Lyrics:

Oh tell me Why play rock 'n' roll?

Why play rock 'n' roll?
It's a question fundamental:
Take Jimbo from The Doors,
You'll find which one's incidental;

Take the music from the industry,
You're left with grasping bankers;
Take the 'industry' out of music,
You're left with childish wankers.

'If I weren't me', Prince might ask,
'Would women still adore me?
How come no-one's come up and said:
'Your movies fucking bore me'?'

'The priest dances on the seventh day,
Watching the temple fall' -
Now if Dylan didn't write that line,
Would it still mean nothing at all?

Play rock 'n' roll?

Why play rock 'n' roll?
Why play rock 'n' roll?
Play rock 'n' roll?
Why play rock 'n' roll?
Why play rock 'n' roll?

Oh can we know?
Oh can we know, can we know? (x2)

Can we know the dancer from the dance?
Separate thinker from the thoughts?
The song about breaking out of jail
From the singer's dick breaking out in warts?

What if today your band gets acclaim
From the critically judgemental?
Twenty years ago they said much the same
About a John McLaughlin instrumental.

Why play rock 'n' roll?
Why play rock 'n' roll?
Why play rock 'n' roll?
Why play rock 'n' roll?
Why play rock 'n' roll?

Rock is for morons, the deaf and the stupid,
Polysyllabic words never suited.
Everybody band in rock 'n' roll
Claims to be doing it for the art -

Feel confronting, critics approve it
Use disco to go-go, Eno to produce it.
At least that's what their managers say
When the band 'emselves aint all that smart.

Jesus Pots The White Ball, heard their new album?
They're all tuneless pommies, that's sure to sell them.
Sounds very noble and all,
But that is an excuse just for pricks -

Rock is for morons, thank god that that's so
Knuckle the artists with Rod Grinter's elbow.
We agree with G. W. McLennan:
He plays rock 'n' roll for the chicks.

Rock is for morons, thank god that that's so
Knuckle the artists with Rod Grinter's elbow. (x2)
Elbow!

Oh tell me Why play rock 'n' roll?

Oh tell me Why, Why, Why, Why, Why play rock 'n' roll?