There are more than one act with this name:
2) hip hop project of kasey karrer + roman luna
http://sewagetapes.bandcamp.com/album/prototype
3) 1970s Nigerian afrobeat funk band
4) rapper, member of .Cult
Borstal Boys
Faces Lyrics
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With your coffee in the morning; makes you so sterile
The corner gang never made a man of me, boy, no
You know the walls are tall, and the inmates scheme
There's no one here that's more than seventeen
Bet your life there's a riot tonight in the mess hall, listen
You read it when the warden's had a second laugh
He said sentimental rubbish ain't got no place in here, boy
See the years roll on by
Such a senseless waste of time
What a way to reform
Call out your number
Who's a non conformer?
Not me, baby, oh yeah
Shakey Brown didn't hang around
When a Molotov didn't do its stuff
You went back in there and said it with a sawed-off shotgun
You know Poker Sam couldn't lose a hand
If he did, you was hit by a downtown tram
Or crushed in the path of a moving elevator, elevator
See the years roll on by
What a senseless waste of time
What a way to reform
Call out your number
Who's a non conformer?
Not me, baby, oh
When I get out, I'll get straight
If this old world gives me half a break
But, if you see me in the corner with a chip on my shoulder
Don't blame me, don't blame me, baby, no, no, chip, ooo , ow ow ow ow
Got to make a break for the county line
The song "Borstal Boys" by Faces is a reflection on the harsh reality of life in a borstal, which was a juvenile detention center in the UK, where young offenders were sent. The song opens with a description of the dehumanizing experience of being in borstal, where the prisoners are given bromide with their coffee in the morning to make them more docile. The singer feels that being in borstal has not made him into a man, as he is not learning anything useful. He describes the violent and tense environment of borstal, where riots can break out at any moment, and the only solace is in receiving letters from home. However, even these are censored and mocked by the jailers, who deride any expressions of sentimentality.
The chorus of the song reinforces the theme of wasted time and failed reform, as the years roll on and the prisoners remain trapped in the system. The final verse of the song is a declaration of resistance, as the singer vows to make a break for the county line and escape from the cycle of violence and incarceration.
Line by Line Meaning
Cell block five; how I hate bromide
I hate the way prison food makes you sterile and stunts your growth
With your coffee in the morning; makes you so sterile
Coffee contains bromide, which causes infertility and other health problems
The corner gang never made a man of me, boy, no
The prison gang didn't toughen me up or teach me anything useful
You know the walls are tall, and the inmates scheme
The prison is surrounded by high walls and the inmates are always plotting
There's no one here that's more than seventeen
All the inmates are young and inexperienced
Bet your life there's a riot tonight in the mess hall, listen
I'm sure a violent uprising is about to occur in the cafeteria tonight
A letter from your home town makes you sad
Receiving a letter from home is depressing when you're in prison
You read it when the warden's had a second laugh
The warden doesn't care about our emotional well-being and often mocks us
He said sentimental rubbish ain't got no place in here, boy
The warden thinks emotional expression is useless and inappropriate in prison
See the years roll on by
Time passes slowly in prison
Such a senseless waste of time
Prison is a pointless and unproductive use of time
What a way to reform
Being imprisoned doesn't actually reform criminals
Call out your number
In prison, your identity is reduced to a number
Who's a non conformer?
Prisoners who don't follow the rules are treated harshly
Not me, baby, oh yeah
I'm complying with the rules to avoid punishment
Shakey Brown didn't hang around
Shakey escaped quickly from the unsuccessful prison rebellion
When a Molotov didn't do its stuff
The homemade bombs didn't have the desired effect
You went back in there and said it with a sawed-off shotgun
A shotgun was used as a more effective weapon in the rebellion
You know Poker Sam couldn't lose a hand
Poker Sam was incredibly lucky at cards
If he did, you was hit by a downtown tram
If Poker Sam lost, terrible things would happen to those around him
Or crushed in the path of a moving elevator, elevator
The consequences for failing to comply with Poker Sam could be deadly
When I get out, I'll get straight
Once I'm released from prison, I'll straighten out my life
If this old world gives me half a break
If the world gives me a chance to start over
But, if you see me in the corner with a chip on my shoulder
If I seem angry or resentful when I leave prison
Don't blame me, don't blame me, baby, no, no, chip, ooo , ow ow ow ow
It's not my fault, so don't hold it against me
Got to make a break for the county line
I need to escape and start anew somewhere else
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN MC LAGAN, ROD STEWART, RON WOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind