Graham Parker
A Brand New Book
I once read the story of somebody's life
I had a few moments to spare
He was a good man who lived with his wife
With the usual kids in his hair

There was happiness a lot of weirdness
And a sprinkle of tragedy
I pulled it by chance from a second hand bin
But it could've been written just for me

Because the words came out
Not twist and shout
'Cause that's not what a grown man writes about
That chapter's over, let it blow over
I found that I've become the owner
Of a brand new book
A brand new book

I've travelled far and I've travelled wide
And I guess I'll be travelling on
Fill another suitcase up with possessions
And put on a Badfinger song

I've got much more than most people have
And a little less than a few
But you can't measure these things by weight
They either drag you down or they lift you
Because the words came out
Not twist and shout
'Cause that's not what a grown man writes about
That chapter's over, let it blow over
I found that I've become the owner
Of a brand new book
A brand new book

I don't read between the lines
I'm not ready for what I'll find
I don't believe that love is blind
It just can't see straight, it just can't see straight oh yeah
Read all about it, read all about it yeah
A brand new book
A brand new book

I read that book for an hour or two
And then I looked up at the night sky
I saw the Big Dipper and then the Big Bopper
And I realised how much time had gone by

Every page had something to say
But one thing that struck me as true
The clock just keeps ticking as if you're not there
Man it either drags you down or it lifts you
Because the words came out
Not twist and shout
'Cause that's not what a grown man writes about
That chapter's over, let it blow over
I found that I've become the owner
Of a brand new book
A brand new book