3 Blind Mice - Lyrics
Before They Were Famous, Vol. 1

Click on a track name for the lyrics or just sing along as you scroll down the page!

1.  Hellbound Eyes
2.  Let Me In
3.  The Bear Lies Down
4.  Doing The Best I Can
5.  The Sun Still Shines
6.  Piggy In The Middle
7.  Jack & Billy
8.  Welcome to the Water

3 Blind Mice - Before They Were Famous, Vol. 1

GBP 10.00


HELLBOUND EYES

Lyndon would like to turn "Hellbound Eyes" into a fantastic thrashing production in a "Back in the USSR" kind of way. The eerie lyrics were inspired by a dream that Alex had about a wailing banshee. Typical of an Alex song in both its scary lyrics and its rock’n’roll sound.

Took a while in my bed last night
To find sleep for my head and make me feel alright
When it came to my dead beat brain
I got this strange old lady calling out my name
Don’t know why she crashed my sleep
But her pale yellow skin made my own flesh creep
She must have been from my dark left side
Cause she froze me cold with her hellbound eyes

She said
I’ll be there when your luck runs out
When it all blows up I will drop by
I’ll be in the wings waiting for the final scene
I’ll be there to see the well run dry

I wish the night was the day’s relief
And that sleep was the way I could be released
But every time when I close my eyes
She’s right there in the black at the back of my mind
If she’s young she’s so damned good
That I feel for myself & the heat of my blood

Sometimes she comes in a sweet disguise
But she just can’t hide those hellbound eyes

She says
I’ll be there when your luck runs out....

© Connah/Grayson/Wonfor 2002

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LET ME IN

Lyndon describes Garry’s song "Let Me In" as "a classic ballad ...with legs". Sometimes you find yourself shut out because you’re not welcome. At other times you’re shut out because you can’t find the way in. And that’s what this song is about. The song was recorded just after Garry’s dog died, on a very hot summer’s day. Because of the heat in the studio the windows had to be opened and because Garry was so emotional his voice was very quiet. This means that you can hear the birds singing clearly in the background... an unexpected but beautiful effect!

You say that everything’s wonderful
Then you move away
The minute I’m closer to touching you
Sometimes I find words won’t rhyme
But each day it feels like I’m losing you

CHORUS
Let me in, let me in, let me in babe
Let me in, let me in, let me in

Always no matter what you do
Already made
My promise to love and to cherish you
Hold me baby one more time
‘Cause each day it feels like I’m losing you

CHORUS x 2
You say that everything’s wonderful
But you move away
It feels like I’m losing you

CHORUS x 4

© Connah/Grayson/Wonfor 2002

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THE BEAR LIES DOWN

"The Bear Lies Down" began life as an instrumental piece by Lyndon. Years later it served as a backdrop for a song about the dynamics of the relationship between a man, his wife and his identical twin brother. This is now Garry’s favourite Mice song because it’s so full of emotion "you get a feeing of this huge strong giant of a man that you completely look up to and respect, falling down as the inevitable happens. Even though Lyndon wrote it and I know what it’s about, it makes me think of my own dad and several other people... it makes me cry".

The bear lies down and the world exhales
A damn good reason it never fails
The bear stands up to the winter gales
Waving like he’s trying to fly
The bear lies down and the world exhales

She’s out the door that she kicked and dented
Endless threats but this time she meant it
He lay so ill but he lied so well
And he justified the means in the end
The bear lies down and the world exhales

"Take her out and make her laugh and be like me"
So he takes her out and she makes him laugh enviously
She hesitates to think it
So she’ll raise a glass to drink it
Leaving others free to whisper on the air

The bear lies down and the world exhales
Bowls of cherries and beds of nails
His heart though still through a force of will
Was revealed in every note that he played
The bear lies down and the world exhales

The bear lies down and the earth is quiet
Pitstop bender and car crash diet
You were far too near to hold so dear
When we value what requires us to reach
The bear lies down and the world exhales

No symphony of grieving
No overture of weeping
My brother crazy mirror don’t despair
The bear lies down

© Connah/Grayson/Wonfor 2002

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DOING THE BEST I CAN

"Doing the Best I Can" was written for The Corrs, so it has an "Irishey" folk feeling about it. Written by Alex, it’s one of Garry’s favourite Mice songs. Lyndon says that the summery sounds evolved nicely on the recording to include "Mull of Kintyre" style bagpipes, which he finds "curiously emotional".

My love’s face is the setting of the sun going down
I love him
My love’s race isn’t over or begun, it is running now
I love him

CHORUS:
Can you see
Can you see
I’m doing the best I can
Being the best of me

My love lives in the closing of a door every day
And I love him
My love’s ear isn’t hearing any more what you say
Still I love him

CHORUS

© Connah/Grayson/Wonfor 2002

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THE SUN STILL SHINES

Lyndon points out that "The Sun Still Shines" is typical of Garry’s songs in its warm, summery sound: "Garry’s songs are like dreams, where Alex’s songs are like nightmares". It’s based on the advice Garry’s mum gave him when he left home: "Sometimes in life it will rain, but if it ever really pours and gets too much for you to take, don’t forget the sun will always shine for you back here". There are references in the song to an annual event in Garry’s hometown - the Proclamation - that dates back to the 16th century. In the olden days the Mayor would ride around the village to proclaim the cattle and sheep fair open for trading. Nowadays the fair is a funfair but the mayor still rides his grey horse around the village at 6 o’clock in the morning, stopping outside every pub to read the Proclamation. At each stop, the publican brings out the traditional drink of rum with milk. After visiting all 9 pubs, the Mayor usually has trouble staying on his horse!

Kiss Felicity goodbye
Wipe the tear from her eye
I didn’t mean to make her blue
I just had to
For a million things you see
Waiting out there for me
Felicity agreed and she said

If there’s a rainbow in the sky
When it’s cloudy over you
It’s only there to let you know

The sun still shines x 2

Past the Grucox factory
At the end of Gordon Street
With their shoes upon my feet
But I’m leaving
I cop the wink from Auntie Flo
Through her window
I think I lip read cheerio or something

But there’s the rainbow in the sky
And it’s cloudy over me
It’s only there she said you’ll see

The sun still shines x 4

At the stroke of 6 o’clock
Everything stops
And it’s proclamation day
Is that Councillor Hall
Addressing us all
From his beautiful gray

I saw a photograph today
It took me miles away
Back to where I used to be
But I’m not there

The sun still shines x 5

© Connah/Grayson/Wonfor 2002

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PIGGY IN THE MIDDLE

Lyndon says "I’m not sure I always follow Alex’s lyrics, but it never mars my enjoyment of them! I’m looking forward to coming up with some production ideas for this song." "Piggy in the Middle" contains references to Alex’s life, such as the love of his car and Alex says it’s about making a drama out of everything because everything is so dull. Some people find the images a little startling, or even unpleasant. Garry says it’s "a Marmite song... you either love it or hate it. I love it. And it certainly goes down a storm at live gigs."

If the bitter taste is what you taste
Jump into my big blue car
I’m sorry ‘bout my sorry face
Being sorry makes me prettier

Could not blame you if you walked away
Sometimes I think I go too far
Let’s sing about the thing we chase
Becoming just the way things are

CHORUS:
Piggy in the middle
Sitting on the griddle
Says he's gonna taste so fine
Making such a meal
 of everything he feels
It’s a life of killing time
Piggy in the middle
Sitting on the griddle
Eats himself alive
You’ve got to bring your kitchen knife

If this mocking bird could only sing
And sing ‘cause his head was clear
There’d be no craving of the diamond ring
No searching for the panacea

We only want to want the way things are
We want to want the thing for real
Jump into my big blue car
Place your hands on the steering wheel

CHORUS

It's a shame to fold in three
To find the thing you want to do
What you are you were and want to be
Is a myth you make believe is true

Come on, jump into my big blue car
We're safe behind these five locked doors
Though the fuel gauge reads we’ve gone too far
And we’re waiting 'til the engine stalls

CHORUS

You’ve got to bring your kitchen knife
You’ve got to bring your kitchen knife
Waaaah
Just get it
Just get it
Your kitchen knife

© Connah/Grayson/Wonfor 2002

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JACK & BILLY

Lyndon says that he can’t put his finger on it but "Jack & Billy" is probably his favourite Mice tune, "despite being at the customs check of sentimentality with LSD in its pants"! The story behind the song is a true one: Jack was Garry’s uncle. He was instantly recognizable by the red beret he wore on the side of his head, inside out! Jack was always out with his little corgi dog, Billy, rain or shine. Jack had been a tail-gunner who never quite came back from the war. His mental state deteriorated in later life but he would do and say lovable things. For instance, he was convinced that Garry was in Abba, and that Abba in fact stood for "Able Bodied Seaman". When his wife Winnie died, Jack stopped his cuckoo clock, said "she was really good to me", put on his coat and took Billy out.."

If Billy needed exercise
Beret on his head side
Old Jack’s out in the rain
He never really cared about the weather much anyway
Old Jack and Billy Boy
What a joy
Jack & Billy Boy out in it again
Heading for the spinney on a wet day

Should Billy Boy ever stray
Old Jack’d say
Hey Billy, here Billy Boy
Then whistle Billy in again
Cause Jack knew Billy could
And Billy well he understood
Old Jack’s every word
As well as I remember them I remember them

CHORUS:
Are you happy now?
Say you’re happy now
Are you happy now?
Say you’re happy now

If Billy needed exercise, etc.....

CHORUS

Old Jack died
Billy Boy by his bedside
Just the way he’d want it to be
Old Jack and Billy
Billy Boy and me
Old Jack & Billy Boy
What a joy
Jack & Billy Boy
What a joy, etc....

Are you happy now?

SPOKEN: You know, Old Jack was a good soul, although life did get the better of him in the end. Well, he seemed to lose his way a bit anyway.
But I remember 3 things that Jack loved - his wife Winnie, his old dog Billy and his cuckoo clock.
Jack came out of his darkness just for a moment on the day Winnie died.
"She was a good wife to me" he said and his face dropped and he stopped his cuckoo clock and it never did sing again.
Jack slipped back into his world, wherever that may be.
Probably with Billy in some wet spinney somewhere.
Say you’re happy now.
Goodnight Jack.

© Connah/Grayson/Wonfor 2002

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WELCOME TO THE WATER

Lyndon describes "Welcome to the Water" as an early attempt to write a lyric, which wouldn’t look too embarrassing on an album sleeve alongside Alex & Garry’s lyrics.

I walk across the water
On stones you cannot see
These are points of happiness
Someone gave to me
Such basic elements
I understand
I see water everywhere
But not the promised land
You say....

Not so fast
This only lasts for a lifetime
Welcome to the water
Each moment passed
One battle less to be fighting

Thunder starts a chorus
Of sirens in the street
Divine intervention
Is surely what I need
You can see it everywhere
Blink and then it’s gone
Lightning strikes the blessed few
Thy will be done

CHORUS

I can see a long long way
I can see the ships go down
I can hear a siren singing
But I must look for solid ground

CHORUS x 2

© Connah/Grayson/Wonfor 2002

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