Lyrics:

[Verse 1]
The place was full of old men rocking and howling
(Rocking and howling)
Eyes glued to ancient prayers
I should've been doing the same
But I had nothing to atone for
Not yet, anyway
(Nothing to atone for)

[Verse 2]
We were three rows back from the front
My father on the right
All righteous and guilty in his prayer shawl
Barry on the left in mohair
I smiled at Barry and we shared a rebel moment
We only came because we had to
We were too young not too
Yeah, I was only fifteen, trying to be a mod
And shoes were more important than God
[Chorus]
(Barry's shoes)
Please walk me away from the family business
(Barry's shoes)
Get me out of my father's clothes
(Barry's shoes)
Kick start my imagination
(Barry's shoes)
With a little intrigue

[Verse 3]
Yeah, I looked down to avoid God's gaze
And there they were
(Barry you're a dark horse)
They were blue-grey, mock alligator
Six whip-thin straps with a pointed toe
Sharp enough to carve your name in a greaser
And leave him lying in a pool of his own cool
Barry you're a liar
You bought them from him didn't you?
Whoa, here come the waves of disapproval

[Bridge]
And they were mean shoes (Shoes)
Lean shoes, supreme shoes (Shoes)
Every loving mother's (Shoes shoes)
Bad dream shoes (Shoes)
They were brave shoes (Shoes)
Depraved shoes (Shoes)
Emancipated slave (Shoes shoes)
Dancing on your grave (Shoes)
In obscene shoes (Shoes)
Wet dream shoes (Shoes)
Screamin' Jay Hawkins (Shoes shoes)
Screamin' shoes (Shoes)
They were race shoes (Shoes)
Disgrace shoes (Shoes)
Lying in the gutter (Shoes shoes)
Off my face shoes (Shoes)
In kiss of death shoes (Shoes)
Whisky breath shoes (Shoes)
Jerry Lee on (Shoes shoes)
Crystal meth shoes (Shoes)
They called them queer shoes (Shoes)
Fear of fear shoes (Shoes)
End of everything (Shoes shoes)
We hold dear shoes (Shoes)
Can't let it (Shoes)
Happen here shoes (Shoes shoes shoes, woo woo)
[Chorus]
(Barry's shoes)
Last seen leaving the Three Coins at midnight
(Barry's shoes)
On his way to meet an unknown friend
(Barry's shoes)
They found his shoes on fire on a bomb site
(Barry's shoes)
But no sign of Barry

[Verse 4]
For a long time the park seemed empty without him
In his honour only sick jokes were told
Then JFK got shot and the world stopped
We all slowly morphed into our parents
And the dream went cold
And I got scared

[Verse 5]
The place was full of old men rocking and howling
(Rocking and howling)
Eyes glued to ancient prayers
I should've been doing the same
But I have nothing to atone for, yet

[Outro]
Do they? (Do they?)
Do they? (Do they?)
Do they? (Do they?)
Do they? (Do they?)
Do they? (Do they?)
Do they? (Do they?)
Do they? (Do they?)
Do they? (Do they?)
Do they?