Music & lyrics by Tot Taylor

(Published by Songmatic Music)

This kid’s hair… 

Well, it keeps goin’ round ’n round 

 Ain’t nothin’ in the world like This Kid’s Hair

 to keep me from goin’ dow-oowwnnnn…

 This kid’s … hair …

Well, it’s a stuck up there  on top

You can call it what you want –

but in this God-Almighty world 

 I ain’t gonna stop complainin’ 

(Stop complainin’ – I tell ya!)

This kid’s hair

Hain’t nobody’s hair, but his

It’ll do its best for goo-oo-oo-ood

In this God-forsaken world

Like I would do if I could…

Cos this kid’s hair…

If it’s a-stuck up there f good 

Better get that hair back together again

(I will do, if you … stop com-plai-nin!  

Stop com-plai-nin’…

Anymore…

I’m not complainin’ anymore 

Like I once was a-time before 

I’m not complainin’ anymore 

Like I was once upon a time before

I said GET AWAY! GO AWAY!

STAY AWAY! N-O-O-O-W –

Aawww!! When that hair

Gets a-trailin’ on the ground!

Ain’t nothin’ in the world you can do touch this kid’s hair

Don’t let that kid’s hair dow-own…

Cos this kid’s hair

Well, it’s the best accoutrement I’ve ever found

Better get that hair back together again –

I’ll do it myself if you’ll onlystop complainin’

 ‘Stop complainin’ !

Anymore…

I’m not complainin’ anymore

Like I once was a-time before 

I told ya… 

I’m not complainin’ anymore 

Like I once was a-time before

(What do I say?) I say…

GET AWAY – GO AWAY!!…

STAY AWAY! N-O-O-O-W!!

When that hair   

(when that hair…)

Gets a-trailin’ on the ground

(on the ground now…)

Ain’t nothin’ in the world t’ beat this kid’s hair

Better let that kid’s hair dow-own…

And this kid’s hair (this particular kid…) 

Ain’t nobody’s hair but his

Gotta get that hair back to-ge-ther again

I would do if you’d only

Stop – complainin’ stop complainin’ 

Stop Complainin’, stop Complainin’ 

I’m not complainin’ anymore 

(da-ba-ta-da-ba-ta-da-ba-ta etc)

Like I once was a-time before

I’m not complainin’ anymore  

Like I once was a-time (da-pa-ta da-pa-ta…)

‘cos I say 

I said GET AWAY – GO AWAY!!

STAY AWAY NOW!!

Music & lyrics by Tot Taylor

(Published by Songmatic Music)

Travelled many miles to see you

Wonder why I don’t believe you

When you say you’re a-lookin’ for me?

All this time I want you to be mine…

Many years you must have thought I

Lived a double-life or somethin’

How on earth can I explain?

Won’t somebody listen to my song?

To get me up (to put me up)

Just before I look away…

Distort Me, Baby 

Don’t let me around again 

(I said) Distort Me Babee…

Don’t let me around…

Up a mountain, ‘cross a stream

I work all day to make my dream come true about you (any season)

Gonna find you any-where you are…

To pick me up

To put me out

Just because you want to…

Distort Me, baby

Don’t let me around again (oo.oo.oo)

I said, Distort Me Babeeee…

Don’t let me around (a-gain)… (whistle…)

Distort Me girl… (don’t let me around…)

When you say there’s nothing doin’

Taking me to RAK and ruin

I guess I must be leavin’

Only thing … (I want you – to be mine…)

To get me up – to put me down

Dah-dah, Dah-dah,

Just before you turn away…

Distort me, baby…

Don’t let me around a-gain…

I said – Distort me, babee

Don’t let me around – again…

I get to thinkin’ gurl

And when I think, I don’t think straight

Get to thinkin’ baby

Somehow I think the things I hate…

Distort me, baby…

Don’t let me around again…

Distort me, babee…

Don’t let me around …

(I said), distort me babee…

Don’t let me around (again…)

Distort me, baby…

Don’t let me around again…

Music & lyrics by Tot Taylor

(Published by Songmatic Music)

Nebuchadnezzar is that you?

Tutankhamen – you came too!

Mr Speaker got your tongue in a twist today…

Gimme a ring on your mission-bell

Put a toe in the wishin’ well

Now you’re talkin’ at me

Listen what I gotta say…

Now you’re talkin’ (now you’re talkin’, baby… hey…)

Now you’re talkin’ (now you’re talkin’, baby… hey…)

Spiritual Father – what you want?

Mother Nature – what you on?

It ain’t natural to speak as dumb as you

Mahavira – Golden One

Stephen Hawking – Silver Son-on-on…

Now you’re talkin’ for me

Listen what I gotta say

Now you’re talkin’ (now you’re talkin’, at me… hey…ye…)

Now you’re talkin’ (now you’re talkin’, ‘bout me… hey…ye…)

Education? – Man, you’re done!

A sense of the common word has won

Now you’re talkin’ for me

Listen what I gotta say

Like a loud Marcel Marceau

Silence is Golden – don’t you kn-o-o-ow?

Now you’re talkin’ with me

Listen what I gotta say

Now you’re talkin’ (now you’re talkin’  to me … hey…)

Now you’re talkin’ (now you’re talkin’  at me … hey…)

Now you’re talkin’ (now you’re talkin’ ’bout me … hey…)

Now you’re talkin’ (now you’re talkin’  for me … hey…)

(get your ego together!)

Music & lyrics by Tot Taylor

(Published by Songmatic Music)

Y got y-self a gun

Gonna have y-self some fun!

Blow us all to pieces now

You’ve only just begun…

JOON MOON – you better back off soon

You’re busy doin’ this…

You’re busy doin’ that…

You’re busy doin’ nothin’ in your… busybody hat

JOON MOON  – looks like you came too soon

You meant to – but y haven’t done nothin’…

You call me every day!!

But there’s nothing new to say

There has to be some… mystery

instead of making hay…

JOON MOON – y better change your toon

You were gonna, but y haven’t done nothin…

You know you’re not a Don

You-ou know you‘ll soon be gone…

You got y-self piece of it-

C’mon, and leave us all alone Joon Moon …

Just … back off soon

Get your Ego to-ge-ther

You were gonna but you didn’t do nothin’ ??

C’mon and get your ego to-ge-ther…

JOON MOON…

Music & lyrics by Tot Taylor

(Published by Songmatic Music)

They got the National Curriculums

To help you with your sums

But folk today are broke today

Wearing out their gums

They put the People on the street

So you can help everyone you meet

“In for a pen-nie – out for a pound”

While they farm their country-seat

Monster Raving Looney! (Monster Raving Looney)

Monster Raving Looney! (Monster Raving Looney)

They need to keep the People down

So they follow you around

“Make them poorer, make them poor”

The way they did before…

When a million billionaires

Are taken unawares

You’re all alone, (there’s no one home)

  Better say your prayers…

Monster Raving Looney (Monster Raving Looney)

Monster Raving Looney (Monster Raving Looney)

And when they go to sleep

They count the cost – they don’t count sheep…

And when they go to bed

They play the fool, they don’t play dead!

So you’re sleepin’ rough at night

They tell ya “everythin’s alright”

While they keep you in the pink

Tell the people what to think

Monster Raving Looney (Monster Ravin’ Looney)

Monster Raving Looney (Monster Ravin’ Looney)

Monster Raving Looney (Monster Ravin’ Looney)

Monster Raving Looney (Monster Ravin’ Looney)

Music & lyrics by Tot Taylor

(Published by Songmatic Music)

I’ve been sittin’ at home

Shining my light on you

(You look good too)

Everywhere that I roam I need an alibi

to cloud my sky       

I’ve been hangin’ around      

Got my feet on the ground            

You’ve been reading my mind

I’ve been reading your Hate Mail…

You been changin’ y’ tune

Usin’ my lullabys on other guys

You’ll be over it soon

Maybe you’ll understand

The things I planned…

I’ve been hangin’ around      

Scared of makin’ a sound

You been readin’ my mind

I been readin’ your Hate Mail

You say that I deceived you     

So why don’t I believe you?

I’m never gonna do it again…

HARPSICHORD

I been hangin’ around     

Got my feet off the ground

You been readin’ my mind     

I been readin’ your hate mail…

You been readin’ my mind

I been readin’ your hate mail…

You been readin’ my mind

I been readin’ your hate mail…

Music & lyrics by Tot Taylor

(Published by Songmatic Music)

So you think you can leave me standin’

Hand-in-hand upon the landin’ ?

Add up baby… subtract baby

You’re never alone with a ‘Formula!’

If y wanna be somethin’ special?

Well, stop your cryin’

Keep on tryin’

Maybe you can, but here’s the facts, lady!

You’re never alone with a formula!

FORMULA!

take another trip around One + One

FORMULA!

take my tip ’cos two have more fun than one…

So y think y can get me goin’?

Well, speed up baby, ‘cos I’m not slowin’ down

(not that I know of, anyway…)

Like the moon, I got my formula

If y think y can square up Mama!

Well, maybe you will, but you don’t wanna

spoil the sun that shines in the summer

It’s a ‘bit of a riff’ with a formula

FORMULA! 

take another trip around 2+2

FORMULA!

– take my tip,

(I’m) flippin’ it right back to you…

Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-         

Di-Di-Di-Di-Di-Di-Di-Di-Di

Di-Di-Di-Di-Di-Di

FORMULA! 

take another trip around 3+3

FORMULA!

take my tip

Start flippin’ it right back to me…

So you think you can leave me standin’

Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba …

Music & lyrics by Tot Taylor

(Published by Songmatic Music)

Published by Songmatic Music

Kassandra’s Kaftan

Blowin’ in the midnite air

Kassandra’s Kaftan

Wonder what y gonna wear?

Kassandra’s Kaftan

There’s very little of it … … … there

I took a walk up to Kassandra’s Kaftan

On the corner of the street

Where night-time falls…

I looked around Kassandra’s Kaftan

To put a name to a face

and put an end to-it-all…

Kassandra’s Kaftan

It’s blowin’ in the midnite … air –

Kassandra’s Kaftan

Y’ just don’t have a thing to wear

Kassandra’s Kaftan

There’s very little of it there…

You can stay all nite!!

at Kassandra’s Kaftan

In the middle of the street

Where darkness falls…

You’ll be alrite!

at Kassandra’s Kaftan

If you’re making it down

Y’ couldn’t make it up…

Don’t stay all nite

at Kassandra’s Kaftan

Where you dwell

Upon the coffee-cup

You’ll be alrite – at Kassandra’s Kaftan

But if you’re cryin’ out for help

Well, cryin’ ain’t enough…

Where the people meet

At the end of the street

Got a regular beat

Get a ‘real neat seat’

Where the people meet

At the end of the street

It’s reet petite

Y get a picture seat

Where the people hide

Y wanna sit inside?

Wanna ride??

Somebody cried…

At Kassandra’s Kaftan

At Kassandra’s Kaftan

Where the people meet

At the end of the street

Got a regular beat

And a real neat seat

Where the people meet

At the end of the street

It’s reet petite

Y get a real, neat seat

Where the people hide (high pno)

y wanna sit inside?

Wanna ride??

Somebody cried…

at…

Kassandra’s Kaftan

Blowin’ in the midnite air – (breeze)

Kassandra’s Kaftan

You just don’t have a thing to wear

Kassandra’s Kaftan

There’s very little of it – there…

Kassandra’s Kaftan

Blowin’ in the midnite air – (breeze)

Kassandra’s Kaftan

You just don’t have a thing to wear

Kassandra’s Kafta

There’s very little of it – there…

Music & lyrics by Tot Taylor

(Published by Songmatic Music)

I’m putting on vanity flares

The ‘best things’ for you

An’ you’re comin’ too … 

Hold off your horses – I’ll set the course

‘Cos I’m steppin’ up vanity stairs

Far as it goes …

I knows what I knows

Don’t wanna blind you

(but) I’m here to remind you …

I’m so sure of the life I’m living

I’m even getting ‘forgiving’ …

No one should care but me…

I’m singin’ and swingin’ the words

Way past my time?

Or I should be – but I’m

Not in the mood

(spoken) don’t wanna be rude but …

I’m fitting-and-filling you in…

Head in a spin

… Before I begin

Starting anew

What else can I do?

I’m so sure of the life I’m living

I’m even getting ‘forgiving’

No one should follow me…

I’m so sure of the life I’m living

I’m even gettin’ ‘forgiving’

No one to bother me…

Stop acting like nobody cares…

Vanity Flares… for you…

Music & lyrics by Tot Taylor

(Published by Songmatic Music)

Lookin’ thru my rainbow-coloured past…

When messages of love were meant to last

Oh, I must reject The Word

Everything I overheard

’Cos that wld be like wearing Yesterday’s T.Shirt

Keeping up appearances, I hate…

Getting down with every fashion-plate…

Oh I know there’s ‘nothin’ doin’

I go from RAK to ruin

Cos that would be like wearing Yesterday’s T.Shirt

Yesterday’s T.Shirt is old and grey

Give it another day, wear it another way

Give it another play…

Yesterday’s T.Shirt hyperbole

Will be the death of me

I am a honeybee, stuck in a money-tree…

(la, la, la, la, la, la)

(la, la, la, la, la, la)

I hear the news is on the street

Wash the brains of everyone you meet!

I’m so elaborate

I should be fab-u-lous!

But that would be like wearing Yesterday’s T.Shirt!

Yesterday’s T.Shirt is old and grey

Give it another day, wear it another way

Give it another play …

  

Yesterday’s T.Shirt – hyperbole

Is gonna eat me whole, swallow my very soul                 

No more to rock or to roll

(la, la, la, la, la, la)

(la, la, la, la, la, la, la…)

          

Watch me as I fade into the night …

Miss me as I tap-dance out of sight

Oh I’m so … elaborate

I should be fabulous!

But that would be like wearing Yesterday’s T.Shirt

I know I’m done explainin’

I know my star is wanin’

That would be like wearin’ …

That would be like wearin’ …

That would be like wearin’…

Yesterday’s T. Shirt!

NEW SINGLE (23 – 10 – 2023) 

Tot Taylor ushers in his upcoming OCTOBER album
‘STUDIO SOUNDS’

with a brand new single:

“NOW YOU’RE TALKIN” 

a song about ‘everyone doing the right thing’ (for each other)
which will lead to the release of the new CD album (23-10–23).
Exclusive to ROUGH TRADE

Launching with a PLAYBACK with TRAVIS ELBOROUGH
at The Social, London (27-9-23)
with Tot speaking about his “nutty life and nutty times”
both within the worlds of music & also contemporary art.

The new album ‘STUDIO SOUNDS’
Recorded at legendary RAK Studios, in London’s St. John’s Wood, during the weeks immediately following
the end of lockdown,
‘STUDIO SOUNDS’
is… a ‘wild trip through pop music sonics’
as Tot explores not only “every instrument and sound known to Man” but keeps the lyrics “very real” and “very Now!”
as the real world outside of the studio rebalances and adjusts – and the sun
finally reappears!

STUDIO SOUNDS is an incredibly UP! record.
A collection of upbeat, optimistic songs about the future –
tho critical (as ever) about our leaders, our ‘betters’ and their management of our fragile world.
Subjects range from ‘out-there politics’ such as the
MONSTER RAVING LOONY’s
and ‘THE TORIES’! as well as
‘suedehead’ haircuts, out-of-fashion
T.Shirts, ‘old hat’ politicians and Nebuchadnezzar: ‘king-of-Babylon’, all contained within Tot Taylor’s
lush ‘musical bubblewrap’ of warm summery chords and mystical wordplay.

the new single:
NOW YOU’RE TALKIN’  –  TOT TAYLOR

Nebuchadnezzar is that you?
Tutankhamen you came too!
‘Mr Speaker’ got your tongue in a twist today
Gimme a ring on your mission-bell
Put a toe in the wishin’-well
Now you’re talkin’ at me
Listen what I gotta say …

NOW YOU’RE TALKIN  –  (Now you’re Talkin, baby)

Spiritual father – what you want ?
Mother Nature, what you on ?
It ain’t natural, to speak as dumb as you …
MAHAVIRA – ‘Golden One’
Stephen Hawking – ‘Silver Sun’
NOW YOU’RE Talking for me -Listen what I gotta say
NOW YOU’RE TALKIN  –  (Now YOU’RE Talkin at me)

Education!  Man, you’re done!
A sense of the ‘common’ word has won
Now you’re talkin’ for me – Listen what I gotta say
Like a loud Marcel Marceau – ‘Silence is Golden’,  Don’t y Know?
(Now YOU’RE Talkin With Me) LISTEN WHAT I GOTTA SAY…

PRESS RELEASE – TOT TAYLOR 

The song: ‘MONSTER RAVING LOONEY’ : Tot Taylor / TheCampus label (via Rough Trade)

is an unabated swipe at our political leaders and the mess they have “gotten us into”. A super upbeat-sounding track with socio-political “Us and Them lyrics”. Heavy yet hooky, Tot’s crunchy piano chords vibrate the floorboards in this ‘tale of our times’ announcing a new album due this summer full of lyrics about “the world we live in” (and how to get out of it!).

 

Recorded at RAK Studios, London with Duncan Fuller, Shawn Lee and Paul Cuddeford, ‘MONSTER RAVING LOONEY’ is from Tot Taylor’s upcoming new album STUDIO SOUNDS.

 

About TOT TAYLOR: BIO

Tot Taylor is a legendary pop auteur and also contemporary art curator – (founder of The Compact Organization and the influential ‘pre-punk’ group Advert-I-Sing). He was signed to Island Records while still a Cambridge schoolboy and is also author of the 900-page (2019) novel ‘THE STORY OF JOHN NIGHTLY’ (Random House). Having worked with such as PAUL McCARTNEY and MICHAEL STIPE, shared an editing-room with FEDERICO FELLINI and had dinner with ANDY WARHOL Tot has curated exhibitions with YOKO ONO, JUDY CHICAGO & WILLIAM BURROUGHS and happenings at the famous RIFLEMAKER Art Space in London and lectures in Contemporary Art at SOTHEBYS Institute. Riflemaker artists have exhibited at TATE MODERN, MoMA – MUSEUM of MODERN ART NY,  the ICA & FRIEZE London. His songs often bash the establishment and the “corrupt characters from the times we live in”.

 

MONSTER RAVIN’ LOONEY

They got the National Curriculum

To help you with your sums       

But folk today are broke today

Wearing out their gums

 

They put the people on the street

So you can help everyone you meet

In for a penny, out for a pound

While they farm their country-seat

 

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

 

They need to keep the people down

So they follow you around

Make them poorer, make them poor 

The way they did before

 

When a million billionaires

Are taken unawares

You’re all alone (there’s no one home)

Better say your prayers

 

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

 

And when they go to sleep

They count the cost, they don’t count sheep

So when they go to bed

They play the part, they don’t play dead

 

So you’re sleepin’ rough at night

They tell ya ‘everythin’s alright’

While they keep you in the pink

Tell the people what to think

 

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

Monster ravin’ looney

 

Now