T.V.
I suppose it was inevitable that I'd write a song about him sooner or later. Here it is now. First draft Reykjavik, early am 2 June 2009. Probably needs revising.
He was a skinny art school kid from a small West County town
He was there at the beginning when punk started going down
Now most of them have fallen but this guy is still around
TV
He never seemed to care that much for fortune or for fame
He just wants to emphasise that bad things aren’t done in his name
And for over thirty years now his words have been the same
TV
TV, TV, TV
It’s an unusual name but he’s got an unusual skill
TV, TV, TV
I’d beg him not to stop but I’m pretty sure he never will
He’ll never pull a punch or sugar coat a pill.
He looked through Gary Gilmore’s eyes and showed us what he saw
He knows new ways are best and it’s expensive being poor
He remembers being a teenager can often be a bore
TV
When other people sank he kept on swimming in the flood
He curses all the bad he sees and praises all the good
He’d sweep every hypocrite away if only he just could
TV
TV, TV, TV
He still keeps on bopping and bouncing round the stage
TV, TV, TV
If you’re a fascist or a bigot then you’d best not rattle his cage
He’s a human dynamo and he’s powered by distilled rage
He knows he’s fighting a battle he can probably never win
But somehow he always manages to find a specimen grin
TV, TV, TV
He’s eternal and he’s timeless and that’s just the way that it should be
TV, TV, TV
Your adverts and your explorations taught a generation how to see
You’ll always be a big fish and a strong horse to me.
He was a skinny art school kid from a small West County town
He was there at the beginning when punk started going down
Now most of them have fallen but this guy is still around
TV
He never seemed to care that much for fortune or for fame
He just wants to emphasise that bad things aren’t done in his name
And for over thirty years now his words have been the same
TV
TV, TV, TV
It’s an unusual name but he’s got an unusual skill
TV, TV, TV
I’d beg him not to stop but I’m pretty sure he never will
He’ll never pull a punch or sugar coat a pill.
He looked through Gary Gilmore’s eyes and showed us what he saw
He knows new ways are best and it’s expensive being poor
He remembers being a teenager can often be a bore
TV
When other people sank he kept on swimming in the flood
He curses all the bad he sees and praises all the good
He’d sweep every hypocrite away if only he just could
TV
TV, TV, TV
He still keeps on bopping and bouncing round the stage
TV, TV, TV
If you’re a fascist or a bigot then you’d best not rattle his cage
He’s a human dynamo and he’s powered by distilled rage
He knows he’s fighting a battle he can probably never win
But somehow he always manages to find a specimen grin
TV, TV, TV
He’s eternal and he’s timeless and that’s just the way that it should be
TV, TV, TV
Your adverts and your explorations taught a generation how to see
You’ll always be a big fish and a strong horse to me.