Mid-Week Music #30 - Manchester

This week, I’m going to be doing a song you probably haven’t heard yet. It’s by Neal Morse, a great Christian prog artist, on his new solo album, Life and Times. Since we’re going to see him in concert this Friday, I figured I’d do a song from that album. This one was possibly my favourite.

There’s a story behind it, you know. He had written the first two-thirds of the song, when he realized something was not right. Without giving the ‘surprise’ away, he sent the song to his friend in the UK to see if he could come up with a solution. Within ten minutes, he’d sent back that last third of the lyrics.

It’s a very catchy song, and also very fun. I rather like fun songs. So here it is: Manchester!

(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo)
 
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo)
 
Are you feelin’ like the underdog?
Like every day’s stuck on repeat
Come and sing a different song
On the sunny side of Oxford Street
 
[chorus]
In Manchester by the sea
How long will you wait for me?
Let’s ride the magic bus again
Or maybe take the midland train
To Manchester by the sea
A revolution’s happening to me
Right here in Manchester by the sea
 
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo)
 
Girlfriends hug at the coffee shop
There’s every type of person walking by
It’s a perfect day, full stop
There’s even a smile on the traffic cop

[chorus]

(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo)
 
I’m givin’ all my love away
Fillin’ up, I’m fillin’ up
I’m givin’ all my love away
Fillin’ up, I’m fillin’ up
I’m givin’ all my love away
Fillin’ up, right here in Manchester by the bay
 
[on album]
So I was a little confused when I wrote this song…
 
As I’m walkin’ round the town
Singin’ this new song I’ve found
My friend comes and breaks my flow
Says “Hey man, now don’t you know that
“Manchester’s got no sea
“That’s just some bad geography
“This Manchester’s got no bay
“That’s the one in the U. S. A.”
 
No, Manchester’s got no sea
But somehow it feels good to me
Let’s ride the magic bus again
Or maybe take the midland train
To Manchester, proud and free
A revolution’s happening to me
Right here in Manchester NOT by the sea
 
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo)
(La-da-da-da)
 
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo…)