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.
Charge It
Tim Curry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Call up Tele-Credit, too
I know they sent a monthly statement
But I never read it through
You say you won't accept my Visa
Or American Express
And the computer is suspicious
Cause I've got no fixed addressLady, that's a valid document
Check out the way I'm dressed
You know the way I'm feeling now
I'd take a lie-detector test
Paradise lost for capital gain
Traded for a ticket on the gravy train
I can amortize the cost with a minimum of pain
But I need it for a write off
Can't take another night off
You know I never carry change
I just charge it
Where do I sign?
Charge it
Show me the dotted line
Charge It
I don't have the time to waste
Charge It
Oh don't mess around
Charge It
I've got to get downtown
Cause I promised to deliver
To live up to the letter of the
Lord, I'm in a state of grace
[yeah baby angel]
Well, I've enjoyed us doing business
But I really must confess
This pompous attitude just isn't calculated to impress
There's a driver in my car outside
Who's easily distressed
Lady, when he's through with you
He's gonna leave your face a mess
Paradise lost for capital gain
Traded for a ticket on the gravy train
I can amortize the cost with a minimum of pain
But I need it for a write-off
Can't take another night off
You know I never carry change
I just charge it
Where do I sign?
Charge it
Show me the dotted line
Charge it
I don't have the time to waste
Charge it
[Oh, don't mess around]
Charge it
I've got to get downtown
Cause I promised to deliver
To live up to the letter of the
Lord, I'm in a state of grace
[There's goes that [], babe]
[It's an equal opportunity there]
Charge it
Where do I sign?
Charge it
Show me the dotted line
Charge it
I don't have the time to waste
[Oh, don't mess around, babe]
[Don't mess around, babe]
Charge it
Where do I sign?
Charge it
Show me the dotted line
I don't have the time to
Charge it
[What is that?]
[A blue one, I don't have a blue one]
[A red one, I don't have a red one]
[Oh, just that gold one]
[I don't know, do they come in platinum?]
[whoa babe]
Where do I sign
[Maybe I can just make my mark]
[I don't know, do you read?]
[Are you literate, babe?]
[Are you numerate, babe?]
[Do you get laid, babe?]
[I don't carry green, it's just]
[It makes such a bulge in the pocket]
[You like the suit?]
[There's something in the piping in the back]
[I wanted to have changed]
[But my Spanish tailor didn't fly in last week]
[You know him? He's called Manuel]
[But he always makes the pocket so that if you put money in it]
[It looks so ugly]
[Oh, cash, baby]
[Cash anymore, babe]
[Oh, fine send for the manager]
[You can't be the manager]
[Are you kidding?]
[There's a serious problem in personnel]
The song "Charge It" by Tim Curry is a satirical take on the rampant consumerism and desire to live life on credit in the 1980s. The singer is a man who is comfortable with the idea of borrowing and charging everything, from the monthly statement he never reads to never carrying cash. He wants to get a loan, and he is even prepared to take a lie-detector test to prove he is trustworthy. With his credit cards, he believes he can get whatever he wants and make sure he doesn't miss a thing.
The song, then, is a sarcastic interpretation of the attitude of the times. The second verse is an explicit statement on this idea of living beyond one's means. The singer needs to get things on credit and, even if he could pay it off, he wouldn't because he needed it for a "write-off." The song reiterates the need to "Charge It" and demands to know, "Where do I sign?" There is no better indication of that obsession than when he says he wants a credit line because he promised to live up to his letter's obligations. In other words, as long as your credit was good, everything was possible.
Line by Line Meaning
Well you can Telex my accountant
You can communicate with my accountant using Telex
Call up Tele-Credit, too
You can also contact Tele-Credit
I know they sent a monthly statement
I am aware that they have sent me a monthly financial statement
But I never read it through
But I never go through it thoroughly
You say you won't accept my Visa
You are indicating that you refuse to accept my Visa card
Or American Express
Or my American Express card
And the computer is suspicious
And the computer system is doubtful
Cause I've got no fixed address
Because I do not have a permanent address
Lady, that's a valid document
Madam, that is a valid identification document
Check out the way I'm dressed
Observe my dressing style
You know the way I'm feeling now
You know how I feel right now
I'd take a lie-detector test
I am willing to undergo a lie-detector test to prove my honesty
Paradise lost for capital gain
Giving up one's paradise for financial profit
Traded for a ticket on the gravy train
Sold for easy financial gains
I can amortize the cost with a minimum of pain
I can spread the cost over time with less difficulty
But I need it for a write off
But I require it for tax deductions
Can't take another night off
Cannot waste another night
You know I never carry change
You know that I never carry small denominations of cash
I just charge it
I only use my credit card to pay for everything
Where do I sign?
Where should I sign?
Show me the dotted line
Show me the line for signing
I don't have the time to waste
I do not have time to waste
Oh don't mess around
Do not waste my time
I've got to get downtown
I need to get to the city center
Cause I promised to deliver
Because I made a promise to someone
To live up to the letter of the
To fulfill the exact words of the
Lord, I'm in a state of grace
I am in a fortunate position
Well, I've enjoyed us doing business
I enjoyed doing business with you
But I really must confess
But I must admit something
This pompous attitude just isn't calculated to impress
This arrogant behavior is not going to impress anyone
There's a driver in my car outside
There is a driver waiting for me outside in my car
Who's easily distressed
Who gets agitated easily
He's gonna leave your face a mess
He will hurt you severely
[There's goes that [], babe]
[There goes that thing again, honey]
[It's an equal opportunity there]
[Everyone has the same opportunity there]
[Oh, just that gold one]
[Oh, that gold one only]
[I don't know, do they come in platinum?]
[I am not sure; do they come in platinum?]
[Are you literate, babe?]
[Are you able to read, dear?]
[Do you get laid, babe?]
[Are you sexually active, sweetie?]
[Cash anymore, babe]
[Is cash not accepted anymore, honey?]
[Oh, fine send for the manager]
[Okay, please call the manager]
[Are you kidding?]
[Are you joking?]
[There's a serious problem in personnel]
[There are serious staffing issues]
Lyrics © CAMERON MUSIC, INC. DBA ARRIVISTE INC MUSIC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DICK WAGNER, TIM CURRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind