The Boy With the Arab Strap

13 ContributorsIt Could Have Been a Brilliant Career LyricsHe had a stroke at the age of 24

It could have been a brilliant career

Painting lines in a school that was too well known

Painting lines with a friend that had gone before

She challenged everyone to a fight

But the people all backed down

And they ran her out of town

Cause she drank and swore and spoke

Out of turn, she was the village joke

She had a stroke at the age of 24

It could have been a brilliant career

Getting clients to finance her strategies

She's filling time in the Safeway on Saturdays

She wears the clothes of an emperor

But her paintings are a sham

And they're going for a grand

When the dealers come to view

Do they ever see the real you?

He had a stroke at the age of 24

It could have been a brilliant career

Selling lies to the boys with the old dansettes

Pulling the wool, playing the fool, it's no wonder that

He is dribbling spit tonight and the one he sent away

Was the only one who stayed

With a spoon and a decent book

And you can tell by the way she looks

She is sorry and resigned

As he wets himself for the final time

12 ContributorsEase Your Feet in the Sea LyricsReleased: 7 September 1998

Recorded: Ca Va Studios

Genre: Indie pop, Chamber pop

Label: Jeepster (UK) Matador (US)

Producer: Tony Doogan

A song from the perspective of a person whose friend has committed… Read More Ease your feet off in the sea

My darling, it's the place to be

Take your shoes off, curl your toes

And I will frame this moment in time

Troubles come and troubles go

The troubles that we used to know

Will stay with us till we get old

Will stay with us till somebody decides to go

Decides to go

Soberly without regret, I make another sandwich

And I fill my face

I know that things have got to you

But what can I do?

Suddenly without a warning

On a pale blue morning

You decide your time is wearing thin

A conscious choice to let yourself go dangling

Hovering

It's an emergency

There's no more "wait and see"

Maybe if I shut my eyes

Your trouble will be split between us

People come and people go

You're scouring everybody's face

For some small flicker of the truth

To what it is that you are going through, my boy

I left you dry

The signs were clear that you were not going anywhere

Anywhere

Save for a falling down, save for a falling down

Anywhere

Anywhere

Save for a falling down

Everything's going high

Later on, as I walked home

The Plough was showing, and Orion

I could see the house where you lived

I could see the house where you gave

All your time and sanity to people

Then you waited for the people to acknowledge you

They spoke in turn

But their eyes would pass over you

Over you

Who's seeing you at all?

Who's seeing you at all?

15 ContributorsSeymour Stein LyricsThis song evokes an actual meeting between Belle and Sebastian and Seymour Stein, head of Sire Records, on the eve of the launch party for Tigermilk, the group’s debut album. The group hasn’t yet found… Read More Seymour Stein, I've been lonely

Caught a glimpse of someone's face

It were mine and I'd been crying

Half a world away, ticket for a plane

Record company man

I won't be coming to dinner

My thoughts are far away

I'm working on that day

North country girl

I think she's going to stay

Promises of fame, promises of fortune

L.A. to New York

San Francisco back to Boston

Has he ever seen Dundee?

Won't he hire a limousine?

Seymour send her back to me

I heard dinner went well

You liked Chris's jacket

He reminded you of Johnny

Before he went electronic

Seymour Stein, sorry I missed you

Have a nice flight home

It's a good day for flying

Seymour Stein

Seymour Stein

Seymour Stein

Seymour Stein

16 ContributorsDirty Dream Number Two LyricsDirty Dream Number Two is a love song, although somewhat crass in its subject. It’s about realizing you have sexual feelings toward somebody you probably shouldn’t, and having trouble facing the truth.

A lot… Read More I’m lucky, I can open the door and I can walk down the street

Unlucky, I've got no place to go so I follow my feet

A choice is facing you, a healthy dose of pain

A choice is facing you as you stare through the rain

A choice is facing you but I choose to refrain for today

Tomorrow we’ll be back in trouble again

Dream one, you had a whole lot of fun with a comedian

Stop short of going all the way, you’ll have to make it someday

Why is this happening to you? You’re not a child

Why is this happening? You’ve too much on your mind

Things creep up on you when you are fast asleep

You are dreaming, you are sleepy

You are stuck to the sheets

In a town so small there’s no escaping you

In a town so small there’s no escape from view

In a town so small there’s nothing left to do

Dream two, you couldn’t see her face but you saw everything else

Dream two was pretty special, easily beats loving yourself

Could you put a name to someone else's sigh?

Could you put a face to someone else's eyes?

Is it someone that you’d maybe recognize?

But it all fades into morning when you open your eyes

8 ContributorsSimple Things LyricsIf you want me I’ll be there

A boy to deal with all your problems

But part of the deal is for you to feel something

If you want me, look me up

I don’t exist in usual places

Subtle as the wind is grey

If you want me you know where I am

I saw your arms in a dream

And there were blue veins, blue blue veins

If you want me all you have to do

Is ask a thousand questions

Triplicate and file under

“Simple things you ask to make a young boy sigh”

A young boy sigh

A young boy sigh

A young boy sigh