Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 4: Sensitive iPods

If your iPod is like mine, it can sense when you’ve had a rough night--one of dark brooding thoughts and existential questions that banish sleep when you most want it--and it looks at you and thinks, “That one needs a bit of cheering up.” And out of that generous spirit it delivers you, out of 3,000-plus songs in the playlist you’re shuffling, this obscure bit of aural sunshine:  Ian Dury and The Blockheads’ “Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3.”

Reasons to Be Cheerful



And, god love the internet, some hapless souls have taken the hours from their lives to type out the lyrics for us to all sing along. Ahem...

Why don't you get back into bed (x 10)

Reasons to be cheerful part 3
1-2-3

Summer, Buddy Holly,
The working folly
“Good Golly Miss Molly”
And boats.

Hammersmith Palais,
The Bolshoi Ballet
“Jump back in the alley”
And nanny goats.

18-wheeler Scammels,
Domenicker camels
All other mammals
Plus equal votes.

Seeing Piccadilly,
Fanny Smith and Willy,
Being rather silly,
And porridge oats.

A bit of grin and bear it,
A bit of "Come and share it.
“You're welcome, we can spare it.”
Yellow socks.

Too short to be haughty,
Too nutty to be naughty,
Going on 40,
No electric shocks.

The juice of the carrot,
The smile of the parrot,
A little drop of claret,
Anything that rocks.

Elvis and Scotty,
Days when I ain't spotty,
Sitting on the potty,
Curing smallpox.

Reasons to be cheerful part 3 (x 4)
1-2-3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3

Health service glasses,
Gigolos and brasses,
Round or skinny bottoms.

Take your mum to Paris,
Lighting up the chalice,
Wee Willy Harris!

Bantu Stephen Biko,
Listening to Rico,
Harpo, Groucho, Chico.

Cheddar cheese and pickle,
The Vincent motorsickle,
Slap and tickle.

Woody Allen, Dali,
Dimitri and Pasquale,
Balabalabala and “Volare.”

Something nice to study,
Phoning up a buddy,
Being in my nuddy.

Saying "Okey-dokey,"
Singalong a’ Smokey,
Coming out of chokey

John Coltrane's soprano,
Adi Celentano,
Bonar Colleano.

Reasons to be cheerful part 3 (x 4)
1-2-3

Yes yes,
Dear dear,
Perhaps next year
Or maybe even never...

in which...case...

[awesome sax break] 

Reasons to be cheerful part 3 (x 9)
1-2-3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3 (x 4)
1-2-3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3

[repeat to fade]

If you’d like to get a rundown of all the references here--some veddy British, some silly, others just obscure--may I refer you to this helpful page at the BBC website:

Will This Make You Cheerful?

Yes, someone did this, too. Vives les interwebs!