Well, I've never had a car I've never been near a lorry Got a nasty habit of scratching my nose My codename's Happy Harry I'm into C.B.
I've had loads of jobs for very minute lolly Creation schemes, so I suppose I was lucky And the money it took to buy the C.B. set took lines off my belly My codename's Cedar Plank I'm into C.B. I'm into C.B.
At sixteen I drank cheap sherry Got plastered in the stations and swing parks Off my mother I stole some money Had a treat with a bottle of Martini So sick I couldn't walk or sit Since then I've not touched it I won't bore you with tales of being greedy I'm just into C.B. I'm into C.B.
My family's a weird lot My stepsister's got a horrible growth Listens to all this muzak shit Reads Smash Hits while she's eating her tea To me it sounds like bad C.B.
My father's not bad really He got me these wires and bits Apart from that he talks to me hardly I'm just into C.B.
This is Happy Harry Plank from the land of waving palms Calling out to Cedar Plank Four seven seven C C C There's no Code Thirteen in the home of chocolate city I'm having trouble with the terminology But I'm into C.B.
I've got this letter before me It's buff with a confidential seal I'd better open it It's a fine and a formal threat I should have listened to "New Face in Hell" 1 The date expired last week Up here I forget what time it is It says you're going to go when you go Or else you're for it boy If that's what you get for having a hobby Next mail you get will be mail in gaol If that's what you get for having a hobby Next year mail in gaol If that's what you get for having a hobby Next time I'm out I'll join a riot That's the last you'll hear for me I'll keep clear of C.B. Keep clear of C.B. Keep clear of C.B.
Commentary
< Post in progress >
Footnotes
c.f. the song “New Face in Hell”, which features a doomed wireless enthusiast character. ↩︎
Ford, Simon (2003). Hip Priest: the story of Mark E Smith and The Fall. London: Quartet Books.
Mackay, Tommy (2018). 40 Odd Years of The Fall. Place of publication unknown: Greg Moodie.
Pringle, Steve (2022). You Must Get Them All: The Fall on Record. [paperback edition]. Pontefract: Route Publishing Ltd. [Online store]
Smith, Mark E. (1985). The Fall Lyrik & Texte Von Mark E. Smith. In Deutsch & Englisch. With Drawings by Brix. Berlin: The Lough Press. [AKA The Orange Book. Available online in The Internet Archive]
Smith, Mark E. (2008). vII. The Lough Press & AMarquisManipulationProductions. [AKA the Blue Lyrics Book]