Part Time Punks
Television Personalities Lyrics
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I see so many faces
They come from many places
They come down for the day
They walk around together
And try and look trendy
I think it's a shame
That they all look the same
Here they come
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
The part time punks
Here they come
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
The part time punks
Then they go to Rough Trade
To buy Siouxsie and the Banshees
They heard John Peel play it
Just the other night
They'd like to buy the O Level single
Or "Read About Seymour"
But they're not pressed in red
So they buy The Lurkers instead
Here they come
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
The part time punks
Here they come
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
The part time punks
They play their records very loud
They pogo in the bedroom
In front of the mirror
But only when their mum's gone out
They pay five pence on the buses
And they never use toothpaste
But they got two fifty
To go and see The Clash tonight
Here they come
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
The part time punks
Here they come
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
The part time punks
The part time punks
The part time punks
The part time punks
The lyrics of "Part Time Punks" by Television Personalities describe the phenomenon of people pretending to be punks for just a short period of time. The song touches on the superficiality of these “part-time punks” who go to London’s Kings Road to try to look trendy and mimic the style of punk rockers. The song critiques the lack of individuality among these fake punks who all conform to the same aesthetic.
The song describes how these part-time punks buy records at Rough Trade, referencing Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Lurkers. These records are just accessories to them, rather than genuine expression of their taste or beliefs. The song also points out the irony of these people playing punk music loudly in their bedrooms and dancing in front of the mirror, but only when their parents are not at home.
Television Personalities’ “Part Time Punks” is a commentary on the commodification of punk culture and the way it was marketed as a trend. It highlights the emptiness of people who adopt a culture solely for the purpose of fitting in and looking cool.
Line by Line Meaning
Walking down the Kings Road
Strolling through a trendy street in London
I see so many faces
Observing a crowd of people
They come from many places
Visitors from various locations
They come down for the day
They are here for a brief visit
They walk around together
Moving around in groups
And try and look trendy
Striving to appear stylish
I think it's a shame
Disappointed by their lack of individuality
That they all look the same
Everyone appears to have a uniform style
Here they come
The aforementioned group of people is arriving
La la la la la la
Vocalizations indicating enthusiastic arrival
The part time punks
Describes the group of visitors
Then they go to Rough Trade
The visitors enter a record store called Rough Trade
To buy Siouxsie and the Banshees
They are looking to purchase the music of Siouxsie and the Banshees
They heard John Peel play it
They learned about the band from DJ John Peel's radio show
Just the other night
Recently
They'd like to buy the O Level single
They want to buy a specific single from a band called O Level
Or "Read About Seymour"
Another song they are interested in
But they're not pressed in red
The specific versions they want are not available
So they buy The Lurkers instead
They opt to purchase something else
They play their records very loud
They listen to music at high volumes
They pogo in the bedroom
They dance energetically in private
In front of the mirror
They practice their moves in front of a reflective surface
But only when their mum's gone out
They dance when their mother is not home
They pay five pence on the buses
They take public transportation and only pay the minimum fare
And they never use toothpaste
They do not maintain basic hygiene
But they got two fifty
They have enough money
To go and see The Clash tonight
They have enough funds to attend a concert by The Clash
The part time punks
Repeats the title phrase
The part time punks
Repeats the title phrase
The part time punks
Repeats the title phrase
The part time punks
Repeats the title phrase
Contributed by Arianna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mitchsfridaynightsongclub2594
I couldn't love this song anymore, the out of time vocals, woefully out of tune guitars - it is so perfect and beautiful - and "but only when their mum's gone out" is the best cuss ever!
@angelapaul4064
Yes, Iove that too
@ephre
Oi, my mum's gone out, i'll fight ya.
@5olas
Who knew the TELEVISION PERSONALITIES would predict Hipsters with such accuracy.
@riftwalkers165
So true
@woody5831
People that go to FARCE fest in Blackpool this sums it up totally remember there's no rebellion at rebellion
@ephre
predict... they were surrounded.
@kelechi_77
the hipster evolved from the avant-garde artsy fartsy crowd to the beats to the hippies to the punks to the indie crowd... etc.
@AlanUniacke-kt1jh
I can remember going to the Stanglers Raven gig at Portsmouth Guildall and this was an intro. GOOD OLD DAY'S
@guytunes1
PIL link ? my mate John was PIL's guitarist for a while...he loved this song too ! RIP J McG x