Give Me a Spanner, Ralph Releases Gigs Lyrics Comments

Details

Author
Robyn Hitchcock
According to our records, Robyn has played this song 22 times, most recently at Robyn and Emma's house on December 28, 2022. He first performed it at Alma on November 06, 1976, 46 years and 1 month earlier.

Comments

In an interview with Jim Rogatis, Robyn commented that this song is the earliest of his that is in his recognizable style, and that he wouldn't be embarrassed by. There were a couple other similar-sounding songs written around the same time, "Harmony" and "Moody Norway".

Lyrics

You know one time I knew a guy called Ralph
Seems like a really long time ago now, but
He was a friend

Well there's guys like Hoyst
That gotta be moist
Girls like Joanna
With a modern day manner
Mamas like Joyce
With her turned up voice
The eyes-apple handles
That taste of a triple banana
O, Ralph, give me a spanner
That's what I want

Well, there's guys like Raymond
That gotta be dim
Cats like John
That gotta be dumb
Unlike him
You come in
With the guys that can handle the pace of a young iguana
Please, Ralph, give me a spanner
Come on, Ralph, that's what I want

<Notes>
"Spanner" is the British word for what we in the States call: a wrench