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Sea And Sand Lyrics
Here by the sea and sand
Nothing ever goes as planned,
I just couldn't face going home
It was just a drag on my own.
They finally threw me out
My mother got drunk on stout,
My dad couldn't stand on two feet,
As he lectured about morality.
And now I guess the families complete,
With me hanging round on the street
Or here on the beach.
The girl I love
Is a perfect dresser,
Wears every fashion
Gets it to the tee.
Heavens above,
I got to match her
She knows just how
She wants her man to be
Leave it to me.
My jacket's gonna be cut slim and checked
Maybe a touch of seersucker with an open neck
I ride a G.S. scooter with my hair cut neat
I wear my wartime coat in the wind and sleet.
I see her dance
Across the ballroom
UV lights making starshine
Of her smile.
I am the face,
She has to know me,
I'm dressed up better than anyone
Within a mile.
Oh yeah.
So how come the other tickets look much better?
Without a penny to spend they dress to the letter.
How come the girls come on oh so cool
Yet when you meet 'em, every one's a fool?
Come sleep on the beach
Keep within my reach
I just want to die with you near
I'm feeling so high with you here.
I'm wet and I'm cold
But thank God I ain't old
Why didn't I say what I mean?
I should have split home at fifteen
There's a story that the grass is so green,
What did I see?
Where have I been?
Nothing is planned, by the sea and the sand.
I'm the face if you want it, babe,
I'm the face if you want it.
I'm the face if you want it, babe,
I'm the face if you want it.
I'm the face if you want it.
I'm the face if you want it, babe.
If you want it, if you want it, if you want it, if you want it,
If you want it.
If you want it.
If you want it, if you want it, if you want it, if you want it,
If you want it.
Ah, I'm the face,
I'm the face,
I'm the face.
Nothing ever goes as planned,
I just couldn't face going home
It was just a drag on my own.
My mother got drunk on stout,
My dad couldn't stand on two feet,
As he lectured about morality.
And now I guess the families complete,
With me hanging round on the street
Or here on the beach.
Is a perfect dresser,
Wears every fashion
Gets it to the tee.
Heavens above,
I got to match her
She knows just how
She wants her man to be
Leave it to me.
Maybe a touch of seersucker with an open neck
I ride a G.S. scooter with my hair cut neat
I wear my wartime coat in the wind and sleet.
Across the ballroom
UV lights making starshine
Of her smile.
I am the face,
She has to know me,
I'm dressed up better than anyone
Within a mile.
Oh yeah.
Without a penny to spend they dress to the letter.
How come the girls come on oh so cool
Yet when you meet 'em, every one's a fool?
Keep within my reach
I just want to die with you near
I'm feeling so high with you here.
But thank God I ain't old
Why didn't I say what I mean?
I should have split home at fifteen
There's a story that the grass is so green,
What did I see?
Where have I been?
I'm the face if you want it.
I'm the face if you want it, babe,
I'm the face if you want it.
I'm the face if you want it.
I'm the face if you want it, babe.
If you want it.
If you want it.
If you want it, if you want it, if you want it, if you want it,
If you want it.
Ah, I'm the face,
I'm the face,
I'm the face.
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
Jimmy is feeling betrayed by his parents in the first verse and by girls in the next four (he has previously seen his ex-girlfriend with another guy). He is holding on to the two things that he still believes in- his status as a mod and, for reasons he doesn't yet understand, the ocean. For an explanation, see my comments on Drowned and Love Reign O'er Me.
"don't know why there are so many sea references in this album though."
for starters the story is set around the Brighton Beach mod vs rocker period. and living on an island, the sea is never very far away. then you can start layering in all of the metaphors- impermanence, permanence, all-enveloping-mother, cold flea-bitten and indifferent... the sea absorbs it all, and washes it all away.
makes for a great classic Who juxtaposition of the manic and the sublime.
The vocals between Daltry and Townsend are great. "Im the face if you want it" is from the song of the same name one of the first songs ever released by The Who, then called The High Numbers. Quadrophenia will always be one of the greatest rock albums ever made.
The vocals between Daltry and Townsend are great. "Im the face if you want it" is from the song of the same name one of the first songs ever released by The Who, then called The High Numbers. Quadrophenia will always be one of the greatest rock albums ever made.
@dcba "don't know why there are so many sea references in this album though."
@dcba "don't know why there are so many sea references in this album though."
I get the feeling that these days few realize that the original story of Jimmy had a different ending than shown in the movie. If I'm not mistaken, as originally written instead of a scooter he stole a boat, took it out to sea and drowned at the end. Listen to the 1973 Philadelphia "Quadrophenia Premiere" concert on Youtube and Townsend narrates the story in between songs.
I get the feeling that these days few realize that the original story of Jimmy had a different ending than shown in the movie. If I'm not mistaken, as originally written instead of a scooter he stole a boat, took it out to sea and drowned at the end. Listen to the 1973 Philadelphia "Quadrophenia Premiere" concert on Youtube and Townsend narrates the story in between songs.
song covered by phish during their new year's eve MSG concert....don't know how it compares to the original but i loved it.
probably my favorite song off quadrophenia.
i think it's about him being kicked out of the home (they finally kicked me out) (now i guess the family's complete wiht me hanging out on the street, or here on hte beach)
the beach is some sort of a metaphor, maybe a place where he feels free (nothing is planned by the sea and the sand) also mentioned in bell boy, as well as lots of other songs. of course, the opening track is called "i am the sea"
i love the line "come sleep on the beach, stay within my reach, i just want to die with you here, i'm feeling so high with you here"
This song shows the sides of Jimmy, two in particular, Tough-guy-Jimmy (the more Rocky parts of the song) and Hopeless-romantic-Jimmy (the "The girl i loooove... and I se her daaance... parts)
I love this song and its a bit 'Me'
one of my favorite vocal performances by daltrey, especially
"dressed up better than anyone within a mile"
Was Jimmy a Pisces? this fascination to wanting to be one with the ocean. Being hypnotized by it................I can relate to that.
i'm pretty sure he makes out with the girl by the ocean in this song. don't know why there are so many sea references in this album though.