As music hall comedians, they would often feature a mixture of comedy and music in their act; this led to a successful recording career as a duo and roles in film and television. Flanagan and Allen were both also members of The Crazy Gang and worked with that team for many years concurrently with their double-act career.
Flanagan and Allen's songs featured the same, usually gentle, humour for which the duo were known in their live performances, and during the Second World War they reflected the experiences of ordinary people during wartime. Songs like 'We're Gonna Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line' mocked the German defences (Siegfried Line), while others like 'Miss You' sang of missing one's sweetheart during enforced absences. Other songs, such as their most famous, 'Underneath the Arches' (which Flanagan co-wrote with Reg Connelly), had universal themes such as friendship. The music was usually melodic, following a binary verse, verse chorus structure, with a small dance band or orchestra providing the accompaniment. The vocals were distinctive because while Flanagan was at least a competent singer and sang the melody lines, Allen used an almost spoken delivery to provide the harmonies.
On The Outside Looking In
Flanagan & Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I will not be your friend
Well I know you say you need me
But I have no time to spend
We could talk like this for hours
I just end up getting bored
Cos no-one needs a dealer
Just the day before a score.
Let me in, let me in
Let me in, sweet darling
Let me in, let me in
Let me in, let me in
Let me in, sweet darling
Let me in, let me in.
Do you think that you could leave me
Could you leave and go away
Just for a little while?
Do you think that I could leave you
Could I leave and go away
Just for a change of style?
They tell me that they dig my shit
So I sell it to them cheap
They bring their scales and check the deal
Are you scared that I might cheat?
Well you’re just the spit and polish on a fat man’s shiny shoe
And I think I’d hate them for it
And I think they hate me too.
Let me in, let me in
Let me in, sweet darling
Let me in, let me in
Let me in, let me in
Let me in, sweet darling
Let me in, let me in.
Well you spend your whole life moaning
Down the telephone for bread
You can’t get your sleep for trying
To remember what you said
You come around most anytime
And sell me what you can
What you see is what you get
Catch me if you can.
Let me in, let me in
Let me in, sweet darling
Let me in, let me in
Let me in, let me in
Let me in, sweet darling
Let me in, let me in.
Do you think that you could leave me
Could you leave and go away
Just for a little while?
Do you think that I could leave you
Could I leave and go away
Just for a change of style?
Well I cannot be your lover
And I will not be a friend
Well I know you say you’re leaving me
But I have no time to spend.
We could talk like this for hours
But just end up getting bored
Cos no one needs a dealer
Just the day before a score.
Let me in
Let me in, Let me in, let me in
Let me in, let me in, let me in
Let me in, let me in.
Love… love… love… it’s love…
Love… it is love…
Love… love…
It can’t be no…
There can’t be no mistake
It must, it must be love…
Is it love, is this love, love…
Is that love, that’s love, love, love…
It must be, it has got to be
Love…
The lyrics of Flanagan and Allen's song "On The Outside Looking In" explore the complexities of a relationship that is on the brink of ending. The singer begins by stating that they cannot be the lover of the person they're addressing, nor can they be friends, even though the latter is what the person wants. The singer proceeds to talk about how they find it hard to engage in any conversation with the person, as it eventually leads to boredom - this is why they can't be friends. The singer talks about their profession, which seems to be dealing drugs to people who come by, and points out that although they always find customers, no one needs a dealer just before a score.
The singer then asks the person to leave them or think about leaving, wondering if the person has the strength to do so. They wonder if they themselves could leave just for a change in style. The singer appears to be tired of the person's constant complaining, and how the person keeps coming around to sell whatever they have - what you see is what you get. The singer then repeats the lines from the beginning of the song, asking to be let in, but it is unclear whether the person they're calling out to is listening.
Overall, the lyrics reflect a sense of being torn between wanting someone to stay and being unable to tolerate their company. The lines about dealing drugs could be interpreted as a metaphor for how the person has become a supplier of sorts, offering whatever they have - possibly love and affection - and the singer is tired of it.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I cannot be your lover
I cannot become your lover.
And I will not be your friend
I will not become your friend.
Well I know you say you need me
I know you claim that you need me.
But I have no time to spend
But I don't have any time to spend.
We could talk like this for hours
We could have endless conversations like this.
I just end up getting bored
But I eventually become bored.
Cos no-one needs a dealer
Because nobody needs a dealer.
Just the day before a score.
Just one day before getting the drugs they need.
Let me in, let me in
Please let me in.
Let me in, sweet darling
Let me in, my sweet lover.
Do you think that you could leave me
Do you think you can leave me?
Could you leave and go away
Are you capable of leaving and going away?
Just for a little while?
Just for a short period?
Do you think that I could leave you
Do you think I can leave you?
Could I leave and go away
Am I capable of leaving and going away?
Just for a change of style?
Just for a change in lifestyle or attitude?
They tell me that they dig my shit
They tell me that they like what I'm selling (drugs).
So I sell it to them cheap
So I sell the drugs to them at a low price.
They bring their scales and check the deal
They bring their measuring scales and verify the quantity I'm offering them.
Are you scared that I might cheat?
Are you afraid that I might deceive you?
Well you’re just the spit and polish on a fat man’s shiny shoe
You're just someone used to make something look good, like polishing shoes.
And I think I’d hate them for it
And I think I'd dislike them for using me like this.
And I think they hate me too.
And I believe they dislike me too.
Well you spend your whole life moaning
You spend your entire life complaining.
Down the telephone for bread
Begging for money over the phone.
You can’t get your sleep for trying
You can't sleep by trying to remember something.
To remember what you said
To remember what you previously said.
You come around most anytime
You come around most of the time.
And sell me what you can
And try to sell me whatever you can.
What you see is what you get
What you see is what you will receive or get.
Catch me if you can.
You'll find me hard to catch.
Love… love… love… it’s love…
Love...it's all about love.
Love… it is love…
It's love.
Love… love…
Love...love.
It can’t be no…
It can't be otherwise.
There can’t be no mistake
There can't be a mistake.
It must, it must be love…
It has to be love.
Is it love, is this love, love…
Is it love, does this qualify as love, love?
Is that love, that’s love, love, love…
Is that love, that's love, love, love?
It must be, it has got to be
It must be, it has to be.
Love...
Love.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: John Martyn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jackietansley4049
I love this song🌟 x
@samenzwering
I looked for this song for two days! Thank you for the upload!
@martinschwartz2512
I struggled also. Did you hear it at the end of the "Don't Forget The Driver" episode? I just had to find it!
@bobwinley3635
@@martinschwartz2512 I found this impossible to find until I added "Flanagan and Allen" to my search line. It seems to have been pushed aside by later stuff. Often happens now.
@briblack2020
Wonderful. Bob and Ray used to have this tune in rotation on their legendary WOR radio program in New York in the 1980s. Now how do I get this cheerfully sad tune out of my ear?
@christophermartin1398
Brilliant
@eddiecarlton7581
It's 'The Bitters' song ..