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KNICKERBOCKER GLORY

by JOHN MOORE

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    LP style gatefold cover, inner sleeve with full colour CD. Signed.

    Includes unlimited streaming of KNICKERBOCKER GLORY via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 17 JOHN MOORE releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of 56, ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, BELLS CATALOGUE BLUE, EVERYBODY DIES A LITTLE ON VALENTINE'S DAY, THINGS TO DO IN HASTINGS IN THE RAIN, 35 DIFFERENT KINDS OF SNOW, OLD FATHER TIME, BILLY FURY WAY, and 9 more. , and , .

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1.
RABBIT HOLE 04:19
RABBIT HOLE If I ever ask you who you’ve slept with Please don’t tell me Although I’ll try to bug you ‘til you do I know there must have been a time before me When someone else had to do I’m in the rabbit hole, it isn’t helpful I’m searching for the key My minds going to places it’s got no right to be Down in the rabbit hole – this stupid jealousy Is making a fool out of me, making a fool out of me Did you have a boyfriend, but was he nice? But was he as nice as me? Did he show you places that we could never see? Did he ever paint your picture, or write love poetry And who’d win in a fight – only tell me if it’s me? I’m in the rabbit hole, I’m searching for the key My mind’s asking questions that have got no right to be Did he satisfy you, and do we match up physically? And when you went to sleep, although you didn’t know me Were you still - dreaming of me? And has he walked on land reserved for you and me? And are your names already carved upon our tree? And how to reclaim disputed territory? Tell me, was he as much fun as me? I’m in the rabbit hole, down in the rabbit hole I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole Down in the rabbit hole Ba na na, ba na na, ba na na And if you ever ask me who I’ve slept with I won’t tell you Although you’ll try to bug me til I do We’ve got to climb out of this rabbit hole Because there’s no one else but you There’s no one else but you my dear, no one else but you There’s no one else but you my love There’s no one else but you © John Moore 2018
2.
PHILOSOPHICAL MAN Driving back to London on a spring Sunday evening Wishing I was staying in the place I was leaving Sunset in the mirror it looks so fine Masters of the universe get back to the weekly grind Switch to automatic, drive the world from your mind Utopia is easier if you follow the signs This brave new world is getting out of hand Take the boy out of the city not the countryside out of the man And I know what I am, I’m a Philosophical Man And the speed camera that took my picture made me feel so grateful Because it proved that I still existed Think I know what I am, I’m a Philosophical Man Put your foot down baby if you know where you’re going Put your foot down baby you’re the queen of the road But you’re stuck on the M25 of the soul And your satellite navigation system is broken – beep beep yeah Driving back to London on a spring Sunday evening Wishing I was staying in the place I was leaving Accidents diversions and emergency plans Nothing’s going to stop me I’m a Hammersmith M4 man And I think therefore I am a Philosophical Man And the speed camera that took my picture Made me feel so god damned grateful that I still existed Think I know what I am, I’m a Philosophical Man Think I know what I am, I’m a Philosophical Man And I think therefore I am a Philosophical Man And I think therefore I am a Philosophical Man © John Moore 2018
3.
CONTROLLED EXPLOSIONS Controlled explosions, unexploded bombs You wouldn’t believe me if I told you Dry your eyes, forget those lies Knock the devil off your shoulder You’re the one, there’s no smoking gun It’s the oldest trick in the book that he sold you Dry your eyes, forget those lies Don’t let that serpent enfold you He’s making you mad, he’s making you sad He’s trying to fill your mind with doubt But it’s love that’s won, And old left hand HATE - is down for the count On the brink, it’s not what you think I couldn’t stand to be rejected It’s just a name of an old flame Whose line’s is disconnected Controlled explosions, Controlled explosions, bup, owwwwww Its just the name of some old flame Now I’ve known girls before, both beautiful so sweet I keep in my heart with affection But they weren’t built to last, they’re all in the past And you’re complete perfection Controlled explosions, unexploded bombs Now I’m being inspected I don’t mind, whatever you find Those lines are disconnected You’re the one, there’s no smoking gun I haven’t worn this suit since 2001 Come back in the sun, it’s love that’s won and You’re the permanent one You’re the permanent one You’re the permanent one © John Moore 2018
4.
ANNE OF A THOUSAND DAYS I carried on with Anna in a suicidal manner For a thousand days, a thousand ways of self-destruction And when it was all over I was looking so much older Than my tender age, my life was saved by another A real Florence Nightingale who fed me up and fattened me To twice my size, with apple pies And the milk of human kindness So imagine what a shock I got when things turned out to be Not quite as they’d first seemed She only wanted me for the pot And father, if you knew why didn’t you tell me? Why did you let me fall into those traps? ‘Cause still, I’m not any wiser And as soon as I get out of here I’m going straight back! Back to being a single man with single thoughts And single plans, and single friends And lonely nights that never end Back to all those single’s bars with lustful thoughts And lonely hearts and desperate dates She’s three hours late, but maybe she’ll still come But father, if you knew, why didn’t you tell me? How could you let me get into this state? When just a private word could have set me straight But oh no! and now it’s much too late I’m going out to find a light Who won’t burn down the house tonight, a gentle flame Not another stick of dynamite A little Roman candle’s about all that I can handle If she’s safe to hold, and she won’t explode in my face And father, if you knew why didn’t you tell me? Why did you let me fall into those traps? Cause still, I’m not any wiser And as soon as I get out of here I’m going straight back © John Moore 2018
5.
NEAR ME 06:33
NEAR ME If I talk too loudly, if I play the fool If I say some stupid things, I’m just happy to be near you People come and go, I wonder if they know They’re invisible to me? You’re the only light I see All my memories just fade, and my nightmares go away You make my nightmares go away My foolish heart is torn apart That’s what it means to love you I need you near me all the time If I’m out of touch, and I sleep too much Stay in bed til half past three Would you stay in touch with me? And when I lose my grasp, and I’m fading fast And there’s no reality, Those dreams are real enough to me Thy kingdom come, it shall be done on earth Like it is in Heaven My foolish heart is torn apart, that’s what it means to love you I want you near me all the time To feel you near me all the time I need you near me all the time All my memories just fade, and my nightmares go away You make my nightmares go away My foolish heart is torn apart That’s what it means to love you I need you near me all the time To feel you near me all the time I want you near me all the time © John Moore 2018
6.
SOMETHING ABOUT YOU GIRL Seems like a funny thing to do To say those words, ‘I Love you’ And it sounds like such a clumsy thing to say But if it works then its OK And there’s something about you girl And I want you around, Not just today, not just tomorrow, but forever Yeah there’s something about you that’s so rarely found And I don’t wanna lose it 'cause you are beautiful to me, beautiful to me And they say it only happens once, and no it’s happening to me Yeah there’s something about you girl and I want you around I love the pretty clothes you wear I even love the colours that you dye your hair I don’t believe it, I can’t believe it Sometimes I wake up to make sure you’re still there Because there’s something about you girl And I want you around Not just today, not just tomorrow, but forever Yeah there’s something about you that’s so rarely found And I don’t wanna lose it ‘cause you are beautiful to me, beautiful to me And they say it only happens once, and no it’s happening to me And they say it only happens once and now it’s happening to me Yeah there’s something about you girl and I want you around Something about you girl, something about you girl Something about you girl and I want you around Yeah there’s something about you girl And I want you around, not just today, not just tomorrow, but forever Yeah there’s something about you that’s so rarely found And I don’t wanna lose it Something about you girl, something about you girl Something about you girl and I want you around © John Moore 2018
7.
HOW DO YOU TURN A FRIEND INTO A LOVER? How do you turn a friend into a lover Without losing a friend? How do you let her know your heart is aching With a love that has no end? Wish I could harness the power of the ocean Draw down lightning from the sky It’s like trying to defuse an unexploded bomb Please guide my hand How do you turn a friend into a lover It’s not a game, it’s not a game? And everything is NOT fair in love and war It has to be truthfully gained I never meant to mislead you, I’m so ashamed, so ashamed But I’ve been carrying this anvil in my heart For so long, for so long, She asks for my opinion about a boy that she likes I run him down, call him a clown Although he’s probably twice the man I’ll ever be Oh but please let it be me, Oh but please let it be me Once you’ve said it it’s out there And there’s no going back If you’re right then you’re right Then there’s so much light But if you’re wrong, what if you’re wrong? I make a joke but I really mean it Let’s run away to Gretna Green I want to kiss your lips forever Like I do in my dreams, like I do in my dreams Like I do in my dreams, like I do in my dreams © John Moore 2018
8.
GIRL FROM RENO If you marry a girl from Reno It won’t last too long You hate her when she’s leaving But you’ll miss her when she’s gone You crawl home late one evening Realise that something’s wrong You get that sinking feeling Nothing’s there where it belongs Her wedding ring is on your pillow It’s just a stupid band of gold And now this New York City Summer Suddenly it seems so cold, suddenly it seems so cold The girl from Reno, The girl from Reno is going home Her wedding ring is on your pillow It’s just a stupid band of gold You’ll never Love that girl from Reno You’ve lost your girl from Reno You’ve blown it with that girl from Reno You’ll never have that girl from Reno You’ll never love that girl from Reno You’ve lost that girl from Reno You’ve lost that girl from Reno The girl from Reno, the girl from Reno Is going home. © John Moore 2018
9.
SOUTH OF HEAVEN Short of intimate – that’s what we are Just south of Heaven – we don’t make it that far The conversation drifts away I’d give my life to make you stay South of Heaven – or so it seems Each disappointment can’t diminish these dreams You kiss my cheek and say good night I watch until you’re out of sight, So cinematic, so bitter sweet, Her footsteps fade on an empty street South of heaven – that’s what we are Those constellations seemed so near now so far Who turned the telescope around And dropped the stars back on the ground? No happy endings, no turning back This whole love scene is beginning to crack So cinematic, so bitter sweet This star-crossed script is incomplete But if I keep wishing on those stars The planets will align But they’re taking their time And then there’ll be a rewrite of that last scene And we’ll get to speak those lines But they’re cutting it fine Short of intimate – that’s what we are Just south of heaven – we don’t make it that far The conversations drifts away I’d give my life if only you would stay No happy endings, no turning back This universe is beginning to crack So cinematic, so bitter sweet The credits roll on an empty street Short of intimate – that’s what we are Just south of Heaven – we don’t make it that far The conversation drifts away, I’d give my life to make you stay © John Moore 2018

about

" John Moore is a former blues-guitar whizz who joined The Jesus and Mary Chain, released a series of solo albums, and captured the darker side of Nineties aspiration with the sardonic pop trio Black Box Recorder. Now he has returned with a concept album about middle-aged vanities and love affairs and it's very funny and poignant indeed.
Philosophical Man is a classic road song, even if the road in question is a clogged-up section of the motorway. " Accidents, diversions and emergency plans, nothing's gonna stop me I'm a Hammersmith M4 man."Moore boasts. Then there's Rabbit Hole, a heartfelt ballad about jealousy on which he whispers earnestly " If I ever ask you who you've slept with, please don't tell me."
Couched in shimmering rock, Sixties girl-group pop and even a touch of operatic soprano on Anne of a Thousand Days, this is a literary pop gem."
★★★★ Will Hodgkinson. The Times

" Bon viveur, wit, painter and writer of note, Moore is also a saw playing ventriloquist and first person to import absinthe into the UK.
Having served time with The Jesus and Mary Chain and Black Box Recorder, he now crafts intoxicating tunes on this keenly conceived collection of droll, warm and affecting love songs.
Pals including Boz Boorer, Luke Hiaines, and opera-inclined Louise Kleboe add a radiance and variety to Anne of a Thousand Days and Philosophical Man. Sharp but sweetm goes down a treat."
★★★★Gavin Martin. The Mirror

"More spark is shown by John Moore on the hell-raising Knickerbocker Glory (Germ). The former Mary Chain/Black Box Recorder guitarist delivers a scorching solo album which finds a way for 70s glam pop, rockabilly, sleaze and wide-eyed innocence to cohabit with witty, ironic lyrics. Philosophy, art and stonking riffs join in, and the naughty but nice net result is impishly invigorating. You'll need to wash your hands afterwards".

Chris Roberts. Prog Mag, Feb2018

credits

released February 2, 2018

All songs written and produced by John Moore

Recorded in London
Additional recording, Los Angeles, New York

Mixed by Steven Boyce-Buckley

Mastered by Jeff Mortimer

Cover design by Marie-Louise Plum

John Moore - Vocals, guitars, other instruments
Brian Young - Drums, percussion
Morgan Visconti -Bass
Cecilia Fage - Backing vocals
Rod Melvin - Keyboards
Boz Boorer - Saxophone
Bill Churchville - Trumpet
Ava Nixey Moore - Flute, vocals
Eleanor Gall - Violin
David Barbenel -Cello
Alfie Thomas - Accordion
Louise Kleboe - Soprano on Anne of a Thousand Days
Eos Counsell - Violin on Philosophical Man
Tim Weller - Drums on Philosophical Man
Luke Haines - Guitar on Philosophical Man
The Loose Moorelles – Backing vocals
(Cecilia Fage, Amy Fleming, Laura Barton,
Joanne Kernan, Marie-Louise Plum)
Thanks
MLP, Lisa & Ian, MFM, Jimbo, Keith, Tom U, Martin R, Pete L, Claire M
Craig G, Ross C, Katie H, Jerry C, Polly B, Walter P

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JOHN MOORE London, UK

John Moore

Black Box Recorder
The Jesus and Mary Chain
John Moore & The Expressway, Revolution 9, The John Moore Rock and Roll Trio

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