The Works
Lyrics
Written by Nik Kershaw
I catch my breath and ready for the race to come
No prizes call, the contest is my opium
Since you can never be sure
When they're keeping the score
You must always be ready to run
I tense myself
Waiting for the starting gun
No time for fun
Woh
I work all day and I think all night
I break my body but that's alright
'Cause it'll take my mind and all my might
To keep one step ahead of you
I think to myself living is a winning school
Winning on your feet, winning on the street
Winning as a golden rule
It's seems there's always a test
And I'm doing my best
But there still seems a long way to go
I try myself
Trying everything I know
Pushing me so
So
I work all day and I think all night
I break my body but that's alright
'Cause it'll take my mind and all my might
To keep one step ahead of you
Don't wanna know why
Don't wanna know how or when or who
One step ahead
One more step ahead just to get me through
I try my best
Here comes another test
So wicked, no rest
Well,
I work all day and I think all night
I break my body but that's alright
'Cause it'll take my mind and all my might
To keep one step ahead of you
Oh, well
I work all day and I think all night
I break my body but that's alright
'Cause it'll take my mind and all my might
To keep one step ahead of you
Oh, well
I work all day and I think all night
I break my body but that's alright
'Cause it'll take my mind and all my might
To keep one step ahead of you
Written by Nik Kershaw
I told my tale with some words
From jail and a Bible vow
But fear and fury were my judge and jury
So here I am now
There was a letter
A hundred letters
I wrote a letter
It said « Hi! Mr. President I hope
You're fit and strong »
And I hope you'll give me every
Chance to live because they done me wrong
My hope lies in Elisabeth's eyes
Love I will never have known
My hope lies in Elisabeth's eyes
Alone
Still reeling I detect a feeling that I'm here to stay
Somebody locked me up
Somebody threw my key away
I got a letter
A single letter
I read the letter
It said « Hang in there boy
I am fighting for you still »
It was then I knew I really loved her too
I guess I always will
My hope lies in Elisabeth's eyes
Love I will never have known
My hope lies in Elisabeth's eyes
Alone
Another letter
The last letter
I wrote a letter
It said « Don't cry lady, you really shouldn't care »
Tuesday at seven I will find my heaven
And I'll see you there
My hope lies in Elisabeth's eyes
Love I will never have known
My hope lies in Elisabeth's eyes
Alone
My hope lies in Elisabeth's eyes
Love I will never have known
My hope lies in Elisabeth's eyes
Alone
Wo-oh
Elisabeth’s eyes
My hope lies in Elisabeth's eyes alone
My hope lies in Elisabeth's eyes alone
Elisabeth’s eyes
My hope lies in Elisabeth's eyes alone
My hope lies in Elisabeth's eyes alone
Written by Nik Kershaw
Rise and greet the great pretender
He's young and hungry for your crown
Do you want it?
Do you want my place?
You can take my place
Do you want it?
Do you want my place?
You can take my place
Heart of gold and mind of putty
They made me up they'll make you up as well
Do you want it?
Do you want my place?
You can take my place
Do you want it?
Do you want my place?
You can take my place
Do you want it?
Do you want my place?
You can take my place
Do you want it?
Do you want my place?
You can take my place
I know a thing or two
But I hope it's good for you
The time has come for abdication
So pass it on, yeah, pass it on
Do you want it?
Do you want my place?
You can take my place
Do you want it?
Do you want my place?
You can take my place
I hope you'll understand
If it goes the way they planned
Do you want it?
Do you want my place?
You can take my place
Do you want it?
Do you want my place?
You can take my place
Do you want it?
Do you want my place?
You can take my place
Do you want it?
Do you want my place?
You can take my place
There we were, living on our island in the sun
Life was so easy, there was plenty for everyone
'Long come a white man who saw the milk and honey
Now we're making due while he's making all the money
Oh no, not Wounded Knee
Another wheel stops rolling
Oh no, not Wounded Knee again
There we were, living in our village in the trees
We were minding our own business,
We were doing as we please
'Long came a white man with attitudes and axes
Now we're doing overtime and paying lots of taxes
Oh no, not Wounded Knee
Another bell starts tolling
Oh no, not Wounded Knee again
The promises and gifts he brings
The honourable songs he sings
Are tearing us apart
The promises and gifts he brings
The honourable songs he sings
Are tearing us apart
We were pow-wowing to our hearts content
We had the Great spirit, we didn't need a president
'Long came a white man from the civilised nations
Now he ain't having second thoughts
But we've got reservations
Oh no, not Wounded Knee
Another wheel stops rolling
Oh no, not Wounded Knee
Another bell starts tolling
Oh no, not Wounded Knee
Another people starts calling
Oh no, not Wounded Knee again
Oh no, not Wounded Knee again
Oh no, not Wounded Knee again
Oh no, not Wounded Knee again
Written by Nik Kershaw
I am a man with things to say
Got the real thing here without a doubt
My aim is true, I'm on my way
And I know what life is all about
I'll be around
One day
Gunslung civilians
I'll be around
We'll play
Cowboys and Indians
I'll be around and around and around and around
I am a man with things to sell
And I sell them for the highest bid
I know my job, I do it well
I think maybe I'm the sundance kid
I'll be around
One day
Gunslung civilians
I'll be around
We'll play
Cowboys and Indians
Another shot
Another holler
Another bullet
Another dollar
Another day
Another shot
Another holler
Another bullet
Another dollar
Another day
I am a man without a cause
But that don't stop all the fun and games
I'm wild bill without his horse
I'm a modern day Jesse James
I'll be around
One day
Gunslung civilians
I'll be around
We'll play
Cowboys and Indians
I'll be around
One day
Gunslung civilians
I'll be around
We'll play
Cowboys and Indians
I'll be around
One day
Gunslung civilians
I'll be around
We'll play
Cowboys and Indians
I'll be around
Co-written by Nik Kershaw and Peter Wolf.
Sitting here feeding all these numbers into my machine
A number for every little thing I see
I execute and they come dancing in
Dresses black and green
I recognise the number shining out at me
Telling me
One world, one love, one reason why
One hope, one dream, one reason why
One world, one love, one reason why
One hope, one dream, one reason why
One reason why
Many a good man stops to reason and pause for a while
Many a big man doesn't even try
And those who should know better love the word
And praise and letter
They wonder how and when
When I just wonder why I wonder
One world, one love, one reason why
One hope, one dream, one reason why
One world, one love, one reason why
One hope, one dream, one reason why
One reason why
They're crying in future tenses
Tearing down the walls and fences
No matter how I count
It still comes to the same amount
It’s one world, one love, one reason why
One hope, one dream, one reason why
One world, one love, one reason why
One hope, one dream, one reason why
One world, one love, one reason why
Oh why oh why ohhhh
One hope, one dream, one reason why
One world, one love, one reason why
Written by Nik Kershaw
Mr. K comes out to play
Inquisitive as ever
He'd like to know a bunch of things
He thinks you're pretty clever
The height of Cyd Charisse
The probability of chance
The capital of Turkey
And the president of France
So
Don't ask me, got no genius to mention
And I just don't know what to do, what to do
Don't ask me, I'm the father of invention
And you'll never know what is true, what is true
The origin of species
The date of Waterloo
Oppenheimer's shoe size
And the latitude of Timbuktu
The square root of thirty-eight
Why they call he-goats Billy
The weight of Colonel Sanders
And the whereabouts of Chile
So
Don't ask me, got no genius to mention
And I just don't know what to do, what to do
Don't ask me, I'm the father of invention
And you'll never know what is true, what is true
Don't ask me, got no genius to mention
And I just don't know what to do, what to do
Don't ask me, I'm the father of invention
And you'll never know what is true, what is true
Before you go on may I make a suggestion
To get to the truth,
You must first know the question
Don't ask me, got no genius to mention
And I just don't know what to do, what to do
Don't ask me, I'm the father of invention
And you'll never know what is true, what is true
Don't ask me, got no genius to mention
And I just don't know what to do, what to do
Don't ask me, I'm the father of invention
And you'll never know what is true, what is true
Don't ask me, got no genius to mention
And I just don't know what to do, what to do
Don't ask me, I'm the father of invention
And you'll never know what is true, what is true
Written by Nik Kershaw
What's the matter with your face?
What's the matter with they way you talk?
What you doing with that spoon?
You should be eating with a knife and fork
Take a look at your body
Take a look at your state of play
You've had your fun and now it's time to pay
I'm doing O.K.
Well look at me, I'm doing O.K.
Good, ‘cause
I'm burning at both ends
Running on spare juice
Living from line to line
I'm burning at both ends
Surviving on borrowed time
Maybe it's me who's doing it wrong
Maybe I'm falling behind
Maybe I'd come to your party
If I was the Hari Kari'ing kind
Sooner or later it'll catch you up
Sooner or later you'll see
You may not be around to disagree
Are you talking to me
You couldn't be talking to me
Good, ‘cause
I'm burning at both ends
Running on spare juice
Living from line to line
I'm burning at both ends
Surviving on borrowed time
I'm burning at both ends
Running on spare juice
Living from line to line
I'm burning at both ends
Surviving on borrowed time
I'm burning at both ends
Running on spare juice
Living from line to line
I'm burning at both ends
Surviving on borrowed time
I'm burning at both ends
Running on spare juice
Living from line to line
I'm burning at both ends
Surviving on borrowed time
Written by Nik Kershaw
Ten-thirty on a Monday morning, I go
No particular worry or care
Down Santa Monica Boulevard, real slow
Just to see if that lady's still there
I don't know if I should
But maybe I could ask her something
I wonder 'bout the place she calls her home
You're not alone
Lady on the phone
Who are you calling?
Who are you talking to now?
Lady on the phone
Who knows your number?
Who lives in your world and how
So another day comes round, life goes
On and lady's still making that call
No need to tell her there's a world out there
She knows
She just doesn't seem worried at all
I see someone in there
Beauty with the reddest of hair
And maybe not such a long, long time ago
You're not alone
Lady on the phone
Who are you calling?
Who are you talking to now?
Lady on the phone
Who knows your number?
Who lives in your world and how?
Lady on the phone
Who are you talking to now?
When there are no more dimes to spend
Do operators call you friend?
Does anybody know your name?
Call me I'll play your game
I know
You're not alone
Lady on the phone
Who are you calling?
Who are you talking to now?
Lady on the phone
Who knows your number?
Who lives in your world and how?
Lady on the phone
Who are you calling?
Who are you talking to now?
Lady
Who knows your number?
Who lives in your world and how?
Lady on the phone
Who are you calling?
Who are you talking to now?
Lady on the phone
Who knows your number?
Written by Nik Kershaw
There are walls to keep the stranger out
And doors that open wide
Over here, over here
Open spaces for a silent shout
A place for you to hide
Over here
Over here that feeling that fills my head
And smiles as as I take my time to bed
And
I hear someone calling me
Oh no
This certain space is not your place to go
And
I see someone standing there
Go away
Gone walkabout, not coming out today
Nothing ever seems to matter
And yet, nothing means so much
Over here, over here
No magic box or slight of hand
No mockery of touch
Over here
Over here I go but not to sleep
I hope there's something I can keep
And
I hear someone calling me
Oh no
This certain space is not your place to go
And
I see someone standing there
Go away
Gone walkabout, not coming out today
Written by Nik Kershaw
We’re on the run...
Things you would have if you could
If it had come your way
Don’t know when I’ve got it good, not the same on your day
Lots of things to make me do like learning my lines fast
Hope I never hurt like you when I think of my past
When I grow up, I won’t do the things you do
You’ll want to know what I know
When I grow up, I won’t think the way you do
I won’t go the way that you go
Same old-fashioned point of view, show respect to teacher
I think I’ll scream till I turn blue if I hear one more preacher
Sacrifices for my sake all the price you paid
Prove to God I’ll never make the same mistakes
That you’ve made
When I grow up, I won’t do the things you do
You’ll want to know what I know
When I grow up, I won’t think the way you do
I won’t go the way that you go
When I grow up, I won’t say the things you say
You won’t put my hand in your glove
When I grow up, I won’t play the way you play
I won’t love the way that you love
In my interest you didn’t know that I said the same things
Let’s just wait and see what the next generation brings
You’ll do what I do and you’ll say what I say
And you’ll look at me dreamily and you’ll smile one day
Oh, tomorrow belongs to me, just believe it, you’ll see
When I grow up, I won’t do the things you do
You’ll want to know what I know
When I grow up, I won’t think the way you do
I won’t go the way that you go
When I grow up, I won’t say the things you say
You won’t put my hand in your glove
When I grow up, I won’t play the way you play
I won’t love the way that you love
Written by Nik Kershaw
Johnny plays the hero and he sure don’t play it slow
Mummy’s boy to zero, just as fast as he can go
But I will not stand
And wonder why with time behind me I must fly
The race is on my friend John and he does whatever he must
The race is on my friend John and we won’t see him for dust
Maximum aggression at the wheel of his Sudan
Time becomes obsession and he’ll beat it if he can
Well, my time goes by with Toc and Tic
So rock me gently, rock me quick
The race is on my friend John and he does whatever he must
The race is on my friend John and we won’t see him for dust
Get on your marks, ready for action
Give it all you got and leave the rest behind
Foot on the gas, gone in a fraction
You’ll be out of sight and really out of mind
The race is on
Changing days to hours just to hurry up and wait
Stop and smell the flowers on the way to Heaven’s gate
And a thing I know that can’t compare
Going fast and getting nowhere
The race is on my friend John and he does whatever he must
The race is on my friend John and we won’t see him for dust