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

Jon Foreman of Switchfoot

Jon Foreman of SwitchfootSongwriter Interviews

Switchfoot's frontman and main songwriter on what inspires the songs and how he got the freedom to say exactly what he means.

Adele

AdeleFact or Fiction

Despite her reticent personality, Adele's life and music are filled with intrigue. See if you can spot the true tales.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

Andy McClusky of OMD

Andy McClusky of OMDSongwriter Interviews

Known in America for the hit "If You Leave," OMD is a huge influence on modern electronic music.