UNDER WRAPS Lap Of Luxury The money won't last forever rent man called twice today. I hope some day you'll find me in the lap of luxury. Searched for a new apartment but they don't grow on trees. Just want to lay my head in the lap of luxury. Stepped out on a new horizon felt a new spring in my feet. Found a job, it could set me up dangling in the lap of luxury. And the gaffer is a man of substance drives a jag and takes high tea. Lives beyond the industrial wasteland, laughing in the lap of luxury. I need money, now, to soothe my heart! Buy me a Datsun or Toyota get the tax man to agree all expenses I can muster from the lap of luxury. Under Wraps Keep it quiet. (Go slow.) Circulate. Need to know. Stamp the date upon your file masquerade, but well worth while. Wrapped in the warmth of you wrapped up in your smile. Wrapped in the folds of your attention. Wear an air (keep mum) of casual indifference. Careful how you go about your usual business. Wrapped in daydreams of you wrapped up by your eyes. Wrapped in the folds of your attention. Under wraps! I've got you under wraps. Under wraps! I've got you under wraps. Tell you when (not yet) soon the great unveiling. Bless my boots! Upon my soul! Secrecy, it is my failing. Wrapped in your Summer night wrapped in your Autumn leaves. Wrapped in the Winter of your sleeping. European Legacy She smiles at me from beyond the eastern sea-shore. Flashing jewelled eyes, she hoists her skirts so high. Nouvelle cuisine or an oyster bar it's really up to her. I'll write every cheque she brings to me. I shoot on sight it's my European legacy. Round the castle walls about the Highlands and the Islands the faint reminders stand. Visitors who took a hand a thousand years ago, or so stranded high and dry by tides washed up a new identity. The channel's wide but it's their European legacy. I strain my eyes against the southern light advancing. On whiter cliffs I'm high. The sea birds roll and tumble as they fly. I hear distant mainland music echo in my island ears. My feet begin to move instinctively to the warmer beat of my European legacy. She smiles at me from beyond the eastern sea-shore. Flashing jewelled eyes, she hoists her skirts so high. Nouvelle cuisine or an oyster bar it's really up to her. I'll write every cheque she brings to me. She shoots on sight it's her European legacy. Later, That Same Evening Later, that same evening, she ran. I think she ran alone. Later, she had early warning from a hidden phone. Checked with the embassy she might have been a million miles away. Should I circulate her likeness at all airports without delay? It was later later that same evening. Earlier, we had had a drink or four in some Kensington hotel. Hard it was hard to keep my mind on what she had to sell. And with all business done we took a cab should it be her place or mine? Good security prevailed and I was home just after nine. It was later later that same evening. Now I want you back. Yes, they want you back. We want you back. My country wants you back. Later, in the wee small hours there was heavy traffic on the radio. Scare at a channel port small craft warnings to keep to shore. Lobstermen thought they saw a submarine half submerged suspiciously. Though I arrived too late, I'm sure she blew a kiss to me as the sub sailed out to sea. Saboteur In and out of shady places walking on cold corners of the maze. Following the trace you leave unwittingly. I wanna be no Saboteur. Oh, no, me no Saboteur. Painted ducks across your landscape happy in your domesticity (it don't come free). Misfortune, like a Sparrow Hawk, hangs over you. Wanna be no Saboteur. No, no, me no Saboteur. Deepest regrets I humbly offer you as I cut into your life. With clean precision, all is simplified pass the hat and pass the knife. By now you must be worried, wondering who is me and what lies behind my art. I'm only removing broken sea-shells from the beach oh, no, me no Saboteur. There's at least one of me inside your ranks in your factory or school. I anticipate a cleansing opportunity to take the horns by the bull. History forever writing pages to be cut or painted grey, or celebrated like Jesus in his temple rage as he chased the money-men away. I wanna be no Saboteur. Be no, be no Saboteur. Radio Free Moscow Tune into messages from the Eastern avenue. Lock on to the ether squeeze the signal through and through. War of the air-waves making scare-waves. I'm getting pictures from my radio (Free Moscow). Moscow Radio. Voice of America symbol of the free. Mine of disinformation pleading sympathy. Down in the cold-war games forever naming names. I'm getting pictures from my radio (Free Moscow). Keep getting pictures from my radio (Free Moscow). I put my headphones on reach out on the beam. Shutter up the windows I'm getting up some steam. Somebody's at the door catching me in the act they've been keeping the score. I'm getting pictures from my radio (Free Moscow). Yes, I'm getting pictures from my radio (Free Moscow). Astronomy The middle lane has trapped my car in red-light claustrophobia. I slip the shackles, cut the rope stand naked with a telescope as the cat walks alone under a big sky. Against the dark so thin and white gonna be a big sky night. Miss Galileo, come with me and view the new Astronomy. Black hole dressing on salad plate quasar at the kissing gate. Now the cat, he walks alone under a big sky. Umbrella dome pin-pricked in lights gonna be a big sky night. My spectacles, my white lab coat my coffee thermos and my notes. I pat my pockets. I got the keys to the secrets of the observatory. And closing the door, I feel a new dawn as the darker sides align you to yours and me to mine. And now you stand, assisting me I can touch what I can see, see, see. I look in wonder, I feel no shame see the consequences of the game. Expand my universe. Head for the Big Bang. Reach for my switch and shout gonna turn the big sky out. There's got to be astronomy. Astronomy. Tundra Short Arctic desert day and someone left their snow-shoes in the tundra. Look around every which way but I can't see just where the footprints go. Is it a casual disappearance? Plucked from the middle atmosphere like straw wind-blown. No speck on the horizon no simple message scrawled upon the snow. Unearthly visitation someone left their snow-shoes in the tundra. Hungry buzzard flier circling round and round rattling death's tambourine. Have to run it down the cold wire late insertion in tomorrow's lost and found. Should I spread out searching? But I'm a little thin upon the ground. So I raise my lips to coax the last drop of brandy from the bottle. Rest my feet and contemplate the mystery that's haunting this Siberian space. Show-shoes they bind me down I'm just one more parasite of the surface layer. I begin to get the feeling I've been on this stage before and I'm the only player. One more Arctic desert day another set of shoes out in the tundra snow. I make my fade to white-out and you can't see me where my footprints go. Nobody's Car Black Volga following me Nobody's car. Mr. No-one at the wheel of Nobody's car. Wet pavements, thin apartments quiet dissent from darkened doorways. I want out alive. Speak up for me if you can. So, careful how you drive in tourist city. Slap in front of my hotel it's Nobody's car. Is that my limousine? No, it's Nobody's car. Are you on routine assignment? Plastic shades on black-browed eye-hole. I read this book before. I even saw the film. How did the ending go? (In tourist city.) Black out. It's a weird scenario. I've seen a thousand times before but only on my video. Feel my steps quick in the headlights of Nobody's car. Down cobbled alley with no exit from Nobody's car. Doors slam, two figures silhouette somewhere before, I feel we've met. Can't tell you any more. I agreed to go along with all they asked of me. Intourist city. I drive Nobody's car. Heat When the rats are running and the boys are gunning for heads on a tin plate you can hear the footfall softly in the back yard. And the black jack is called face up on the last card. You'd better call your witness in your dirty business. Trop tard sera le cri. Better run while you can better set the tall sail. Better make deep cover before the boys have you nailed. There's just one chance to get away I'll catch up with you another day. I'll close my eyes and count to ten and come right after you again. Grab your credit cards cash in on your resources. Take your passport from the drawer, don't stop to change the horses. Get out of the heat. Now can you feel the pressure? Have you got the measure of being a wanted man? Cold drink in your hand hot sweat on your brow. And there's no understanding going to help you now. Grab your credit cards cash in on your resources. Take your passport from the drawer, don't stop to change the horses. Notify all parties of an earlier vacation. No use trying to board the train after it's left the station. Get out of the heat. Under Wraps #2 Keep it quiet. (Go slow.) Circulate. Need to know. Stamp the date upon your file masquerade, but well worth while. Wrapped in the warmth of you wrapped up in your smile. Wrapped in the folds of your attention. Wear an air (keep mum) of casual indifference. Careful how you go about your usual business. Wrapped in daydreams of you wrapped up by your eyes. Wrapped in the folds of your attention. Under wraps! I've got you under wraps. Under wraps! I've got you under wraps. Tell you when (not yet) soon the great unveiling. Bless my boots! Upon my soul! Secrecy, it is my failing. Wrapped in your Summer night wrapped in your Autumn leaves. Wrapped in the Winter of your sleeping. Paparazzi Paparazzi, can't make the man. Paparazzi, can't break the man. Next to the transit lounge see the Paparazzi tears. No-one came in today from Boston or Tangiers. And in departures only faceless trippers trip, loaded with duty free held in white knuckle grip. Snap it up, flash away steal a camel for a day. Break the story in heavy type the news is running late tonight. Be-decked with Nikon necklaces hear the Paparazzi cries. Under their noses walk the famous in disguise. Conspicuously huddled there but no-one stops to look. They've got their crayons out to colour in the book. Snap it up, flash away steal a camel for a day. Break the story in heavy type Paparazzi won't be home tonight. Paparazzi write it down. Paparazzi turn it around. Paparazzi take it, fake it, break it. 'cause it's a story. Now someone's cut the lines communication's down. All photo film is fogged. Celebrities surround and jab their fingers at me. They kiss but I can't tell. Even poor Paparazzi must have privacy as well. Snap it up, flash away steal a camel for a day. Break the story in heavy type the news is running late tonight. Snap it up, flash away steal a camel for a day. Break the story in heavy type Paparazzi won't be home tonight. Apogee Sailing round the true-blue sphere is it too late to bale out of here? Well, there has to be some better way to turn back the night, spin on to yesterday. The old man and his crew after all these years, it's apogee. Pilot training and remorse spirit friends fly too, at apogee. Apogee solar bright. Apogee through the night. Apogee overground. Don't think I'll be coming down. Screened for a stable mate with nerves of ice we flew, at apogee. No creativity allowed to pass through stainless veins of steel, at apogee. Apogee put the kettle on. Tight-lipped soldier on. High point communicate. Don't forget to urinate. So glad they put this window in. How to explain, how to begin? See! Tennyson and Wordsworth there waiting for me in the cold, thin air. Beware a host of unearthly daffodils drifting golden, turned up loud. Tell the boys back home, I'm gonna get some. The Wrong Stuff's loose in here I'm climbing up the walls, at apogee. So hoist the skull and bones death and glory's free, at apogee. A stranger wind, a solar breeze I'm walking out upon the starry seas. See pyramids, see standing stones, pink cotton undies and blue telephones. Goodbye, cruel world that was my home there's a cleaner space out there to roam. Put my feet up on the moons of Mars sit back, relax and count the stars. Automotive Engineering Automotive science and engineering. Automotive science and engineering. In the hands of science the complete appliance. We're moved to motor. We're moved to motor. Do you fly a Spitfire? Do you slide on a tea-tray? Or walk on a short trip (Sundays). Or drive come what may. Automotive science and engineering. Automotive science and engineering. We're moved to motor. We're moved to motor. When big was better and fast was chic, the oil was cheaper now we're up the creek. But the Japs are coming and everyone's turbo'd and carbon fibre is the way to go, go. Automotive science and engineering. Automotive science and engineering. We're moved to motor. We're moved to motor. Down at the robot factory things are humming. New radical suspension no humans testing. (Wind it up, wind it up.) Take a trip in your Freudian slip. Dr. Ferdinand (Ferdie) has you in his grip. Automotive science and engineering. Automotive science and engineering. We're moved to motor. We're moved to motor. General Crossing It's an old profession of subtle artillery. Rough wheels meshing button out, button in. The tall General will mine a few bridges tonight, stroking soft machinery. Fanfare at dawn courting green steel lined up for World War One (Two, Three, Four). It's an old profession of subtle artillery. Rough wheels meshing on a landscape with no trees. The tall General points to the distance disconnects his power supply. Crites a stiff note to his nearest and dearest he takes the battle plan and contemplates his fly. The tall General flies by the seat of history. The tall General is crossing. The tall General he thinks inevitability. The tall General is definitely crossing. With spit and with polish time for desperate measures. The pain in the forehead from holding up to the pressures of life on the rim of the convenient alliance. Out on the rim let me out on the rim. The tall General will walk across the compound with his briefcase and I.D. Later they'll post him seemingly missing he's gone to be a Generalski. |