He's got people who've been working for 50 years

[Daddy-o]

Here's the lyrics to the song Smithers-Jones recorded by the Jam. Paul Weller's old band, this one was written by bassist Bruce Foxton. Bruce was responsible for the bass riff on their song Start! which was really Taxman by the Beatles. But that's another story. I think that 'Smithers-Jones', lyrically, is a nod and a thumbs up to Cat Stevens for 'Matthew & Son'. They all did it I know, the working man (or woman's) ethic, 'Blue Monday' by Smiley Lewis/Fats Domino... The Easybeats' 'Friday On My Mind'... Donovan/Mick Softley's 'Gold Watch Blues'... there must be loads more, but I digress!! The Smithers-Jones track was engineered by the fabulously named Vic Coppersmith-Heaven, who coincidentally, as plain old Vic Smith twiddled the knobs on the original Matthew & Son recording in '66. Both are fab tunes!

I was discussing the above just the other day in the queue at Kwik-E-Mart, I got served in no time! Come back, it's true I tell you!!

SMITHERS-JONES by Bruce Foxton

Here we go again, it's Monday at last,
He's heading for the Waterloo line,
To catch the 8 a.m. fast, its usually dead on time,
Hope it isn't late, got to be there by nine.
Pin stripe suit, clean shirt and tie,
Stops off at the corner shop, to buy The Times
'Good Morning Smithers-Jones'
'How's the wife and home?'
'Did you get the car you've been looking for?'
Let me get inside you, let me take control of you,
We could have some good times,
All this worry will get you down,
I'll give you a new meaning to life - I don't think so.
Sitting on the train, you're nearly there
You're part of the production line,
You're the same as him, you're like tin-sardines,
Get out of the pack, before they peel you back.
Arrive at the office, spot on time,
The clock on the wall hasn't yet struck nine,
'Good Morning Smithers-Jones'
'The boss wants to see you alone'
'I hope its the promotion you've been looking for'
Let me get inside you, let me take control of you,
We could have some good times,
All this worry will get you down,
I'll give you a new meaning to life - I don't think so.
'Come in Smithers old boy'
'Take a seat, take the weight off your feet'
'I've some news to tell you'
'There's no longer a position for you' -
'Sorry Smithers-Jones'.
Put on the kettle and make some tea
It's all a part of feeling groovie
Put on your slippers turn on the TV
It's all a part of feeling groovie
It's time to relax, now you've worked your arse off
But the only one smilin' is the sun tanned boss
Work and work and work and work till you die
There's plenty more fish in the sea to fry

Published by And Son Music 1979 - Recorded by The Jam on their album Setting Sons

[Chris]

Yep Daddy-o, it definately has the same subject. Can't blame people for penning out songs about unhappy job situations, considering how many people in the world really hate their jobs.

[DJ]

These are some lyrics for a song I wrote years ago, (which I posted on a poetry thread on Majicat a while back), but I thought it fitted with your thread, George.

I worked in an office for over 20 years, and it was based on a middle-aged secretary that worked there, who I knew had had a crush on another married colleague for over 10 years.

The unrequited love story added an extra element to the numbness of the daily office grind...

IN TRAY/OUT TRAY

She greets the morning with a yawn,
Regrets the day that she was born,
Picks up the morning mail,
It's only junk again,
In tray / out tray, life goes by

She's sat at the office,
The paper work's waiting,
The files piled high,
She thinks of her past,
The telephones ring,
But she can't hear them..

Where is he now?
She wonders how things might have been,
If only she had spoken to him,
And told him of the love she tried to hide,
All the love she kept inside,
Now it's too late,
Love passed her by,
Love passed her by

She takes the 5:15 back home,
Spends the evenings in alone,
She's just one life to live
And no one to share it with,
In tray / out tray, days go by

It's the weekend in the park,
As couples walk by her in each other's arms,
She thinks of the past,
While children they play,
But she can't hear them...

Where is he now?
She wonders how things might have been,
If only she had spoken to him,
And told him of the love she tried to hide,
All the love she kept inside,
Now it's too late,
Love passed her by,
Love passed her by

[Daddy-o]

Hi DJ,

That is a great story and some great lyrics. A very nice song and I can relate to that. Like yourself, my first jobs were in the City, South London and Southend offices. The only excitement from the drudgery was a cheese roll at 10 am sharp, getting to read my 'Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen' comic and getting a cheeky smile from Sheena Hunter who sat opposite me! She once lent me 'Lovin' You' by Minnie Ripperton, those were the days. I had another highly monotonous job checking off cargo lists for tax purposes. Monotonous is not the word, it was like solitary confinement with only the buzzing of flourescent lighting for company. I once asked what happened to all the paperwork that we went through after checking - I was told "nothing, but they get stored away for several years then destroyed". It was such a joy to hear I was doing something so valued! I was an artist for heaven's sake!! I once left work early for a festival (Reading '72 I think) and changed out of my pinstripes into my threadbare denims. This caused quite a stir at 3 pm in the afternoon when I was caught sneaking out the men's room. The director of the company said that my attire was "perfectly suitable for the golf course but not the office"!! Funny the comments that stick with you. I had this vision of the starchy director on the golf course in his tie dyes and flares swinging his club. I must admit that I would not be seen dead in any of the outlandish gear I used to wear. Anyway, I'm rambling, maybe I should start another thread 'Great fashion disasters of our time'!! Hipsters, clogs... anyone?

Best regards!

[Girlhowdy233]

Daddy-o said:

Here's the lyrics to the song Smithers-Jones recorded by the Jam. Paul Weller's old band, this one was written by bassist Bruce Foxton. Bruce was responsible for the bass riff on their song Start! which was really Taxman by the Beatles. But that's another story. I think that 'Smithers-Jones', lyrically, is a nod and a thumbs up to Cat Stevens for 'Matthew & Son'. They all did it I know, the working man (or woman's) ethic, 'Blue Monday' by Smiley Lewis/Fats Domino... The Easybeats' 'Friday On My Mind'... Donovan/Mick Softley's 'Gold Watch Blues'... there must be loads more, but I digress!! The Smithers-Jones track was engineered by the fabulously named Vic Coppersmith-Heaven, who coincidentally, as plain old Vic Smith twiddled the knobs on the original Matthew & Son recording in '66. Both are fab tunes!

I was discussing the above just the other day in the queue at Kwik-E-Mart, I got served in no time! Come back, it's true I tell you!!

SMITHERS-JONES by Bruce Foxton

Here we go again, it's Monday at last,
He's heading for the Waterloo line,
To catch the 8 a.m. fast, its usually dead on time,
Hope it isn't late, got to be there by nine.
Pin stripe suit, clean shirt and tie,
Stops off at the corner shop, to buy The Times
'Good Morning Smithers-Jones'
'How's the wife and home?'
'Did you get the car you've been looking for?'
Let me get inside you, let me take control of you,
We could have some good times,
All this worry will get you down,
I'll give you a new meaning to life - I don't think so.
Sitting on the train, you're nearly there
You're part of the production line,
You're the same as him, you're like tin-sardines,
Get out of the pack, before they peel you back.
Arrive at the office, spot on time,
The clock on the wall hasn't yet struck nine,
'Good Morning Smithers-Jones'
'The boss wants to see you alone'
'I hope its the promotion you've been looking for'
Let me get inside you, let me take control of you,
We could have some good times,
All this worry will get you down,
I'll give you a new meaning to life - I don't think so.
'Come in Smithers old boy'
'Take a seat, take the weight off your feet'
'I've some news to tell you'
'There's no longer a position for you' -
'Sorry Smithers-Jones'.
Put on the kettle and make some tea
It's all a part of feeling groovie
Put on your slippers turn on the TV
It's all a part of feeling groovie
It's time to relax, now you've worked your arse off
But the only one smilin' is the sun tanned boss
Work and work and work and work till you die
There's plenty more fish in the sea to fry

Published by And Son Music 1979 - Recorded by The Jam on their album Setting Sons

I just LOVED The Jam! I LOVE that engineer's name!

Of everyone I ever heard of in the music biz, I think my all-time favorite name was MARS BONFIRE!
Is that the COOLEST name or what?! He is the guy
who penned the classic song "Born To Be Wild".
I met him years ago.

Shirley

[kareema113]

Here's the Beatles/Paul McCartney's take on this subject...to me, this is a companion piece to Eleanor Rigby and Lady Madonna, however the woman described here doesn't even have a name.

Another Day

Every day she takes a morning bath, she wets her hair
Wraps a towel around her as she's heading for the bedroom chair
It's just another day...

Slipping into stockings, stepping into shoes
Dipping in the pocket of her raincoat
It's just another day...

At the office where the papers grow she takes a break
Drinks another coffee and she finds it hard to stay awake
It's just another day...

So sad, so sad, sometimes she feels so sad
Alone in her apartment she'd dwell
Till the man of her dreams comes to break the spell

Ah, stay, don't stand her up
And he comes and he stays, but he leaves the next day
So sad, sometimes she feels so sad

As she posts another letter to the sound of five
People gather 'round her and she finds it hard to stay alive
It's just another day...

Every day she takes a morning bath, she wets her hair
Wraps a towel around her as she's heading for the bedroom chair
It's just another day

Slipping into stockings, stepping into shoes
Dipping in the pocket of her raincoat
it's just another day

peace,
kareema