@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Genocidal tendencies are silly to extreme
After all you're still quite small you don't know where you've been
You was only swearing yesterday
Oh you want to win the world away
But now you got nothing to say-ay-ay
Boy you're getting out of hand
You've got to make a stand
So put the coke away
Boy you got the do the show
Got to let the people know
You got the strength to stay
I can see you run
I can see you hide
Oh your heart is aching
Lost in a dream of what might have been
You're the guide
You're the number one
And your knees are shaking
Stand and deliver in an endless dream
Schizophrenic, photogenic, aggravates me so
Only yes-men
Have a guess man
Watch the spirit go
Batman zips the monster as he bleeds
And gets up on the buzz he needs
And a kid on the street just reads
And reads, and reads, and reads
And reads, and reads, and reads
Boy it's them hard case city blues
Cagney is the news
Does the giant ring a bell
Boy it's the Hudson East river cruise
It's the Empire State buffoons
Oh you know the story well
Do you have to run
Do you have to hide
There's a new tomorrow
Yes you're a mess
But you're more than less
When this battles won
You can look inside
Oh you did not borrow
Yes you're the best
But you still can't rest
You know, you know
The carnival is closed
Your street's alive with ghosts
But a friend says don't look back
Don't look back, don't look round
Your vision is your fate
Through long electric nights
When a woman helps you write
Na na na, na na na
Na
Na na na, na na na
Cheer up mate, put the dramas in the past
See you did not have to fast
Euphemism lasts and lasts and lasts
And lasts, and lasts, and lasts
And lasts, and lasts
Boy if you've got an axe to grind
Be thankful for this time
For it gives you what you need
Boy you've got an eighty-eight to play
It'll tell you what to say
It'll tell you when to breathe
Boy take a turnpike heading West
Turn the people on to Beau Geste
'Cause that's what you did the best
Boy play the pipes 'til they're old and worn
Sing the words 'til they fall forlorn
Like the pieces of a jigsaw jet
Boy don't let the Earth get in your face
Its a middle-aged displace
Its the middle ages snide
Boy we're a million miles away
And to think its so insane
Take a chance on a one way ride
Boy shoot a rocket clean out of your mind
Oh these people ain't your kind
No they ain't your kind at all
Boy shoot a rocket clean out of your brain
No these people ain't the same
You can hear another call
Boy the other book starts with no
They don't show us how to grow
They only show us how to win
Boy the secret's in the bicycle shed
Ain't no answers now they're dead
To seek is a mortal sin
Hey you know boy let your madness be the clue
After all you're still quite small you don't know where you've been
You was only swearing yesterday
Oh you want to win the world away
But now you got nothing to say-ay-ay
Boy you're getting out of hand
You've got to make a stand
So put the coke away
Boy you got the do the show
Got to let the people know
You got the strength to stay
I can see you run
I can see you hide
Oh your heart is aching
Lost in a dream of what might have been
You're the guide
You're the number one
And your knees are shaking
Stand and deliver in an endless dream
Schizophrenic, photogenic, aggravates me so
Only yes-men
Have a guess man
Watch the spirit go
Batman zips the monster as he bleeds
And gets up on the buzz he needs
And a kid on the street just reads
And reads, and reads, and reads
And reads, and reads, and reads
Boy it's them hard case city blues
Cagney is the news
Does the giant ring a bell
Boy it's the Hudson East river cruise
It's the Empire State buffoons
Oh you know the story well
Do you have to run
Do you have to hide
There's a new tomorrow
Yes you're a mess
But you're more than less
When this battles won
You can look inside
Oh you did not borrow
Yes you're the best
But you still can't rest
You know, you know
The carnival is closed
Your street's alive with ghosts
But a friend says don't look back
Don't look back, don't look round
Your vision is your fate
Through long electric nights
When a woman helps you write
Na na na, na na na
Na
Na na na, na na na
Cheer up mate, put the dramas in the past
See you did not have to fast
Euphemism lasts and lasts and lasts
And lasts, and lasts, and lasts
And lasts, and lasts
Boy if you've got an axe to grind
Be thankful for this time
For it gives you what you need
Boy you've got an eighty-eight to play
It'll tell you what to say
It'll tell you when to breathe
Boy take a turnpike heading West
Turn the people on to Beau Geste
'Cause that's what you did the best
Boy play the pipes 'til they're old and worn
Sing the words 'til they fall forlorn
Like the pieces of a jigsaw jet
Boy don't let the Earth get in your face
Its a middle-aged displace
Its the middle ages snide
Boy we're a million miles away
And to think its so insane
Take a chance on a one way ride
Boy shoot a rocket clean out of your mind
Oh these people ain't your kind
No they ain't your kind at all
Boy shoot a rocket clean out of your brain
No these people ain't the same
You can hear another call
Boy the other book starts with no
They don't show us how to grow
They only show us how to win
Boy the secret's in the bicycle shed
Ain't no answers now they're dead
To seek is a mortal sin
Hey you know boy let your madness be the clue
Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned
Boy Lyrics as written by Mick Ronson Ian Hunter
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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how can no one be commenting on these great songs by ian hunter??
i love this song reminds me of a friend with a coke problem and another one with a drink problem..
common ppl comment!
One of the greatest songs of my generation, its definitely underrated and little exposed. Marvelous, caring lyrics and a haunting piano. I don't like the way it dies out at the end, but I could listen to it over and over.
Whilst this is a really good song, it's actually one long, extremely unsubtle, tirade against David Bowie. Pretty well every line lays into him, obvious examples include "Genocidal tendencies" (Diamond Dogs) to "Time" (Aladdin Sane). Why exactly he did this isn't clear, as Bowie saved Mott the Hoople, enabling Ian Hunter to have a long and successful career. One possibility is Bowie's tendency to pick people up, and then drop them when he got bored with them. Iggy Pop, another singer whose career was saved by Bowie, is another example - Pop has often been rude about his one-time saviour.
This is Ian revealing his doubts about leaving Mott and going solo. He has lost faith in himself but he has Ronno "a friend says don't look back" and he has Trudi "while a woman helps you write"....as self revealing as the best Lennon.
It sounds like a mix of David Bowie's Life On Mars, Five Years and Cygnet Committee.