Best of British (Ian McLagan)

I wish you the best of British
Though we’re miles apart

I wish you the best of British

In the chill of September when the leaves all fall to the ground
Say hello to London town for me
And in the rush hour evenings when the rain comes pouring down
Just for a moment it’s where I want to be

I wish you the best of British

And in the cold of winter when the snow lays thick on the ground
Say hello to London town for me
And when the springtime sunshine finally breaks through the clouds
Just for a moment it’s where I’d rather be

Remember you told me – you were walkin' in the street
You saw an old friend of mine – he was draggin' his feet
Well I saw him on the box last night – tellin' it true
I just want to ask you how you’re doin'?

I wish you the best of British though we’re miles apart
I wish you the best of British from the bottom of my heart
I wish you the best of British cause that’s what you are

I wish you the best of British

In the stupor of summer when the pretty girls are lookin so brown
Say hello to London town for me
When the pubs are jam-packed and the pints keep coming around
Just for a moment there’s nowhere else to be

Did you ever see Billy again – walkin in the street
And just like I asked you – did you tell him hello from me
It’s been such a long time – but I hope it’s soon
I just want to ask you how you’re doin?

I wish you the best of British though we’re miles apart
I wish you the best of British from the bottom of my heart
I wish you the best of British cause that’s what you are

I wish you the best of British

 

I Only Wanna Be With You (Ian McLagan)

Ink stains on a sheet of paper don’t say when you’re comin' home
There’s a jump in my heartbeat every time I hear the telephone
Dogs bark when door bells ring, police sirens, they do it too
I’m missin your kissin, I listen out for you

Ooh can’t you see, I only wanna be with you

Ooh I, never read this in the script, Ooh I - think I’m havin’ a fit, Ooh I 

I know you’re much to busy to call me
but face it baby, you can’t ignore me
Remember whenever you’re feelin lonely
I only wanna be with you

Ink stains on a sheet of paper don’t say when you’re comin' home
There’s a lump in my throat when I hear the telephone

Ooh can’t you see, I only wanna be with you

Ooh I, never read this in the script, Ooh I - think I’m havin’ a fit, Ooh I

I know you’re much to busy to call me
but face it baby, you can’t ignore me
Remember whenever you’re feelin' lonely
I only wanna be with you

Lonely that’s what I am
Only, I only wanna be with you
I only wanna be with you

 

She Stole It! (Ian McLagan)

I loved my little girl and I wouldn’t wanna choose
But I’ve been collecting records since 1962
When I found her note it wiped away my smile
She wrote “let’s see who you love” and stole my record pile

She stole my record collection
She stole my record collection

Hank Williams & Muddy Waters, Aretha & Otis "Blue"
She stole every single, disc and album, and then she took ‘em straight to you

Now I got nothin' to play, staring at bare walls
I turned my back for a minute, she left and took ‘em all
So now you got my sounds, I’m livin in an empty shack
I don’t wanna see her again, I can cuddle with my cat
But I want my records back

She stole my record collection – she stole it
She stole my record collection – she stole it

Stones, Beatles & Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry & Booker T
She took The Wolf & Little Walter, James Brown – Please, Please, Please!
Bring ‘em back

She stole it - she stole it - she stole it – hey, where’s my Brother Ray?

Elvis, Gladys, Curtis, Mavis, Sly & The Family Stone
She stole every single, disc and album every cassette tape that I owned
Bring ‘em back

She stole it

 

Warm Rain (Ian McLagan) 

Roses round your door in pink and red
That’s what you wanted, it’s what you said
To settle down with some lucky guy
And walk barefoot under southern skies

Warm rain falls on you
Falls on me and leaves me dry

Roses round your door in yellow and pink
Is that what you wanted, is that what you think?
Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win
I sit here watching the clouds roll in

Warm rain drown me 'cos now I see what a fool I’ve been
Warm rain falls on you
Falls on me and leaves me dry

If you pray real hard you just might get what you want
And I’m down on my knees on the floor
A little rain would be good right now
But sometimes when it rains it pours

You’re running out again in this warm rain
You’re running out on me and straight to him
Warm rain drown me 'cos now I see what a fool I’ve been

Warm rain falls on you
Falls on him and leaves me dry

Warm rain

Hope Street (Ian McLagan)

The city of dreams is fast asleep
Left me here counting sheep
And only a couple of blocks away
People got no place to stay
And nothing to eat
On Hope Street

Nothing but a packing case for cover
We don’t care enough for each other
It’s not just a question of poverty
It’s hard to believe the things you see
And the people you meet
On Hope Street

Where faith is lost and dreams are torn
Where human life is frail and worn

For some of us eviction day
Could be but a paycheck away
Some may stand and take the heat
Some’ll end up on cold concrete
And face defeat
On Hope Street

It’s time we had the answer
We know it’s a crime
Been going on for so long
We’re running out of time

The city of dreams is fast asleep
Left me here counting sheep
And only a couple of blocks away
Poor people got no place to stay
And nothing to eat
On Hope Street

Living on hope 
Hope Street

 

Hello Old Friend (Ian McLagan)

Hello old friend, it’s been a long time
Since I’ve seen your face in front of mine
I could talk all night, we could drink a few
I got stories to tell but I wanna know about you

I heard you were lonely, I been lonely too
Thought I was the only fool I knew

Hello old friend, it’s been a long time
Let’s make it soon, let’s make it rhyme

I heard you were lonely, I been lonely too
Thought I was the only fool I knew

Hello old friend, I’ll see you in a while
We’ll sit and talk and you’ll make me smile
We’re gonna laugh at all this, and you’ll sing me a song
I’ll raise my glass and play along

Hello old friend

 

Big Love (Ian McLagan)

Just the girl I wanna meet
I seen you around
I seen you walkin' down the street
I watch the fellers checkin' you out
I got a secret nobody knows
I’ll whisper to you way down low
I gotta big love for you
I gotta big love

They say the cost of living is bringing you down
There’s a lot of fuss and bother and trouble in your home town
You got a Chevrolet, you wanna Cadillac
But I can give you what you need, I can put you on the right track
This ain’t no pressure, no no, I’ll whisper to you way down low
I gotta big love for you, I gotta big love
I gotta big love for you, I gotta big love

I’ll show you how, I’ll be so kind
I’m gonna take you down honey, sugar coat and make you shine
This ain’t no pressure, no no, I’ll whisper to you way down low
I gotta big love for you, I gotta big love
This ain’t no pressure, no no, I’ll whisper to you way down low
I gotta big love for you, I gotta big love 

I got a secret nobody knows - I’ll whisper to you way down low
I gotta big love for you, I gotta big love…

 

Don't Let Him Out of Your Site (Ian McLagan)

I’m looking for a pal of mine who went out walking
With a bottle of wine and a girl in tow
I’m not expecting to find him, I’m just talking
I know he’s not around here but I miss him so
I heard he was in Mexico but I don’t buy it
His direction was north and his spirits were high
I searched everywhere he used to go and some didn’t like it
But the rumours are stranger than the reasons why

If you see him - don’t let on
If you see him - don’t let him know
If you see him - don’t let him out of your sight

I’m looking for a pal of mine who seems to have drifted
You may see him on the road as you’re driving by
He’s got a twinkle in his eye, you can tell he’s gifted
He’s the kind of person that likes to get high
He’s been seen down in Texas with some bandaleros
Oh but I know him better, he’d rather fuck than fight
All the girls want to mother him, the men call him a hero
Oh he’s something to everyone but he’s not here tonight

If you see him - don’t let on
If you see him - don’t let him know
If you see him - don’t let him out of your sight

If you see him - don’t let on
If you see him - don’t let him know
If you see him - don’t let him out of your sight

I traced him to a little town in Colorado
They say he settled down and found some relief
I’ll always wonder what became of this desperado
Did he find what he was lookin for, does he rest in peace?

Don’t let on - if you see him - don’t let him know
If you see him - don’t let on
If you see him - don’t let him know
If you see him - don’t let him out of your sight

 

Suzie Got A Sweet Face (Ian McLagan) 

Suzie gotta sweet face
She got legs down to the ground
Oh she’s just this side of good taste
She’s a princess from a small town
She gotta personality
She gotta sweet disposition
Now she’s livin out her fantasy
In a beauty competition 

Watcha gonna do when it’s over
Watcha gonna do when it’s over, Suzie?

She’s packin up a suitcase
Goin' to Atlantic City
Oh she’s gotta come in first place
Cos Suzie’s very pretty
All she gotta do is walk
The way she fills that suit
Oh I tell her she should watch her talk
Cos she can be too too cute

Watcha gonna do when it’s over
Watcha gonna do when it’s over, Suzie?

They all laughed when she left town
A cash prize and a gold crown
They all laughed when she came back
Twenty dollars in a paper sack
But nobody could step in her shoes
Cos Suzie knows Suzie got nothing to lose

Watcha gonna do when it’s over
Watcha gonna do when it’s over, Suzie?

Suzie never was the best
But she might’ve been a star
Oh but now she wears a skimpy dress
Serving drinks in a bar
Suzie gotta sweet face
She got legs down to the ground
Oh she’s just this side of good taste
She’s a princess from a small town

Watcha gonna do when it’s over
Watcha gonna do when it’s over, Suzie?

 

Barking Dogs (Ian McLagan, Jorge Calderon) 

If anybody knew the truth
No one knows it’s worth
That old witchdoctor knew what he was saying
Nobody can own this earth

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
Barking dogs think they must

Moonlight cools the sands of Botswana
By the steps of primitive man
Ancient callings echo in the dark
Nobody can own this land

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
barking dogs think they must

If anybody knew the truth 
No one knows it’s worth
That old witchdoctor knew what he was saying
Nobody can own this earth

No barking dogs - no barking dogs

Seeds of greed are shot to the Heavens
And finally left to disperse
Brilliant plans can turn to rock and ice
When you tamper with the Universe

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
Barking dogs think they must

 

I Will Follow (Ian McLagan, Jorge Calderon) 

I can’t hear what you’re saying
And I can’t see why you tell me so
But anytime you say go
I will follow

I don’t know what I’m doin
And I can’t tell anymore
But anytime that you show 
I will follow

Just a lick of your lips
My heart flips
Switch your hips
Ooh I’m in a fit

Anytime, anywhere, any place, and you want me there
Just snap your fingers and whisper low
I will follow
I will follow

A pretty girl told me she saw your picture on the cover of a magazine
Someday soon, and it won’t be long, I’m gonna find you no matter where you been

Just a lick of your lips
My heart flips
Switch your hips
Ooh I’m in a fit

Anytime, anywhere, any place, and you want me there
Just snap your fingers and whisper low 
I will follow
I will follow
I will follow

This Time (Ian McLagan) 

Well you heard me say how it wasn’t enough
I needed more of what you got
And every time I said I’d leave
I never really meant it
Well honey now it’s wake-up time
I’ve had my fun, I can’t deny it
I always said if you look up 
It’s written on the ceiling

This time
This time I really mean it

I seen the signs, I know what to do
You want your cake and eat it too
Forever means as long as it lasts
And never, never makes it
Well honey now you know it all 
And yet you were the first to fall
I never meant to hurt you but 
Sometimes it starts the healing

This time
This time I really mean it

What we do is keep on startin' anew
And watch our dreams fallin' through
That old bottomless wishing well
When I go it’s gonna hurt me I know
Cos after lovin' you so I bet my sadness will show
But I’m sure this time
This time I really mean it

I thought you knew I wrote the book
I’m just surprised how long it took
Forever means as long as it lasts
And never, never makes it
Well honey now it’s wake-up time
I’ll tell the truth, I’ll even lie
It’s over now, I’ve had enough
I think I must be dreaming

This time
This time I really mean it