Half Man Half Biscuit Half Hearted: Time Flies By [Back in the D.H.S.S.]

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 The latter are invaluable to understanding the wide ranging and often obscure historical references.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

Saturday 6 October 2007

Time Flies By [Back in the D.H.S.S.]

Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Grubb
Let it happen, bass player

Time flies by when you’re a driver of a train
Speeding out of Trumpton with a cargo of cocaine
I get high when I’m the pilot of a plane
Touching down at Camberwick I’m stoned out of my brain

Under bridges, over bridges to our destination
Careful with that spliff, Eugene, it causes condensation

Every Saturday I get the Chigley Skins
And they always smash my windows cos the home side always wins

Yeah time flies by when you’re a driver of a train
Gonna get these syringes out and crank up once again

Under bridges, over bridges to our destination
Careful with that spliff, Eugene, it causes condensation

Notes taken from www.hmhb.co.uk

Based on the Chigley song of the same name. The opening notes are the theme tune to Camberwick Green; the subsequent 'bugle' (i.e. immediately before "Let it happen, bass player") bit is that played by Mr Bugle-player at Pippin fort - "Calling A, calling B, calling all in company".
Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grubb The Trumpton fire brigade.
Camberwick Camberwick Green. See Trumpton Riots.
"Careful with that spliff, Eugene" Pink Floyd reference.
Chigley Third kiddies animated series. Also see Trumpton Riots.

Half Man Half Biscuit
Half Hearted