BOTL Pot 3

[MK Shrimper]

Next one...

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

A New England

Billy Bragg


I was twenty one years when I wrote this song
I'm twenty two now, but I won't be for long
People ask when will you grow up to be a man
But all the girls I loved at school
Are already pushing prams
I loved you then as I love you still
Though I put you on a pedestal,
They put you on the pill
I don't feel bad about letting you go
I just feel sad about letting you know
I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new England
I'm just looking for another girl
I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new England
I'm just looking for another girl
I loved the words you wrote to me
But that was bloody yesterday
I can't survive on what you send
Every time you need a friend
I saw two shooting stars last night
I wished on them but they were only satellites
It's wrong to wish on space hardware
I wish, I wish, I wish you'd care
I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new England
I'm just looking for another girl
I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new England
I'm just looking for another girl

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Levi Stubbs' Tears

Billy Bragg

With the money from her accident
She bought herself a mobile home
So at least she could get some enjoyment
Out of being alone
No one could say that she was left up on the shelf
It's you and me against the World kid she mumbled to herself
When the world falls apart some things stay in place
Levi Stubbs' tears run down his face
She ran away from home on her mother's best coat
She was married before she was even entitled to vote
And her husband was one of those blokes
The sort that only laughs at his own jokes
The sort a war takes away
And when there wasn't a war he left anyway
Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong
Are here to make everything right that's wrong
Holland and Holland and Lamont Dozier too
Are here to make it all okay with you
One dark night he came home from the sea
And put a hole in her body where no hole should be
It hurt her more to see him walking out the door
And though they stitched her back together they left her heart in pieces on the floor
When the world falls apart some things stay in place
She takes off the Four Tops tape and puts it back in its case
When the world falls apart some things stay in place
Levi Stubbs' tears

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Bolded the phrases that really stand out for me. Pure poetry.
He is called The Bard of Barking for good reason.

 

[Napster]

 

[Supernaut]

Voting Gaudio as Strummer and Bragg are both among my least favourite songwriters of all time.

 

[Ricky Otto]

Love Train in Vain so Strummer for me

 

[MK Shrimper]

If this doesn't spur your on to the Bragster, then you are simply a Col Ewe supporter...

If you ever have to go to Shoeburyness
Take the A road, the okay road that's the best
Go motorin' on the A13
Well, if you're looking for a thrill that's new
Take in Fords, Dartford Tunnel and the river too
Go motorin' on the A13
It starts down in Wapping
There ain't no stopping
By-pass Barking and straight through Dagenham
Down to Grays Thurrock
And rather near Basildon
Pitsea, Thundersley, Hadleigh, Leigh-On-Sea,
Chalkwell, Prittlewell
Southend's the end
If you ever have to go to Shoeburyness
Take the A road, the okay road that's the best
Go motorin' on the A13
It starts down in Wapping
There ain't no stopping
By-pass Barking and straight through Dagenham
Down to Grays Thurrock
And rather near Basildon
Pitsea, Thundersley, Hadleigh, Leigh-On-Sea,
Chalkwell, Prittlewell
Southend's the end
If you ever have to go to Shoeburyness
Take the A road, the okay road that's the best
Go motorin' on the A13
Go motorin' on the A13
Go motorin' on the A13

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

If this doesn't spur your on to the Bragster, then you are simply a Col Ewe supporter...

If you ever have to go to Shoeburyness
Take the A road, the okay road that's the best
Go motorin' on the A13
Well, if you're looking for a thrill that's new
Take in Fords, Dartford Tunnel and the river too
Go motorin' on the A13
It starts down in Wapping
There ain't no stopping
By-pass Barking and straight through Dagenham
Down to Grays Thurrock
And rather near Basildon
Pitsea, Thundersley, Hadleigh, Leigh-On-Sea,
Chalkwell, Prittlewell
Southend's the end
If you ever have to go to Shoeburyness
Take the A road, the okay road that's the best
Go motorin' on the A13
It starts down in Wapping
There ain't no stopping
By-pass Barking and straight through Dagenham
Down to Grays Thurrock
And rather near Basildon
Pitsea, Thundersley, Hadleigh, Leigh-On-Sea,
Chalkwell, Prittlewell
Southend's the end
If you ever have to go to Shoeburyness
Take the A road, the okay road that's the best
Go motorin' on the A13
Go motorin' on the A13
Go motorin' on the A13

Exactly. Supernaut needs to get in the bin!

 

[Shrimpers are Magic]

Billy Bragg wouldn’t sell the bog out at a Clash gig.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Billy Bragg wouldn’t sell the bog out at a Clash gig.

Think you'll be unlikely to see a Clash gig these days while BB's still playing live dates.(And I saw Joe Strummer here twice with the Mescaleros back in the day.Also saw him with the Clash here and in London a few times).

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

If this doesn't spur your on to the Bragster, then you are simply a Col Ewe supporter...

If you ever have to go to Shoeburyness
Take the A road, the okay road that's the best
Go motorin' on the A13
Well, if you're looking for a thrill that's new
Take in Fords, Dartford Tunnel and the river too
Go motorin' on the A13
It starts down in Wapping
There ain't no stopping
By-pass Barking and straight through Dagenham
Down to Grays Thurrock
And rather near Basildon
Pitsea, Thundersley, Hadleigh, Leigh-On-Sea,
Chalkwell, Prittlewell
Southend's the end
If you ever have to go to Shoeburyness
Take the A road, the okay road that's the best
Go motorin' on the A13
It starts down in Wapping
There ain't no stopping
By-pass Barking and straight through Dagenham
Down to Grays Thurrock
And rather near Basildon
Pitsea, Thundersley, Hadleigh, Leigh-On-Sea,
Chalkwell, Prittlewell
Southend's the end
If you ever have to go to Shoeburyness
Take the A road, the okay road that's the best
Go motorin' on the A13
Go motorin' on the A13
Go motorin' on the A13

I asked him to sing this last time he played here in Barna.He said:-"Look around you mate we're not in Essex now."

 

[OldBlueLady]

Probably a lot of the younger members on here won't have a clue who Bob Gaudio is...well, here are just a few songs that can be laid at his door:

 

[OldBlueLady]

I've so far avoided the most obvious of his contributions to music, in the form of being the main song writer for Franki Valli and the Four Seasons, including the songs which heralded them in America - Sherry, Walk Like a Man and Big Girls Don't Cry.

One of the biggest FV songs, covered by many artists, including Andy Williams, and which the recording company weren't sure about at all to begin with...but which is part of the set at many, many weddings - including my own!

 

[Colorado Shrimper]

I didn’t know who Gaudio was and then I consulted the interwebs and saw he was responsible for ‘Oh What a Night’ and he got my vote. I like Billy Bragg when he’s advocating for his people but he seems to have stopped doing that.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Gaudio went on to write or co write throughout the Four Seasons career, including these two in 1975, the same year that he was inducted into the Song Writers' Hall of Fame:

He has written and produced for many artists, away from FV or the 4S, including Michael Jackson, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Diana Ross and Nanacy Sinatra.

He was also heavily involved in bringing The Jersey Boys to public view, which is where some of you may have at last become familiar with his skill.

Cheesy? Yes, probably. And not edgy or cool. But no denying his skill with the pen.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I didn’t know who Gaudio was and then I consulted the interwebs and saw he was responsible for ‘Oh What a Night’ and he got my vote. I like Billy Bragg when he’s advocating for his people but he seems to have stopped doing that.

Yep, you got ahead of my final post which includes that!

 

[Colorado Shrimper]

Definitive version of ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’:

 

[OldBlueLady]

This is Gaudio too....

 

[blues exile]

On a point of order, Bob Crewe was the lyricist on most of the Four Seasons songs, Gaudio wrote the music and only part contributed to the lyrics as I understand it.