You Gotta Love This City
The Whitlams Lyrics

You gotta love this city, love this city, you gotta love this city
The singer emphasizes that loving the city is a necessity and repeats the phrase multiple times to drive the point home.

Too sick for breakfast, the car wouldn't start
The singer had a bad start to his day by having no breakfast and facing issues with his car.

The train was really full, and his girlfriend had a boyfriend
The singer had to endure a crowded train ride and is unhappy that his girlfriend has another boyfriend.

The houses all the same, now here's the rain
The artist is dissatisfied with the identical houses and now has to deal with the rain.

Not falling but collapsing at his feet
The rain is not just falling, but pouring heavily, as if collapsing at the artist's feet.

Deep breath and he clocks on, raincoat on his arm
The singer takes a deep breath and heads to work, wearing a raincoat on his arm.

He wishes the hours would disappear
The singer wants the hours of work to pass quickly and wishes they would disappear.

But the trip's in vain 'cause awaiting him
The artist feels that his trip to work is a waste of time because he knows something unpleasant is awaiting him.

A lay-off notice and his severance pay
The artist receives a notice of layoff and his severance pay at work, which is the unpleasant surprise.

He shuffles back to the train again
After receiving the layoff notice, the artist goes back to the train in a dejected manner.

Back home he lies in bed for days and days
The singer is so affected by the layoff that he spends days lying in bed at home.

Watching American television, smoking
The artist spends his time watching American television and smoking cigarettes while lying in bed.

And playing with himself ringing double-O double-5
The singer engages in a potentially suggestive activity while playing with himself and calling double-O double-5.

Into town on Thursday night
The singer goes into town on a Thursday night.

The girls are pretty and the lights are bright
The singer enjoys the beauty of the girls and lights in the city.

At least he loves his city
Despite all his problems, the artist still loves his city and finds solace in it.

Holding court on Taylor Square proper was the man he could become
The artist sees someone who he could have been if he were more successful, holding court on Taylor Square.

Lear's Fool is a bum now
The mentioned person, Lear's Fool, is now a beggar and not successful.

With seven holy parcels by his side
Despite being a beggar, Lear's Fool has seven holy parcels by his side for unknown reasons.

He walks along the foreshore, he's got a bottle
The artist takes a walk along the foreshore with a bottle.

And he's breathing with his city
The artist feels a sense of comfort and connection with the city while walking along the foreshore.

It was busy everywhere he went
The city is bustling and busy everywhere the artist goes.

There was a crowd over the bay
The singer sees a crowd over the bay while in the city.

And a fireworks display
Additionally, there is a fireworks display, which the artist finds strange for a Thursday night.

It's all very strange for a Thursday night thought he
The singer finds the busyness and fireworks strange for a Thursday night.

Then it dawns on him as a cracker explodes
The singer understands the reason for the fireworks display as a cracker explodes.

And who the hell is he going to blame?
The singer realizes that he cannot blame anyone for his problems and difficulties in life.

It dawns on him - the horror - we got the Olympic Games
The artist realizes that the city has won the bid for the Olympic Games and is horrified by that fact.

You gotta love this city for its body and not its brain
The artist sarcastically suggests that the city is only valuable for its physical appearance and not its intellectual prowess.

He screams "My city is a whore, opened herself to the world
The singer is frustrated with the city's willingness to welcome everyone, and he screams that his city is a whore.

Jumped up and down in pastel shirts
The city's residents are described as wearing brightly colored pastel shirts and being very enthusiastic.

And lathered up thinking about designs for T-shirts"
The residents are also described as being excited about shirt designs and potentially capitalizing on the Olympic Games.

It's more than he can take, and the stars' reflection breaks
The artist cannot handle the state of the city and feels broken, with even the stars' reflection adding to his distress.

'Cause you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it enjoy the view
The artist thinks that even if the city provides the necessities, it cannot force him to enjoy the view or appreciate it.

He's had enough and he sinks to the bottom
The singer has had enough of dealing with the city and sinks to the bottom in desperation.