In 1978, A&M Records released Tim Curry's debut solo album. Entitled Read My Lips, the album featured an eclectic range of songs (mostly covers) performed in diverse genre. Highlights of the album are a reggae version of the Beatles song "I Will", a rendition of "Wake Nicodemus" with full bagpipe backing, and an original bar-room ballad, "Alan".
The following year, Curry's second and most successful album was released. Titled Fearless, the LP was more rock-oriented than Read My Lips and mostly featured original songs rather than cover versions. The record included Tim Curry's only US charting songs: "I Do the Rock" and "Paradise Garage".
Curry's third and final album, Simplicity, was released in 1981, again by A&M Records. This record did not sell as well as the previous offerings, due in part to a less appealing, more maudlin sound. This record combined both original songs and cover versions, and is commonly held to be the weakest of the three albums.
In 1989, A&M released The Best of Tim Curry on CD and cassette, featuring songs from his albums (including a live version of "Alan") and a previously-unreleased song, a live cover version of "Simple Twist of Fate".
Curry toured America with his band through the late 1970s and the first half of the 1980s.
Curry's first full-time role was as part of the original London cast of the musical Hair in 1968. Here he first met Richard O'Brien, who went on to create his next full-time and perhaps still most famous role, that of Frank N. Furter in the Rocky Horror Show.
Originally Curry rehearsed the character with a German accent and peroxide blonde hair, but the character evolved into the sly, very upper-class English (He says 'dine' instead of down, 'brine' instead of brown etc) drag-wearing mad scientist incarnation that carried over to the movie version and made Curry both a star and a cult figure. He continued to play the character in London, Los Angeles and New York until 1975.
For many years, Curry was reluctant to talk about Rocky Horror, feeling that it was a trend that had gone too far and had distracted attention away from his later roles. However, in recent years he has been much more open about discussing the show and now recognises it as a "rite of passage" for many young people.
Alan
Tim Curry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hanging by his pants-seat
While the moon
Is hanging over 4th street
People stop and look at him
They think they understand
They know that you're loaded
And you're crazy
You can trust me
I'm your best friend
Now's the time to leave
Before he breaks your nose
Rips your clothes
Makes you bleed
It's okay
I've got money for a taxi
Yeah
The people in the crowd
They're just a bunch of creeps
Just the same
You shouldn't blame
Your problems on the Greeks
Cuz it looks like you need stitches
And that lip won't heal for weeks
Hey don't fall asleep
Your nose bleed on my lap
Hey lean against the window
Hey nevermind
Come back
Alan... Alan... Alan... Alan
Sorry Mr. Kessler
Searched his pockets
No key there
Yeah somebody hit him
Help me drag him up the stair
Kessler takes a look at us
He thinks he understands
He knows that we're loaded
And we're crazy
And he thinks you're stupid
I prop you at your typewriter
A broomstick up your shirt
I lay your hands across the keys
Ah shit I'm suck a jerk
You've got to be a fighter
The problem with the world is
They don't know
That you're a writer
Alan... Alan... Alan... Alan
You get next
To me
The song "Alan" by Tim Curry tells the story of a man who is in a state of distress and is being observed and judged by the people around him. He is hanging by his pants-seat and bleeding from his nose, and people assume that he is loaded and crazy. The singer of the song offers to help him, telling him that he is his best friend and that he has money for a taxi to help him get away from the situation.
As they try to help the man and take him up the stairs, they are faced with the disapproval of Mr. Kessler, who thinks they are all crazy and foolish. The singer eventually props the man at his typewriter, but feels like a jerk for doing so. He encourages the man to be a fighter, to stand up to the world that doesn't understand him, and to continue writing.
The song speaks to the societal judgement of individuals who are deemed "crazy" or different. It also speaks to the idea of being an outcast, and how it can be a struggle to find a place where one fits in. Overall, the song is a commentary on the oppressive nature of societal expectations, and the need for individuals to break free from them.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a man
There is a man who hangs by his pants-seat.
Hanging by his pants-seat
The man is hanging by his pants-seat.
While the moon Is hanging over 4th street
The moon is visible over 4th street at the same time.
People stop and look at him
People nearby stop their activities to look at him.
They think they understand
They believe they comprehend the situation.
They know that you're loaded And you're crazy And they think you're stupid
They believe him to be drunk or worse, insane, and even dim-witted.
You can trust me I'm your best friend
I am a trustworthy, loyal companion.
Now's the time to leave Before he breaks your nose Rips your clothes Makes you bleed
It's the best time to go, or risk getting physically hurt.
It's okay I've got money for a taxi Yeah
I have enough money to pay for a taxi ride.
The people in the crowd They're just a bunch of creeps
The onlookers are unpleasant and untrustworthy.
Just the same You shouldn't blame Your problems on the Greeks
It's unfair to blame unrelated problems onto Greeks.
Cuz it looks like you need stitches And that lip won't heal for weeks
It's evident that he requires stitches and the injury will take weeks to fully recover from.
Hey don't fall asleep Your nose bleed on my lap Hey lean against the window Hey nevermind Come back Alan... Alan... Alan... Alan
Wake up and don't let your nose bleed on my lap. Rest against the window if you'd like. Ah, forget it. Hey, Alan...Alan...Alan...Alan.
Sorry Mr. Kessler Searched his pockets No key there
I apologize to Mr. Kessler. His pockets were searched and we didn't find a key.
Yeah somebody hit him Help me drag him up the stair
Someone hit him requiring us to help transport him to a higher level.
Kessler takes a look at us He thinks he understands He knows that we're loaded And we're crazy And he thinks you're stupid
Kessler observed us and determined that we're loaded and crazy, and thinks of you as stupid.
I prop you at your typewriter A broomstick up your shirt I lay your hands across the keys Ah shit I'm suck a jerk
I prop you at your typewriter to continue writing, but put a broomstick up your shirt as a joke. I realize it was a mistake.
You've got to be a fighter The problem with the world is They don't know That you're a writer Alan... Alan... Alan... Alan
You need to be tough. The issue with the world is that they don't recognize that you're a writer. Hey, Alan...Alan...Alan...Alan.
You get next To me
You will be closer to me.
Contributed by Maya W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@leeskerette1
Watching this performance breaks my heart. It's so obvious in this (and other videos) how much Tim curry loved singing. He puts everything he has into his performances...and yet the musical career that I've read he really, really wanted didn't "happen," in a big way. Thanks to you (tcfan 123) and others who have put these gems on the internet ~ Not only can those of us who have been such fans of this multi-talented man revel in his gift...but now, new Tim Curry fans will no doubt join our ranks!
@Iliekdeers
What a beautiful face he is , i am so falling in love with him. Delicate and fragile. "Alan " it"s a nice song. The guitarist he was very good player,3:44 so sad. Tim is so emotional. Smashing! Great concert! Love it! Dick Wagner the guitarist, wow! Tim curry had such amazing body language , we could understand his emotion , his face and the way he moves , we believe in him.Tim Curry had a best career ever ! with his great roles and his characters of his film and cetera !
@jennifernovak1319
I am so sad about his stroke, and hoping he recovers. Thanks for posting this -- it was the theme song of my college years.
@ss-gv1te
Goodness gracious me, how spine-tingling and poignant this version is, way better than the album version. Tim Curry's voice plus that to die for piano and bowed strings background plus those marvelous electric guitar riffs equal absolute greatness. And by the way notice how charmingly gracious he is as he gives that little honourable mention to Dick Wagner (the guitarist) at the end. ☺☺☺
P.S. is it just me or does he make the audience laugh at a couple points there? After the line that says "your nosebleed on my lap" and after the one that goes "lean against the window?"
@wherestheshiv642
thank you for posting this and who ever film is a legend
@SuperDscruggs
Thank you. I LOVE this song.
@ss-gv1te
David Scruggs me too. Nothing like an inspirational message of hope to people who struggle with alcohol addiction, or addiction of any kind.
@CrueLoaf
Oh man. I want to see the whole gig. We all know Sloe Gin is the greatest performance on YouTube ever. This is good. I want more!
@leeskerette1
Dick Wagner, at least, played (sublime!) guitar both on the album and in this performance. Wagner went on to play with Kiss, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed and many others, but still is considered very underrated. (For all his accomplishments, he is not a household name.) Years ago, a heart attack damaged his dexterity and memory, but he recovered greatly and performs today. I was sad to hear in an interview with him that he and Tim have had no contact for many years. They were magic together!
@ss-gv1te
leeskerette1 they certainly were magic indeed. Goosebumps time. ☺👍