Baggy Trousers

Album: Absolutely (1980)
Charted: 3
Play Video
  • Naughty boys in nasty schools
    Headmaster's breaking all the rules
    Having fun and playing fools
    Smashing up the woodwork tools
    All the teachers in the pub
    Passing 'round the ready-rub
    Trying not to think of when
    The lunchtime bell will ring again

    Oh, what fun we had
    But did it really turn out bad
    All I learnt at school
    Was how to bend, not break the rules
    Oh, what fun we had
    But at the time it seemed so bad
    Trying different ways
    To make a difference to

    The headmaster's had enough today
    All the kids have gone away
    Gone to fight with next door's school
    Every term, that is the rule
    Sits alone and bends his cane
    Same old backsides again
    All the small ones tell tall tales
    Walking home and squashing snails

    Oh, what fun we had
    But did it really turn out bad
    All I learnt at school
    Was how to bend, not break the rules
    Oh, what fun we had
    But at the time it seemed so bad
    Trying different ways
    To make a difference to the days

    Lots of girls and lots of boys
    Lots of smells and lots of noise
    Playing football in the park
    Kicking pushbikes after dark
    Baggy trousers, dirty shirt
    Pulling hair and eating dirt
    Teacher comes to break it up
    Back of the 'ead with a plastic cup

    Oh, what fun we had
    But did it really turn out bad
    All I learnt at school
    Was how to bend, not break the rules
    Oh, what fun we had
    But at the time it seemed so bad
    Trying different ways
    To make a difference to the days

    Baggy trousers, baggy trousers, baggy trousers
    Baggy trousers, baggy trousers, baggy trousers
    Baggy trousers, baggy trousers, baggy trousers
    Baggy trousers, baggy trousers, baggy trousers
    Baggy trousers, baggy trousers, baggy trousers Writer/s: Cathal Joseph Smyth, Christopher John Foreman, Daniel Mark Woodgate, Graham McPherson, Lee Jay Thompson, Mark William Bedford, Michael Barson
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 4

  • Sam Turner from ManchesterThe school is actually called Kentish Town Church of England Primary School. The teachers used to get very annoyed when people called it Islip Street.
  • Luke from Manchester, UkThe wire was deliberately deliberate. That's the beauty of Madness.
  • Alistair from Daventry, United KingdomThe wire is so obvious I think it must have been deliberate as a nod to the Genesis incident already referred to - neat.
  • Louise from Newcastle, United KingdomThis is a great song- much better than Another Brick in the Wall, in my opinion.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

James Williamson of Iggy & the Stooges

James Williamson of Iggy & the StoogesSongwriter Interviews

The Stooges guitarist (and producer of the Kill City album) talks about those early recordings and what really happened with David Bowie.

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds

Roger McGuinn of The ByrdsSongwriter Interviews

Roger reveals the songwriting formula Clive Davis told him, and if "Eight Miles High" is really about drugs.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Gary Lewis

Gary LewisSongwriter Interviews

Gary Lewis and the Playboys had seven Top 10 hits despite competition from The Beatles. Gary talks about the hits, his famous father, and getting drafted.

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.

Little Richard

Little RichardFact or Fiction

Was Long Tall Sally a cross-dresser? Did he really set his piano on fire? See if you know the real stories about one of rock's greatest innovators.