Fucking Ada
Ian Dury Lyrics

Moments of sadness, moments of guilt
There have been times that I have felt very sad and guilty.

Stains on the memory, stains on the quilt
There are memories that trouble me greatly and leave a lasting impact.

Chapter of incident, chapter and verse
There are significant events that stand out in my life story.

Sub-heading chronic, paragraph worse
There are aspects of these events that are quite difficult to deal with.

Lost in the limelight, backed in the blaze
I was once in the public eye and deeply involved in something intense.

Did it for nine pence, those were the days
At the time, it seemed like a good idea to be involved in what I did, even though I received very little monetary compensation.

Give me my acre and give me my plough
I would like to have my own land and be able to cultivate it myself.

Tell me tomorrow, don't bother me now
I would prefer to put off dealing with things until later.

Fucking Ada, fucking Ada
This phrase is just an exclamation of frustration.

Times at a distance, times without touch
There have been periods of my life that seem very far away and almost unreal.

Greed forms the habit of asking too much
I sometimes get caught up in wanting more than I really need or deserve.

Followed at bedtime by builders and bells
I sometimes have a hard time sleeping because of the noise around me.

Wait ‘til the doldrums which nothing dispels
I hope that eventually I will be able to feel better and more at peace, but right now that doesn't seem possible.

Idly, mentally, doubtful and dread
I often feel very uncertain and scared, even when there isn't an obvious reason for it.

Who runs with the beans shall not stale with the bread
Sometimes it's better to take risks and try new things, rather than always sticking with what is comfortable and familiar.

Let me lie fallow and dormant dismay
I would like to be able to rest and recover without feeling discouraged or hopeless.

Tell me tomorrow, don't bother today
Again, I would rather not have to deal with things right now if I can avoid it.

Tried like a good ‘un, did it all wrong
I tried my best, but still failed to achieve what I wanted.

Thought that the hard way was taking too long
I once believed that there was an easy way to get what I wanted, but I was mistaken and paid for it.

Too late for regret or chemical change
It's now too late for me to change what I've done or undo the damage that has been done.

Yesterday's targets have gone out of range
The things that I wanted to achieve in the past are now unattainable and impossible to reach.

Failure infolds me with clammy green arms
I feel enveloped by the sense of failure, which is overwhelming and all-encompassing.

Damn the excursions and blast the alarms
I'm tired of being interrupted and distracted by things that aren't important or don't matter.

For the rest of what's natural I'll lay on the ground
I just want to be able to relax and be myself without any pressure or expectation to perform.

Tell me tomorrow, if I'm still around
This phrase suggests that the singer may not be alive in the future, and also implies a sense of uncertainty about the future.