Half Man Half Biscuit Half Hearted

Half Man Half Biscuit Half Hearted

Ah yes. Why spend time typing up the lyrics to Half Man Half Biscuit songs? Because they are gems like no other. We celebrate British bands and artists for seminal musical works (think Bowie or Elvis Costello) and, unless you happen to know the late John Peel's inside leg measurement or you were enlightened as a student, the majesty, wit and sheer intelligence of the HMHB opus is ignored. Shame, shame, shame.


Over the years a number of web sites have recorded some lyrics and a multitude of research notes for the songs [see the excellent www.hmhb.co.uk]. The latter are invaluable to understanding the wide ranging and often obscure historical references. The former are a mixed bag, with only a few songs listed.


So what started out as a full hearted attempt by me to record the lyrics so my sister could understand the songs has developed into a blog post and a project to educate the half-hearted masses and to provide a definitive song list with lyrics.

They'll be other crap on here too such as my own songs "Progressive Dads", "People called Wilson", "Blog-proof iPod", "Armchair Expert" and "Holistically Challenged"- I need to finish writing them first :)

"...Baby I'm from the Wirral Peninsula.
A merciless despot with nothing to lose"

Monkey Man, June 2007

Please note that all lyrics are mostly my interpretation and are presented here to assist you in understanding the songs. They are the copyright of others.

You should also pay a visit to www.chrisrand.com/hmhb/ for HMHB lyrics - a superb site with a superb range of listings

Wednesday, 20 June 2007

When the Evening Sun Goes Down [Cammel Laird Social Club]

When The Evening Sun Goes Down

I shout all my obscenities from steeples but please don’t label me a madman
I'm off to see the Bootleg Beatles as the bootleg Mark Chapman
Cafe bars idiots and pigeons
There’s far too many in this town
So me and the ombudsman are gonna do what we can
When the evening sun goes down

Yes some of my pullovers are roll-necked it kind of breaks up the ennui
But your experimental side project must have put 10 years on me
Opposite the Bannister and Shamrock
Which used to be the Rose and Crown
I like to play Pat Boone,
On the county bassoon
When the evening sun goes down
When the evening sun goes down

When the evening sun
When the evening sun
When the evening sun goes down

When the evening sun
When the evening sun
When the evening sun goes down

There are questions in corners of my mind that lurk
(When the evening sun goes down)
Like how do the road gritters get to work
(When the evening sun goes down)
Answer me that and you could win a cruise
(When the evening sun goes down)
And here’s Judy Tsuke to take us up to the news
(When the evening sun goes down)

Are these my ultimate Pyjamas
Is this my final dressing gown
I'm sending on this rhyme deep in injury time
When the evening sun goes down
When the evening sun goes down
When the evening sun goes down

And now the notes taken from www.hmhb.co.uk

Bootleg Beatles
Beatles tribute band.
Mark Chapman shot John Lennon in 1980.
Pat Boone popular singer of the 50's, with 'clean-cut' versions of rock-n-roll songs, etc.
County Bassoon the Boone County Bassoon band really exist - from Boone County, Kentucky, but have absolutely nothing to do with Pat.
Judy Tzuke UK rock singer/songwriter, greatest popularity in the late 70's-early 80's.

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