Graham Parker

Just Like Joe Meek's Blues

Graham Parker


My head was swimming in a Bangkok joint 
you got paint on your coat like an arrow point 
I followed where it led as if pulled by a bow 
fired into the night deep and slow to where I'll never know 

The hotel was dark as we made our arrival 
waiting breathlessly for the Joe Meek revival 
but it didn't stand any chance of survival 
you know Joe had an American rival 
Poor old Joe, poor old Joe 

it takes a leap of faith, 
to pull the trigger on the world you're accustomed to 
you might as well take out the landlady too 
it's only a small thing to choose 

just like Joe meek's blues, just like Joe meek's blues 

It's a twisted world so let's twist again 
there's a bass drum sound going round in my brain 
a cat communicates with an artichoke 
Lord Sutch delivers a homophobe joke 
Heinz gets his nose chewed again 

so you turned up in Leon with very little luggage 
started talking in a foreign language 
I tied two beds together with a strap from my bag 
everyone was dressed in white 
but you were dressed in black 

Dressed in black again 
pull the trigger on the world you're accustomed to 
you might as well save a bullet for me too a footnote in tomorrow's news 
chorus repeat twice then

Back in London and it didn't even rain 
the Joe meek revival was happening again 
but the clocks went forward and the revival got choked 
British summertime came like a cruel joke 
you went back dressed in black 

it takes a leap of faith 
to really go for something right out of the blue 
sure we might have torn each other's hair out by the roots 
and recorded it on two track tape