Knee Length Socks

LETRA

Knee Length Socks

Rushing out of Kings Cross Station
Spill into the glow of Darlinghurst Road underneath the Coke sign
Hidden in the hip folk
Bright red and white lights and the bouncers inviting me to strip shows
I was 17 with a face of 15
Carried my skateboard with me through the slipstream
You could be the king of the Cross or just sightseeing
Or take flight from the limelight like me
My brother ran a nightclub playing Britpop
In a club called Les Girls
Once upon a time it was owned by Abe Saffron
Long way from Oasis to the underworld
He would sneak me in before 10 when the doors opened
And the dancefloor dark and scarce
And the bartender knew I wasn't legal
So both of us pretended that the other wasn't there
I was about to lean

There girls in knee length socks
Did not dance like I did, I
Did not dance Indie kid, they
Did not dance like me
In Fred Perry shirts, these guys
Did not dance like I did, I
Did not dance Britpop kid, they
Did not dance like me
So whatcha whatcha want?

By 12 with the party proper kicking
Room full of Albarns, Cockers and Frischmanns
A couple Ian Browns and they're dancing to The Smiths
And there I am in the middle of the dancefloor pissed
I was showing of my Running Man
Shake it like Q-Tip, Bonita Applebum clip
Like I was on some new shit
Proper etiquette: hide it, shield it
But Screamadelica had Don't Fight It, Feel It
Indie girls danced like perky little penguins
There She Goes I fell in love but afraid to befriend em
I wish I could've told her that I loved Suede
Or the way she swung her hands by her sides like rotorblades
Could've put a British accent on
Pashed her in the chorus of a catchy song
With the charm of a trashy Pom like
"'allo love, wanna snog?"

Grabbed my skateboard from the cloakroom
Found Kings Cross with her legs wide open
What kind of trouble could a kid get his nose in
When the best of the seediest part of Sydney blows in?
I was never caught by the fuzz while I was still on the buzz
A bit before I dabbled with drugs
Pills, Thrills, Bellyaches, E's and Whiz
Whatever it takes to medicate please a swig
I did a bit I admit I was not innocent
I didn't fit in but I felt magnificent
Banging through my eardrums differently
Like I had a new set of antennas for them bitches to listen with
I look back realise what it meant to me
Why I wrote hooks and melodies
I'm part of their legacy
But I never did get her next to me
I guess that was for the best Goddamn

[Hook] x2