Flash and the Pan (aka Flash & The Pan) were a New Wave / Rock band from Au… Read Full Bio ↴Flash and the Pan (aka Flash & The Pan) were a New Wave / Rock band from Australia formed in 1977 by Harry Vanda and George Young, the older brother of the AC/DC members Angus Young and Malcom Young. Both formerly members of The Easybeats. In the UK, until the release of "Waiting for a Train" in 1983 they had been a one-hit wonder, which was coincidental as the expression, 'Flash in the pan', denotes something which is only briefly popular.

Phil The Creole
Flash and the Pan Lyrics

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He used to be a hit man
He made a lot of noise
And he could make it fit, man
He did it for the boys
He did it for the money
Trouble was the game
He used to say that it was just a job
And to him it was all the same

Now he's taking it easy
Taking it slow
Taking it easy
Phil the creole

There never was a problem
That phil couldn't fix
Didn't matter where or why
He fixed it in the mix
He knew a lot of secrets
Phil he wouldn't tell
He used to say that he had lots of offers
But he would never sell

He's taking it easy
Taking it slow
Taking it easy
Phil the creole

Taking it easy (x4)

Taking it easy (x4)

Taking it easy (x4)

Bye bye phil

Overall Meaning

The song "Phil The Creole" by Flash and the Pan tells the story of a former hitman named Phil who used to work for the money and made a lot of noise while doing the job. He was good at what he did and made sure everything was taken care of, fixing problems wherever they might arise. Though he claimed it was just a job to him, he enjoyed the adrenaline and the rush that came with it. However, he has now retired from his life of crime and is taking it easy, slowing down, and enjoying his retirement as a Creole.

Despite his dangerous past, Phil was always able to keep a lot of secrets and swore never to reveal confidential information even when tempted with offers. As his story unfolds, the listener comes to realize that Phil was, in fact, a good man at heart, deep down, and his 'job' just happened to involve unethical acts.

The chorus is a repetition of 'taking it easy' to emphasize how Phil enjoys this new pace of time in his life and how, despite his past, he has adopted a new relaxed attitude. The song ends with "bye bye Phil," possibly meaning he has passed on or might be a metaphorical representation of Phil leaving his past life behind and finding peace.

Line by Line Meaning

He used to be a hit man
In his past, he was a hired killer

He made a lot of noise
He was notorious for his actions

And he could make it fit, man
He had the ability to make things work for his benefit

He did it for the boys
He committed crimes for his associates

He did it for the money
His main motivation was financial gain

Trouble was the game
He enjoyed being involved in illegal activities

He used to say that it was just a job
He treated his criminal actions as a profession

And to him it was all the same
He was indifferent to the consequences of his actions

Now he's taking it easy
He is currently living a relaxed life

Phil the creole
This refers to the subject of the song, Phil, who is of Creole ethnicity

There never was a problem
Phil had solutions to every issue