Pressures of touring lead Newell to leave the band, which struggled briefly on without him. Newell later teamed up with bassist Nel, to form "The Brotherhood of Lizards", releasing one home-made tape and one album on Captain Sensible's Deltic records, and most famously undertaking a promotional tour by bicycle.
A Wretched Street
Cleaners From Venus Lyrics
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In the sixties it was quite neat
Now recession's got them beat
So they stay behind the doors
This is a wretched street
People walking, drag their feet
And the cold awe in my head
And there's nothing to leave for
This is a wretched street
These are wretched times
The sun of gold
But it never shines
Nothing else to do all day but drink and fight
The commies on the corner put their wealths to rights
And the anarchists are crazy but I think I'm fine
Try now, na na na na na na na na na na
This is a wretched street
From a window heavens scream
Less room for you to dream
With the jarrow overlord
This is a wretched street
All the kids look really mean
Must be hell being seventeen
Must drive you out your guard
Seventeen and bored
This is a wretched street
These are wretched times
The sun of gold
But it never shines
Nothing else to do all day but drink and fight
The commies on the corner put their wealths to rights
And the anarchists are crazy but I think I might just
Jive now, na na na na na na na na na na na
Yeah, wretched street, na na na na na na na na na na na
A wretched street, yeah, wretched street
The Cleaners From Venus's song "A Wretched Street" is a poignant commentary on the harsh realities of life in a poverty-stricken neighborhood. The lyrics describe a once-thriving street that has now fallen into disarray as a result of economic recession. People have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet, leading them to stay secluded behind closed doors. The singer observes the desolation of the street and the people who inhabit it, describing the atmosphere as cold and heavy. They note that there is nothing left to live for, and the people have resorted to drinking and fighting as a means of coping with their bleak existence.
Line by Line Meaning
This is a wretched street
The street is in a very poor condition and offers no positive experiences
In the sixties it was quite neat
The street used to be clean and organized in the past
Now recession's got them beat
Due to the recession, the people living in the street are struggling to make ends meet
So they stay behind the doors
They avoid going out and prefer staying indoors
People walking, drag their feet
The people walking in the street are slow and weary
And the cold awe in my head
The atmosphere is cold and unwelcoming, causing discomfort
And there's nothing to leave for
There are no attractive opportunities or prospects to encourage staying and investing in the street
These are wretched times
The current period is marked by misery and suffering
The sun of gold
There might be the illusion of desirable conditions, but
But it never shines
these conditions never materialize
Nothing else to do all day but drink and fight
People have a lot of free time and no constructive activities or hobbies to engage in, which results in them engaging in fights and drinking instead
The commies on the corner put their wealths to rights
Communists on the corner of the street are striving to gain economic equality and social justice
And the anarchists are crazy but I think I might just
The anarchists, although viewed as being odd, might have some attractive ideas that might be worth exploring
From a window heavens scream
From a window, there is a loud and unpleasant sound
Less room for you to dream
The unpleasant surroundings limit opportunities for personal aspirations and fulfillment
With the jarrow overlord
The presence of a ruler who is oppressive and dominating
All the kids look really mean
The children in the street have an intimidating appearance
Must be hell being seventeen
Being young and living in such unfavorable conditions must be very hard
Must drive you out your guard
Living in such street conditions can alter a person's behavior and attitude, making them less trusting and open
Seventeen and bored
Being young in such an environment can be monotonous and unsatisfying
Yeah, wretched street
The street is indeed wretched and miserable
Contributed by Gavin A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.