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Dignity Lyrics
There's a man I meet walks up our street
He's a worker for the council
Has been twenty years
And he takes no lip off nobody
And litter off the gutter
Puts it in a bag
And never seems to mutter
And he packs his lunch in a sunblest bag
The children call him bogie
He never lets on
But I know 'cause he once told me
He let me know a secret about the money in his kitty
He's gonna buy a dinghy
Gonna call her dignity
And I'll sail her up the west coast
Through villages and towns
I'll be on my holidays
They'll be doing their rounds
They'll ask me how I got her I'll say I saved my money
They'll say isn't she pretty that ship called dignity
And I'm telling this story
In a faraway scene
Sipping down raki
And reading maynard keynes
And I'm thinking about home and all that means
And a place in the winter for dignity
And I'll sail her up the west coast
Through villages and towns
I'll be on my holidays
They'll be doing their rounds
They'll ask me how I got her I'll say I saved my money
They'll say isn't she pretty that ship called dignity
And I'm thinking about home
And I'm thinking about faith
And I'm thinking about work
And I'm thinking about how good it would be
To be here some day
On a ship called dignity
A ship called dignity
That ship
He's a worker for the council
Has been twenty years
And he takes no lip off nobody
And litter off the gutter
Puts it in a bag
And never seems to mutter
And he packs his lunch in a sunblest bag
The children call him bogie
He never lets on
But I know 'cause he once told me
He let me know a secret about the money in his kitty
He's gonna buy a dinghy
Gonna call her dignity
Through villages and towns
I'll be on my holidays
They'll be doing their rounds
They'll ask me how I got her I'll say I saved my money
They'll say isn't she pretty that ship called dignity
In a faraway scene
Sipping down raki
And reading maynard keynes
And I'm thinking about home and all that means
And a place in the winter for dignity
And I'll sail her up the west coast
Through villages and towns
I'll be on my holidays
They'll be doing their rounds
They'll ask me how I got her I'll say I saved my money
They'll say isn't she pretty that ship called dignity
And I'm thinking about faith
And I'm thinking about work
And I'm thinking about how good it would be
To be here some day
A ship called dignity
That ship
Song Info
Copyright
Lyrics © Sony/atv Music Publishing Llc
Writer
Ricky Ross
Duration
4:00
Submitted by
bobo192 On May 31, 2002
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
Working for the council as a street cleaner is often seen as a demeaning job. Lifting dogs dirt, sweeping up vomit, emptying maggot infested stuff from bins, it is not a nice job, just as you reach the end of the pavement you have cleaned someone at the other end is letting their dog do it's business, in the middle of all your good work, and they have absolutely no intention of demeaning themselves by picking it up, that's what the street cleaner is for!!! You see, the job the man does, day in, day out, rain or shine, he does with dignity and pride - never seems to mutter - What gets him through his working day is his retirement dream of buying his boat and sailing it up the west coast, whilst his former collegues and all those that come after them are still doing the same old job. The boat represents his pride, joy and motivation, he's going to call it dignity as a little dig at his current occupation after doing what most people would see as a demeaning job. ie. You might see me having to clear up this big turd right in the middle of the pavement to earn a living, but one day I'll be sailing up the west coast of Scotland on my own ship, called dignity, and you will all be doing the same old. So, the song is essentially about this mans employment, and what motivates him to carry on doing such a menial task.
By the way, the children probably call him bogie because it's cold in the winter and if you have your litter picker in one hand, your bag in the other, inevitably your nose will produce a bogie or two and school kids don't miss a thing. So, you see his job in Scotland is seen by so many as demeaning, that even school kids think it's ok to take the mick out of him.
Clever, insightfull, brilliant song that tells an inspirational story.
Such a joy.
@kipstaz Good comment. Upvoted.
@kipstaz Good comment. Upvoted.
The sad reality of many working class people is that by the time they retire or have saved enough, their health lets them down and they physically are unable to sail that ship. The money they've struggled to save all their lives gets used for their care in a retirement/nursing home. Or the firm their private pension is with goes bump.
The sad reality of many working class people is that by the time they retire or have saved enough, their health lets them down and they physically are unable to sail that ship. The money they've struggled to save all their lives gets used for their care in a retirement/nursing home. Or the firm their private pension is with goes bump.
Lets hope more of us make that trip up the west coast when we retire.
Lets hope more of us make that trip up the west coast when we retire.
@kipstaz Excellent summary. The only other comment I'd add that buying and running a boat is an expensive business, and with this chap on a street cleaner's salary, there's an inherent sadness to this song as you know that although that's his dream, he's very unlikely to ever be able to achieve it and will probably only slowly realise as retirement approaches.
@kipstaz Excellent summary. The only other comment I'd add that buying and running a boat is an expensive business, and with this chap on a street cleaner's salary, there's an inherent sadness to this song as you know that although that's his dream, he's very unlikely to ever be able to achieve it and will probably only slowly realise as retirement approaches.
@kipstaz Love your meaning story. We have people who are retired around the lake in our neighborhood who don’t have a lot of money and spend their days fishing with dignity and job and pride. The probably had hard jobs in their lives too - and were often not treated with respect. So this song is for them too. Reminds us to show respect. When you dream you can dream big so dreaming of a boat in the west coast is a very doable dream also if you save on a humble salary.
@kipstaz Love your meaning story. We have people who are retired around the lake in our neighborhood who don’t have a lot of money and spend their days fishing with dignity and job and pride. The probably had hard jobs in their lives too - and were often not treated with respect. So this song is for them too. Reminds us to show respect. When you dream you can dream big so dreaming of a boat in the west coast is a very doable dream also if you save on a humble salary.
One of the greatest songs!
I reckon this song is about a normal working class guy, maybe a bit older - certainly of a lost generation now! A guy who people think of as quiet, thus the kids have the 'bogie' impression of him! Maybe a bit misunderstood though, as he reads Maynard Keynes. However, underneath it all, he still harbours dreams, like anyone else, although his may be tamer in comparison to jetting off round the world. A man of simple pleasures. But a proud man (I saved my money!).
Anyone from Scotland will probably know someone like this, i know my Grandfather is like this guy. But i think that they are a dieing breed.
This song is the definitive Deacon Blue song, the one they don't have to actually sing anymore when they do it live. I have heard them do this many times and never fails to have an effect. I think that this song is just about the dignity of having a job in our society, having something useful to contribute. But it is also about having a dream and being more than people assume you to be. Its about what he is going to do once he has stopped working and feels he has earned his rest. Its a a brilliant song...
This song is the definitive Deacon Blue song, the one they don't have to actually sing anymore when they do it live. I have heard them do this many times and never fails to have an effect. I think that this song is just about the dignity of having a job in our society, having something useful to contribute. But it is also about having a dream and being more than people assume you to be. Its about what he is going to do once he has stopped working and feels he has earned his rest. Its a a brilliant song which speaks to every hard working individual. Very much from Ricky Ross's background, work hard and earn your recreation.
I'm not from Scotland but I have met a couple of Scots like that, one who lives in England and the other whom I met in Scotland. It's a great attitude, not a whine of self pity, unlike Joe's post. Wonder what he is doing now.
I'm not from Scotland but I have met a couple of Scots like that, one who lives in England and the other whom I met in Scotland. It's a great attitude, not a whine of self pity, unlike Joe's post. Wonder what he is doing now.
This song didnt say much to me when it came out, I took it too literally maybe. Now after 20 years of ups and downs and all kinds of mistakes and regrets I look back and envy the simple lives of some of the people I knew when I was young, they were solid, confident people with simple lives and needs and their dignity was so important to them, they were happy and generous but I thought they were boring and nderachievers - now i realise they had a simple plan and they stuck to it, it wasnt the acquisition of wealth but maintaining their dignity and pride.
What I got for this song is that the person wanted to live a life have a job make money and at the end of the day die with their dignity intact knowing that they are 100% true and honest.
To me, this song is about dreaming big. Love it.
I can't believe no one has commented at all on this song. It rocks.
I Think this song is about a guy who works hard at a job he doesn't particularly mind doing because he doesnt't see it as a knock on his dignity simply because he is saving up for better things.
The song has quite a deep meaning to me at the moment. I've made a lot of bad decisions, mistakes etc, and they're about to come and bite me in the arse... my life as i know it, is shortly to be over. My career in ruins, my family disowning me, and my freedom revoked for a short period.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about my life, where i'm headed, the mistakes which i made years ago and had put behind me, which now are going to change my life forever.... and i've decided that i know where i need to be, and what i want from life.
I'm going to get any old job when it's all blown over, work every hour god sends, save like my life depends on it, and then buy a van, and a hang glider and lessons. I'm then going to pack the van with my glider and all my climbing gear... and leave.
"I'll travel up the west coast, through villages and towns... "
For me, i'll be travelling around Europe initially, then who knows... travelling from Launch site to climbing site, making friends.. sleeping in my van, camping... if i need to work, ill do anything - cleaning, work in a bar, waiting tables etc...
"i'll be thinking about home, and all that that means"
Who knows where ill end up? Who cares? My life here is almost over, i'll not have much to stay here for anyway...
The jobs i do after it all to save up may not be glamerous, they may not be the definition of 'career success', but ill be building up my dignity.
When i listen to to this song, the crunch of it is thus:
"and i'm thinking about home and i'm thinking about faith and i'm thinking about work and i'm thinking about how good it would be to be here some day"
I think about all of those things, the dream i have, the freedom of the open road, being able to put my past mistakes and cock ups behind me, to leave those who'll judge behind, and move to pastures new...
And as the song says, i'm thinking about how good it will be to be there one day.
Hope you can see it through Joe. At times when it all seems like shit and the world's against you, please remember what you have written here. p.s. get a Paraglider rather than a hang-glider, much easier to transport.
Hope you can see it through Joe. At times when it all seems like shit and the world's against you, please remember what you have written here. p.s. get a Paraglider rather than a hang-glider, much easier to transport.
I have lived in the same house all of my life. About 300 feet from this room where I now sit down and write this post there was once a factory. It was in full action when I was a little boy. I could see the workers from my window. When I hear this song I think about all the people who once worked in that factory. It is like travelling 30-35 years back and this song are playing on their radios inside that factory giving fuel to their dreams.
Song like this are hard to find these days. I love this song and the lyrics. Can not stop listening to it.