Chumbawamba

Released: September 1, 1997

Songwriter: Chumbawamba

Producer: Neil Ferguson Chumbawamba

(What a wonderful world)
(What a wonderful world)

A loose door-jam, light left on
The oldest national lottery
Enter Johnny-go-darkly
Come to spoil my party
Smell of feces lingers
Echo of light fingers
Cold comfort blankets
Steeped in creeping anger

Flatfoot comes poking
Compounding my misery
Grinding pestle and mortar
Adding insult to injury
If only this, if only that
If only in my guts
See my life before my eyes trampled underfoot

Creepy crawling, creepy crawling
Creepy crawling, creepy crawling

All the creeps go creepy crawling
Same thing every night
How can stealing candy from a baby seem alright?

Corvino, carrion crow
Skulking with his mobile
Slippery peat-bog eyes
Stick-on smiley smile
Small print like quicksand
Not a wooden leg to stand on
Sinking through my stomach
The ground beneath me gone

Free-fall, call Ophelia
Clutching at straw
Mixed with bloody feathers
From scruff of neck of crow
Johnny go! Johnny gone!
Too much drink in your tum-tum-tum
See this finger, see this thumb
See this fist and watch it come

Creepy crawling, creepy crawling
Creepy crawling, creepy crawling

All the creeps go creepy crawling
Same thing every night
How can stealing candy from a baby seem alright?

Creepy crawling, creepy crawling
Creepy crawling

[Outro/Interlude]
(You're worried about your own position as manager now at Newcastle, Bill?)
(Have you ever been told to fuck off? Eh? Eh?)
(What a fucking diabolical question, you cunt-arse)
(Bill, I'm sorry...)
(Fuck off.)
(I didn't mean to...)
(You can put that on the fucking radio as well, what a disgraceful fucking question)
(They won't put that out...)
(Eh?)
(I just had to ask)
(You cunt)

Anarcho-pop band from Leeds.

Originally formed in the early 1980s as Chimp Eats Banana, Chumbawamba first emerged in the anarchopunk scene which was dominated by bands such a pacifist punks Crass. As Chumbawamba increasingly differed from their peers in outlook and tactics, they began to adopt a new musical style which incorporated elements of folk music, indie rock and hip-hop.

After drifting between labels, their change in direction culminated in signing a record deal with major label EMI, a choice which sparked outrage amongst their former comrades, outrage that culminated in a “Fuck Chumbawamba” compilation. By chance, Chumbawamba’s new work with EMI resulted in an internationally best-selling single, “Tubthumping”, and a sudden rise to fame.

more tracks from the album

Tubthumper

From the album

Tubthumper (1997)

Chumbawamba popular songs

Creepy CrawlingChumbawamba

Chumbawamba

Tubthumper