Ray Davies's
Lyrics
Working Man's Café cover

All Lines

Why don't you take the easy way?
Why don't you tidy up
Why go through it? (2)
Why I couldn't recognise myself
Why I love you though you treat me bad,
Why I love you though you treat me bad.
Why is it difficult to get things done
Why is true love so difficult to find
Why not come dancing, it's only natural?
Why not get a boat and come to Australia (2)
Why not negotiate and try to be civilised? (2)
Why she walked like a woman and talked like a man
Why should he care if he is hated in his home,
Why should I have to give my reasons
Why should I when I'd only miss you still,
Why they all look the same.
Why wait till tomorrow when you can just take it today,
Why we should be on dead end street.
Why? yeah
Wicked Annabella mixes a brew
Wicked smile, decadent grin,
Wickie wa-waddle doo (2)
Will be scattered in time
Will he live or will he die, before we go on the air?
Will I be a working man?
Will I get away, (2)
Will I get away, will I see it through,
Will I go to work today or shall I bide my time
Will I reach my destination, (2)
Will I reach my destination?
Will I see it through?
Will it blot out the sun?
Will it light up the sky?
Will this depression last for long?
Will we live a long life, will it treat us fair? (2)
William Blake, Charles Dickens, Dick Whittington,
Willkommen Deutsch and Dutch and Dansk
Winding up, stress filled, mad intimidation.
Winners and losers till the intermission
Winter is here, close of play
Winter is here, end of the season
Winter time is coming
Winter will come any day
Wipe my eyes and stop me yawning.
Wise up to the situation
Wish all the confusion would slowly fade away.
Wish I could be (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
Wish I could be like (2) (3) (4) (5)
Wish I could be like David Watts (2)
Wish I could cure this infernal allergy
Wish I could live on sugar and milk,
Wish I could prove
Wish I could remember when
Wish I could take you home.
Wish I had a more direct connection. (2)
Wish that I'd gone with her.
Wish you were here to see it with me
Wish you were here to sing it with me
With a dash of Perrier.
With a little bit of exercise
With a lunatic smile on his face
With a new world to build we'll say "auf Wiedersehn".
With a panic attack
With a smile on his face
With a wife and little kids to support
With all the debts that we would owe.
With all the repetition (2)
With all the repetition, day after day, all the repetition
With another young man,
With big decisions looming ahead.
With compulsory purchase we can buy it up cheap.
With empty factories in Birmingham (2)
With hatred in their eyes
With his brains not expected home for an hour or more.
With its buildings that reach to the clouds
With knocked off goods in the van
with letters from solicitors
With maximum exposure full of sleaziness
With my imitation Gretsch guitar
With my plastic Visa drinking with my chums (2)
With no particular purpose or reason (2) (3)
With old worn-out traditions
With ordinary plans.
With our history gone
With pickup lines to impress young schoolgirls
With Shirley Jones and Gordon McRea,
With sushi bars in Maine and Boston (2)
With that alimony, palimony, whatever it is you get. (2)
With the bores next door,
With the fascists and the left wing militants
With the hurricane crossing the coast line (2) (3)
With the physique of a Tarzan
With the prisoners of the motherland
with the right attitude.
With the will to survive
With their black jacks and shiv.
With violent streets all filled with fear,
with your car and your handmade overcoats
Without a warning there's a thought, it just comes over you (2) (3)
Without any conclusion.
Without any pity,
Without you, without you (2) (3)
Witnessing the disintegration,
Wo-wo-wo I can sit through your gossip and your soap opera shows,
Wo-wo-wo I love her so but if she doesn't move the ducks,
Wo-wo-wo-wo-won't (2) (3) (4)
Woke up in a panic,
Woke up this morning, started to sneeze
Woke up this morning, what did I see
Woman, you are gonna drive me
Women like you oughta be locked up,
Won't be as bitter as the ones behind you.
Won't someone help me to break up this crown
Won't take you long to just sing to me please, (2)
Won't you sing a little melody.
Won't you sing a little song for me, oh yeah.
Won't you sing me a song or two,
Won't you tell me (2) (3) (4)
Won't you try to help me along,
Won't you whistle a tune. (2)
Wonder boy, (2) (3) (4) (5)
Wonder boy, life's just begun.
Wonder boy, some mother's son, (2)
Wonder boy. (2)
Wonderin' all the time, (2)
Wondering how to begin.
Wondering if I'd done wrong
Wondering if I'm ever gonna settle down
Woohooh hoohooh hooh, woohooh hoohooh hooh
Word of mouth, face to face,
Words cut like a thousand knives
Work all day and go home bored.
Work all your life, put the money in the bank,
Work is scarce and children play while the dogs fight in the street
Workers of the nation unite,
Workers of the nation unite. (2)
Working at the factory (2)
Working at the factory.
Working from nine to five. (2) (3)
Worn out housewives grit their teeth ignoring new born babies' cries.
Worrying won't make it better.
Would be so vulgar and wicked and wild.
Would end up in the bottom of some garbage can,
Would only be my lady for the week.
Would you like steam pudding and custard for afters.
Would you still be loving me?
Write to City Hall, United Nations
Writing songs for old time vaudeville revues.

- X -

- Y -

Yea I'm on a low budget
Yea, it goes like this, here it goes
Yea, you're still a long way from home
Yeah and he rocks all day.
Yeah I bloody well will
Yeah the marching band plays its song
Yeah, ain't life a bore
Yeah, all fall down someone help me off of the ground (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Yeah, and so disorientated,
Yeah, at the working man's café
Yeah, hatred
Yeah, he's plastic man (2) (3) (4)
Yeah, he's so unco-ordinated.
Yeah, I'm gonna change the world,
Yeah, I feel alright.
Yeah, I get up
Yeah, I just can't go to sleep (2) (3)
Yeah, I just can't go to sleep, now (2)
Yeah, I never met a girl like you before. (2) (3)
Yeah, I never met a girl that I could kiss.
Yeah, I wonder where they all are now.
Yeah, it'll get better, wait and see.
Yeah, it's gonna be a good day.
Yeah, it's gonna be good day today.
Yeah, listen to my heartbeat (2) (3)
Yeah, listen to my heartbeat lalalala lalalala
Yeah, look straight ahead.
Yeah, rock and roll still lives on.
Yeah, stop it, stop it (2) (3)
Yeah, that's the mood I'm in.
Yeah, that's the word of the year (2)
Yeah, the marching band plays its song
Yeah, the mood that I'm in.
Yeah, we've got to get out of this world somehow
Yeah, we gotta go back the way the good lord made us all
Yeah, where have all the Teddy Boys gone?
Yeah, why can't we talk it out,
Yeah, without you, without you
Yeah, yeah, yeah. (2) (3) (4)
Yeah, you're content just to be (2)
Yeah, you and me
Yeah, you can talk, you can breathe
Yeah, you like it don't you, Bernadette?
Yeah, you ought to see him dance
Yeah, you really got me now (2) (3) (4)
Yeh, yeh, oh yeh.
Yes I'm a second-hand car spiv.
Yes I'm on a low budget
Yes I will be there (there)
Yes it's time for you to laugh so keep on trying
Yes it's time for you to stop all of your sobbing (2) (3)
Yes it's true what they say
Yes it is. (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Yes Little Miss Queen of Darkness
Yes people often change, but memories of people can remain.
Yes right away
Yes Sir, no Sir (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
Yes there is, after breakfast (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
Yes you are (2) (3)
Yes you are, yes you are (2)
Yes, I'm gonna make you a star (gonna make you a star) (2)
Yes, I'm gonna make you a star (gonna make you a star),
Yes, I feel alright.
Yes, it's time for confessing it all,
Yes, it's time for confessing it all. (2)
Yes, it really, really matters.
Yes, Livin' La Vida Loca
Yes, the networks are all there, in the name of
Yes, Walter was my mate,
Yes, we'll all walk along (2) (3)
Yes, we'll all walk along,
Yes, where have all the angry young men gone.
Yes, yes, yes, it's my autumn almanac. (2) (3) (4)
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Yes, you with the broken heart.
Yes/But there is more in this heaven on earth (2) (3)
Yesterday's gone and that's a fact, (2)
Yesterday's gone, that's a fact,
Yesterday's gone, that's a fact.
Yesterday, I was sure
Yet I'm wondering, sitting here wondering (2)
Yet I'm wondering, sitting here wondering,
Yet we still borrow more
Yet you're such a little baby. (2)
Yet you threw it all away (2)
Yet, I'm wondering, sitting here wondering,
Yet, still go your own way
Yo-yo, yo-yo.
Yo-yo. (2) (3) (4)
You'd better come to bed darling.
You'd better run, you'd better fly. (2) (3) (4)
You'd even come to this rendezvous
You'd get the news sooner or later,
You'd get the news, sooner or later,
You'd think at least she might have stayed
You'll always get me on the telephone.
You'll be alone (2)
You'll be caught in the queues.
You'll be late for the bus!
You'll be looking for me (2) (3) (4) (5)
You'll be on your own
You'll find that with no foundation
You'll get lots of dates, you'll be made you'll get laid
You'll get no dinner to-day.
You'll get no more apple pie,
You'll get no more fancy cookin',
You'll get out and about, you'll be laughing
You'll just get those plain hot potatoes
You'll laugh so loud you'll cry.
You'll look smooth you'll look cool, you'll be laughing
You'll lose the alimony, palimony, whatever it is you get.
You'll make me happy
You'll make papa mad.
You'll make the great escape
You'll never eat food like you've eaten on the motorway.
You'll never get anywhere with me (2)
You'll never let us know
You'll search the oceans
You'll smile like a fool
You'll take the hard way,
You'll throw him away,
You'll try and you'll try again (2)
You're a crude and a rude lover,
You're a lot like me that's why I'm still your friend
You're a lot like me, that's why I'm still your friend
You're a mean and obscene lover, (2)
You're a misfit (2)
You're a misfit, afraid of yourself, so you run away and hide
You're a product of your time
You're a two-timing swine and you drive me mad.
You're all right. (2) (3) (4) (5)
You're all washed up,
You're alright and I forget that you're bad,
You're always complaining,
You're always nervous and on the edge of tears.
You're always suspicious, and terrified I'd made a mistake
You're asking me, "what's it leading to?" (2)
You're asking me, "will it be alright?" (2)
You're asking me, don't take my advice
You're boring and it's no surprise
You're chasing all the girls.
You're cutting it fine. (2)
You're driving every car, I see you everyday (2)
You're driving every car, I see you everyday,
You're dumb but don't give in
You're getting on it's getting late
You're going home so what does it matter
You're going to join the young conservatives.
You're going to look for lovin' someone else (2)
You're gonna look like skin and bone,
You're gonna look like skin and bone. (2)
You're gonna pay for all the lies you told me
You're in the middle while the big mouths fight
You're in your place and you know where you are (2)
You're just an animal in the zoo
You're little sister's pinned it on the wall.
You're locked up and I'm on the loose
You're lookin' fine, (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
You're lost without a crowd yet you go your own way
You're making a big mistake,
You're much too dumb to educate.
You're my brother, (2)
You're never quite here
You're never quite really there
You're not around for me to love
You're not the child who smiled so innocently
You're not well but you just did it to yourself
You're on a yacht near an island in Greece
You're on the ground and they're up with the stars
You're only happy when you're feeling totally down
You're out now. You're back on the street yeh, back on the street.
You're outside and there ain't no admission
You're over extended, now it's all gone wrong
You're so insecure you self-destroyer
You're still walking along beside me.
You're such a cool lover,
You're such a long way from home
You're such a misery (2) (3) (4) (5)
You're such a misery, well (2)
You're such a misery, why don't you learn to laugh (2)
You're taken in by the lights,
You're the ones to make it all work out
You're the only person that's gonna pull you through
You're there and there you are
You're up, you're down, I can't work you out
You're with me every single day, believe me. (2)
You've been a misfit all your life (2)
You've been sleeping in a field but you look real rested
You've been watching too much television
You've broke the bank to keep two women
You've come a long way from the runny-nosed and scruffy kid I knew
You've come a long way, you're self-assured and dressed in funny clothes
You've got a heart of gold. (2) (3) (4)
You've got a job and a house
You've got a tune it's in your head you want to get it placed
You've got no incentive. (2) (3)
You've got no time for anyone.
You've got the answer, you will endure
You've got the say and the power.
You've got to be cruel to be kind.
You've got to learn to grit your teeth and smile
You've got to learn to use the Maximum Juice
You've gotta convince yourself that you are not wrong,
You've gotta move on
You've let them down after all of these years.
You've made a career out of punting off all of the men you've slept with. (2)
You've never done a day's work in your life, (2)
You've never done a day's work in your life.
You've never eaten food like you've eaten on the motorway.
You've never seen loos like motorway loos,
You've nothing to lose
You've reached your top and you just can't get any higher (2)
You've seen your picture in the paper.
You've thrown away all that we had,
You've used all the old licks
You always played the best records,
You always said that you would try to change
You always will be free,
You and me accept reality
You and me just can't cohabitate
You and me were free (2) (3)
You and Papa were rich
You are all the world to me. (2)
You are miles across the sea,
You are on the first plane home.
You are such a caring man
You beg for mercy but you got no pity
You better top off your suntan
You better top up your suntan
You blowing it all with paranoia
You bruise so easy, so why stay with him?
You buy and you sell with no thought for the future
You call him names and he sits and grins
You can't buy a gallon of gas
You can't go anywhere (2)
You can't live in a time zone
You can't live life for anyone else
You can't picture love that you took from me,
You can't pretent there's nothing wrong,
You can't run away from time (2)
You can't see her walk by.
You can't sit through anymore
You can't stop rock 'n' rollin' music play.
You can't win (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
You can cry, cry all night (2)
You can cry, cry all night but it won't make it right
You can even get it when you're alone
You can even watch it all in slow mo'
You can find me on almost ev'ry street.
You can go outside and polish your car
You can have your day
You can hear that music play anytime on any day
You can keep your territory, I will stay in mine
You can learn your lines and fabricate a show
You can only guess which way I'll go.
You can pick it up anywhere
You can see all the stars as you walk along Hollywood Boulevard,
You can see all the stars as you walk down Hollywood Boulevard, (2)
You can see right down to Leicester Square (London, London)
You can set yourself free
You can spread it mouth to mouth
You can take the hard way.
You can teach me about biology,
You can tell by that haunted stare
You can work, you can stitch, you can sew
You captured me in your embrace. (2)
You caught me with my pants down
You could be a Molly or a Sarah-Jane
You cried the way that other children cried
You cry alone,
You danced and partied at the Mardi Gras
You did it for your own preservation!
You didn't look my way
You disappoint me, Mr. Boyd
You do the thing you love the most.
You don't have to be a genius to find
You don't have to be an intellectual, you don't have to be a scientist
You don't have to know about nuclear physics
You don't know us anymore.
You don't need no fancy clothes
You drink champagne then complain it's too dear
You even mystify me by the way you talk
You feel shite, the air bites
You get a good thing goin' then you blow yourself out.
You get it from the left and the right, ain't it crazy
You get tea as a mid-day stimulant
You get tea when it's raining, tea when it's snowing.
You get tea with your afternoon tea
You get the feeling that you're never alone.
You get up in the morning
You go down the pub
You go right back to where you started (2)
You go to a party and dance through the night,
You go your way, I'm bound to see you on the street again some day
You gonna find out the hard way.
You got a mystifying wiggle from your head to your feet
You got a shock wave pulsating rhythm through my brain
You got all your friends, (2)
You got it, Mister Big. (2)
You got me so I can't sleep at night (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
You got me so I don't know what I'm doin', now (2) (3) (4)
You got me sussed, but you don't know,
You got natural gifts
You got one hand I want to hold.
You got the pressure and that's a fact
You got to a publisher and play him your song
You got your cars, (2)
You gotta ask the question
You gotta be out there somewhere on the dial. (2)
You gotta be shrewd, you gotta be strong
You gotta give the people what they want (2) (3) (4) (5)
You gotta laugh, don't let your critics ever upset you,
You gotta learn to be positive, it's your only chance
You gotta learn to swing both ways.
You gotta let out the tension
You gotta live life and be yourself
You gotta live life for yourself, can't live for anyone else
You gotta live life for yourself, can't live life for anyone else
You gotta live life that's all you do
You gotta live life, that's all you can do
You gotta live life, that's all you do
You gotta live life, you gotta live life
You gotta move, gotta move
You gotta rise above your station
You gotta rise above your stupidity
You gotta secure me a weekly workin' wage.
You gotta slow down your life or you're gonna be dead,
You gotta stop this depression you're in now
You gotta swing to the left, then back to the right
You gotta try to hold back the tears,
You guided me, I trusted you,
You had a heart of gold.
You had such good ways
You had the best in town.
You had to escape you know you just couldn't
You had your chance in your day (2)
You had your day so get ready for the night,
You hate me and I hate you
You have the necessary qualifications to be christened a Londoner
You hear everybody talking about equal rights
You help to keep my problems away.
You help to keep my troubles away. (2) (3) (4)
You help to keep the devil away.
You just can't stop it (2) (3)
You just heard the voodoo call
You just kept on rocking around the dial.
You just never know
You just want to sit in your Shangri-la
You keep all your smart modern painters
You keep all your smart modern writers
You keep going back but it ends in tears, oh.
You keep on accusing me
You keep pretending that everything's fine
You keep running back just to get a little bit of abuse. (2)
You know I must be leaving
You know it's been great to watch the sights
You know it's time to get away from all the repetition
You know that every time I see you walking down the street
You know that life will still go on.
You know that you left me broken hearted,
You know the look
You know you're so mystifying (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13)
You know you're so mystifying, can't believe it's true
You know you're so mystifying, you just ain't the same
You know you're starstruck on me. (2) (3)
You know you can do it if you try, (2) (3) (4)
You know, I tried, I really tried to settle in this big city
You leave my mouth wide open with the things that you do
You left me alive
You live alone inside your head
You look around for which way to go
You look in the mirror
You look like a real human being
You look nothing like a child, (2)
You look out of your window,
You made me drink a toast
You make alterations and affect a new pose,
You make it all worthwhile (2) (3) (4)
You make it all worthwhile. (2) (3)
You make me laugh and you make me smile (2) (3) (4)
You make the rainbows and you make the night disappear
You may take some but you never take it all
You melt the frost so I won't criticize my sun
You might be popular, but it won't last for long,
You might be through but I've just begun
You might have the illness, but you've got the cure
You moan and you groan but all of that I can live without
You multiplied and multiplied but what's it leading to?
You must obey his every whim (2)
You must obey his every whim,
You mustn't be so defensive, you gotta join in the dance
You mustn't blame yourself like you do,
You need no sympathy,
You need not worry, you need not care (2)
You needed me when you were crying, (2)
You never followed any trend.
You never followed any trends,
You never gave in to fashion,
You never let it show what was going on behind
You never listen to a word I say
You never sounded down.
You ought to see Johnny Thunder riding down the highway
You ought to see that idiot bop
You ought to see that idiot rock,
You pay attention everytime money talks.
You pay your money, what do you get? (2)
You picked up my camera, threw it away,
You pushed and you lied,
You raise your children, you watch them grow,
You ran off with an Essex blond
You really found the time
You Really Got Me (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)
You said them much too late (2) (3)
You said those words (2) (3) (4)
You said those words, you said them much too late
You sat in the sun on a hot afternoon.
You say I'm lying as if you know just what I'm thinking
You say it's okay, (2)
You say that love is blind
You say the world is full of bullshit,
You say we've got nothing left to prove
You say you don't trust me, and you quiz me till I finally break
You say you don't understand
You say you wanna make the peace
You say you want your freedom
You say you will but you don't know when.
You say your image is new, but it looks well tested
You say your summer has gone
You say, you sold me out,
You schemed and connived.
You see before you a truly broken man.
You see nothing lasts forever,
You see she's a natural, she gotta natural gift
You see, he's not a common place closet queen
You see, he's not a faggot as you might suppose
You see, his life was shattered and he lost his mind.
You see, maybe there'd be side benefits to become in a cripple,
You see, Mrs. Davies, it might be hereditary. Yes it might
You set out to outrage but you can't get arrested
You should have killed me instead
You should have know sooner or later,
You shouldn't let it hang all over your face
You sing 'em the blues
You slap me down, treat me bad,
You sold me out, (2) (3) (4) (5)
You sound so close but you're such a long way from home
You sound so close but your such a long way from home
You take as long as you like (2)
You take milk if you please (afternoon tea)
You take the good and bad 'cos life's all work and play
You take the photographs, the ones of you and me,
You take the sunshine,
You take your road and I'll take mine (2) (3)
You talk like a docker but you act like a queer
You think that life's a vacation
You think the world's at your feet.
You told me to love you and that's all wrong
You took my life, (2)
You took my soul and mixed up my head
You treated me with such distaste,
You tried it anyway
You try so hard not to follow any trends
You wake up in the morning, what do you see?
You walk down the street
You wander 'round this town like you've lost your way
You wander round this town
You wanna be my friend, well it's too late
You wanted the sky
You wear make up
You were a physical deformity
You were born in London, England
You were just playing, I was a little boy,
You were just using me.
You were my Papa and I was your pride
You were really lots of fun.
You were right all along
You were shortening my life.
You were the best friend I ever knew.
You were the best man I ever had, (2)
You were the lady of my dreams.
You will learn
You wind him up, but you're living in fear,
You won't call me, that's why I'm calling you,
You won't give me a second glance
You worry 'bout the rain
You worry 'bout the sun
You worry 'bout your own
You worry 'bout yourself
You worry when the one you need has found somebody new
You would always come running to me
You would always come up second best.
You would destroy me.
You would employ me,
You, I'm talkin' to you.
Young and innocent days (2) (3)
Your attitude (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
Your attitude is downright rude
Your body functions, but your hair's a disgrace
Your clothes are old-fashioned,
Your ear's deaf, your girl's left
Your enemies and foes are all stacked up in rows,
Your face may be spotty,
Your feeling might go but mine will last forever.
Your followers kiss your hand,
Your friends came down to visit from all over
Your hair looks a terrible sight.
Your intellect is such
Your jokes appall me, they're so crude
Your kitchen sink was cluttered up,
Your knuckles are bony,
Your light will shine eternally
Your love will die but mine will last forever,
Your love will fade but mine will last forever.
Your minions grovel and cower.
Your minions serve your beck and call,
Your nose may be bulbous,
Your private life always on view,
Your room's clean and no one's in it. (2)
Your skin may be wrinkled and tight.
Your stomach rolls over and your face turns pale.
Yours truly strummed away with a slightly limp wrist

- Z -

Zip up your pants and get it together