Ray Davies, released on Soap Opera, © Davray Music Ltd. 1975
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[Star:] I am the image maker. I am the magic maker. I can turn the most ordinary man in the world into a star. To prove my point I am going to find the most mundane little man and turn him into celebrity. Hmm! This looks like a suitably uninteresting house. I wonder if there's anybody here with enough star quality? [He presses the doorbell.]
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[Star:] Hello. What's your name?
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[Wife:] Andrea.
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[Star:] Oh, that's a nice name. What's your husband's name?
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[Wife:] Norman.
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[Star:] His name's Norman. That sounds ordinary enough. I would like you to join in a unique experiment with me. I am going to take Norman's place for a few days. I 'm going to research his ordinary dull little existence.
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[Wife:] Oh you can't come in now! The place is in a terrible mess!
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[Star:] That doesn't matter. I want you to act normally. I want you to treat me as if I were Norman. I am going to sacrifice my normal flamboyant life style and become ordinary, boring little Norman for a few days.
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It's like another world, being here with you,
It's quite a trip for me, so this is reality.
I'm studying every movement, I'm trying to learn the part,
Now I want you to be natural, just relax and be as you are,
'Cos it's all for art, I want to observe the ordinary people
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Tomorrow I shall become Norman,
I shall go to his office,
Mix with his workmates.
And if they ask any questions
I shall say I'm doing research for one of my songs.
Nomand and I are changing places
And I'm going to make him a star,
So I'm throwing away my stage suit and I'm packing away my guitar,
For the sake of art I'm gonna mix with the ordinary people.
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[Star:] God these pyjamas are awful!
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[Wife:] Awful? Well all I can say is my Norman wears them every night.
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[Star:] Alright, no sacrifice is too great for art!
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The things I've done for music,
The things I've done for art.
So I'll make these sacrifices and I'll take it like a star
For the sake of art I will mix with the ordinary people.
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[Star:] You'd better come to bed darling.
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[Wife:] Coming! You'll never get up for work in the morning.
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I'm making observations, and character simulations.
I'll mix with his friends and relations,
And he'll be a part of me.
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[Chorus:]
He's changing places with Norman,
To get background for his songs.
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I'm immortalising his life
And I'll even sleep with his wife,
For the sake of art I'll go to bed like the ordinary people.
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Turn out the light.
Turn out the light.
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