Sayer launched his career in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s, and became a top singles and album act on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1970s. His first seven hit singles in the United Kingdom all reached the Top 10 – a feat first registered by his first manager, Adam Faith. His songs have been sung by other notable artists, including Cliff Richard ("Dreamin'").
Oh Wot A life
Leo Sayer Lyrics
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I wanna get back home
But the bar won't close
Till ten and thirty tonight
Oh boy, good God, wot a life
Some cat down there
Split his head wide open
And the doctor died of fright
Every woman I see she says to me
"Get back to your wife"
Everyone I know got their little problems
Boy, I wanna see some life
The Fender got busted in the second set
And the pick-up's up the pike
And the Leslie sound goes round and round
And round and round
Oh boy, good God, wot a life
Get back in my car like a movie star
It's an Austin Healey Sprite, huh
Oh boy, wot a life
I think I'll go dig some weeds down at Mrs G's
Cut the cross-bar off her bike
Oh, wot a life
Every woman I see they say to me
"Now you know what I like"
Every woman I see they fix me up
Saying, "Get back to your wife"
Next number's called paranoia
It's the story of my life
And the gigs we do take me down and down
And down and down and down
Good God, wot a life
Now the next number we do is called paranoia
It's the story of my life
Oh, grr, wot a life
(Alright, may as well get out of here now:.)
The song "Oh Wot A life" by Leo Sayer depicts the life of a struggling musician on tour. The lyrics convey a feeling of exhaustion and disillusionment with the rock and roll lifestyle. The singer longs to go back home but is forced to stay at the bar until it closes. He witnesses a gruesome accident where someone splits their head open and the doctor dies of fright. Despite the chaos that surrounds him, the singer seems to accept his fate and continues with his performance.
The singer interacts with various women while on tour, but they all urge him to go back to his wife. He also faces technical difficulties during his performance, with his Fender guitar getting busted in the second set and the pickup malfunctioning. The Leslie sound, however, continues to go round and round, indicating that the show must go on.
In the end, the singer seems resigned to his fate, as he contemplates going to dig some weeds and cut the cross-bar off Mrs. G's bike. The song ends with the announcement of the next number, called "Paranoia," which seems to embody the theme of the song – the difficult and unpredictable life of a musician.
Overall, "Oh Wot A life" is a gritty and realistic portrayal of the rock and roll lifestyle. It highlights the challenges and setbacks that come with pursuing a career in music while also acknowledging the exhilaration and excitement that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna get back home
I am eager to leave this place and return to my home
But the bar won't close
The bar is remaining open and preventing me from leaving
Till ten and thirty tonight
The bar will remain open until ten thirty in the evening
Oh boy, good God, wot a life
This is an exclamation of disbelief at the current state of affairs
Some cat down there
Someone at the bar
Split his head wide open
Got into a fight and injured himself severely
And the doctor died of fright
The doctor present at the bar was overwhelmed at the sight of such an injury
Oh, wot a life
Again, another exclamation of disbelief at the current state of affairs
Every woman I see she says to me
All the women I encounter tell me
"Get back to your wife"
To return to my spouse, whom I've possibly been unfaithful to
Everyone I know got their little problems
I am aware that all the people I know have their own struggles
Boy, I wanna see some life
I desire excitement and adventure
The Fender got busted in the second set
The guitar (Fender) was damaged during the second performance
And the pick-up's up the pike
The sound of the guitar pick-up is distorted
And the Leslie sound goes round and round
The sound of the Leslie speaker continues to play endlessly
Oh boy, good God, wot a life
Another exclamation of disbelief
Get back in my car like a movie star
To leave in style like a famous actor would
It's an Austin Healey Sprite, huh
The car being referred to is an Austin Healey Sprite
Oh boy, wot a life
Another exclamation of disbelief
I think I'll go dig some weeds down at Mrs G's
I am considering doing some gardening work for Mrs. G
Cut the cross-bar off her bike
I am going to modify Mrs. G's bicycle by cutting off parts
Oh, wot a life
Another exclamation of disbelief
Every woman I see they say to me
All the women I encounter tell me
"Now you know what I like"
That they are attracted to me despite my own marital status
Every woman I see they fix me up
All the women I encounter attempt to pair me with someone
Saying, "Get back to your wife"
Urging me to return to my spouse
Next number's called paranoia
The next song in the band's setlist is called 'paranoia'
It's the story of my life
The themes of the song align with my own experiences
And the gigs we do take me down and down
The band's performances leave me feeling worse and worse
And down and down and down
Continuing to emphasize the depth of my despair
Good God, wot a life
One last exclamation of disbelief at the conclusion of the song
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DAVID COURTNEY, LEO SAYER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Donna Philben
Rock and Roll Leo!
DJMattster1992
Only Fools and Horses episode, to Hull and Back brought me here!
Jehan Ariyaratnam
me too, and seal Killer too
Steve Bartington
me too!
Mike Owen
#DENZIIIIIIIL#🤣
Christian Adams
Ditto!
MM's iPhone Vinyls
This is your FRIEND speaking!!!!
Antony Sheehan
I
Always though this was the Rolling Stones!
Good tune fair play 👍👍
Mike Owen
I always thought it was the Stones too 😍
ian watkins
This rocks a bit... Reminds me of Ian Hunter.