… Read Full Bio ↴Ian Dury (1942-2000) was an English singer, songwriter, and bandleader.
Born on 12th May 1942, he is best known as founder and lead singer of the British band Ian Dury and the Blockheads, though he began his musical career in pub-rock act Kilburn & the High Roads. He wrote many famous songs including "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick", "What a Waste", and "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll". He died on 27th March 2000.
At the age of seven, Dury contracted polio; very likely, he believed, from a swimming pool at Southend on Sea during the 1949 polio epidemic. After six weeks in a full plaster cast in Truro hospital, he was moved to Black Notley Hospital, Braintree, Essex, where he spent a year and a half before going to Chailey Heritage Craft School, East Sussex, in 1951. Chailey was a school and hospital for disabled children, and believed in toughening them up, contributing to the observant and determined person Dury became.
That's Enough of That
Ian Dury Lyrics
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Dear Auntie Mary, we'd love to have you back
Here come the letters through the letterbox
Poor Georgina has caught the chickenpox
Here come the cornflakes, here comes the milk
Read the morning paper, watch the Kilroy-Silk
Here comes the toothbrush, here comes a shit
That's enough of that
That's enough of that
That's enough of that
That's enough of that
Here comes a journey - bus and train and foot
Crowded conditions - watch your foot where you put
Here comes the office, here comes the job
Get your bloody head down, shut your bloody gob
Here comes the evening, here comes a pub
Sink a pair of lagers, eat a bit of pub-grub
Here comes a disco, here comes a piss
Here comes a holiday in San Francisco, here comes another 23 years of this
That's enough of that
That's enough of that
That's enough of that
That's enough of that
That's enough of that
That's enough of that
That's enough of that
That's enough of that...
The song "That's Enough of That" by Ian Dury appears to be a commentary on the monotony and mundanity of everyday life. The lyrics describe the normal routine that most people go through on a daily basis, including receiving letters from family, eating breakfast, commuting to work, and going out for drinks after work. These activities may seem trivial and meaningless, but they are the expected routines that people have come to accept in order to get through their daily lives. However, Dury seems to be questioning whether this is enough or whether there should be more to life than the rat race.
The repetition of the phrase "that's enough of that" throughout the song suggests that the singer is tired of this mundane routine and wants something more from life. However, the verse that discusses a holiday in San Francisco and "another 23 years of this" implies that even though Dury may be yearning for something greater, he feels that this is unrealistic or impossible. Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the balancing act between contentment and ambition, as well as the idea that too much routine can lead to dissatisfaction or boredom.
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes the postman - letters in his sack
The postman is delivering letters to the house, probably from relatives of the family.
Dear Auntie Mary, we'd love to have you back
The family has received a letter and they are inviting Auntie Mary to visit them again.
Here come the letters through the letterbox
More letters have arrived and the family is picking them up.
Poor Georgina has caught the chickenpox
One of the family members, Georgina, has fallen ill with chickenpox.
Here come the cornflakes, here comes the milk
They are having breakfast, which includes cornflakes and milk.
Read the morning paper, watch the Kilroy-Silk
While having breakfast they are reading the morning paper and watching a TV show called Kilroy-Silk.
Here comes the toothbrush, here comes a shit
They are brushing their teeth and using the toilet.
Here comes a number 15, oh bollocks, I missed it
They are waiting for a bus and the number 15 bus just passed by and they missed it.
Here comes a journey - bus and train and foot
The family is going on a journey using different modes of transportation - bus, train, and walking on foot.
Crowded conditions - watch your foot where you put
The family is in a crowded place and they need to be careful where they step.
Here comes the office, here comes the job
The family members are going to work and getting to their workplaces.
Get your bloody head down, shut your bloody gob
They are being instructed to work hard and focus on their jobs without complaining.
Here comes the evening, here comes a pub
After work, they are going to a pub in the evening.
Sink a pair of lagers, eat a bit of pub-grub
They are having a couple of beers and some pub food at the pub.
Here comes a disco, here comes a piss
Later on, they are going to a disco and taking a bathroom break.
Here comes a holiday in San Francisco, here comes another 23 years of this
They are looking forward to a holiday in San Francisco, but then they realize that they have to go back to their daily routine for another 23 years.
That's enough of that
After going through their daily routine, they have had enough and want something new to happen.
That's enough of that
The repetition of their daily routine is getting boring and they need a change.
That's enough of that
They are tired of living the same life everyday and want something different.
That's enough of that
They want to break out of their routine and experience new things.
Contributed by Asher G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.