Lee Remick / School Girls Knees (BWL023)

Second seven inch released on Boogle Wonderland in February 1998. Ltd to 500 vinyl copies only (now sold out).

Lee Remick

I think it was in '83 my father left the family,
But came back three weeks later for a love both firm and stable.
I think it was in '91 that Lee Remick died……
The sibling rivalry between my sister and me turned into the strongest branch of our family tree.
When I was young I dreamt of Lee Remick,
She had a ring upon each finger, she was smiling all the while.
Her hair was just long enough so it bounced upon her shoulders,
She said she always spoke the truth.
My Father let me down but I so easily forgave him,
And I know the home wrecker has a place within his heart.
I used to blame my mother for each and every failure,
And how Lee Remick's eyes sparkled that brilliant blue.
He looked just like a Jonathon but he said his name was Ashley,
He was my best friend till he drank so much his heart sank.
And all my pretty friends who just grew up and failed
and what if I fail? What if I've failed already?
Those filthy little angels tugging at my heart saying
‘boredom is a sin, ambition should be everything'

Schoolgirl's knees

I see the short skirts but its not summer yet,
Before I leave just give me one last cigarette,
Cause on the bus I won't stop looking at the schoolgirl's knees,
Cause on the bus I can't stop looking at the schoolgirl's knees,
And every weekend you say we're going to part,
One last cigarette for my heart,
Cause on the bus I won't stop looking at the schoolgirl's knees,
Cause on the bus I can't stop looking at the schoolgirl's knees,
Stop taking off your clothes I don't want to see you naked,
I want you to take me dancing, please take me dancing tonight,
For if I see you there unclothed then I'll just want to kiss you,
And lay down on the eiderdown and fornicate till dawn,
And that might make your heart shaped face forlorn,
The last time that you waltzed with me I could have sworn our burdens were lighter,
We click our fingers but we feel nothing,
We scratch our backs and still feel nothing,
But do you swear that if I leave you it will rip your heart apart,
Cause I swear that if you leave me it will rip my poor heart apart.

The second single which for me doesn't quite reach the standards set by the first. Recorded once again at Cafe Eric down in Greenwich which later became our rehearsal studio and second home. Recorded by Gayl who for a short period after became our tour manager. Also during this session we recorded a version of 'Oblivious' by Galaxie 500 which to my ears stands as the worst thing we ever did. We were gigging a lot around this time, at the Bull and Gate, the Hope and Anchor, those sorts of places, playing and learning a lot of the songs that would go on to become 'Breaking God's Heart' and 'The Fidelity Wars'. We were recording as well; just lots of demos and four track stuff, that at the time of writing has still to be released though some of it appeared on the b-sides of next few records.

People talk about the personal nature of my lyrics, but there really isn't a song more personal then this one. Its a completely true story about when my Dad left my family when I was young. Lee Remick was an actress most famous perhaps for the films 'The Omen' and 'The Medusa Touch'. I've said this often enough but nobody believes me; I had no idea that The Go-Betweens had a song called Lee Remick at the time.

Photos Possibly second show of this line up Darren Antony and John at the Bull and Gate (Tammy Denitto) Antony at Bull and Gate, note early small drumkit (T Denitto), early gig at the Monarch (? maybe Suzzanne Harding), Gayl Harrison, who recorded the early singles (Hefner)