Lyrics : It’s Better Than Working

Released November 1976 | Private Stock PVLP1011

Produced by Pip Williams

 

Album details

It Don’t Mean A Thing

Won’t you take the time, tell me what you’ve been doing.

Money’s going fast, I’m the guy you’re gonna ruin.

But it don’t mean a thing, I’ve got money to burn.

 

No it don’t mean a thing, no, no.

No it don’t mean a thing, I’ve got money to burn.

No it don’t mean a thing, no, no.

 

Bending all the rules, make yourself a dime for nothing.

Go find another fool, found a hard way of doing something, yeah.

No it don’t mean a thing, I’ve got money to burn.

No it don’t mean a thing, oh no.

 

You do as you please, I can see it in your eyes

You know that I was right and someday you will realise.

But it don’t mean a thing, I’ve got money to burn.

 

No it don’t mean a thing, no, no.

No it don’t mean a thing, I’ve got money to burn.

No it don’t mean a thing, no, no.

 

Repeat

 

Written by Rob Davis and Ray Stiles (Chappell Music)

 

Beating Round The Bush

Don’t beat around the bush, c’mon tell me what you want from me.

I ain’t a man to push but our love’s gone, yes siree.

Crazy things, that you do, make me sad, make me blue.

You’ve been two timin’ honey, tryin’ to make a fool out of me.

 

You’ve been beating round the bush

And I ain’t a man to push, no.

But you’ve done wrong by me.

Don’t you know that you’ve been beatin’ round the bush,

And I ain’t a man to push no,

But you’ve done wrong by me, yeah

Beatin’ round the bush

Beatin’ round the bush

 

Oh buddy can’t you see you took my cutie chickadee.

Guess I always knew she’d put a dark cloud over me.

So it’s you, it ain’t me, take a look and you’ll see,

She’s a two timing woman, she’s gone and made a fool out of me, yeah.

She’s been beating round the bush

And I ain’t a man to push, no.

But you’ve done wrong by me.

 

Don’t you know that you’ve been beatin’ round the bush?

And I ain’t a man to push no,

But you’ve done wrong by me, yeah

Beatin’ round the bush

Beat it

Beat it

Beat it

 

You’ve been beating round the bush

And I ain’t a man to push, no.

But you’ve done wrong by me.

Don’t you know that you’ve been beatin’ round the bush?

And I ain’t a man to push no,

But you’ve done wrong by me, yeah

Beatin’ round the bush

Beatin’ round the bush

 

Written by Rob Davis and Ray Stiles (Chappell Music)

I’ve Got A Song

I’ve got a song and it’s just for you

Won’t you sing the same words too, each note is just for you.

And in my sing there’s a picture you and me.

Believe me it was meant to be so give your love to me.

 

I want you day and night,

Oh please don’t say you don’t know wrong from right

Or are you gonna throw it all away.

 

I’ve got a song and it’s just for you

Can’t you see I’ll see it through?

I wrote it just for you.

You told me once how it must be, you couldn’t keep yourself for me.

But if we wait, ah but then again, time add scars and love will end.

I’ve got a song and it’s just for you

Memories have no words new so what am I to do?

 

I want you day and night,

Oh please don’t say, you don’t know wrong from right

Or are you gonna throw it all away.

 

I’ve got a song and it’s just for you.

Can’t you see I’ll seen it through I wrote it just for you.

Can’t you see I love you true, I wrote it just for you?

I wrote it just for you.

I wrote it just for you.

 

 

Written by Ray Stiles and Rob Davis (Chappell Music)

Sweet And Sour Lady

I’ve travelled many lands

Changed my mind and changed my plans.

Been into many things and still I am a loner.

But now I am about to hit my high

With a certain mystic lady of the east.

 

Chorus

She’s a sweet and sour lady

Whose only word is maybe?

Maybe she will love me maybe not.

A sweet and sour lady

Who drives me mad with maybe

Maybe is the word that I’ve forgot

My sweet and sour lady

 

I’ve travelled many lands

Changed my mind and changed my plans

I’ve tasted victory and many hearts I’ve broken.

But now I think that I

Have met my match and I shall cry

For a certain mystic lady of the east.

 

Chorus

 

Her eyes hold, hidden fire

And her body I desire

But her laughter falls like rain upon my fevered brain.

 

Repeat chorus to fade

 

Written by Pip Williams and Peter Hutchings (Utopia Music/Dick James Music)

 

All I’ve Got To Give

Yeah when I saw you,

I couldn’t ignore you, you were on my mid.

I knew that you knew it,

But you put through it and I was blind.

How did you do it to me

Knowing on that night I fell in love?

I gave me to you love and that’s all I’ve got to give.

 

My love grows stringer,Longer and longer will you ever be mine?

I’m living in hope now

I just don’t know how but from time to time.

Can’t we get together?

I need you more than ever, ooh I do.

I gave me to you love and that’s all I’ve got to give.

 

I know you’ll never be mine,

But I’m still waiting.

Here’s where I’ll be all the time,

And I’m not foolin’

 

Now that we’ve been parted,

I stand broken hearted help me find a way.

’cos you put the light out

And I wanna shout out, please come back one day.

You know I’ll always love you,

Sure as stars above you, I gotta say.

I gave me to you love and that’s all I’ve gotta give.

 

Repeat to fade

 

Written by Rob Davis and Ray Stiles (Chappell Music)

 

Nite On The Tiles

I couldn’t wait, she came in late,

She wasn’t there, I didn’t care.

I’m sinking low, where can I go,

Has no one got a bed to share.

I spent a nite on the tiles

Nite on the tiles.

 

Here comes the day, what can I say,

She really knows that I’ve been cheating.

The nite was long, I came on strong,

It’s morning that we’ll soon be greeting.

I spent a nite on the tiles.

Nite on the tiles.

 

If I could only lay with you by me

I’d never leave your side again.

You’d make me feel and man and then.

 

She left for good, I knew she would,

There’s nothing here for me at all.

Why did she go, I’ll never know,

How come she had to be so cruel?

I spent a nite on the tiles.

Nite on the tiles.

 

Written by Rob Davis and Ray Stiles (Chappell Music)

 

How Many Times

 

Chorus

How many times must I say love is a lie?

I’ll never let it hurt again.

How many nights must I lay wondering why?

Have my emotions gone, got no reason to carry on,

Feeling that I’ve thrown my life away.

 

I can’t understand it,

Thought I could trust her.

Saw no way or reason why she ever let me down.

Then Wake up at dawn,

She was just a stranger.

Her sleeping face ain’t got no trace of lies she told to me.

 

Chorus

 

I know that she used me, she hurt me and bruised me.

But now it’s lost to count the cost would be a waste of time.

Guess I never knew her, she was just a stranger.

One day she’ll learn that it’s her turn to feel the way I do.

 

Chorus

 

Written by Dave Mount and A Blakely (Troodos Music)

 

Don’t Talk To Me

Don’t talk to me if you can’t be nice

Don’t talk to me, take my advice

Don’t talk to me, don’t talk to me

 

Don’t look at me, oh oh those big brown eyes

Don’t look at me, they tell me lies

Don’t look at me, don’t look at me

 

Everybody said, we were doing fine,

But I never saw between the lines.

Once you were my girl, that was long ago,

You’ve broke this heart of mine

(He loved you so)

 

Don’t talk to me, don’t be that way.

Don’t talk to me, hear me say.

Don’t talk to me, don’t talk to me.

 

Time can heal the memory of a broken heart,

It can chase away the masquerade of a cupid’s dart.

 

Everybody said we were doing fine,

But I never saw between the lines.

Once you were my girl but that was long ago,

You’ve broke this heart of mine.

 

Don’t talk to me if you can’t be nice

Don’t talk to me, take my advice

Don’t talk to me, don’t talk to me

 

Written by Rob Davis and Ray Stiles (Chappell Music)

 

The Blagging Boogie Blues

I’ve got the television on and it’s a quarter to nine.

No birds, no booze, no women or wine.

I’ve got some money in my pocket ’cos I just got paid,

But I can’t seem to score for a date they’re afraid.

 

Oh ooo ooo….

 

My car’s in the parking lot and being repaired,

It’s costing a fortune I shouldn’t have cared.

I got the phone just by my side, I’m waiting for her to ring,

All the time I’m at home and that just ain’t my thing.

 

Oh ooo ooo…

 

Bop Bop Bop Aaah

 

I’ve got a sunshine smile I got from St Tropez,

Had a wash and a shave and I was feeling OK.

I’ve got some brand new shoes and a suit tailor made,

But I can’t seem to score for a date they’re afraid.

 

Oh ooo ooo…

 

So I decided to get out and have a real good time,

I’m cutting loose from this room ’cos I feel it’s a crime.

I sat around the house and wasted every night,

When I could be out blagging or causing a fight.

 

Oh ooo ooo…

 

Written by Andy Ball and A Coates (Belsize Music/Chappell Music)

 ;

Vambo Rools

You can see him in is high chair

Any day the sun is there

His skin shine like ebony

His teeth tell you beware

For any move you make he’ll counter

Faster than a snake

 

Chorus

That’s Vambo Rools, got to be the king man

Vambo Rools, got to be the king man

Vambo Rools (Everybody here knows)

Vambo Rools

(Playing the white man’s game)

(Playing the white man’s game)

 

He wears beads and hanging plaits

But don’t be fooled by that

He’s educated Oxford

He’s a top draw kid of rat

And any move you make he’ll counter

Faster than a snake.

 

Chorus

 

In action he’s a bear

With more than his fair share

His twenty wives or more

Say nothing can compare.

And any move you make he’ll counter,

Faster than a snake.

 

That’s Vambo Rools, got to be the king man

Vambo Rools, got to be the king man

So hey look out,

The new king man’s about.

 

Chorus

 

Repeat to fade

 

Written by Pip Williams and Pete Hutchings (Utopia Music/Dick James Music)

Moving On

I ain’t got a home ’and I’m feeling  lonely

Days seem far too long.

I can’t settle down in a place that’s only

Right for going wrong.

So I’m moving on

Here’s where I want to be.

Yeah I’m moving on,

There ain’t no home for me.

 

Friends you don’t have when you’re always travelling

You only say farewell, gotta go.

Love you don’t find with a one night judy,

In the best hotels.

So I’m moving on, ’cos that’s the life I lead.

Yeah I’m moving on, won’t someone see my need.

 

Well, people just stand and they keep on looking,

Have you been here before?

Gee but it’s great to be always hookin’ but

I’ve gotta sleep some more.

So I’m moving on, each town looks just the same

Yeah I’m moving on, the pain’s the price of fame.

 

So I’m moving on, my life is sure a mess.

Yeah I’m moving on ’cos you give so much for less.

So I’m moving on, the end is surely near.

Yeah I’m moving on, the end I surely fear.

I’ve got to get away.

 

Written by Rob Davis, Ray Stiles and Barry Dunning (Chappell Music)