Lyrics: click a song title to reveal
City roads paved with gold
Have brought me all this way
For someone said I'd make it, if I would like to stay
I could be a king, do anything
Yes I would get my way
I find my fame and fortune by this
The easy way
And I was green and taken in
For how could I know then
That there's one road for angels
And one road for men
One road for angels and one road for men
So cap in hand I walked the land
Of the men who had the sway
But no-one heard my music
No nobody heard me play
So I hung around the underground
And sung my sounds all day
Hardly fame and fortune
But it helped to pay my way
Then I began to understand
Oh I saw more clearly then
That there's one road for angels
And one road for men
One road for angels and one road for men
So go ahead and tell me
Of those things you're trying to sell me
But let me say, that I've heard it all before
The things you're freely giving
To ease my way of living
Well I don't think that I need them anymore
And so it's said I've been misled
Oh but I've no axe to grind
For 'though I never made it
In truth I do not mind
For I've heard a lot
And I've learned a lot
And I've still got a lot of time
And I know that come tomorrow
There'll be greater hills to climb
And when people say there's an easy way
Now I can say to them, that there's
One road for angels
And one road for men
One road for angels and one road for men
If all things must change with the passing of time
And the mighty must fall
And the fallen must rise
Then so must the wisdom be gone from the wise
And a song be denied of its pleasure
But when will the love lines be gone from your face
For such beauty as this is as timeless as space
And even when life's blood runs cold in your veins
The love that you gave will live forever
Will live forever
And when will the warmth in the heart of the home
Lie as cold as the caves or as still as the stone
And when will the years leave us alone
And the ties we have grown be severed
Surely never
For can't you see that some things never change
As the moon plays a tune with the tide's rolling waves
And the calendar cries as it's counting off the days
As I count on a way that I can tell you
That what does it matter if I'm right or I'm wrong
As I try to describe in the lines of a song
That as long as the world's keeping on keeping on
Then it's here we belong close together till forever
Fading light brings shades of night
Creeping to my room and through my curtain
I felt certain I saw stars beyond the moon
And as I lay there in my daze I wondered
Is it really true that they're
Ten million years away
Or could it be that all I see
Just isn't there at all, it's just a memory
A used to be of stars before they fall
Or just a backdrop slung on sky-hooks
To the greatest show of all
And we the players, in the play
And oh what a show,
So, why should we know
Just let it flow
Till tomorrow
Till tomorrow
And so to bed I turn my head
To try to close my eyes
But through florescent hues
Of silver blues I hear a little cry
It says, just lay there for a while
Enjoy the wonders of the sky
And you'll feel better if you do
And oh what a show
So, why should we know
Just let it flow,
Till tomorrow
Till tomorrow
If my world don't amount to much
And if my way it isn't yours, as such
Well who's to say that I won't change
For nothing seems to be the same without you
And if my day it seems to drag a bit
Well don't you leave just on account of it
For given time and strength of mind
Then I'll know for sure a little more about you
But won't you dare to face the truth
Or are you scared that you may waste your youth
Well if you care, there are things to do
While there's no-one here
Just me and you
I asked her at the time... I said,
I hope she wouldn't mind
If I nipped out for a pint and I got back by nine
And if she could be so sweet
As to knock up a bite to eat
I'd buy some king-size cigarettes and a bottle of wine
And things were going grand
I had every detail planned
I had the little lady in the palm of my hand
But everything went wrong
When I stayed away too long
And couldn't make her understand
And I got that old cold shoulder
Seems that I dipped out again
I got that old cold shoulder
And it's the curse of the drinking man
And I said Oh No No
I got one foot in the door
And did she give me what for
I said, I'm sorry through and through
If I'm a little overdue
She said, A little overdue! Man you must have lost a screw!
Boy I'm telling you, the air was blue
And no excuses could I find
That would quickly come to mind
So in desperation I just kind of offered up the wine
And I can't repeat to you
What she told me I could do
With my chateau bottled bottle of wine!
Yes I got that Old Cold Shoulder
Seems that I dipped out again
I got that Old Cold Shoulder
And it's the curse of the drinking man
And I said Oh No No
So I grabbed myself a knife I said,
I'm gonna take my life
She said that that was fine
I'd just be saving her the time
Yes things were looking grim
And I could see I couldn't win
So I said that I'd give in and
I would take it on the chin
But then I saw that wasn't wise
The evil rose up in her eyes
She donned an oven glove
And she produced to my surprise
It was a four course snack
Completely black, and it was welded to the plate
Like the front was to the back
But then she said I had to eat it!
If I didn't I could beat it!
Now how'd I get a woman like that
Yes I got that Old Cold Shoulder
Seems that I dipped out again
I got that Old Cold Shoulder
It's the curse of the drinking man and
I said Oh No No
OH NO !
Hey, look at the man with the rather long hair
Kind of thinning at the back, better pull him up a chair
'cause the man's pushing thirty year
Heaven knows that ain't no time to be moving around
For in this world you'll survive if you're physically fit
But you just won't last if you're mentally sick
Take him down
Take him away
But look at him now
God, he thinks he's a star
Says he's packing up his job gonna buy a guitar
Well he must be demented
He's gone too far to be sound
For in this world you'll survive if you're physically fit
but you just won't last if your face doesn't fit
Take him down
Take him away
He says he's got an aspiration
Gonna get a big break
Says he's gonna hit the top before long
But who's the silly billy gonna make a mistake
And say
Hey John, get it on, sing us all a rock song
Fast car, superstar, mamma's little pet
You ought to learn to swim before you get your feet wet
And if you don't stop now
Evil people gonna call you a crank
For in the World you'll survive if you're physically fit
But you just won't last if you're mentally sick
Take him down
Take him away
He says he's got an aspiration
Gonna get a big break
Yes he's gonna hit the top before long
But who's the silly billy gonna make a mistake
And say, hey John, get it on, sing us all a rock song
Well boy I tell ya, you've got a lot of guts
You've either got ambition
Or you're just plain nuts
And I'm glad I'm not a gambler
I wouldn't put a penny on you
'cause in this world you'll survive if you're physically fit
but you just won't last if your face doesn't fit
Take him down
Take him down, down, down,
Take him away.
Some people are crazy, when they never give in
When they know they are losing, there's no way they can win
But they'll never sleep easy knowing they didn't try
And they never stop trying, til the day that they die
And you, you're a trier
Of the most stubborn kind
You're in search of a lover
You've got me in your mind
But don't you know that I married
Twice over, you see...
The first to my music
And the second... to me!
So here's to your heart of gold
The very soul, that won't be told that you are losing
And keeps you coming back
Trying again
And here's to the crazy few, the likes of you
People who are so confusing
But from small beginnings
Seem to wind up winning in the end
And here's to you Crazy Girl
Here's to you
And here's to you crazy girl
Here's to you
And you you're a giver
You're uncommonly kind
But me I'm a taker
I take all I can find
And if we ever sleep easy
In the fullness of time
It'll be when you teach me
How to read my own mind
So here's to your heart of gold
That won't be told, that won't be told that you are losing
And keeps you coming back
Trying again
And here's to the crazy few
To those like you
People who are so confusing
But from small beginnings
Seem to wind up winning in the end
And here's to you crazy girl
Here's to you
Here's to you crazy girl
Here's to you
Let the day fall all around you
Let the breath of life surround you
What a day!, should be a holiday
These lazy days are hard to come by
Here for our pleasure
A moment to treasure
Stay with me, and lend me your company
For you show to me all the world gives for free
And there's no more that a man can ever ask for
And if we, we could see, half he gave us to see
Then we'd be halfway to finding the answer
So where will all the seasons go
It's for us to ask, it's for him to know
It's too much for me
For such is the mystery
And all these things we take for granted
But how did they get here
When were they planted, if we could see
What would the answer be
But you, you show to me
All the world gives for free
And there's no more that a man can ever ask for
And if we, we could be, half he wants us to be
Then we'd be halfway to finding the answer
Today, we'll see the butterfly
We'll smell the grass, we'll feel the sky
Oh what a day!
Let no-one take this away
But I will live my life forever
Asking the questions
But answers will never come to me
For such is the mystery
And you, you show to me all the world gives for free
And there's no more that a man can ever ask for
And if we, we could be, half he wants us to be
Then we'd be halfway to finding the answer
Now the ivy has gone red
Most other leaves have gone to bed
And longer nights are drawing in
And the Northern wind has said
Curl up your coats and cap your head
For the winter has set in
And the thoughts of what we had
Go round and round and leave me sad
With just one question on my mind
Are you thinking of our long ago embrace
From my half forgotten face
Or is my image more defined
And the summer it is over
And you've left me for the sun
But my days of sweet remembrance have only just begun
From time to time I think a bit
It doesn't rhyme nor does it fit
You really got to me somehow
But how we made it at the time
Had no demands and that was fine
And so why should I want them now
For the summer it is over
And you've left me for the sun
But my days of sweet remembrance
Have only just begun
Yes my days of sweet remembrance
Have only just begun
Sometimes I walk along with my feet dragging slow
Hands in my pockets and my head hung low
Whistling tunes that no-one knows
Just thinking the things I'm thinking
And sometimes my thoughts they make me smile
Brighten my day for some short while
Lighten my life and my life style
Just thinking the things I'm thinking
Have you ever been beside the sea
When the seagulls are in flight
Watch them glide, they twist they slide
Into the night
And have you ever been along the cliff
When the gulls drift down below
And felt the urge to near the verge
And have yourself a go
And sometimes my thoughts they make me frown
Burn up inside me, bring me down
For nothing is easy, this I've found
Just thinking the things I'm thinking
Have you ever been in springtime woods
Where the leaves are freshest green
And felt so proud to be allowed to see the scene
Or then again to be in autumn woods
Where those leaves are falling brown
And heaped them neat before your feet
And kicked them all around
So how can we doubt that all things change
All things return from whence they came
Children grow up and grown men age
And aged men get to thinking
Why ask me all these questions
Don't you think it's so unfair
You really ought to see him face to face
I know that you've got problems
But who am I to interfere
At times like these it pays to know your place
But you say that you're worried
You've not seen him for some time
And you're scared he may be pulling out
And leaving you behind
Well now listen for a minute
And please try to understand
There are some things you may rather never hear
And I don't want to be the one
Who has to bring you down
Oh no, that's never my idea
But you're the one who came to me
No I didn't come to you
And you want me to be honest
You say, you want to know the truth
Well please, please believe it's not for me
Though heaven knows I love you if I could
Please, please believe he told me this
He told me he is leaving you for good
Take your time and take it easy
Yes I know just how you feel
And I guess that I'd be feeling much the same
But I hope it won't be quite so bad
As you are making out
'cause I hope you'll let me stay to ease the pain
And in every muddy river,
There's a speck of gold somewhere
And now it's in the open
Well it may help to clear the air
So please, please believe it's not for me
Though heaven knows I've loved you for so long
Please, please believe he told me this
He told me that his love for you is gone
Please, please believe its not for me
Though heaven knows I'd love you if I could
Please, please believe he told me this
He told me he is leaving you for good
Now the ivy has gone red
Most other leaves have gone to bed
And longer night are drawing in
And though I know you're out of reach
You're turning gold upon some beach
I know that I'll see you again
For the summer it is over
And you've left me for the sun
Still my days of sweet remembrance
Have only just begun
John’s second album with Chrysalis. Once again finding great favour in America providing the cross-over between FM and AM channels Read On built on the success of A Friend of Mine is Going Blind but marked the end of John’s ambition to conquer the world by virtue of the arrival of a daughter’ Zoe’, followed by a son ‘Christopher’…the call of family life was too strong (until 30 years later when Now... Where Were We seemed appropriate as a follow on).
Read On is digitally remastered from the original studio tapes at the last stage before mastering. As such is has not been 'compressed' like the early albums and sound clearer and fresher. It is currently copied to CDRs which is reflected in the price of £7.50. It is labelled on the CD face and presented in a paper/plastic sleeve.
* Postage and packing: 1 or 2 CDs: £3.50, 3 CDs or more: £5.00