Camberwell Now was formed in London in 1982 after the demise of This Heat f… Read Full Bio ↴Camberwell Now was formed in London in 1982 after the demise of This Heat featuring one of the founders of that group, drummer and vocalist Charles Hayward, bassist and vocalist Trefor Goronwy, who had joined This Heat to replace Gareth Williams after the latter had quit the band, and This Heat's former sound technician Stephen Rickard, who brought the studio to the stage with the revolutionary and possibly unique "tape switchboard".

In all, the band released one album, The Ghost Trade, two 12" EPs, Meridian and Greenfingers, two tracks for the Sub Rosa Myths/Instructions album and a track for the Touch audio cassette/magazine. Most of this material was later reissued in CD form as All's Well by RecRec Music in 1992, and this compilation was remastered and reissued in November 2006 by ReR Megacorp.

Daddy Needs a Throne
Camberwell Now Lyrics

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At home, on a label on a bottle
In a cupboard in the kitchen
There's your proof, Daddy on a throne

After a long hard tiring day
Answering the telephone, no time for a lunch break
Daddy needs a Mummy to fix his drink

A few square feet of city centre office space
That's his domain
And the information therein contained
The furniture and fittings, it's his responsibility
When he pops it or when he retires, whichever comes first
It will take a long time to break in the new boy
Profits will slide
A golden wristwatch, a golden handshake at rainbow's end
Some people in his office aren't pulling their weight
But he soldiers on

After eight hours at work behind his des
Daddy needs a grand-plumed hat
As tall as Rocket's chimney

If the Daddy had no arms
Was sat upon his throne
Grand-plumed hat upon his head...

Just because you can sit on a horse doesn't mean you can ride
Can't get ahead, get a hat
Just you wait 'til your father gets home
Just because you can sit on a horse doesn't mean you can ride

Can't get ahead, get a hat
Just you wait 'til your father gets home

Overall Meaning

At first glance, Camberwell Now's song "Daddy Needs a Throne" appears to be describing a man who has a powerful job and a desperate need for validation and respect. The lyrics describe his office, his long hours, and his desire for a grand-plumed hat - a symbol of status and success. However, as the song goes on, it becomes clear that this man is not as powerful as he initially seems. He relies on his wife to make him drinks, he struggles with managing his subordinates, and he is ultimately powerless without his "throne" - a symbol of his authority.

The line "just because you can sit on a horse doesn't mean you can ride" is particularly telling. It suggests that while this man may have a position of power and influence, he may not actually know how to wield it effectively. He hides behind his trappings of success - his throne, his office, his hat - but ultimately, he is still just a man trying to make his way in the world.

Overall, "Daddy Needs a Throne" is a deeply insightful look into the psyche of someone who is desperate for recognition and validation, but ultimately struggling to find it.

Line by Line Meaning

At home, on a label on a bottle In a cupboard in the kitchen There's your proof, Daddy on a throne
In the Daddy's house, there's a bottle with a label in a kitchen cupboard that proves he is the king of the house.

After a long hard tiring day Answering the telephone, no time for a lunch break Daddy needs a Mummy to fix his drink
After a long day at work with no time for lunch, the Daddy needs the Mommy to make him a drink.

A few square feet of city centre office space That's his domain And the information therein contained The furniture and fittings, it's his responsibility When he pops it or when he retires, whichever comes first It will take a long time to break in the new boy Profits will slide A golden wristwatch, a golden handshake at rainbow's end Some people in his office aren't pulling their weight But he soldiers on
The Daddy's domain is a tiny office in the city center, where he's responsible for everything including information, furniture, and fittings. When he retires or dies, it will be hard to find someone to replace him, and the profits will go down. He has a golden wristwatch and will get a golden handshake when he retires. Some people in his office are lazy, but he still works hard.

After eight hours at work behind his des Daddy needs a grand-plumed hat As tall as Rocket's chimney
After working for eight hours at his desk, the Daddy needs a grand-plumed hat as tall as Rocket's chimney.

If the Daddy had no arms Was sat upon his throne Grand-plumed hat upon his head...
Even if the Daddy had no arms and could only sit on his throne, he would still wear a grand-plumed hat on his head.

Just because you can sit on a horse doesn't mean you can ride Can't get ahead, get a hat Just you wait 'til your father gets home Just because you can sit on a horse doesn't mean you can ride Can't get ahead, get a hat Just you wait 'til your father gets home
Just sitting on a horse doesn't mean you can ride it, but if you want to get ahead, you should get a hat. Someone should wait until the Daddy gets home to sort out any issues. Just sitting on a horse doesn't mean you can ride it, but if you want to get ahead, you should get a hat. Someone should wait until the Daddy gets home to sort out any issues.

Contributed by Elizabeth N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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