Julian Lennon

Get A Life

J. Lennon/G. Tilbrook/S. Humphries

Julian Lennon

"Glen Tilbrook from Squeeze and I got together one afternoon very briefly because he was only in town for a week and it was a little awkward. We didn't, you know, I mean, we got on very well but we didn't really know how to approach writing a great song together in an afternoon so basically we came up with the verse musically, no lyrics as such, no real idea of where we were going, and he actually came up with the chorus which had the word 'listen' in it so I felt that was a little awkward seeing as we had a song called 'Listen' on it, on the album already, and I loved the groove and the feeling behind it but…and I thought it should be a sort of Dylanesque rap and I pretty much wrote the lyrics maybe a week or so after he'd gone back to England but just could not come up with the rest of the song and I'd made several attempts with Bob to try and make some sort of sense of this or put it in some sort of order and nothing came together and then just at the last minute before we'd finished all the album, I went into the studio and said, 'There's got to be a way of getting this song alive' and so I just sat there in the studio with Scott Humphrey and an acoustic guitar and it just came, you know, (snaps fingers) just like that and an hour later we had the finished product and I, you know, sent the tape to Glen. He was very excited about the fact that something came of it, you know, because we were very uncertain while we were trying to get it together, but it's, you know, one of the most sort of upbeat songs on the album so I was very fortunate that it came together otherwise we'd be in ballad hell really."
- Julian Lennon on "Get A Life"

The Lyrics

No money no pride
Stick your finger in your eye
It's all a joke, it's just a ride
Save it for another guy
Kick yourself in the head
Pretty soon you will be dead
Get yourself another job
Don't become another slob

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Why don't you get a life

Nothing is a guarantee
Don't hide your face, don't beg and plead
Being sorry for yourself
Put another record on
You're the answer, you're the cause
You're just another perfect flaw
I'm just as scared as you, you know
But trying all the same

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Why don't you get a life
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Cheap talk won't get you far
Slandering in whiskey bars
Face the facts, the truth's inside
If you want peace, don't try and hide

You don't have to worry

'Cause everything's alright
You don't have to worry
We've made it through the fight
You don't have to hurry
'Cause harmony's in sight
You don't have to worry
Just trying to feel alright

Hey

In the end we're all afflicted
In the end we're all addicted
In the end we're junkies too
Unless you have a point of view
Swallow pride, it swallows you
Take that stride, I'll guide you through
Who's gonna help us in the end
Not your brother, not your friend

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Why don't you get a life
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Fear is just a crying shame
Work it out or go insane
Think about the world instead
'Cause if you don't
We'll all be dead

You don't have to worry
'Cause everything's alright
You don't have to worry
We've made it through the fight
You don't have to worry
'Cause harmony's in sight
You don't have to worry
I'm trying to shake the plight

Well I've been dreaming of a change that would take place
Where all of God's creatures would love the human race

Hey, oh, oh, oh, why don't you get a life
Oh, oh, oh

Being wealthy isn't bad
Despising it is what's so sad
Make a move
You've got a choice
Do something useful
With your voice

You don't have to worry
Cause everything's alright
You don't have to worry
We've made it through the fight
You don't have to hurry
Cause harmony's in sight
You don't have to worry
Just trying to feel alright

© 1991 Charisma Music Publishing, Inc., USA (ASCAP), Virgin Music, Inc. (ASCAP), Give Me Back My Publishing Co., Inc. (ASCAP)

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