A short extract from ‘The Book of Hours’, an early attempt of mine at a work of narrative rock music, which was produced, as a stage-show, at the Young Vic Theatre, London from 27th June to 28th July 1977. It concerned a day in the life of an unsuccessful songwriter (fictional, of course!)
lyrics
Rock’n’Roll,
I think of Rock’n’Roll,
But somehow,
Now I come to count the precious years I’ve wasted
In running after you,
I see you...
Rock‘n'Roll you waste my time,
If I hadn’t done you, I'd be doing fine.
Rock‘n'Roll you wore me out,
I've got nothing left when I twist and shout.
Rock'n’Roll you haunt my dreams,
With your words obscure and your beat obscene.
Rock‘n'Roll you wrecked my life,
You're a beautiful mistress, but a pig of a wife.
Rock'n’Roll you haunt my dreams,
With your words obscure and your beat obscene.
Rock‘n'Roll you wrecked my life,
You're a beautiful mistress, but a pig of a wife.
Rock’n’Roll you' had me on,
You said you'd wait, but I found you'd gone.
Rock n' Roll you've spoilt my fun,
I've been sitting in the corner for your call to come.
Rock’n’Roll you had me on,
You said you'd wait, but I found you'd gone.
Rock’n’Roll you've spoilt my fun,
I've been sitting in the corner for your call to come.
Rock’n’Roll you made me blind.
Get out of my life. Get out of my mind!
Rock’n’Roll please let me go,
You've had fifteen years and I've nothing to show!
Rock’n’Roll you made me blind.
Get out of my life. Get out of my mind.
Rock’n’Roll please let me go,
You've had fifteen years and I've nothing to show.
Rock‘n'Roll you waste my time,
If I hadn’t done you, I'd be doing fine.
Rock‘n'Roll you wore me out,
I've got nothing left when I twist and shout.
Rock’n’Roll...
Rock’n’Roll...
Rock’n’Roll...
Rock’n’Roll.
I won’t do it.
I won’t do it.
I won’t do it anymore,
Oh, no. It’s over.
Write no more songs,
Give up the whole stupid game,
I'll be no worse off, I'll still be the same.
Make something of my job,
And maybe write a book,
Stop searching for the perfect hook.
So...
Judge Smith co-founded the band Van der Graaf Generator in 1967 with Peter Hammill, & has since been involved in many music
projects as writer, composer or performer. He has written stage musicals, classical & rock libretti, songs for television & a book on Life after Death; directed a prize-winning short film, & released fourteen CDs & two DVDs. He was born in 1948 & lives near Glastonbury, UK....more
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