Up the Junction

Squeeze

About Up the Junction

"Up the Junction" was the third single released from Squeeze's second album, Cool for Cats, sung by Glenn Tilbrook. It is one of the band's most popular and well-remembered songs (especially in the UK), and reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart, the same position as its predecessor, "Cool for Cats" .


Year:
2009
3:07
60 
#1

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I never thought it would happen
With me and the girl from Clapham
Out on the windy common
That night I ain't forgotten
When she dealt out the rations
With some or other passions
I said "you are a lady"
"Perhaps" she said. "I may be"

We moved in to a basement
With thoughts of our engagement
We stayed in by the telly
Although the room was smelly
We spent our time just kissing
The Railway Arms we're missing
But love had got us hooked up
And all our time it took up

I got a job with Stanley
He said I'd come in handy
And started me on Monday
So I had a bath on Sunday
I worked eleven hours
And bought the girl some flowers
She said she'd seen a doctor
And nothing now could stop her

I worked all through the winter
The weather brass and bitter
I put away a tenner
Each week to make her better
And when the time was ready
We had to sell the telly
Late evenings by the fire
With little kicks inside her

This morning at four fifty
I took her rather nifty
Down to an incubator
Where thirty minutes later
She gave birth to a daughter
Within a year a walker
She looked just like her mother
If there could be another

And now she's two years older
Her mother's with a soldier
She left me when my drinking
Became a proper stinging
The devil came and took me
From bar to street to bookie
No more nights by the telly
No more nights nappies smelling

Alone here in the kitchen
I feel there's something missing
I'd beg for some forgiveness
But begging's not my business
And she won't write a letter
Although I always tell her
And so it's my assumption
I'm really up the junction

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Squeeze

Squeeze are a British band that came to prominence in the United Kingdom during the New Wave period of the late 1970s and continued recording successfully in the 1980s and 1990s. They are known in the UK for their hit songs "Cool for Cats", "Up the Junction", "Tempted", "Labelled With Love", "Black Coffee In Bed", "Another Nail in My Heart","Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)" and "Hourglass". Though not as commercially successful in the U.S., Squeeze had American chart hits with "Tempted", "Hourglass" and "853-5937", and they have a dedicated following there and continue to attract new fans. All of Squeeze's hits were written by band members Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, with the former penning the lyrics and the latter handling the composition. The duo we… more »

2 fans

Written by: CHRISTOPHER HENRY DIFFORD, GLENN MARTIN TILBROOK

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


24 facts about this song

Album Information
"Up the Junction" is a single track from the album "Cool for Cats" by the band Squeeze, released in 1979.
Chart Success
The song was a huge hit in the UK, reaching number 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
Songwriting Credits
The key band members who wrote the song are Chris Difford, who wrote the lyrics, and Glenn Tilbrook, who composed the music.
Unique Structure
Notably, "Up the Junction" does not have a chorus, which is quite unusual for a pop song.
Storytelling Style
It is known for its storytelling style, describing a man's slide into despair after a failed relationship, starting from when he first met his girlfriend.
Film and Book Title
The song's name was derived from the title of a book and a 1965 film titled "Up the Junction", which portrayed life in working-class London.
Television Adaptation
Parts of the song were used in the three-part BBC series "Up the Junction", which was also inspired by the same book and film.
Musical Style
The song demonstrates the band's distinct style, which blends new wave and power pop.
Remakes
"Up the Junction" has been covered by various artists, including the likes of Biffy Clyro and Lily Allen.
Recognition
It is considered one of Squeeze's best songs, and it was praised for its narrative songwriting and the catchy melody.
Influence
The song helped to bring more visibility towards Squeeze, influencing a generation of bands to come.
Live Performances
Squeeze often finishes their live performances with this song, illustrating its continued popularity.
Radio Play
Despite its success, "Up the Junction" was initially deemed as unsuitable for radio play due to its references towards pregnancy and drinking.
Song Genre
"Up The Junction" by Squeeze falls under the genre of New wave, Power pop and Post-punk.
Album Information
The song is a part of Squeeze's second album "Cool for Cats" released in 1979.
Lyrics Value
The song is known for its storytelling lyrics, which depict a tragic tale of a man losing his wife and daughter due to his alcoholism.
Chart Performance
"Up The Junction" garnered a considerable amount of success, hitting number 2 in the UK Singles Chart.
Notable Recognition
The song was deemed one of the "500 songs that shaped rock and roll" by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Unusual Song Structure
This song is notable for its lack of repetitive chorus, which is very unusual for popular music.
Inspiration
"Up The Junction" was inspired by a British Kitchen Sink Realism film of the same name from 1965, which reflected many of the song's themes.
Musical Arrangement
The song features an electric piano and a synthesizer to create a distinctive melodic line.
Songwriter
The song was written by band members Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, who typically wrote Squeeze's lyrics and music respectively.
Cultural Impact
Since the release of the song, the phrase "Up the Junction" has been used in the UK to describe a situation that has gotten out of control or in a mess.
Cover versions
Over time, several artists like The View, Lily Allen and Biffy Clyro have covered "Up the Junction".

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