Sunday afternoon there's something special
It's just like another world
Jogging in the park is my excuse
To look at all the little girls

I'm not a flasher in a rain coat,
I'm not a dirty old man,
I'm not gonna snatch you from your mother,
I'm an art lover
Come to daddy,
Ah, come to daddy,
Come to daddy

Pretty little legs, I want to draw them,
Like a Degas ballerina
Pure white skin, like porcelain,
She's a work of art and I should know
I'm an art lover
Come to daddy,
And I'll give you some spangles

Little girl don't notice me
Watching as she innocently plays
She can't see me staring at her
Because I'm always wearing shades
She feeds the ducks, looks at the flowers
I follow her around for hours and hours
I'd take her home, but that could never be,
She's just a substitute
For what's been taken from me
Ah, come to daddy, come on

Sunday afternoon can't last forever,
Wish I could take you home
So, come on, give us a smile
Before you vanish out of view
I've learned to appreciate you
The way art lovers do,
And I only want to look at you


Lyrics submitted by jayphelps321

Art Lover Lyrics as written by Ray Davies

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Art Lover song meanings
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    General Comment

    Ray says it right in the song. I'm NOT a flasher in a raincoat. I'm NOT a dirty old man. He definitely is NOT a pedophile in this song. It's a very ambiguous song about a guy who has lost his daughter, either to death or divorce or something of that nature. Watching the little girls in the park reminds him of his child.

    I remember reading an interview with Ray Davies in Creem magazine where he was explaining that the BBC wanted to ban the song because they thought it was about pedophelia. He told them that was not the case and that he explicitly says in the song that he has no evil motives.

    Once you get to the end it's a pretty straight forward sad song. There is really no double or hidden meaning.

    robsunon May 15, 2010   Link

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