Chumbawamba

Released: September 1, 1997

Songwriter: Chumbawamba

Producer: Neil Ferguson Chumbawamba

Faeroes, Bailey, Fair Isles, Hebrides
Malin, Rockall, Shannon, Sole
Trafalgar, Finisterre, Irish Sea, Biscay
Humber, Portland, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne

This is the Good Ship Lifestyle
All my friends jumped ship
I elect me the captain
This is the loneliest voyage I've ever been on

Up in the crow's nest
Over there! I see land!
First mate? There is no first mate
This is the Good Ship Lifestyle

Sail away from the world
Sail away from the world

So steer a course
A course for nowhere
And drop the anchor
My little empire
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere

This is the Good Ship Lifestyle
I fly my very own flag
TV dinners for one at the captain's table

Repel all the boarders!
Draw the curtains tighter
Where's the crew? There is no crew
This is the Good Ship Lifestyle

Sail away from the world
Sail away from the world

So steer a course
A course for nowhere
And drop the anchor
My little empire
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere

Dogger, Fisher, German Bight; Viking, Thames, Dover, Wight
Dogger, Fisher, German Bight; Viking, Thames, Dover, Wight
Dogger, Fisher, German Bight; Viking, Thames, Dover, Wight
Dogger, Fisher, German Bight

So steer a course
A course for nowhere
And drop the anchor
My little empire
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)

So steer a course (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
A course for nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
And drop the anchor (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
My little empire (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere (This is the Good Ship Lifestyle)
I'm going nowhere

[Outro/Interlude]
(They come up with a flimsy excuse by saying: it's the public or the union, the law.)
(We know. We've been outside the law for twelve months.)
(The law says we must cross the picket line. We didn't cross the picket line.)

(You don't know how I feel when I'm lying in bed at night wondering where tomorrow's dinner's coming from.)
(And you don't know how it feels when your son tells you to sell his bike so you can pay the electricity bill.)

(I feel like you can only be trodden on so much before you start fighting back.)

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

The Good Ship LifestyleChumbawamba

Chumbawamba

Tubthumper