Public Image Ltd

[sondria]

Public Image Ltd

Public Image

Hello (Hello) Hello (Hello, hello)
Ha ha ha ha

You never listened to a word that I said
You only seen me from the clothes that I wear
Or did the interest go so much deeper?
It must have been to the color of my hair

The public image

What you wanted was never made clear
Behind the image was ignorance and fear
You hide behind his public machine
You still follow same old scheme

Public image

Two sides to every story
Somebody had to stop me
I'm not the same as when I began
I will not be treated as property

Public image

Two sides to every story
Somebody had to stop me
I'm not the same as when I began
It's not a game of monopoly

Public image

Public image, you got what you wanted
The public image belongs to me
It's my entrance, my own creation
My grand finale, my goodbye

Public image
Public image
Goodbye



*Public Image: First Issue, 1978

​

 

[sondria]

Swan Lake aka Death Disco


Swan Lake aka Death Disco

Seeing in your eyes
Words can never say the way
Told me in your eyes
Final in a fade
Never no more hope away
Final in a fade

Seeing in your eyes
Seeing in your eyes
Never really know
Never realise

Silence in your eyes
Silence in your eyes
Never really know
'Til its gone away
Never realise
The silence in your eyes

Seen it in your eyes
Seen it in your eyes
Never no more hope away
Final in a fade

Watch her slowly die
Saw it in her eyes
Choking on a bed
Flowers rotting dead
seen it in her eyes
Ending in a day
Silence was a way

Seeing in your eyes
Seeing in your eyes
Seeing in your eyes
I'm seeing through my eyes
Words cannot express
Words cannot express



* Metal Box, 1979.


​

 

[sondria]

Careering


Careering

A face is raining
Across the border
The pride of history
The same as murder
Is this living

He's been careering

The steady hand as planned
Behind the reasoning
No claim for property
Both sides of the river
There is bacteria
Is this living

He's been careering

Trigger machinery
Mangle the military
No one should be there
Is this living

Blown into breeze
Scatter concrete
The jagged metal bad life
Manufactured
He's been careering
Is this living

A face is raining
Across the border
The pride of history
The same as murder
Is this living

careering

There must be meaning
Behind the moaning
Spreading tales
Like coffin nails
Is this living

He's been careering

It's raining
I need to hide
Trigger machinery

I've been careering

Across the border
Is this living
Both sides of the river
There is bacteria
Armoured machinery mangled



* Metal Box, 1979.

​

 

[sondria]

The Suit


The Suit

It is your character
Deep in your nature
Take one example
Sample and hold
Romance and replace
The lack in yourself

It is your nature
It is your nature

We see you climbing
Improving the effort
Wearing my suit
It is your character

There is a limit
Over your shoulder
Everyone loves you
Until they know you

Perfume aerosols
May champion the strangers
Nick
Standing around
All the right people
Crawling

Tennis on Tuesday
The ladder is long
It is your nature

You've gotta suntan
Football on Sunday
Society boy
On social security
It is your nature

Tennis on Tuesday
Sipping champagne
Football on Sunday
Home on the train
It is your nature

Girl from Totteridge Park
Said you were nice
So was my suit​

The ladder is long



* Metal Box, 1979.

 

[sondria]

Religion II


Religion II

Stained glass windows keep the cold outside
While the hypocrites hide inside
With the lies of statues in their minds
Where the Christian religion made them blind
Where they hide
And prey to the God of a bitch spelled backwards is dog
Not for one race, one creed, one world
But for money
Effective
Absurd

This is religion
There's a liar on the altar
The sermon never falter
This is religion

Do you pray to the Holy Ghost when you suck your host
Do you read who's dead in the Irish Post
Do you give away the cash you can't afford
On bended knees and pray to lord
Fat pig priest
Sanctimonious smiles
He takes the money
You take the lies

This is religion
A liar on the altar
Sermon never falter
This is religion

This is religion and Jesus Christ
This is religion cheaply priced
This is bibles full of libel
This is sin in eternal hymn
This is what they've done
This is your religion
The apostles were eleven
Now there's a sod in Heaven

This is religion
Liar on the altar
The sermon never falter
This is religion

This is religion... x4

This is religion
A liar on the altar
A sermon never falter
This is religion

This is religion
Your religion
And it's all falling to bits gloriously
This is religion


*Public Image: First Issue, 1978

​

 

[sondria]

Attack


Attack

I can see
I can see when our hands are tied
I was a victim when you lied

Attack
AttackAttackAttackAttack

I was a victim of your pride
I will survive

AttackAttackAttackAttack

You who smile back legislated
You who made me stupid hatred
AttackAttackAttackAttack

You who made me ignorant
You will face the consequence

Attack
Attack

You who sits on golden arses
Tinkering your cocktail glasses
You who smiled so politely
You who make us so unsightly
You who used your money taking

AttackAttackAttackAttack

You who tax and persecute
You who guarded all the loot

Attack
Attack
Attack

All our deals confiscated
Legaling with magistrate
Attack

Attack
Attack

You who buried me alive
I will survive

Attack
Attack

Attack
Destroy
Eliminate
Wipe out
Burn
Gave me your manure
Made me insecure

AttackAttackAttackAttack

Attack



*Public Image: First Issue, 1978

​

 

[sondria]

No Birds


No Birds

This could be heaven
Shallow spreads of ordered lawns
I like the illusion
Illusion of privacy
The careful trees blending so perfectly
Bland planned idle luxury
A caviar of silent dignity
Life in lovely allotted slots
A token nice
A nice constitution
A layered mass of subtle props

This could be heaven
Mild mannered mews
Well intentioned rules
To dignify a daily code
Lawful order standard views

This could be heaven​

* Metal Box, 1979.

 

[sondria]

Bad Baby


Bad Baby

Nearly ten thirty
I'm rising early
I've got an eye to buy the best
Before the rush
Someone left a baby
In the car part
Never any reason
Don't you listen
One more sob story​

Some one is calling
Seen through the window
Calling through mirrors
Don't you listen
Don't interfere
Ignore it and
It will go away

Someone is calling
Don't you listen
Don't you listen
Someone is calling
Don't you listen
Someone is calling
Don't you listen
Don't you listen​

* Metal Box, 1979.

 

[sondria]

Memories


Memories

You make me feel ashamed
At acting attitudes
Remember ridicule
It should be clear by now

Clear by now​

Your words are useless
Full of excuses
False confidence
Someone has used you well

Used you well​

I could be wrong
It could be hate
As far as I can see
Clinging desperately
Imagining pretending
No personality
Dragging on and on and on and on
And on and on and on and on
I think you're slightly late

Slightly late​

​

This person's had enough
Of useless memories
Always remember

Twisted amenities

Could be wrong

This person's had enough
Of useless memories
Always remember
Twisted amenities
Out of order

Out of order​

It could be worse
You're losing all the time
I let you stay too long
I could be wrong
Could be worse
You're losing all the time
I let you stay too long
I Could be wrong

Could be wrong​

Whatever past
Could never last
All in your mind
Where it all began

You're doing wrong
It's not the movies
And you're old​

* Metal Box, 1979.