XTC Wiki
Register
Advertisement

"Respectable Street" is a song by Andy Partridge. It appeared on the 1980 album Black Sea.

Because of suggestive lyrics it was banned from the BBC, so the band re-wrote and re-recorded the track as a clean single. BBC never played the clean version anyway. Regardless, Andy has stated that he prefers the clean version's mix, and that version appeared in place of the album version on the fan-run XTC MySpace page's "Song of the Week." The single version would reappear on Rag and Bone Buffet.

Lyrics[]

Album Version[]

It's in the order of their hedgerows

it's in the way their curtains open and close

it's in the look they give you down their nose

all part of decency's jigsaw I suppose


Heard the neighbour slam his car door

don't he realise this is respectable street

What d'you think he bought that car for

'cos he realise this is respectable street


Now they talk about abortion

in cosmopolitan proportions to their daughters

as they speak of contraception

And immaculate receptions on their portable

Sony entertainment centres


Heard the neighbour slam his car door

don't he realise this is respectable street

What d'you think he bought that car for

'cos he realise this is respectable street


Now she speaks about diseases

and which sex position pleases best her old man

Avon lady fills the creases

when she manages to squeeze in past the caravans

that never move from their front gardens


Heard the neighbour slam his car door

don't he realise this is respectable street

What d'you think he bought that car for

'cos he realise this is respectable street


It's in the order of their hedgerows

it's in the way their curtains open and close

it's in the look they give you down their nose

all part of decency's jigsaw I suppose


Sunday church and they look fetching

Saturday night saw him retching over our fence

bang the wall for me to turn down

I can see them with their stern frown as they dispense

the kind of look that says they're perfect


Heard the neighbour slam his car door

don't he realise this is respectable street

What d'you think he bought that car for

'cos he realise this is respectable street

He realise this is respectable street

He realise this is respectable street

He realise this is respectable street

Clean/Single Version[]

Heard the neighbour slam his car door

don't he realise this is respectable street

What d'you think he bought that car for

'cos he realise this is respectable street


Now they talk about absorption

in cosmopolitan proportions to their daughters

as they speak of child prevention

And immaculate receptions on their portable

Sony entertainment centres

Heard the neighbour slam his car door

don't he realise this is respectable street

What d'you think he bought that car for

'cos he realise this is respectable street


Now she speak about diseases

and which proposition pleases best her old man

Avon lady fills the creases

when she manages to squeeze in past the caravans

that never move from their front gardens

Heard the neighbour slam his car door

don't he realise this is respectable street

What d'you think he bought that car for

'cos he realise this is respectable street

It's in the order of their hedgerows

it's in the way their curtains open and close

it's in the look they give you down their nose

all part of decency's jigsaw I suppose


Sunday church and they look fetching

Saturday night saw him stretching over our fence

Bang the wall for me to turn down

I can see them with their stern frown as they dispense

The kind of look that says they're perfect


Heard the neighbour slam his car door

don't he realise this is respectable street

What d'you think he bought that car for

'cos he realise this is respectable street

He realise this is respectable street

He realise this is respectable street

He realise this is respectable street

Videos[]

Promo[]

 	XTC_-_Respectable_Street 	 			  

Promo video for "Respectable Street." Version used is the single version. Uploaded by YouTube user "23Daves."

Advertisement