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Breaking Glass

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1999 re-issue of Breaking Glass on the "Original Soundtrack Collection" series from Spectrum Music.

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Info

Format: CD Album
Label: Spectrum Music
Catalogue No: 551 356-2
Country: UK
Released: 1999

Hazel O'Connor - Lead Vocals, keyboards
Tony Visconti - Vocals, keyboards
Bob Carter - Guitars, keyboards, vocals
Wesley Magoogan - Saxophones
Rick "Pinky" Ford - Bass
Andy Duncan - Drums and percussion
Produced and arranged by Tony Visconti
Recorded and mixed at Good Earth Studios London
Engineered by Tony Visconti, Kit Woolven, Gordon Fordyce
Photography George Whitear
Design and Art Direction Chuck Beeson

Lyrics

Tracklist Lyrics
01 - Writing On The Wall Lyrics

Writing On The Wall
(© Hazel O'Connor)

Down a tunnel, in a tube
On the floor, knocked down by booze
Busy man has blown his fuse
While crossword people look for clues
I say sir, get your nose out of the paper
Take a good look at what's going down
Get clued into the shape of
The shape of things to come

Have you seen the writing on the wall?
Have you seen the writing on the wall?
Reaching out for you it calls
Have you seen the writing on the wall?
Did you look for your cause?
Writing on the wall?

Life, I'm told's a compromise
Lethargy in disguise
Excuses by the faint of heart
Stuck in the mud before they start
I say sir, wouldn't you rather be on top of the world
As opposed to always travelling underneath the ground?

(Chorus)
Have you seen the writing on the wall?
Have you seen the writing on the wall?
Reaching out for you it calls
Have you seen the writing on the wall?
Did you look for your cause?
Have you seen the writing on the wall?

La-la-la-la ...

I say sir, get your nose out of the paper
Take a good look at what's going on

Get clued into the shape of
The shape of things to come

(Chorus)

(Chorus)
02 - Monsters In Disguise Lyrics

Monsters In Disguise
(© Hazel O'Connor)

What kind of things are you that deliver papers
White papers that you say apply to me
Reams of rules constructed for protection
Protection for yourselves, but not for me

You hide behind your walls of bureaucracy
I find that you've nothing to do with me
You're all aliens
I opened up my eyes, and saw to my surprise
Monsters in disguise, wearing bowler hats and old school ties

Today you went out to inspect your servants
I saw you wave and rave from my T.V.
You promised soon that they would have a paper
Give them the right to kill quite legally

So you hide in your palace of bureaucracy
I hope that you never come terminate me
You're all aliens
I opened up my eyes, and saw to my surprise
Monsters in disguise, wearing bowler hats and old school ties

I opened up my eyes, and saw to my surprise
Monsters in disguise, wearing bowler hats and old school ties
a-I opened up my eyes, and saw to my surprise
Monsters in disguise, wearing bowler hats and old school ties
a-I opened up my eyes, and saw to my surprise
Monsters in disguise, wearing bowler hats and old school ties
03 - Come Into The Air Lyrics

Come Into The Air
(© Hazel O'Connor)

There you are, waiting at the station
Searching frantically the place where you belong
Gave you a map that showed you your direction
A shadow tore it up and told you it was wrong

That way was too long
And danced a little song

Come into the air, cast your body like a care
You belong nowhere and you can't bear it
Come into the air, cast your body like a care
Life just isn't there, if you can't share it
So why not dare it?

Feed your eyes on cold grey city concrete
An extra pair of arms is what you really need
But keep the secret, today no one can touch you
Dine on passion, then let your heart bleed

Alone at night it's dark
Hear a lonely dog bark

Come into the air, cast your body like a care
You belong nowhere and you can't bear it
Come into the air, cast your body like a care
Life just isn't there, if you can't share it
So why not dare it?

Come into the air, cast your body like a care
You belong nowhere and you can't bear it
Come into the air, cast your body like a care
Life just isn't there, if you can't share it
So why not dare it?
04 - Big Brother Lyrics

Big Brother
(© Hazel O'Connor)

They'll tear out your heart, throw it knee-deep in a cart
'cos that's what they do with the scum like me and you
And you feel as if you died, whilst you're standing on the line
And you wonder all the time why can't you cry?
But the people in control don't care for you
They're just a robot with a job to do
And when your use is exhausted, they'll be rid of you
As soon as look at you, go to the back of the queue!

(Chorus)
B-B-Big brother's got no heart
When I get my chance
I'm gonna kick him in the ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Big brother's got no heart
When I get my chance
I'm gonna kick him in the ah (sh) ah (sh) ah (sh) ah (sh) arse

His eyes are dull, they stole his soul
They left him to rot in some stinking council hole
Where they keep him doped on beer and hopes
Of television dreams he's living on the screens
He knows something that he used to believe in
That was: Every human being should have his freedom
But while his dungeon had a way to show him
He should be more useful, as they broke into his skull

(Chorus)

Big brother, beware, 'cos some of us do care
And the worm (and the worm, and the worm, and the worm)
May turn (may turn, may turn, may turn)
And the violence (and the violence, and the violence, and the violence)
In my head (in my head, in my head, in my head) is real
Bam-bam, you're dead!

(Chorus)

(Chorus)

Arse!
05 - Who Needs It Lyrics

Who Needs It
(© Hazel O'Connor)

Living in the shadow of the mushroom tower
Who needs it?
Find no shelter from that kind of shower
Who needs it?
Nuclear rain, melting my brain
Who needs it - not you, not me, who needs this insanity?

At the top of the tower there's a creature who wants power
Who needs it? (Who needs it?)
If he gets in the dungeon, he could just press the button
Who needs it? (Who needs it?)
He'll flee inside, and you'll have nowhere to hide
Who needs it - not you, not me, who needs this insanity?

(Chorus)
Who needs it, who needs it?
I need it like a hole in the head
Don't need it, don't need it
Here comes the era, the era of the living dead

(Who needs it, who needs it?)
(Who needs it, who needs it?)
(Who needs it, who needs it?)
(Who needs it, who needs it?)

(Chorus)

(Chorus)

(Chorus)
06 - Will You Lyrics

Will You
(© Hazel O'Connor / Wesley Magoogan)

You drink your coffee and I sip my tea
And we're sitting here playing so cool, thinking ''What will be, will be''
But it's getting kind of late now
Oh I wonder if you'll stay now, stay now, stay now, stay now
Or will you just politely say goodnight?

I move a little closer to you, not knowing quite what to do
And I'm feeling all fingers and thumbs, I spill my tea, oh silly me!
But it's getting kind of late now
I wonder if you'll stay now, stay now, stay now, stay now
Or will you just politely say goodnight?

And then we touch much too much
This moment has been waiting for a long long time
Makes me shiver, it makes me quiver
This moment I'm so unsure
This moment I've waited for
Is it something you've been waiting for, waiting for too?

Take off your eyes, bare your soul
Gather me to you and make me whole
Tell me your secrets, sing me the song
Sing it to me in the silent tongue
But it's getting kind of late now
I wonder if you'll stay now, stay now, stay now, stay now
Or will you just politely say goodnight?
07 - Eighth Day Lyrics

Eighth Day
(© Hazel O'Connor)

In the beginning was a world
Man said: Let there be more light
Electric scenes a maze of beams
Neon brights to light our boring nights

On the second day he said: Let's have a gas
Hydrogen and Co are of the past
Let's make some germs, we'll poison the worms
Man will never be surpassed

And he said: Behold what I have done
I've made a better world for everyone
Nobody laughs, nobody cries
World without end, forever and ever
Amen, amen, amen

On the third we get green and blue pill pie
On the fourth we send rockets to the sky
On the fifth metal beasts and submarines
On the sixth man prepares his final dream:

In our image, let's make robots for our slaves
Imagine all the time that we can save
Computers, machines, the silicon dream
Seventh he retired from the scene

(Chorus)
And he said: Behold what I have done
I've made a better world for everyone
Nobody laughs, nobody cries
World without end, forever and ever
Amen (amen), amen (amen), amen (amen)

On the eighth day machine just got upset
A problem man had not foreseen as yet
No time for flight, a blinding light
Then nothing but a void, forever night

(Chorus)

(Chorus)

(Amen)
08 - Top Of The Wheel Lyrics

Top Of The Wheel
(© Hazel O'Connor)

Round and round and round again
Increasing circles, what a fun game!
We think we're different, we're not the same
As you and me and she and he

And we always believed that we're something unique
Our new little rich friends want us in their clique
And we'll play, we'll play all of our days away

There's you scratching my back, me scratching yours
Rub up the right way, it always ensures
We'll know the right people, open right doors
To the land of the famous incredible bores

And I got no respect for you, you're just a fake
Gave up your lot for a bite of the cake
And we'll play, we'll play all of our days away

(Chorus)
How could we feel? We're so unreal
Stuck at the top of the wheel
You're the sucker who fell for their spiel
You're the crawler who fell for their deal

Your smug little cliches, they get up my nose
Your hair dyed, your fine clothes, they're all for the pose
Naked before me, your cover is blown

Here come the robots, the mindless, the clones
And you sold up our insides, body and soul
Do as you're told now, and we'll play our roles
And we'll play, we'll play all of our days away

(Chorus)

(Chorus)
09 - Calls The Tune Lyrics

Calls The Tune
(© Hazel O'Connor)

Well, I saw your face in a photograph
I cried so much, I nearly laughed
You never really had the chance
To question why did you live some to cry some and die?

(Chorus)
Who, what and how writes the song, calls the tune
Says what's right and wrong
Writes the song, calls the tune
Says what's right and wrong

Oh, I'd have caught your eyes, but my hands were tied
Was it truth? Was it lies?
Many words of truth are spoken in jest
Who would have guessed that, or trust that? What a mess!

(Chorus)

(Chorus)

Who, how
Who, how
Who writes the song?
Who writes the song?
Who writes the song?
10 - Blackman Lyrics

Blackman
(© Hazel O'Connor)

I am the blackman and you are the white
I am the deviant and you're always right
I am the darkness and you are the light
I am the blackman, you're the white
Yeah you are the good little holier
Than thou, hide your head in your hand
You hear no, see no, speak no no no no
Understand

(Chorus)
I am the blackness, I am the dark
I am the alcoholic pissed in the park
I am the girl who sold her body to the dark
I am the truth of it, you are the hypocrite

I am the dirty and you are the clean
I live in places where you've never been
I eat the garbage and you eat the cream
I am the dirty, you're the clean
You give me the first degree for being different to thee
You hit me, kick me, tell me you're what I should be

(Chorus)

I am the whiteman and I paint you black
I am the traitor, but I put you on the rack
I am the coward and I shoot you in the back
I am the white man, I paint you black
Yeah I am are the good little holier
Than thou hide my head in my hands
I hear no, see no, speak no no no no
Understand

(Chorus)

(Chorus)

Blackman!
11 - Give Me An Inch Lyrics

Give Me An Inch (© Hazel O'Connor)

'ey you, standing there, what you got to stare at?
I'm not shy if your beady little eyes abuse me like some mishap
Cackling laughter behind your hand, you're so funny, you're so bland
Here's the thing you can't understand: You are just a programme
You're a programme, you're a programme
(Programme, programme, programme, programme)

(Chorus)
Give me an inch, and I'll take me a mile
Give me the distance from your supercilious smile
Give me an inch, and I'll take me a mile
Give me the distance from your supercilious smile
Your silliest smile

'ey you, standing there, better get some clothes on
Do as you're told, growing old, and read your daily poison
Skeletons locked in the closeted mind, locked in tight, for no one to find
See the blind, lead the blind, gotta be cruel to be kind
Who is mind-blind, who is mind-blind
(Mind-blind, mind-blind, mind-blind, mind-blind)

(Chorus)

You are a programme, you are a programme

(Chorus)

(Chorus)
12 - If Only Lyrics

If Only
(© Hazel O'Connor)

What do you do when they turn on the light?
You guard your heart, so they steal your sight
You reach out in blindness, touch the alone
Its icicle fingers chill you to the bone

What do you do when the cat gets ya tongue?
No way to tell it's all going wrong
Mouth out the words on the telephone
Nobody answers, nobody's home...

(Chorus)
What's done has been done, and I won't be the one
Who despairs in the wheelchair, resigned to ''If only''
No, I'll stand up again and I'll run
I'll jump up till I touch the sun
Because I won't be the one to be bound
By the sound of ''If only, if only, if only''

Well, I reach out in blindness now, but what do I care?
I'll walk into walls and I'll stumble downstairs
I'll laugh like a fishwife, I'll cry like a clown
Up is the only way to go when you're down

When I reach a mountain top, then I start to climb
I'll walk on the water, I'll turn water to wine
Hope is the one thing we got on our side
Hope can be salvaged when all else has died

(Chorus)

(Chorus)