Song Catalogue Frank | Isometric Boogie | The Lost Album | Gone To The Dogs | The Failsafe | Already Dead Everlasting Shining Peace of Mind Bubbling Under, Boiling Over Live and Learn Hand Jive Blow Away Fat Cadillac The Frame Still Waiting Where Do They Keep The Water? Kiss Everlasting Shining Peace of Mind Words: Dennis Johnson, Music: Steve Turner This was song number one really - the first attempt made at our own brand of skiffle tune. Knocked out in one afternoon at Den's flat in Camden, rehearsed at the back of the Opera House and in the busking set all in the space of a couple of days. It became our anthem eventually, and summed up the spirit of the band - whatever else the Gutter Brothers was, it was always fun. It was also quite a personal statement by Den, the words aren't as upbeat as they first may seem… I’m leaving on the early train, the first one at the station Find a place to sit me down and run things through my mind, Another job, another town, an unknown destination, Another dingy rooming house, somewhere down the line. All I ever wanted was a reason to be happy, Happiness can be so hard to find. All I ever needed was for you to get to know me, Everlasting shining peace of mind. I’m tired of fighting for the things you often take for granted, I’m tired of all the cheap talk in the bar rooms and saloons, I’m heading out for pastures new where the eagle rules the canyon, Down below the mesa, grow some scars upon my wounds. All I ever wanted was a reason to be happy, Happiness can be so hard to find. All I ever need was for you to get to know me, Everlasting shining peace of mind. I’m leaving here to find somewhere that holds no false illusion, Illusions are like promises, the same old hollow ring, I’m leaving here for anywhere that offers me seclusion, Live below the mountains, watch the eagle on the wing. All I ever wanted was a reason to be happy, Happiness can be so hard to find. All I ever needed was for you to get to know me, Everlasting shining peace of mind. Bubbling Under, Boiling Over Words: Dennis Johnson, Music: Chris Cawte My name is Joe, I'm the man on the street I'm overworked I've got a deadline to meet Bills to pay, rent is due And the finance people say that they're gonna sue How can I keep that wolf from my door? All that alimony and she's asking for more I've got a man on my back, he won't let go He just keeps pushing cos he don't know That I'm bubblin under from the bottom up I feel the anger just about to erupt I'm boilin over gonna blow my top I'm under pressure and it just won't stop How can I take all these obligations I feel I'm chained to the things that I posess I don't need no aggravation About to break under too much stress Gonna tell you, better listen good I'm gonna do it right like a real man would I'm gonna take the law into my own hands I'm gonna keep pushing till it understands That I'm bubblin under from the bottom up I feel the anger just about to erupt I'm boilin over gonna blow my top I'm under pressure and it just won't stop Live and Learn Words and Music: Chris Cawte Proving the old adage that less is more, this is one of Chris's typically well crafted works. Charlie Lineham guested on pan pipes, and frequently joined us on stage and on the street, in varying states of sobriety :) Whatever happened to our dreams, girl Whatever happened to our goals Whatever came of aspiration We let it go and it grew old. You say you’re happy with your money You say it gives you rights to choose If you are rich then I am richer than you ‘Cos I’ve got nothing I can lose. The more you live the more you learn. Hand Jive Johnny Otis Blow Away Words: Dennis Johnson, Music: Steve Turner Another one which was written, rehearsed and recorded in record time for the first album, this is Den at his most personal. It's a song about his own childhood memories and his awareness of his own mortality, which gives it added poignancy in the light of subsequent events. This is Den's anthem, and possibly his best piece of work You fight and you struggle, then you die The lights go out and you don’t know why Is there meaning to it all, I feel so cold and I feel so small I’ve lived too long, though life is too short Been on the brink and I just got caught Seems like the world needs a new birth or two So I’ll blow away, and make room for you. You fall and you stumble, and graze your knees Smell of iodine and a summertime breeze Catch a cold and it goes to your head Your mother sends you, she sends you to bed I’ve lived too long, though life is too short Been on the brink and I just got caught Seems like the world needs a new birth or two So I’ll blow away, and make room for you. I’m older now but it’s still the same The passing years haven’t dulled the pain The boy in me, still a friend of mine Grew up too fast, before his time It’s good to be that boy again You know the one, yeah, that’s his name And if I should be the last one in line I’ve lived each day, one day at a time I’ve lived too long, though life is too short Been on the brink and I just got caught Seems like the world needs a new birth or two So I’ll blow away, and make room for you. Fat Cadillac Words: Dennis Johnson, Music: Steve Turner I ain’t gonna get me no second hand Oldsmobile I ain’t gonna get me no second hand Oldsmobile Don’t like the way it handles, I sure don’t like the steering wheel I ain’t gonna get me no two-tone Chevrolet I ain’t gonna get me no two-tone Chevrolet Half breed Chevy better get out of my Cadillac’s way I’m gonna get me a fat Cadillac Drive it out the parking lot And never bring it back I’m gonna get me a fat Cadillac With the gold painted wipers And its painted shiny black I’m gonna get me a fat Cadillac With the radio receiver And a champagne rack I’m gonna get me a big fat Cadillac I ain’t gonna get me no pick up truck to drive I ain’t gonna get me no pick ‘em up truck to drive When you see this Caddie coming, you’ll know this country boy’s arrived Well I’ll be driving in my Caddie when you see this country boy arrive I’m gonna get me a fat Cadillac Drive it out the parking lot And never bring it back I’m gonna get me a fat Cadillac With the gold painted wipers And its painted shiny black I’m gonna get me a fat Cadillac With the radio receiver And a champagne rack I’m gonna get me a big fat Cadillac Walking women home is a thing of the past Women gotta drive, they gotta drive around in class Some like Cadillacs, some like Olds But some like anything as long as it rolls I’m gonna get me a fat Cadillac Drive it out the parking lot And never bring it back I’m gonna get me a fat Cadillac With the gold painted wipers And its painted shiny black I’m gonna get me a fat Cadillac With the radio receiver And a champagne rack I’m gonna get me a big fat Cadillac The Frame Words: Dennis Johnson, Music: Steve Turner No smoke without fire, how'd those rumours get around? Someone said they saw me shoot some poor boy down Standing in the line up, man what's this all about? I've never seen this woman before in my life And she walks right up and points me out Look out sonny, you got to mind what you say Those undercover agents, they want to lock your ass away They've got your dirty fingerprints in a file with your name There beside your mugshot, in the frame I said 'Ma'am, I do believe you're mistaken, that's a wicked lie I didn't pull that trigger, I'm just not that kind of guy' Look out sonny, you got to mind what you say Those undercover agents, they want to lock your ass away They've got your dirty fingerprints in a file with your name There beside your mugshot, in the frame I know I've done som terrible things I'm no angel that's the truth But someone wants to see me hung Without a single shred of proof Look out sonny, you got to mind what you say Those undercover agents, they want to lock your ass away They've got your dirty fingerprints in a file with your name There beside your mugshot, in the frame Still Waiting Words: Dennis Johnson, Music: Steve Turner Sam Sampson, the lyricist of 'Jodie' from the Frank demo guested on harmonica on the recording of this one I sent out to a dating firm and now I wait so I can learn If they have what I'm looking for, as I pace around the bedroom floor I lie upon my unmade bed, the magazines have all been read Pull my knees up to my chest, close my eyes and make a wish I'm still waiting for love to arrive The one with the smile in her eyes I wake up in the dead of night and in a flash regain my sight Three days of growth upon my chin tells me where my head has been A man could sleep his life away just waiting for a better day Or bang his head against a wall - I guess that makes no sense at all I'm still waiting for love to arrive The one with the smile in her eyes I lean against the window sill, smoke cigarettes until I'm ill Drag shaky fingers through my hair and bare the bones of my despair Where Do They Keep The Water? Words: Dennis Johnson, Music: Steve Turner This was inspired by stories of Dennis' long time friend Eli Heath's grandfather, who was a fireman in Tewkesbury Glos, way back when. In those days the fire engine was horse drawn, and they had to catch the horses in the field before they could get to the fire, consequently things were often fairly out of hand by the time they arrived on the scene. This song survived the transition to the four piece band, and on the live album is almost unrecognisable as the original song on Isometric Boogie. Bit of trumpet playing by Steve in there on the gentler version, bit of Stevie Wonder from Chris on the live version… It’s tinder dry in the long hot summer, the air is hard to breathe I can see the heat waves shimmer, rising from the stream The children unaware of danger, play their childish games And in the woods just over yonder, a tree bursts into flames. Where do they keep the water? There’s fire on the land Somebody roll out the water tender It’s getting out of hand. And on the hill there stands a house, all shuttered and disused The garden now lies overgrown, neglected and abused And then one night, one coal-black night, returning from the fair I looked upon that lonely hill, and saw a red glow in the air. Where do they keep the water? There ain’t no water in the line Somebody run fetch the horses We might get there just in time. Kiss Prince A suitably irreverent version of the Prince classic which got us quite a lot of attention one way and another - Tom Jones rather stole our thunder in the end, although we still maintain he nicked the idea from us :)