Surprised

Lyrics

You think that you know me
You think you know everyone
You know every trick in the book
There’s nothing new under the sun
And you’re such a quick learner
It’s what keeps you out in front
There are two kinds of creatures in this world
The hunted and those in the hunt

Chorus:
The rest of us walk into love with our hands on our eyes
But you’re never surprised
Oh you’re never surprised

You always see the big picture
You’re on the fast track
And you’re bright as a button – yeah
And sharp as a tack
And you think that we’re all see-through
That we’re just perspex and glass
And you know what all our moves are
That’s why you’re top of the class

Chorus

Well we threw you a party
Only, well, none of us came
But we did buy you presents
Though we paid in your name
And we toasted your fortune
That you’re healthy and wise
‘Til we ran out of drink
And we ran out of lies

Chorus

Song Description

“Surprised” is about all those people who enjoyed great social mobility under the British Conservative government – their reward for junking their principles and screwing people they had once supported was wealth and status.

A few years ago I used to attend Labour Party meetings in the small town in North Wales where I was then living. One party member would often refer to individuals who knew how to “work the system” – basically, people who would act in bad faith under any circumstances. This used to annoy me until it dawned on me that he was right, and that, in fact I knew such people – people who assess a situation not for the good of their firm, class, party, organisation, pop group or team but simply to discover how they might best advance themselves – at the expense of everyone around them.

The lyrics contain many British clichés – this is deliberate! Very often these cynical people will try to legitimise what they do by using stock phrases – as a way of implicating everyone in their practices.

Versions

• AStudio Version (4:02)
• BEdit (3:43)

Appears On