell you
About the young ideas
But you turn them into fears
In the city there's a thousand faces all shining bright
And those golden faces are under 25
They wanna say, they gonna tell ya
About the young idea
You better listen now you've said your bit-a

And I know what you're thinking
You still think I am crap
But you'd better listen man
Because the kids know where it's at

In the city there's a thousand men in uniforms
And I hope the never have the right to kill a man
We wanna say, we gonna tell ya
About the young idea
And if it don't work, at least we said we've tried

In the city, in the city
In the city there's a thousand things I want to say to you

Seen you before, I know your sort,
You think the world awaits your every breath
You'll be my friend, or so you say
You'll help me out when the time comes

And all the time we're getting rich,
You hang around to help me out

But when we're skint, Oh God Forbid!
You drop us like hot bricks

Artistic Freedom. Do what you want.
But just make sure that the money ain't gone

I'll tell you what, I got you sussed
You'll waste my time, when my time comes.

To be someone must be a wonderful thing
A famous footballer a rock singer
or a big film star, yes I think I would like that
To be rich and have lots of fans
have lots of girls to prove that I'm a man
And be No. 1 - and liked by everyone

Getting drugged up with my trendy friends
They really dig me and I dig them
And the bread I spend - is like my fame - it's quickly diminished

And there's no more swimming in a guitar shaped pool
no more reporters at my beck and call
no more cocaine it's only ground chalk
no more taxis now we'll have to walk

But didn't we have a nice time -
didn't we have a nice time
Oh wasn't it such a fine time

I realize I should have stuck to my guns
instead shit out to be one of the bastard sons
and lose myself - I know it was wrong - but it's cost me a lot

And there's no more drinking after the club shuts down,
I'm out on me arse with the rest of the clowns
It's really frightening without a bodyguard
so I stay confined to my lonely room

All we seem to do is talk about it
we always end up shouting about it
there was a time when we could overcome it
But it's too late to say we'll just forget it
It's too bad that we had to break up
and too much said for us to ever make up
I could get by if I could just forget you
but things remind me and I feel so sad now


Same old feeling everytime I see you
and every avenue I walk I'm behind you
your back is turned and your eyes are closed girl
you move in circles that are out of my reach now

I could say I'm sorry
but it's not the point is it?
you want to play your games and
you don't mind if I get high!

It's not important for you to know my name -
Nor I to know yours
If we communicate for two minutes only
It will be enough
For knowing that someone in this world
Feels as desperate as me -
And what you give is what you get.
It doesn't matter if we never meet again,
What we have said will always remain.
If we get through for two minutes only,
It will be a start!
For knowing that someone in this life,
Loves with a passion called hate
And what you give is what you get.
If I never ever see you -
If I never ever see you -
If I never ever see you - again.
And what you give is what you get!

Open up the sky
'Cause I'm coming up to you
So send down your wings
It'll bring me to you
You know I'm standing at the station
Ready to go
Big ol' airplane, you know I trust in you so

Get on up big bird
To my baby, love
Get on up big bird
To my baby, love
Get on up big bird
I got to make it heard
Get on up big bird
I got to make it heard
Get on up!

Way down here
You up there
Well we know is
Is it ain't no fair

You know I'm standing at the station
Ready to go
Big ol' airplane, you know I trust in you so

Get on up big bird
To my baby, love
Get on up big bird
To my baby, love
Get on up big bird
I got to make it heard
Get on up big bird
I got to make it heard
Get on up!

I was in the pub last night
A mutual friend of ours said
He'd seen you in the uniform
Yeah the leather belt looks manly
The black boots butch
But oh what a bastard to get off

Promises, promises
They offer real solutions
But hatred has never won for long

You was so open minded
But by someone blinded
And now your sign says closed.

Promises, promises
They offer real solutions
But hatred has never won for long

I think we've lost our perception -
I think we've lost sight of the goals we should
be working for
I think we've lost our reason
We stumble blindly and that vision must be restored!

I wish that there was something
I could do about it
I wish that there was some way
I could try to fight it
Scream and shout it -

But something you said set the house ablaze!

It is called indoctrination
And it happens on all levels
But it has nothing to do with equality
It has nothing to do with democracy
And though it professes to
It has nothing to do with humanity
It is cold, hard and mechanical.

Why are you frightened - can't you see that it's you
That ain't no ghost - it's a reflection of you
Why do you turn away - an' keep it out of sight
Oh - don't live up to your given roles
There's more inside you that you won't show

But you keep it hidden just like everyone
You're scared to show you care - it'll make you vulnerable
So you wear that ghost around you for disguise

But there's no need just 'cos it's all we've known
There's more inside you that you haven't shown

So keep on moving, moving, moving your feet
Keep on shuf-shuf-shuffling to this ghost dance beat
Just keep on walking down never ending streets

One day you'll walk right out of this life
And then you'll wonder why you didn't try

To spread some loving all around
Old fashioned causes like that still stand
Gotta rid this prejudice that ties you down

How do you feel at the end of the day
Just like you've walked over your own grave

So why are you frightened - can't you see that it's you
At the moment there's nothing - so there's nothing to lose
Lift up your lonely heart and walk right on through

Oh we make the standards and we make the rules
And if you don't abide by them you must be a fool
We have the power to control the whole land
You never must question our motives or plans -
'Cause we'll outlaw your voices, do anything we want
We've nothing to fear from the nation
We'll throw you out of your houses if you get too much
If we have to we'll destroy your generation

'Cause we've built up a frontage and we've gained respect
There's no one to endanger our position -

Standards rule OK
Standards rule OK
Standards rule OK
Standards rule OK

And we don't like people who stand in our way
Awareness is gonna be redundant
And ignorance is strength, we have God on our side
Look, you know what happend to Winston

When I'm in the crowd, I don't see anything
My mind goes a blank, in the humid sunshine
when I'm in the crowd I don't see anything
I fall into a trance, at the supermarket
the noise flows me along, as I catch falling cans
of baked beans on toast, technology is the most.

and everyone seems just like me,
they struggle hard to set themselves free
and they're waiting for the change

When I'm in the crowd, I can't remember my name
and my only link is a pint of Wall's ice cream
when I'm in the crowd - I don't see anything

Sometimes I think that it's a plot,
an equilibrium melting pot
The government sponsors underhand
When I'm in the crowd
When I'm in the crowd
When I'm in the crowd

And everyone seems that they're acting a dream
'cause they're just not thinking about each other
and they're taking orders, which are media spawned
and they should know better, now you have been warned

and don't forget you saw it here first
When I'm in the crowd
When I'm in the crowd
When I'm in the crowd

And life just simply moves along
in simple houses, simple jobs
and no one's wanting for the change
When I'm in the crowd
When I'm in the crowd
When I'm in the crowd

Some people might say my life is in a rut,
But I'm quite happy with what I got
People might say that I should strive for more,
But I'm so happy I can't see the point.
Somethings happening here today
A show of strength with your boy's brigade and,
I'm so happy and you're so plain
You want more money - of course I don't mind
To buy nuclear textbooks for atomic crimes

And the public gets what the public wants
But I want nothing this society's got -
I'm going underground, (going underground)
Well the brass bands play and feet start to pound
Going underground, (going underground)
Well let the boys all sing and the boys all shout for tomorrow

Some people might get some pleasure out of hate
Me, I've enough already on my plate
People might need some tension to relax
Mem, I'm too busy dodging between the flak

What you see is what you get
You've made your bed, you better lie in it
You choose your leaders and place your trust
As their lies wash you down and their promises rust
You'll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns

And the public wants what the public gets
But I don't get what this society wants
I'm going underground, (going underground)
Well the brass bands play and feet start to pound
Going underground, (going underground)
Well let the boys all sing and the boys all shout for tomorrow

We talk and talk until my head explodes
I turn on the news and my body froze
The braying sheep on my TV screen
Make this boy shout, make this boy scream!

Going underground, I'm going underground!

I sat alone with the dreams of children
Weeping willows and tall dark building,
I've caught a fashion from the dreams of children
But woke up sweating from this modern nightmare, and
I was alone, no one was there

I caught a glimpse from the dreams of children
I got a feeling of optimism
But woke up to a grey and lonely picture
The streets below left me feeling dirty, and

I was alone, no one was there
I was alone, no one was there

Something's gonna crack on your dreams tonight...
You will crack on your dreams tonight

I fell in love with the dreams of children
I saw a vision of all the happy days
I've caught a fashion from the dreams of children
But woke up sweating from this modern nightmare, and

I was alone, no one was there
I was alone, no one was there

Something's gonna crack on your dreams tonight...
You will crack on your dreams tonight
You will choke on your dreams tonight

A police car and a screaming siren -
A pnuematic drill and ripped up concrete -
A baby wailing and stray dog howling -
The screech of brakes and lamplights blinking -

that's entertainment.

that's entertainment.

A smash of glass and the rumble of boots -
An electric train and a ripped up 'phone booth -
Paint spattered walls and the cry of a tomcat -
Lights going out and a kick in the balls -

I say that's entertainment.

that's entertainment.

Days of speed and slow time Mondays -
Pissing down with rain on a boring Wednesday -
Watching the news and not eating your tea -
A freezing cold flat and damp on the walls -

I say that's entertainment.

that's entertainment.

Waking up at 6 a.m. on a cool warm morning -
Opening the windows and breathing in petrol -
An amateur band rehearsing in a nearby yard -
Watching the tele and thinking about your holidays -

that's entertainment.

that's entertainment.

Waking up from bad dreams and smoking cigarettes -
Cuddling a warm girl and smelling stale perfume -
A hot summers' day and sticky black tarmac -
Feeding ducks in the park and wishing you were faraway -

that's entertainment.

that's entertainment.

Two lovers kissing amongst the scream of midnight -
Two lovers missing the tranquility of solitude -
Getting a cab and travelling on buses -
Reading the grafitti about slashed seat affairs -

that's entertainment.

Closer than close - you see yourself -
A mirrored image - of what you wanted to be.
As each day goes by - a little more -
You can't remember - what it was you wanted anyway.
The fingers feel the lines - they prod the space -
Your ageing face - the face that once was so beautiful,
is still there but unrecognizable -
Private Hell.

The man who you once loved - is bald and fat -
And seldom in - working late as usual.
Your interest has waned - you feel the strain -
The bed springs snap - on the occasions he lies upon you -
close your eyes and think of nothing but -
Private Hell.

Think of Emma - wonder what she's doing -
Her husband Terry - and your grandchildren.
Think of Edward - who's still at college -
You send him letters - which he doesn't acknowledge.
'Cause he don't care,
They don't care.
'Cause they're all going through their own - Private Hell.

The morning slips away - in a valium haze,
And catalogues - and numerous cups of coffee.
In the afternoon - the weekly food,
Is put in bags - as you float off down the high street

The shop windows reflect - play a nameless host,
To a closet ghost - a picture of your fantasy -
A victim of your misery - and Private Hell

Alone at 6 o'clock - you drop a cup -
You see it smash - inside you crack -
You can't go on - but you sweep it up -

Safe at last inside your Private Hell.
Sanity at last inside your Private Hell.