Arctic Monkeys

Released: August 19, 2009

Songwriter: Alex Turner

Producer: James Ford

[Verse 1]
I thought I saw you in the Battleship
But it was only a look-a-like
She was nothing but a vision trick
Under the warning light
She was close, close enough to be your ghost
But my chances turned to toast
When I asked her if I could call her your name

[Verse 2]
I thought I saw you in the Rusty Hook
Huddled up in a wicker chair
I wandered over for a closer look
And kissed whoever was sitting there
She was close, and she held me very tightly
'Til I asked awfully politely
"Please, can I call you her name?"

[Chorus]
And I elongated my lift home
Yeah, I let him go the long way round
I smelt your scent on the seatbelt
And kept my shortcuts to myself

[Verse 3]
I thought I saw you in the Parrot's Beak
Messing with the smoke alarm
It was too loud for me to hear her speak
And she had a broken arm
It was close, so close that the walls were wet
And she wrote it out in Letraset
"No, you can't call me her name"

[Bridge]
Tell me, where's your hiding place?
I'm worried I'll forget your face
And I've asked everyone
I'm beginning to think I imagined you all along

[Chorus]
I elongated my lift home
Yeah, I let him go the long way round
I smelt your scent on the seatbelt
And kept my shortcuts to myself

[Verse 4]
I saw your sister in the Cornerstone
On the phone to the middle man
When I saw that she was on her own
I thought she might understand
She was close, well, you couldn't get much closer
She said, "I'm really not supposed to, but yes
You can call me anything you want"

Arctic Monkeys are an English rock band formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, England. The band consists of Alex Turner (lead vocals, rhythm/lead guitar), Matt Helders (drums, vocals), Jamie Cook (lead/rhythm guitar) and Nick O'Malley (bass, backing vocals). Former band member Andy Nicholson (bass guitar, backing vocals) left the band in 2006 shortly after their debut album was released. Their sound has changed extensively from album to album, gradually evolving from raw, youthful post-punk revival music to R ‘n’ B and jazz-inspired experiments.

All four original members of the band were devoted fans of hip-hop when they were younger, a genre that would have an immense influence on their later work, but it was the sound of The Strokes and The Libertines that would help shape their early style. The Arctic Monkeys became one of the first bands to find fame and recognition purely through internet publicity and social media; the Arctics used to sell their demos CDs at a bar where Alex Turner used to work, but due to the limited number of CDs, their fans started to upload them on the internet.

Initially, they refused to sign a record contract with any label through fear that they would want the band to change their songs, going as far as to refuse scouts guaranteed entry into their gigs. However, they eventually signed with Domino because of the “do it yourself” attitude of founder, Lawrence Bell, who ran the label from his own house.

more tracks from the album

Humbug

From the albums

Humbug (2009)
Cornerstone - Single (2009)

Arctic Monkeys popular songs

CornerstoneArctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys

Humbug