On Your Radio

Ex-friends, ex-lovers and enemies
I got your cases in front of me today
All sewn up
Ex-bosses you never let me be
I got your names and your numbers filed away
I've grown up

See me
Hear me
Don't you know you can't get near me
You can only hope to hear me
On your radio, on your radio
You're gonna hear me on your radio...

Ex-teachers still coming through to me
Tough kids don't stop trying to kick me to the ground
I don't care
Go on, just do what you do to me
You look so sick when you're pushing me around
You're nowhere

See me, hear me...

Ex-teachers...

See me, hear me...

Lyrics written by Joe Jackson
Copyright © Pokazuka Ltd.
Reproduced by permission

Geraldine And John

See the bright red sports car, see the happy couple
See their clothes so white and their skin so pink
See them playing squash gotta keep their bodies supple
Now they kiss goodnight but tomorrow they'll be thinking
All day long – all day long

Chorus:
Geraldine and John
See the happy couple – so inseparable
And the beat goes on
And for better or for worse
They are married but of course
Not to each other

Geraldine and John gotta keep it under cover
See they scheme and sweat but it's all worthwhile
Now he goes back home to a wife who's not a lover
Now her eyes are wet but tomorrow she'll be smiling
All day long – all day long

Chorus

And the feeling's getting stronger
That they can't go on much longer
Somewhere down the track
Something has to crack

Geraldine just packed all her things and went to mother
Johnny seems OK happy wife happy home
See the scar on his face from the day he met her brother
But nothing hurts no more, nothing more than being lonely
All day long – all day long

Chorus

Lyrics written by Joe Jackson
Copyright © Pokazuka Ltd.
Reproduced by permission

Kinda Kute

You make a guy feel humble
I make a fool of myself again
You make me trip and stumble
Just go dance by yourself again
I'll just watch
Cause that's all I wanna do
But remember
That I'm here with your drink
At my table for two

Chorus:
And you're kinda cute baby – kinda cute baby
See you dance in your satin suit baby
When you move gotta sit right down
No competition with
This kinda cutie around

I see you pass by my window
Have to run down the stairs again
I fix my hair round a corner
Catch you quite unawares again
And you laugh
And you move that way again
Just like last night – oh yeah that's right
I'm the guy with the big feet
But plenty of nerve

Chorus

Hey, don't you know
That all you got to do
Is remember
That I'm here with your drink
At my table for two

Chorus

Lyrics written by Joe Jackson
Copyright © Pokazuka Ltd.
Reproduced by permission

It's Different For Girls

What the hell is wrong with you tonight
I can't seem to say or do the right thing
Wanted to be sure you're feeling right
Wanted to be sure we want the same thing

She said – I can't believe it
You can't – possibly mean it
Don't we – all want the same thing
Don't we
Well who said anything about love
No not love she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls
You're all the same

Mama always told me, save yourself
Take a little time and find the right girl
Then again don't end up on the shelf
Logical advice gets you in a whirl
I know – a lot of things that
You don't – you wanna hear some
She said – just give me something
Anything
Well give me all you got but not love
No not love she said
Don't you know that it's different for girls
You're all the same

Lyrics written by Joe Jackson
Copyright © Pokazuka Ltd.
Reproduced by permission

I'm The Man

Pretty soon now
Y'know I'm gonna make a comeback
And like the birds and the bees in the trees
It's a sure-fire smash

I'll speak
To the masses through the media
And if you got anything to say to me
You can say it with cash

Cause I got the trash and you got the cash
So baby we should get along fine
So give me all your money 'cause I know you think I'm funny
Can't you hear me laughing
Can't you see me smile

Chorus:
I'm the man
I'm the man that gave you the hula-hoop
I'm the man
I'm the man that gave you the yo-yo

Kung fu
That was one of my good ones
Well what's a few broken bones
When we all know it's good clean fun

Skateboards
I've almost made them respectable
You see I can't always get through to you
So I go for your son

Chorus

Right now
I think I'm gonna plan a new trend
Because the line on the graph's getting low
And we can't have that

And you think you're immune
But I can sell you anything
Anything from a thin safety pin
To a pork pie hat
Cause I got the trash...

Chorus

Lyrics written by Joe Jackson
Copyright © Pokazuka Ltd.
Reproduced by permission

The Band Wore Blue Shirts

I don't know why they come here
I'm only glad they do
They're gonna pay the bills for me and you
People out for an evening
They have a real good time
But when I play I feel just like I'm miming
I made a stand for the music
To turn the page with ease
I got the smile that says I'm here to please
Me and the bass guitarist
Have even shined our shoes
The drummer's shoes are dirty to confuse

Chorus:
I guess someday my kids will ask me 'bout the old days
I guess that I'll tell them there ain't much to tell
The waiters wore black dinner jackets and all that kind of thing
And the band wore blue shirts
And the music played on

Then at the end of the evening
They throw the suckers out
Don't get me wrong, I got no beef about it
I get my rates from the union
I get my shirts real cheap
I get my money
Get home
Get some sleep

Chorus

Lyrics written by Joe Jackson
Copyright © Pokazuka Ltd.
Reproduced by permission

Don't Wanna Be Like That

OK let me tell you 'bout some of the things I'm going through
I know you think that you know but how do you know
That what you know is true
Well maybe it's time for getting out of line
It seems like the done thing to do
Some people get crazy
Some people get lazy
Some people get hazy
Some people get out

Chorus:
Take me away, I said, take me away
I don't wanna be like that
Don't wanna be like that

Now the cocaine club says welcome
You're in college now not school
But I'm sorry to say that I'm going out to work
While you're going to the swimming pool
Where the L.A. sun can turn your brains
To scrambled eggs it's true
Some people get crazy
Some people get lazy
Some people get hazy
Some people get out

Chorus

Some people think that they know about some girls
Some people think they're cool
And some girls think they know about me
Some girls think I'm some fool
And American girls that put their tongue in your ear
When they talk on the telephone
And the stars only come out at night
When the press and photographers moan and groan
And the Playboy centrefold leaves me cold
And that ain't 'cause I'm a fag
So you playboys can just go play with yourself
That's your style
Cause that's a drag

Chorus

Lyrics written by Joe Jackson
Copyright © Pokazuka Ltd.
Reproduced by permission

Amateur Hour

Don't make me sad
Talking 'bout tomorrow
It's not so bad
We were doing fine just then
You'll move on up, you'll move on out
And you won't cry
Cause your amateur hour is over
You're only going where I've been
And you'll see what I've seen

Chorus:
You're no amateur – amateur
You know if someone likes your face
You'd be a fool to stay strictly amateur
It's strictly for amateurs
The world could be a better place
If some of us could stay
Amateurs
There's no more time

To think about the way ahead
Just miss one line
Fall over – you'll be left for dead
Your heart will play no part except
When memories of your amateur hour take over
Then screw yourself into a ball
And keep it rolling on

Chorus

Don't make me sad
It's not so bad

Lyrics written by Joe Jackson
Copyright © Pokazuka Ltd.
Reproduced by permission

Get That Girl

Chorus:
Hey you
I'm dancin' with your girl
Her head is in a whirl
She don't know who to turn to
All right
I'll leave her just this time
But she could soon be mine
And I could soon be hers too
One night
Soon if I'm lucky gonna get that girl
I'm gonna make her mine

He sits there drinkin' gin and
She sits there drinkin' beer like me
He's timing every move but
She's only killing time like me
And of course
What will be will have to be
But I tread carefully
It could be a case of right place right time

Chorus

Lyrics written by Joe Jackson
Copyright © Pokazuka Ltd.
Reproduced by permission

Friday

Lazy Gilly was a flower child
All the summer
Calmly running wild
She'd be silly and her friends just smiled
Pass the bottle
Wash the pills down – what went wrong?
What went wrong?

Chorus:
She don't care no more
She don't need to fight it
She don't care no more
She gets paid on Friday

Cooler weather, it's not cool to smile
Pretty colours
Going out of style
It ain't so bad when you get used to it
Once you clock in
You'll take any shit – all right
Ain't that right?

Chorus

Monday morning, Friday's far away
Pray you'll make it
It's a magic day
Bells will ring and you'll go out to play
Spend your money
Pass the bottle
Friday rules
Friday rules OK

Ain't talking 'bout Monday
Ain't talking 'bout Tuesday
Ain't talking 'bout Wednesday
Ain't talking 'bout Thursday
I'm talking 'bout ...

What day do we get all down here to the disco?
(Friday!!)

Chorus

She gets paid on Friday, Friday, Friday ...

Lyrics written by Joe Jackson
Copyright © Pokazuka Ltd.
Reproduced by permission

Footnotes:

[1] A reference to the 'shark-mania' created by the film 'Jaws' in 1975.