1. |
Underachiever
03:43
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Well you’ve always been so certain what you’re down here for
But you’re finding out it’s not quite what they want you for
And it’s said that every famous traitor had his price
But you’re going to be a failure if your fee’s too high
Well I’d say you’ve led a very charmed life up till now
Thinking everything would fall onto your plate somehow
Don’t you see you’ve been a prisoner to integrity
So you’re still a million years from where you’re meant to be
Here comes a major underachiever
That’s the way this world’s gonna see you
Here’s one of nature’s underachievers
Wondering why the world will never look him in the eye
And you can’t explain your strange career trajectory
But to everybody else there is no mystery
No it’s obvious your confidence was just a thought
And it’s not enough to get you to the prize you sought
People say you make your own luck
And you say they just got lucky
But you should aim to make your own luck
You might find they’re onto something
Were you never told it’s compromise that oils our wheels
And that you and life could hammer out some sort of deal
Now it seems that your potential will remain untapped
Yeah it’s clear that your potential will remain just that
Here comes a major underachiever
That’s the way this world’s gonna see you
Here’s one of nature’s underachievers
Wondering why the world would never look him in the eye
A classic underachiever
No one’s gonna tell you they need you
A tragic underachiever
Wondering why all opportunities have passed him by
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2. |
Party's Over
04:58
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The party’s over now
Over your shoulder now
And claiming that we could defy gravity
Was never a sensible policy
The morning after hurts
Feeling the bubble burst
To find we’ve been living beyond our means
To see we bought into a powerful dream
The party’s over now
And did you believe it would last forever now?
Did you believe we could stay in the air some how?
And do you believe that we’ve reached the bottom now
Or is it going to get worse?
The party’s over now
Of this there is no doubt
We don’t need to wait till the figures come in
You know by the pain what a mess we are in
We should have looked ahead
We could have hedged our bets
Well hindsight, they say, is a wonderful thing
But I disagree cos it carries a sting
The party’s over now
And did you believe it would last forever now?
Did you believe we could keep it together some how?
And the ones who brought us down
Are the ones we cling to now
We seek security
In those good memories
When they say stick with me
Ain’t that an irony?
Yeah isn’t it strange how we still feel indebted somehow?
And did we believe it would last forever now?
And do we agree that we’ve reached the bottom for now
Or is it going to get worse?
The party’s over now
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3. |
Used To It
05:19
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So everything has changed now
That our golden years are through
And strange events have shaken
The beliefs we all held to
We were lucky to bear witness
To the longest loudest boom
But you’re noticing the difference
Now we’re huddled in one room
All our brilliant minds
They fell asleep on the job
So they missed all the signs
What were we paying them for
Yeah I guess we kind of got used to it
But the good life’s gone for good
Now you’re gonna have to get used to it
Like you never guessed you would
There were people giving credit
Where credit wasn’t due
And the ones who end up paying
Are the likes of me and you
We can’t go through this adjustment
Without a small degree of pain
It’s like giving up a substance
That’s been rushing through our veins
Better tighten your belt
Put a stop to those sprees
It’s not about what you want now
It’s about what you need
Now you’re gonna have to get used to it
Cos the game has changed for good
Yeah you’re gonna have to get used to it
Like you never thought you could
All the glossy dreams in the magazines
They are fading on the page
And the shopping malls and designer stores
Will be relics of our age
Now the temperature is climbing
And the seas are rising too
Soon this pretty little island
Will be shrinking under you
You heard it said that a change
Is as good a rest
You’ll want to know what they meant now
As you look at this mess
Used to it
Now the weather’s changed for good
Yeah you’re gonna have to get used to it
Like you never dreamt you would
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4. |
No Symmetry
05:09
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I’m a man, believe it or not
I’m a man who knows what he wants
Though what I can get is another matter yet
I’m a fan of all that you’ve got
But I’ll start with what’s on the top
Our meeting of minds can begin another time
Cos we give lip-service to equality
But we’re in the service of biology
And your perfect surface is the calling of my genes
There’s no symmetry between you and me
In terms of what we wish, in terms of what we seek
And all this talk of oneness is just fantasy
There’s no symmetry between you and me
Regarding what we think, regarding what we feel
Before we take things forward we need clarity
I’m a man, believe it or not
Do a turn, you’ll get a response
Though whether you will is another matter still
Can’t escape my hateful desires
It’s the way my brain has been wired
And if I denied it I’d only be a liar
Well I know we’re working for equality
But I’m in the service of the throb I feel
When the mist descends you’re going to get objectified
There’s no symmetry between you and me
In terms of what we wish, in terms of what we seek
And all this talk of oneness is just fantasy
There’s no symmetry between you and me
Regarding what we think, regarding what we feel
Before there’s any progress we need honesty
I will share your hopes and your dreams
If you’ll share what lies in between
Yeah we could be great with a little give and taken
Our aims are never going to be agreed
But time has ironed out a kind of deal
You’ll get what you want if you give me what I need
There’s no symmetry between you and me
In terms of what we wish, in terms of what we seek
I’m sure I’m not the first to say this openly
There’s no symmetry between you and me
Regarding what we think, regarding what we feel
Before there’s any progress we need honesty
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5. |
Golden Boy
04:17
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No one thought that much of you
No one had a clue what you’d go on to do
But by fate or circumstance
We have watched you make an effortless advance
Well I don’t make predictions
And I never will
But this much I have learnt
It won’t be the golden boy who pulls it off, comes out on top
It won’t be the boy most likely to
They all thought the world of me
They assured me my success was guaranteed
But life don’t pan out that way
And I have to say I’ve made my own mistakes
Well our parents and teachers
Like the sound of their own talk
But this they never say
That it won’t be the golden boy who pulls it off, comes out on top
It won’t be the boy most likely to
It’s never the golden boy who makes the most of what he’s got
It’s never the boy most likely to
Cos if you burn too brightly
And too early on
You’ll burn out before too long
And I’m not too proud to tell you
That I need a hand
That’s if you can spare the time
It won’t be the golden boy who pulls it off, comes out on top
It won’t be the boy most likely to
It’s always an ordinary boy who only wants to make some noise
It’s never the boy most likely to
And I was the boy most likely to
I was the boy most likely to
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6. |
Can't Win 'Em All
05:25
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This man in the long black coat
His life an eternal pose
Hustling for what he’s owed
And that to him means everything
Rehearsed at all your moves
People are pawns to you
And the lucky ones get used
To service your lust for applause
And at first that applause is deafening
But the problem is you’re not genuine
And be sure there will come a reckoning
Cos you can’t win ’em all
You can’t win ’em all
You can’t win ’em all
You can’t win ’em all
You won’t win ’em all
You won’t win ’em all
Oh you’re good but you’re not that good
I could act just like you
I see them coming too
But it is not my groove
To shake them down or take them down
With the aura of the invincible
And a manner that’s irresistible
And a bottomless pit of tricks to pull
But you can’t win ’em all
You can’t win ’em all
You won’t win ’em all
You won’t win ’em all
When we get the feeling someone’s not quite right
We’re probably right
When we get the feeling we’ve been shown a scam
We probably have
I’m seeing right through you
I know you know it too
And in an instant you’ll be rolling back from your bold attack
I’m a useful guy to know
But too late your chance is blown
I’m going make you learn the easy way
Lying doesn’t pay
Cos you think you can hoodwink any soul
And your methods are undetectable
But you’re nothing if not predictable
Cos you can’t win ’em all
You can’t win ’em all
You can’t win ’em all
You can’t win ’em all
You won’t win ’em all
You won’t win ’em all
No you’re good but you’re not that good
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7. |
We Want Action
04:58
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Well the box office returns
They would all seem to confirm
That we want action
We demand action
There’s a world outside your door
But you push past it towards
The scene of the action
The cinema-ttraction
Where the blockbuster release
Gives us some sort of release
So we want action
A piece of the action
And it’s only make believe
But they know how to make me believe
Blame the hateful desire
Of the caveman inside us
Cos he wants action
He demands action
And the thrills and the spilling
Of blood will fulfil him
On screens of action
Primitive action
And it’s only make believe
But they know how to make me believe
Yeah it’s only make believe
On celluloid
They sell us all
Reflections of
Our netherworld
They’re conjuring
What’s better left down there
A tolerance
For violence
That always has no consequence
I’ve seen it all and never left my chair
No these dreams of danger and doom
Can be beamed into your front room
Yeah we got action
On demand action
But you don’t want it your backyard
No that’s obviously going too far
To feel yourself trapped in
The thick of the action
Cos it’s only make believe
And you don’t want to face it for real
But they know we’ll pay to see
All the blows that we’d hate to receive
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8. |
Nadja
04:38
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I think Breton was on to something
There’s a level beyond the humdrum
And improbable events
That we call coincidence
They hold a hidden meaning like the symbols in our dreams
And they come and they go
These secret signs and clues
And you’re hungry to know
Where they are pointing to
Then you stumble on your Nadja
And you’re sure she holds the answers
She is genius roaming free
I say Breton was on to something
There’s a beauty beyond the humdrum
And its wonders are displayed
In this girl who can’t be tamed
And doesn’t even realise she exists outside the law
And they come and they go
These secret signs and clues
And you’re hungry to know
Where they are pointing to
And they’re beckoning your Nadja
And she’s heading for disaster
But you urge her on all the same
Oh looking over the obvious
For a glimpse of the marvellous
But the edge can be hazardous
We know Breton discovered something
There’s a danger beyond the humdrum
Now you’re watching from a cliff
As she’s lost to the abyss
She’s fallen from the frontier between insight and insane
They come and they go
Like that bright soul you knew
Cos you couldn’t follow
Where she was walking to
So you sacrificed your Nadja
To live madly ever after
Where they’ve thrown away the key
And you thought that she had the key
And you thought it could make us free
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9. |
Gone Native
04:47
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How am I supposed to find out
What’s going on?
Where am I supposed to find out
Who’s doing wrong?
You’re the source of information
Well that’s what your job was
You’re employed to navigate us
But you’ve dropped your compass
You’ve got too comfortable at the table
With the great and good
Now it seems rude to ask them the questions
That you said you would
Oh no you’ve gone native
You’ve changed places
Oh no you’ve gone native
You’ve betrayed us
Oh no you’ve gone native
We shouldn’t be surprised to find out
It’s going on
And you don’t even seem to see that
You’re doing wrong
There’s never been a straight induction
Into their programme
It’s usually a slow corruption
That you don’t notice
Yeah all that rubbing shoulders
With high flying sorts
Has got you parroting all their lines
Without thought
Oh no you’ve gone native
You’ve changed places
On no you’ve gone native
To gain status
On no you’ve gone native
It’s outrageous
Oh you used to have your finger on the pulse
Now your finger’s somewhere else
Oh you used to wag your finger at their lies
Now your finger’s in their pies
We can’t go investigating
What’s going on
We don’t have the skill or patience
We’d do it wrong
But we should know what’s done in our name
Well that’s what your job was
And you should hang your head down in shame
Cos you lost your morals
Your sense of independence is AWOL
It’s blown away
You might as well get onto the payroll
And go the whole way
Oh no you’ve gone native
That’s where you’ve been lately
Oh no you’ve gone native
Our trust was mistaken
On no you’ve gone native
It’s outrageous
Oh no you’ve gone native
Oh no, oh no
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10. |
Soul In Distress
04:57
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When you see a soul in distress
You won’t always walk on by
No when you see a soul in distress
You won’t always walk on by
This world has made you wise
And courage made you colder
But that’s no victory
It’s more of a surrender
When I saw a soul in distress
I would always walk on by
Armoured in my own business
Barely offering a sigh
But I’ve found an exception
I’ve found an exception to the rule
Yeah I’ve made an exception
I’ve made an exception out of you
She wears a thinner skin than the rest
And in this she has been blessed
To never give as good as she gets
But give more than she expects
I’ve found an exception
I’ve found an exception to the rule
Yeah I’ve made an exception
I’ve made an exception out of you
If you call out in despair
Well then I’ll probably be there
It’s a sort of guarantee
And no one’s more surprised than me
When you see a soul in distress
You may recover your emotions
Finding that for once you’re prepared
To pour your drop into the ocean
To increase by one the sum of happiness
And relieve the throb of someone’s loneliness
I’ve found an exception
I’ve found an exception to the rule
Yeah I’ve made an exception
I’ve made an exception out of you
I’ve made an exception
I’ve made an exception for the truth
If you call out in despair
Well then I’ll probably be there
It’s a sort of guarantee
And no one’s more surprised than me
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Worldview UK
Worldview is the alias of Oliver Shaw, an Oxford UK-based songwriter, performer and producer mingling rock, pop, dance and folk with insightful lyrics and an overarching melodic sensibility.
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