Following the Libertines and the Strokes, this Anglo-American sequence now brings us to the young Sheffield quartet's second single from their debut album of 2006: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. The album title ties in with the content of the Strokes' Hard To Explain, and after the Libertines' Don't Look Back Into the Sun, the solar connection here sets around the seedy nightlife of red-light district Sheffield, with the narrator politely turning down a prostitute's soliciting, before seeing her being picked up by a "scummy man" (the track's original title) who may be a client or her pimp.
Uncompromising and vivid in its descriptions, Alex Turner's lyrics were mature beyond his years, and the band were another exciting wave of indie in the early noughties. Their passionate following set the age of music downloads alight, with the band cleverly giving away their music for free before becoming massively successful. Excellent songwriting skills, and another fresh style, shown here with Turner singing that quieter intro before the main part kicks in, again helped made singing with a northern accent far more authentic than adopting standard US-style rock delivery.
[Verse 1]
I said, who's that girl there?
I wonder what went wrong so that she had to roam the streets
She don't do major credit cards, I doubt she does receipts
It's all not quite legitimate
And what a scummy man
Just give him half a chance, I bet he'll rob you if he can
Can see it in his eyes, yeah, that he's got a driving ban
Amongst some other offences
And I've seen him with girls of the night
And he told Roxanne to put on her red light
They're all infected but he'll be alright
'Cause he's a scumbag, don't you know?
I said, he's a scumbag, don't you know?
[Verse 2]
Although you're trying not to listen
Avert your eyes and staring at the ground
She makes a subtle proposition
"I'm sorry, love, I'll have to turn you down"
And oh, he must be up to summat
What are the chances? Sure it's more than likely
I've got a feeling in my stomach
And start to wonder what his story might be
What his story might be, yeah
[Chorus]
'Cause they said it changes when the sun goes down
Yeah, they said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here, around here
[Verse 3]
Look, here comes a Ford Mondeo
Isn't he Mr. Inconspicuous?
And he don't even have to say owt
She's in the stance ready to get picked up
Bet she's delighted when she sees him
Pulling in and giving her the eye
Because she must be fucking freezing
Scantily-clad beneath the clear night sky
It don't stop in the winter, no
[Chorus]
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Yeah, they said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here
Well, they said it changes when the sun goes down
Over the river, going out of town
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here, around here, oh.
[Outro]
And what a scummy man
Just give him half a chance, I bet he'll rob you if he can
Can see it in his eyes, yeah, that he's got a nasty plan
I hope you're not involved at all.
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