Clifford T. Ward typified the early 70s bedsitter singer-songwriter with a series of albums that were at best delightful and at worst mawkish. Ward left grammar school before A-levels to work as a clerk, but by 1962 was fronting local beat group Cliff Ward and the Cruisers. The group changed their name to Martin Raynor and the Secrets and made their recording debut for EMI Records in 1965, before recording several more tracks as the Secrets for CBS Records.
In 1967 Ward enrolled at Worcester teacher training college to study English and divinity, after which he taught at Bromsgrove high school. His debut album appeared on disc jockey John Peel's brave-but-doomed Dandelion Records label in 1972. His second album and his first release for Charisma Records, Home Thoughts, proved to be his finest work and gave him wider recognition. Ward constructed each song as a complete story sometimes with great success.
The beautiful "Gaye" became a UK Top 10 hit but surprisingly the stronger "Home Thoughts From Abroad" and the infectious and lyrically excellent "Wherewithal" failed to chart. Mantle Pieces and Escalator contained a similar recipe of more harmless tales like the minor hit "Scullery" with affecting lyrics like; "You're my picture by Picasso, you'd brighten up any gallery'.
Ward's refusal to tour and promote his songs did not help endear the singer to his record company, however, and he switched to the Phonogram Records label for 1975"s No More Rock 'N' Roll. In later years although still recording the occasional album and still reluctant to perform live, Ward received kudos as a songwriter with his material being recorded by artists such as Cliff Richard, Art Garfunkel and Justin Hayward.
He was struck down with multiple sclerosis in 1987 and his health rapidly deteriorated. He managed to record 1991's vinyl-only album Laugh It Off, and friends and colleagues pieced together two more albums of new songs, out-takes and demos to give the ailing Ward some financial assistance. He finally succumbed to pneumonia December 18th 2001.
Jig-Saw Girl
Clifford T. Ward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And hope you find the time to put me in the picture
And when I look at you you've always got somebody new
And though you say you're mine you treat me like a fixture
It seems that I'm around to pick up all the pieces
And when at last they're found sort 'em out again.
You're a jig-saw girl
Jig-saw girl
No sooner we're together then you go and break us up again
An' so we never will remain.
Places where you wind up in are not the sort where I fit in
And though you know I've tried to see your point of view
To you I'm just a game to occupy your scatter brain
Oh baby won't you change or make an effort to
Or I shall have to take this puzzle apart
But that would only break my heart.
You're a jig-saw girl
Jig-saw girl
Jig-saw girl
No sooner we're together then you go and break us up again
An' so we never will remain.
INSTRUMENTAL
Jig-saw girl
Jig-saw girl
Jig-saw girl
No sooner we're together then you go and break us up again
An' so we never will remain.
Jig-saw girl (jig-saw girl)
Jig-saw girl (jig-saw girl)
Jig-saw girl (jig-saw girl)
(Repeat and fade).
Clifford T. Ward's song "Jig-Saw Girl" portrays the story of a man who is discarded repeatedly by a mercurial, indecisive woman. The song's opening lines express his resignation and sense of helplessness, as he acknowledges that he has nothing left to do but wait for her. He hopes that she would include him in her life, but she always has somebody new, and she treats him as a mere fixture. The singer feels that he is there only to pick up the pieces after she creates chaos and then sorts them out again. He wants her to change and make an effort to show him some stability, but he is apprehensive that taking their relationship apart would break his heart.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "jig-saw girl," which implies that his partner is like a puzzle piece that never fits with his. The phrase is symbolic of his lover's identity crisis, as she pieces herself together with a new taste with a different lover every time. The song's instrumental segment is where the melody reflects the turbulence and instability associated with his lover's character. The track ends with the same chorus, thereby emphasizing the futility of their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
There's nothing left for me to do but sit around and wait for you
I have nothing else to do but wait for you to come back to me.
And hope you find the time to put me in the picture
I hope you find the time to include me in your life and let me know what's going on.
And when I look at you you've always got somebody new
Every time I see you, you are with a different person.
And though you say you're mine you treat me like a fixture
Despite claiming to be mine, you treat me like an object with no feelings.
It seems that I'm around to pick up all the pieces
I am always there to pick up the pieces when things go wrong for you.
And when at last they're found sort 'em out again.
Once the problems have been found, I help you sort them out again.
You're a jig-saw girl
You are like a puzzle that I can't seem to solve.
No sooner we're together then you go and break us up again
We can't seem to stay together for very long before you end things.
An' so we never will remain.
We will never be able to stay together for any length of time.
Places where you wind up in are not the sort where I fit in
The places you go and the people you associate with are not compatible with me.
And though you know I've tried to see your point of view
Even though I have tried to see things from your perspective.
To you I'm just a game to occupy your scatter brain
To you, I am just a game to distract you from your scattered thoughts.
Oh baby won't you change or make an effort to
Could you please change your ways or at least try to make a difference?
Or I shall have to take this puzzle apart
If things don't change, I will have to end the relationship.
But that would only break my heart.
I don't want to end things, but I cannot continue like this.
Jig-saw girl
You are like a puzzle that I can't seem to solve.
No sooner we're together then you go and break us up again
We can't seem to stay together for very long before you end things.
An' so we never will remain.
We will never be able to stay together for any length of time.
INSTRUMENTAL
Musical interlude with no lyrics.
Jig-saw girl
You are like a puzzle that I can't seem to solve.
Jig-saw girl
You are like a puzzle that I can't seem to solve.
Jig-saw girl
You are like a puzzle that I can't seem to solve.
No sooner we're together then you go and break us up again
We can't seem to stay together for very long before you end things.
An' so we never will remain.
We will never be able to stay together for any length of time.
Contributed by Wyatt B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Colin Bell
What a talented man he was ! All his songs are so magical and give so much emotion to us all!
Cliff Minors
Just sublime. Remember buying this on 7" on Charisma Records if memory serves me right. Had the lovely Cellophane on the B side. Guy should have been massive!!!
David Ellis48
What a wonderful song.I cannot understand why it wasn't a massive hit.
Raymond Bonington
I'm with you on that , all over the radio in 1975 .
Bob Newton
What a melodic, inventive, fun track - beautifully arranged - CTW made some really great music - what a loss! RIP
Martin Moseley
Wow the video fits so well! Brilliantly done. Perfect pop song. He was so versatile. Thanks for the upload 👍
philip mcnaughton
one of the best writers ever never saw him on stage but oh what a writer great lyrics
Steve Morton
His music had a great influence on me as a teenager, when all my friends were into glam rock
Jim M
First time hearing this song, absolutely love it. The video is a riot, love it!
jerry king
SCHOOL TEACHER WITH REAL TALENT........HE WAS A GREAT SINGER/SONGWRITER.........AIRED HIS MUSIC A LOT.....SENSATIONAL