Poor Little England, by The Undercover Hippy

Poor Little England

by The Undercover Hippy

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Full Digital Discography

13

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Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Poor Little England, Greed, Hey Boy, These Days, Fool Britannia, Truth & Fiction, Our Streets - DJ Hiphoppapotamus Remix, "Boyfriend" Single, and 5 more. , and , .

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1.	Dreamer 04:20	lyrics	buy track
I’m doing my best to communicate these ideas to you / express my fears to you in a way that quite honestly should take years to do / but here I am. Trying to get it across in five minutes like five lyrics will suddenly silence these sly cynics / but still I go / cos I know that if I succeed / my single track could have more impact than a stack of books you’ll never read or / maybe you will / you’ll take the red pill, maybe this / song will inspire you to go even deeper still / and when you do / and the truth is laid out before you / in all it’s glory / don’t be surprised when they ignore you / cos facts are not enough to distract this wolf pack from cutbacks / to services we already lack / so take back the power now is the hour if we allow another minute they’ll devour the world with us in it / there’s no limit to their greed it’s infinite unlike the planet so dammit you’d better panic. CHORUS and you say that I'm a dreamer / eh eh eh / I'm done waiting for a leader / eh eh eh / well you say that I’m a dreamer / eh eh eh / I'm done waiting for a leader / eh eh eh Now I'm a child of the 1980’s / iron lady, nestle babies / terrified nuclear bombs would annihilate me / and i’ve been learning lately how the era that made me / also marked the beginning of a shift in power that affects us daily / but now it’s failing / and the edifice is falling / and we don’t have much time left to heed the warning, so I keep recording / I keep repeating all these worthwhile new ideas I’m meeting / trying to see a future past the weekend / We sow these suicidal seeds / and yet our kids will do the reaping / Sold out a generation in the name of keeping it / cheap and cheerful / keep em fearful / hooked on credit, so they don’t regret it, / start forgetting what they’re here for / You’re here to service the machine / and as long as we keep spending they keep lending / just to keep alive the dream until this / whole murderous scheme just bursts at the seams / I hate to say it but it’s worse than it seems CHORUS We need to learn from the past / not yearn for the past / No matter if you’re a believer in the markets / or a reader of Marx / Cos we’re not dealing the cards / the hand’s down / and this is hands down / the most blinkered way of thinking since Bill Clinton took his pants down / a man’s sound is way more mighty than his sword / so when you’re fighting to be heard and getting tired / of always being ignored / You need to join your voice together with the chorus / cos when voices are united there’s no way they can ignore us / and I'm sure as long as I can hold a tune / well I’ll be fighting on the front lines and shooting for the moon / and I’m certain that a change is coming soon / and what it is well that’s up to you CHORUS
2.	These Days 03:41	lyrics	buy track
Well my childhood was quite amazing / I grew up with my head in a bass bin / Messy weekends spent all night ravin / Never had a penny but we knew all the ways in / Living in the moment like it would last forever / And I never wanna live in the past but / Baby these days I can never be arsed / I’m living in the moment sitting here on my arse yeah CHORUS You all know what I mean when I say / I don’t get out a lot / I don’t get out a lot these days / You all know what I mean when I say / I don’t get out a lot / I don’t get out a lot these days My black beard’s getting peppered in white / My knees are getting creaky and I’m thinking I might / Just ease into the sofa get the fire alight / Watch a bit of telly and then call it a night, well I’m / Not saying that my partying days are done / I still occasionally mash up the rave it’s fun / To get messy for a couple of days but / I’m paying for it later in a million ways yeah / CHORUS And I don’t need no reason / To stay in on my own / I’m tired and it’s freezing / Out beyond my door / So baby don’t you tell me / It’s because I’m getting old / You really just don’t know phone rings Hello? / Jim mate, what you saying? / Oh yeah, what kind of party? / Annnd, how many? / What, and they’re all naked? / What flavour jam is it? / Ahh mate I’m.. yeah I’m tempted but I’m really comfy / I’m just gonna stay in I think / / Oh what the hell am I saying? / I mean yeah my hair has got grey in / That doesn’t mean that every day I gotta stay in / Cos inside I’m still just a kid who likes playing / So get Jim / Back on the phone I said I’m in / Call a taxi I’ll be ready in ten yeah / Pass me that tequila let me hit it again / Cos you’re only as young as you dare to pretend yes / CHORUS I don’t don’t get out a lot these days I don’t don’t get out a lot these days I don’t don’t get out a lot these days No I don’t don’t don’t get out a lot
3.	Not Paying Attention 04:37	lyrics	buy track
Tension this tension / man it’s killing every muscle in my body / and I'm giving it attention so I can hold / this situation, this nation / man it’s filling me up with frustration / I'm living in a crazy world of two faced mother lovers / and they’re taking over this place / while we grind axes, pay taxes / put a little bit of cash under the mattress / they just cash in a few back scratches, no catches / all the money disappears like a bottle of thatchers on a hot day / I don’t even know what I'm supposed to not say / I don’t even care if I'm a pawn or not / I'll still be giving it my all because it’s all I got, because CHORUS This world is run by fools / that’s why I say I'm done playing by your rules / cos every time I try I get so confused / you tell me do like you say not like you do / so now I feel my anger is building up / well I've heard so many lies now I've had enough / and though I try my best to fight fear with / my loving intention / if you’re not angry yet / your not paying attention Cos when you start to dig / dig a little deeper now it’s far too big to get / even a half of it to make sense / following enough to get me incensed though, been so / caught up in all the nonsense / pummeling my brain with shit man it’s constant / I'm in the frame of mind to give a little bit of my mind / to anyone who dares to want some / but I don’t wanna let my anger control me / leads to the dark side Yoda told me / silly old me, still they hold me / man I gotta break free like Wan Kenobe / and I don’t mean giving up and running away to weave yoghurt / no what I wanted to say is if you got it / then you gotta be on it / and get bees in your bonnet / make peace when you want it / hang on a minute, stop the beat! / I got a feeling that somebody's watching me / MI5 it’s got to be / I've been sloppy and they’ve finally got to me / hang up the phone don’t talk to me / if you’re not worried then you certainly ought to be / if you resist then you’re already on their list / cos that’s the way that it is / when you know that CHORUS Did I mention this? / your kids not even knowing what a pension is. / another mother lovin utter mentalist / redefining what the word presidential is / I take offence at this / I've met better qualified young plumber’s apprentices. / we’re talking ‘bout a man doesn’t even understand / how to formulate sentences / and yet a man like that / has his finger on a button / that can wipe countries off the map / and with a plan like that / is it really any wonder that we’re living in a world of crap / but yeah we can fight back / let me tell you I'm about to blow so stand right back / there’s no way I'm gonna listen to this kinda racism / from a man with a tan like that / yeah but hold on bill / orange lives matter too / what’s the matter with you? / I thought you knew better than to pick a battle / when the bigger the apple that goes rotten / the quicker the tree-rot’s forgotten / you better be cottoning on a whole lot quicker than me / getting it a whole lot bigger than me / forget about the fruits / go straight for the roots / and just cut down the whole damn tree / cut down the whole damn tree. CHORUS
4.	Greed 04:59	lyrics	buy track
My friends are saying I sold out to Bill Gates / well I guess his bank transfer must have got delayed cos I still paid my bills late / and no matter how much love I throw at it the internet still hates / so fuck the internet I'm going home to bake cakes / or masturbate / I've not decided yet I'm on the fence still / trying to make good use of all this time now that my tour’s been cancelled / pinned all my hopes on 2021 but when all’s said and done they’ll turn around and tell me music’s not essential / but don’t get me wrong I do appreciate the dangers / of travelling round the country getting paid to spit on strangers / I just miss the old days when going viral meant you got plays and the only thing contagious was the bass that made us famous / it’s outrageous / when you look at New Zealand or Japan / and then hear boris banging on about his world beating plan / the only field we’re winning in / is covid deaths per million / and voting in a furry turd / masquerading as a man CHORUS How many times / do we listen to them spouting these bare faced lies / no no no no / before we rise / and decide that enough is enough no more / no no no no / they promise you that greed is the answer / but I'm telling you that greed is the cancer / you need to operate as soon as you can sir / cos the patient is dying Phone rings / baaa…. prime minister speaking / good afternoon sir, I'm calling from the department of health / you’ve recently tested positive for a misallocation of wealth / it’s seems you handed the money to a friend of friend / and now we’re trying to track and trace where the all those billions went / if you could just take a moment to answer a few questions for me / I've tried speaking to my mp but she just seems to ignore me / what I'm trying to figure out is whether you simply messed up or whether you are in fact just hopelessly corrupt / na na na now hold on there a minute / ah ah ah I think that’s not exactly fair is it? / I mean.. I think that greed / is our best plan / and that’s why I've been as greedy as I possibly can / corrupt? me?? well that’s a point of view / I mean.. I was merely returning some favours to my chums from school / it’s a simple case of you scratch my back / and ah ah ah I'll give you a government contract CHORUS Now just in case you’re still confused / I’d like to clarify my views a bit / I'll probably get abuse for it / but maybe you’ll make use of it / I don’t know / covid’s not a hoax though / videos on youtube are best viewed for pranks and jokes so / don’t go too deep down that rabbit hole until you’ve vetted it / I've been there done that bought the t-shirt then regretted it / a voice that’s soothing overlays dramatic music but don’t be fooled / that shit will rot your brain like ketamine / and it’s unsettling I know, so no I'm not suggesting that we shouldn’t question everything, in fact the opposite / I'm simply wishing we could extend that scepticism to some of the shit we read on facebook cos let’s face it there’s a lot of it / we sift through lies searching for allies, choose sides / and watch society divide and polarise itself again / but your enemy’s enemy’s / not necessarily gonna be giving you anything / better than what you’ve been getting already / from some of these so called friends… so CHORUS
5.	Hippy Dude 03:17	lyrics	buy track
CHORUS Hey hippy dude I don’t mean to be rude / but your hand’s not on my chakra no it’s really on my boob / and if you don’t remove it then you’re gonna get sued / cos you didn’t get permission and I’m just not in the mood I don’t need your teeny weenie / kundalini anywhere near me / so put your clothes back on and stop staring at my bikini / stop trying to feed me / hallucinogenic venom / I'm not stupid I get it / you're trying to get me to bed / it's pathetic / I think you better know / I’ve seen the way you flow / ogling my downward dog and / staring at my camel toe / well I’ve had enough of this / I don’t have to suffer this / I’m an open minded lady / but you’re taking the piss you know CHORUS x2 You think you’re so woke, mate / you’re just an old bloke keeps / claiming he’s a shaman / when he’s really just an old joke / who smoked dope and sold coke / when he should have been having a good soak / instead he was giving the women a good grope under cover of wood smoke / and I don’t know / what your name is / but I do know what your game is / cos I’ve dealt with a million people just like you / though you might be the lamest / telling me I’m a Leo in Venus. / I think what you mean is / you’re basically looking at me with your penis / and then you be talking through Uranus CHORUS x2 You’re such a cliché / telling stories about the winters when you were living in India thinking now I’m into ya but you’re too late / cos I know you’re just a typical hypocritical hippy trying to come over spiritual just to / get laid / and I hate to be the one to break it to you but your kinda bad at playing the guru so / give it up mate / It’s getting kinda late / I guess that you could say / that we don’t resonate no CHORUS x4
6.	Poor Little England 04:29	lyrics	buy track
CHORUS Poor little England / used to have a United Kingdom / now we get uptight, wind up fighting like children / who's got the patience / for real conversations / far too busy having an opinion poor little England I’ve had enough of this separation / all trapped inside our own bubbles of misinformation / no time for discourse no time for conversation / just pick one line then repeat that many times on rotation, no / hesitation no, contemplation no / consideration for the wider implications at all / same old elements of conquer and divide / when all the while the enemy's inside CHORUS Well you say what you see / and you see what they say / and now you wanna tell me that you know what you know yeah / when you read your paper by the end of the day / you’re claiming those opinions as your own / well nobody’s gonna tell you what you can and you cannot say / but beware of repeating the words that they’re feeding you every single day CHORUS I like spending time just / hanging out in random places and scanning all the faces of the people as they pass me by / yeah and as I sit there and ponder I sometimes just wonder what’s been going on for them in their lives / like this guy that I see he’s no older than me but his face is as old as time / so I sit down there and greet him, I say mate what you seeking in life? He says / I got no money in my pocket and I wanna get paid / you wanna know now? / I got no money in my pocket and I wanna get paid / ooh whoa ooh whoah / I got no money in my pocket and I wanna get paid / you wanna know now? / I got no money in my pocket and I wanna get paid yeah CHORUS
7.	Hey Boy 03:34	lyrics	buy track
These 20 digital hugs are only warming up my fingertips / sticky plaster on a sinking ship / desperation man I stink of it / so I force another fake smile for the camera / as I sink a bit / deeper into social media induced depression / I've seen it all before but still I never learn my lesson / yet this image I'm projecting is so effervescent / keep my real feelings on the inside keep 'em guessing / sometimes I want to break down and cry / in fact fuck it, I do break down and cry / and I don't even know why / It's like I wake up and my get up and go / has got up and gone / just as I was thinking we were getting along / turns out I'm really not that strong / thought I had it figured out / I must have gotten it wrong / It's like I've written all the lyrics but forgotten the song / and now I'm sat here nodding along / just singing like CHORUS Hey boy / what you gonna do today boy? / put down that screen and play boy / the world is outside your window / no no no / I said hey boy / what you gonna do today boy? / put down that screen and play boy / the world is outside your window / no no no How many days is this daze gonna last? / sitting on my arse eating ice-cream mars / watching every episode of house of cards / just to keep my mind busy like an ounce of grass / how many days am I gonna stay alone? / just sitting on my own watching game of thrones / trying to find connection in my smart arse phone / when all I really wanted was a place called home / I'm pretty certain that I don't need to take their drugs for this / all I really need's bare hugs for this / friendly faces, wide open spaces and a place to rest from all of this / pessimism it's a prison I find myself in / but I'm the only guard in the whole building / it's time to plan my escape / before I waste another day in this place / that's why I'm saying CHORUS And I know that it's not just me / in fact I'm getting off lightly / all things considered I'm generally winning / and I'm just having a bad week / so know that it's not just you / there's more than one shade of blue / we're all just doing our best to enjoy this mess / as we struggle on through / struggle on through / as we struggle on through / ehhh CHORUS
8.	Fool Britannia 04:11	lyrics	buy track
I bet you never thought you'd regret a bj / but now you're wishing you could request the replay / you're on your knees begging please to the dj / rewind my selector rewind! / I don't really wanna send this country back to the stone age / I just want to shake things up a little in a cold rage / sick of being trapped in poverty into my old age / rewind my selector rewind / now we’ve got another bunch of idiot millionaires / we've seen it all before but still they catch us unawares / shout power to the people like they really don't care / but the truth is that they don't and they won't so beware / yes they've all got short positions riding on a weak pound / so they'll keep making money as they drive it through the ground / and as the big roulette wheel keeps on spinning us around / we'll all be singing rule britannia, rule britannia CHORUS Britannia rules the waves / as we set the sails ablaze / and then sink beneath the waves / the crowd cries fool britannia, fool britannia yea Now what you were told was a big fat lie / but everybody knows big boys don’t cry / so now you gotta stick to the script / and hope you don’t get picked up for the porky pie / anyway you gotta protect your damn pride / pick one side / fight to the death that’s right / everybody take two steps inside / where you gonna go now left or right / left or right left or right it’s alright / take all the time you need we got all night long / everybody wants to belong / so you pick out a song and start singing along / now maybe I’m singing it wrong / or maybe you’re singing it right / lately I feel like we’re living a lie / and you never know if you don’t give it a try / I’m all up for taking back control / but baby you know the story you’re sold / is never what you get at all / we’re gonna reap just what we sow, / empowering bigots when will we get it this situation’s a setup yeah / there's more than two sides to a story / and maybe you were right to ignore me / but I say what I see so don't bore me / with all your rule britannia, rule britannia / CHORUS I feel like we’ve been here before my friends / so let’s not go and open that door again / cos everybody knows where it leads / are we too blind to see / or just scared to believe it / and when it’s all gone / they’ll be saying it was always so / now maybe we can all move on / from all this rule britannia rule britannia CHORUS
9.	Not My Place 05:22	lyrics	buy track
Chorus I know it’s probably not my place / but I’ve been looking for a way out of this empty race / Now we’re running out of grace / got to take ourselves a minute just to contemplate / Where are we going yeah / what are we trying to achieve / what is the point if all this / is only make believe Been working in a bullshit job / in a bullshit system for bullshit wages / 40 hours pushing numbers around / so that some little clown / can unlock these cages / and if you work hard and you don’t complain / then you might even say you made it / but what did you make? Did your labour create / truth and beauty or fake-ness? / They tell you it’s a fight / to the bitter end / no matter it’s your brother / sister or your friend / somebody’s got to lose so that you can win / and that’s why we keep losing again and again / but every time your losing your gaining a friend / and a friend they give you more than riches ever can / so in the end, does anybody ever win no no no no CHORUS Everything for sale / everything on special offer / no matter what you say / you’re just another happy shopper / your country needs you now / so put your hands into your pocket / and shop until you drop they say / that’s the only way to stop it / On your marks, get set, go racing down to Primark / queueing round the corner from first light til it gets dark / retail therapy that you can’t afford let pass so you / set your alarm at 6am to give you a head start / Black friday every day from now until the planet dies / kids aspiring to monetize their so called private lives / profiled, analysed, incentivised then polarised / watch live online as we document our own demise CHORUS Well there’s no meaning anymore / nobody’s ever wrong / or that’s the way we wanna play / obsessing over where we disagree / instead of listening / to what the other’s got to say / and while we fight over some petty little difference / the real power treats us all with indifference / our only strength is our numbers and our vision / so we need to learn to listen or we’ll soon be irrelevant / Everyone’s an expert these days I’m getting sick of it / throwaway cut and paste opinions just for the kick of it / craving that dopamine hit that you get when they click on it why / bother listening to people living there in the thick of it / fighting on facebook for our god given right to be wrong / listening to any old idiot with a mic and a song / each and every person driven by their desire to belong / pick out the enemy pile on pile on CHORUS x 2
10.	Breathe 04:38	lyrics	buy track
Well I’ve been thinking / and I’m thinking that my problem is I think too much / over analyse and then I drink too much / or else get paralysed / trying to decide between the options / my privilege provides until I’m / So confused, I can’t choose / Something as simple as what toothpaste I’m supposed to use / I’m pretty sure I need that round-the-clock protection / but is it really worth the two pounds extra? that’s the question / and as I ponder my selection in the aisle of Tesco / something snaps way deep inside and I decide to let go / suddenly I feel a weight's been lifted / somethings shifted / something gained and something gifted / And now I’m either having a mystical experience / surrounded by half price men's deodorants or I’m delirious / either way this supermarket feels mysterious / don’t laugh I’m being serious yeah CHORUS Cos the mind you were given is the one that you’ve got / So take a little bit of time take a lot / Take a moment just to breathe on the spot / Where you are right now you know the world won’t stop / The mind you were given is the one that you’ve got / So take a little bit of time take a lot / Take a moment just to breathe on the spot / Where you are right now you know the world won’t stop Well I’ve been laughing and I’m laughing at the drama of it all / The worry I’ve been wasting / on these inconsequential stories I keep spinning / finding ways to lose when basically I’m winning and I’m / Not alone, cos you’re the same / you might not think it, but truth is that we’re all insane / It’s not our fault, we’re not the ones to blame / the world it keeps on changing too quickly for our poor old brains / / Well Descartes was smart but missed the bigger picture / I think therefore I am implies a thinker and a listener / But when you step ashore / Let the river take its course / You start to see that you are not your thoughts / So take a moment just to step back, a moment just to listen / Cos you are not your mind and no your mind is not a prison / It’s just this instrument of wondrous precision / but who am I to tell you what it is and what it isn’t? CHORUS Did you feel it? / That little moment of space / Before your brain kicks / back in with all of its debilitating bullshit / Delivering its sermon like a priest / Up in a pulpit / I forget it’s even there sometimes you know? / Forget to to take the time, or make the time to help that moment grow / I’m too caught up in the show / The hero and the victim in a drama that I’m writing alone / And though I know deep down that it’s all ok / I worry bout the little stuff every day / I tell myself I’m busy no time to play / No no no no no / And as I work myself to an early grave / I have to ask myself is it really brave / To keep on pushing past the moment when the moment’s really / all I’ve got CHORUS

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released April 7, 2023

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The Undercover Hippy Bristol

The Undercover Hippy is actually UK based singer-songwriter Billy Rowan. After 7 years spent DJ’ing and MC’ing on the Drum & Bass circuit, Billy ditched the decks for a guitar and started out as a solo act in 2007. He now plays with a 5 piece band, bringing together, keys, drums, bass, congas and backing vocals to create a high energy, interactive and highly entertaining live show. ... more