The Half Man Half Biscuit Lyrics Project » Four Lads Who Shook The Wirral

You’ll have to join Jools for the jam sketch

Chris The Siteowner — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:54:26 +0000

Moody Chops is about all those musicians who continue to play the impoverished, tortured artist even when they’re on the way to sharing G&Ts in the Long Room with Mick and Sir Tim. Or at least that’s how I’ve always read it. One or two people seem to think it’s specifically about Morrissey though. And by the way, the Dutch were never going to decide they could reclaim the IJsselmeer after all, and achieve it in six years, by 2003. Apparently. Thanks to David

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I lost my Barbour in Twickenham car park

Chris The Siteowner — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:17:15 +0000

I’m sitting on dozens of sets of lyrics here (thanks everyone – truly) which will all get used eventually (we’re past the halfway mark now). However, I still relish a challenge, so I managed to find a song which, remarkably, nobody had contributed, and which I could take the entire blame for. Split Single With Happy Lounge Labelmates is a fine singalong, which not for the first time, becomes a “list song” in places – or are those odd items related? Another great HMHB song title, by the way. Was “Happy Lounge” a real label? I’m sure someone will tell me.

See lyrics to Split Single With Happy Lounge Labelmates

Where the tiger soothes the baby kangaroo

Chris The Siteowner — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:57:02 +0000

There aren’t many HMHB tracks which I totally don’t get, nor are there many which, well just don’t seem to be any good, but I have to say Multitude ticks both boxes for me. In addition, there are one or two lines I’ve had to guess at, and one I’ve never been able to work out – and nor have either of the good folks who’ve sent this in. Hopefully someone else can help. Thanks to Fredorrarci and Neil G

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Just a Scouser in a big pullover

Chris The Siteowner — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:05:58 +0000

Ready Steady Goa is a relative obscurity from Four Lads Who Shook The Wirral in which Nigel justifiably drops scorn on students heading eastwards for spiritual enlightenment. Thanks to Peter and to Fredorrarci, who adds: “I have a feeling that there is a heavily-disguised vocal track in the instrumental break, but if anyone deciphers it they deserve to have a Nobel Prize instituted especially for them”

See lyrics to Ready Steady Goa

Ten past nine, The Borderline

Chris The Siteowner — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:57:15 +0000

Secret Gig has always been a bit of a favourite of a lot of people, despite (or perhaps because of) it being so straightforward and simple. Single subject and all that. Also, it’s great live.

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I’d like to rescue her from unicyclists

Chris The Siteowner — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:15:52 +0000

OK, if only to distract attention from arguments about “elms” and “alms”, let’s have another one which is going to encourage some wild speculation. Children of Apocalyptic Techstep is one of those songs where the guitar is occasionally just a bit too forward in the mix for the lyrics analysts. Odd song this, even the hmhb site doesn’t have too much to say about it. Thanks to Peter

See lyrics to Children of Apocalyptic Techstep

Therefore aliens are boring

Chris The Siteowner — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:24:58 +0000

I must say thanks to everyone who’s sent in lyrics; they’re all carefully stored here and we will get through all of them eventually, I promise. Every once in a while though I feel the urge to tackle a song which nobody has sent in and which doesn’t appear anywhere on t’internet. And so to On Reaching The Wensum, an odd and ever-so-slightly-obscure effort from Four Lads Who Shook The Wirral which features a rare Norfolk reference. And get this: the TV series “Kingdom” was filmed in Swaffham many years later …and Stephen Fry flies a biplane. Spooky eh?

See lyrics to On Reaching The Wensum

I think I’m right in saying I applauded

Chris The Siteowner — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:41:25 +0000

Oooh, another easy one, but one of the cleverest, simplest and perhaps most archetypal Half Man Half Biscuit songs ever. Turn A Blind Eye is a pastiche of a poem of uncertain provenance about the Nazis being allowed to rise to power. It’s also brilliant. Thanks to Jon W and gNick

See lyrics to Turn A Blind Eye

OK, let’s pedestrianise the High Street!

Chris The Siteowner — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:46:14 +0000

A nice easy one this (while I pluck up the courage to try Children of Apocalyptic Techstep – all help appreciated). Anyway, You’re Hard has a pop at a number of people who, incredibly, still manage to be irritating ten years later – so they proved to be durable targets. Thanks to gNick and Jon F

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Hear the word ‘aplomb’ being used

Chris The Siteowner — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:17:59 +0000

Keeping Two Chevrons Apart is the plaintive album-closer from 1998′s Four Lads Who Shook The Wirral, a track which certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome and features some, er, interesting guitar playing. We have them on the M11 now as well, you know. Chevrons, that is. Not guitars. Thanks to Simon, gNick and Jon F

See lyrics to Keeping Two Chevrons Apart