The Jazz Butcher
The Jazz Butcher Lyrics Soul Happy Hour

Lyrics

Soul Happy Hour
The best things in life are free
But you can give them to the SDP
I want to go to Tesco's store
And buy some drink and fall on the floor.

I don't care for smart new clothes
I don't care for reading books
I don't care for Quinn and Collins
I don't care for magazines

I don't like lemonade
I think milk should not be made
I don't like coffee and I don't like tea
These are the things that mystify me

I don't care for sport or swimming
I don't care for all those nasty old bogies
I don't care what's on TV
I just want to drink til I can't see

I wish I'd been born a tree
Someone'd come and make a barrel out of me
I get in a fury when I'm not in a brewery

Whiskey, Vodka, Special Brew
All of this is good for you
Gin sling, Cointreau, brandy sour...
Blot right out! Soul happy hour!

Found On

Buy These Records
A Scandal In Bohemia
The Albatross. A record, I feel, of its time. We were young(ish) and cocky and I think it shows. I still haven't learned to sing on this one, which bugs me too. Still, it was cheap and cheerful, and it helped us to meet an awful lot of people.
Purchase Now
( www.amazon.com )
[A Scandal In Bohemia cover thumbnail]
Glass Records
Hamburg
We were all disappointed at the way this came out. The concert was great, but logistics prevented us from making anything much more than a glorified bootleg. Still, live albums are best as souvenirs anyway, so I guess some people regard it fondly. Lots of entertaining photos to look at anyway...
[Hamburg cover thumbnail]
glass_records, Rebel LP
Cake City
Glass-era compilation.
Purchase Now
( www.amazon.com )
[Cake City cover thumbnail]
Vinyl Japan
The Wasted Years
Featuring ‘Bath Of Bacon’, ‘A Scandal In Bohemia’, ‘Sex And Travel’ and ‘Distressed Gentlefolk’.
Purchase Now
( thejazzbutcher.bandcamp.com )
[The Wasted Years cover thumbnail]
Fire Records 4xCD

Pat Says

The Butcher Says..
An important personal statement. Source: A Scandal In Bohemia liner notes

Live Stats

73 documented performances (click to explore)
1985 7 (JBC)
1986 8 (JBC)
1987 5 (JBC)
1988 2 (JBC)
1989 2
1 (Pat Solo)
1 (JBC)
1990 3 (JBC)
1993 2 (Pat Solo)
1994 3 (JBC)
1997 3 (JBC)
1998 1 (JBC)
1999 9
1 (Pat Solo)
8 (JBC)
2000 12 (JBC)
2001 2 (JBC)
2002 4 (JBC)
2003 1 (Pat Solo)
2005 3 (JBC)
2012 3
1 (Pat Solo)
2 (JBC)
2013 1 (JBC)
2015 1 (JBC)
2020 1 (Pat Solo)

Media

5 Recorded Live Performances
2015-09-22 The MOTH Club - London, England
Credit: fire records
2013-06-17 The Cake Shop - New York, USA
Credit: @arcane93 (Matt Condon)
1987-03-20 Black Horse - London, England
Credit: FruitierThanThou
1999-09-13 Sy Klopps Studios - San Francisco, USA
Credit: David Whittemore
1988-06-12 Odd Rock Cafe - Milwaukee, USA
Credit: Douglas Buege
Visitor Feedback
Visitors' comments for this page [Add your own]
  • Books vs Radio
    brianmaguire[at]-remove-sbcglobal.net - Chicago
    9Oct2021 4:00 PM (1 year 357 days ago)
    My goodness. For 35 years I have been singing "I don't care for radio." I stumbled on this, immediately went and played the song and yes it's "reading books". What you can believe is amazing.
  • usa needs you
    soulhappyhour[at]-remove-yahoo.com - jason america
    30May2011 8:01 PM (12 years 127 days ago)
    Please come back to the states Mr. Fish... ty
  • Reading books or radio? - justthisguyyouknow -- Toronto
    23May2007 10:15 AM (16 years 135 days ago)
    I could have sworn "I don't care for reading books" was actually "I don't care for radio."
  • SDP
    Fishie - NN1
    28Apr2004 8:26 AM (19 years 160 days ago)
    Now, that seems a little unfair to me.
    I admit, you won't catch me voting for the SDP (or the Liberal Democrats, as they now style themselves) in any great hurry,
    but a "bad" party?

    I mean, the National Front is a bad party.
    The SDP are just a touch...well...ineffectual.
    To be fair, they oppose racism and crusader nonsense out in the Middle East; they support electoral reform; they're happy with the idea of decriminalising marijuana. They're hardly "bad".

    And as for "little public support", one assumes that this must be outside of the huge areas of Scotland and Western England which return their politicians to Parliament at every election.

    Yours, still reading the bloody Guardian,
    Pat
    xxx
  • SDP
    shotgun_mallet[at]-remove-yahoo.com - Ian Matthews
    21Apr2004 3:11 PM (19 years 167 days ago)
    SDP is the social democratic party in the UK. A bad political party with little support...
  • what's wrong with Quinn & Collins?
    soulhappyhour[at]-remove-hotmail.com - long beach, Ca.
    3Sep2003 9:41 AM (20 years 33 days ago)
    i asked pat this one night in LA backstage after their roxy show circa 1986. he said 'nobody covers "pale blue eyes" and gets away with it, mate'
  • SDP
    you[at]-remove-68.162.162.101
    5Jun2003 11:16 AM (20 years 123 days ago)
    so then anyone could tell me what SDP means?
  • Soul Happy Hour
    monkeyboyart[at]-remove-hotmail.com - Toronto, Canada
    24May2002 12:21 PM (21 years 135 days ago)
    The best song indeed. I just fished out an old cassette of early Butcher songs (circa 1988) on a whim, only to discover his liquor tunes are truer than ever. Makes a man thirsty!