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Irony Curtain

by The Ragamuffins

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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Also includes lyrics and Thank-Yous in PDF format.
    Purchasable with gift card

      £5 GBP

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 19 The Ragamuffins releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of The Night, Too Many Blues To Shake, Lockdown Sessions, Better Late Than Never, BBC Sessions: Taped Off The Radio, Kosmische Stadt (Live at Hope Mill), Gravity Dodgers, Cause Of Causes, and 11 more. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      £43.50 GBP or more (25% OFF)

     

  • Limited Edition Deluxe CD Box-Set
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Limited edition of 100! Includes the standard CD, a special set of 8 postcards inspired by lyrics from the album, and a special Ragamuffins badge only available with this edition, all conveniently packaged in a box branded with the Ragamuffins and 7L logos.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Irony Curtain via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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  • Standard CD
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Vinyl-effect CD in a record-style sleeve, which itself comes in a traditional card wallet displaying the album artwork and tracklisting.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Irony Curtain via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.
Generosity killed the fat cats Curiosity takes the blame The press coverage takes the biscuit again and again and again  Generosity takes a life time I heard charity starts today We all dream about winning a fortune and blowing it all away So are you working hard or hardly working, working hard or hardly working Working hard or hardly working at all? Generosity killed the fat cats The prime minister swiped the cream In a move reminiscent of previous tyrannical regimes Generosity killed the fat cats They keep trying to go out in style To leave most of the rest of the country to wake up with Jeremy Kyle So are you working hard or hardly working, working hard or hardly working Working hard or hardly working at all - all? I've been trying to write an epitaph That makes you smile and makes you laugh And makes you think but make you think much better
2.
What do you do when all the lights go out And what do you talk about To drive me up the wall I'll take you to heart then I'll take you to anywhere So what in the world are we doing here If there's nothing between us after all Don't waste your hopes and fears If it's all going to end in tears Don't waste your hopes and fears And just don't (don't don't don't don't) don't love too much Don't love too much You told me that honest to God you were heaven sent But we fell in love by accident And not by the work of higher powers From the moment we met in the back of the ambulance To the times when I begged for a second chance It's been polythene kisses, cellophane cuddles and paper flowers Don't waste your hopes and fears If it's all going to end in tears Don't waste your hopes and fears And just don't (don't don't don't don't) don't love too much Don't love too much
3.
Another night spent working on my TV tan lines Cos you could make rejection an Olympic past-time You don’t tell me lies the way you used to, baby And that just leaves me hanging on and on and on and on…. And you got told that slow and steady wins you races But you go slow and steady in unusual places You don’t tell me lies with any real conviction And that just leaves me hanging on and on and on and on Yeah you cheat And you lie But you don’t know how to say goodbye Yeah you cheat And you lie And the truth hurts even more So why’d you try and wear your halo far too tightly Cos butter wouldn’t melt when you act that politely You control the truth to suit your own agenda And that just keeps me hanging on and on and on and on
4.
Staring at the milky way Wondering what happened to yesterday Well if you're not listening then I won't open my eyes And the sentiment's just not there When we're stranded in the middle of God knows where With the odd rogue satellite using the clouds for disguise All the stars looked better with moonbeams and glitter to spare I'm not bitter I'm just not walking on air I've never felt so home from home from home I've never felt so home from home from home I've never felt so home from home from home I've never felt so home from home from home There's nothing left but gravity to keep us here I never knew a feeling could be so sincere Till you insisted on crossing your fingers with every word All the stars looked better with moonbeams and glitter to spare I'm not bitter I'm just not walking on air I've never felt so home from home from home I've never felt so home from home from home It only took a week to burn down Rome I've never felt so home from home from home So set sail for sentimental seas I might miss the comfort zone but Christ I won't miss days like these!
5.
Eleanor Fits 03:36
Eleanor’s kisses were just near misses for so long Eleanor’s kisses were just near misses for me It’s a long way down If you don’t got a parachute It’s a long way down when you’ve got so far to fall Eleanor’s affection was out of the question for so long Eleanor’s affection was out of the question for me It’s a long way down If you don’t got a parachute It’s a long way down when you’ve got so far to fall - OH Eleanor fits Eleanor would Eleanor always looked so good Eleanor fits, but Elanor won’t be good for you! Eleanor me, Eleanor you, Eleanor no-one else can do The things you do to make me feel the way I do Eleanor recently I’ve been increasingly thinking about maybe getting together We’ve waited forever, I can’t get you out of my head Eleanor instantly you were convincing me over and over again I was under the weather but you got me ruffling feathers instead Eleanor fits Eleanor would Eleanor always looked so good Eleanor fits, but Elanor won’t be good for you! So where do we go from here? It’s gonna take plenty of time to grieve Cos I can’t breathe When all I dream about is you...
6.
Bet your bottom dollar she’s with someone now Lighting up the day as only she knows how She’s counting flowers from off the ceiling cos in truth she feels a little bit bored Nothing lasts forever so the story goes You tried to move away she nearly broke your nose It helped you understand the feelings she was feeling from your hospital ward I said there’s gotta be something more to life than her I said there’s gotta be something more to life than Prada bags and Grazia There’s gotta be something more to life than her But you ain’t found nothing yet…. Every time you see her out there’s someone new Trying to figure out a way to run her through Maybe a line or two for practice cos without it she’s a little bit bored You just stand there starry-eyed in disbelief You’re waiting for the words to choke upon your teeth She’s pulling dirty little disco shapes in dresses that you’d never afford I said there’s gotta be something more to life than her I said there’s gotta be something more to life than Prada bags and Grazia There’s gotta be something more to life than her But you ain’t found nothing yet…. She don’t believe in the things she’s done Her heart’s as cold as the midnight sun She’s gotten icicles weighing her eyelids down completely Icicles weighing her eyelids down to sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep...!
7.
Let You Down 03:38
It feels like every time we touch You try and open up your heart a bit too much Cos this ain’t the end of the story, it’s the end of a difficult chapter And I hope that you’re my happy ever after So don’t take your love to town She’ll only go and let you down Don’t take your love to town at all Yeah don’t take your love to town She’ll only go and let you down But darling I can’t wait for you to fall It feels like every time we kiss You give me something, something else to miss Now it seems you’re dead before your head can hit the pillow case Despite the beaming smile across your face
8.
Guilt-free living: What a simple decision to make I'm getting tired of pleading innocence to cover up my honest mistakes You put the sin into cynical I'm always willing to learn You might have rivers to cross over but I've plenty of bridges to burn Just use your hands And you can make everything better Just use your hands You've really nothing to lose I’ve never been to the summit but your credit's 'bout to plummet It's a good day to bury bad, bury bad, bury bad, bury bad news Digital memories if you're after an hour to waste I know the ones at the back of my mind were that easy to face You keep on chasing the horizon,  I'll keep on toeing the line You can't keep trying to turn the clock back just because you're running out of time Just use your hands And you can make everything better Just use your hands You've really nothing to lose I've never been to the summit but you're credit's 'bout to plummet It's a good day to bury bad, bury bad, bury bad, bury bad news
9.
Oh London Bridge is falling down And Wall Street’s gone delirious The bankers on Canary Wharf have never looked so serious I wrapped myself in cotton wool To save me needing bandages And Mother Nature’s on the social Don’t know how she manages With all this money going down the swanny Yeah all your money’s gone down the swanny But all my money’s gone down the swanny too And a lifetime’s worth of liquorice allsorts Flying saucers, sherbert dips Are nothing in comparison to what she wears upon her lips I could use a few of Alan Sugar’s oh so famous money-making tips ‘Cause the Monday morning papers wrap up Friday evening tea-time’s Fish & Chips Oh there ain’t no use In slowin’ down You’ve got to keep momentum up I overdosed on Fairy Liquid From under-rinsing coffee cups I’ll steal a boat, and plot a course From Merseyside to Mozambique And hope that when I get there The financial situation’s not so bleak With all this money going down the swanny Yeah all your money’s gone down the swanny But all my money’s gone down the swanny too And a lifetime’s worth of liquorice allsorts Flying saucers, sherbert dips Are nothing in comparison to what she wears upon her lips I could use a few of Alan Sugar’s oh so famous money-making tips ‘Cause the Monday morning papers wrap up Friday evening tea-time’s Fish & Chips
10.
I didn't wanna go out with the in crowd Out with the in crowd Didn't wanna go out with the in crowd Out with the in crowd I never wanna go out with the in crowd Out with the in crowd Don't wanna go out with the in crowd woooaaaahhh…
11.
Glue 01:46
I'm in a mess I wanna un-cross my heart  So I guess it never comes true Cos nothing seems perfect after you And i'm at a loss, I'm counting the cost  Of expressing conflicting Points of view Cos nothing seems perfect after you You, were the glue that held my bones together You, had the makings of my patron saint You, were the glue that held my bones together You, you and me together's going to  have to wait 
12.
You were everything I needed  At the age of seventeen But now it's east Pacific sunsets,  Instead of Transylvanian rock n roll dreams Then as the stakes get high your dreams get blown away And now it feels as if there's nothing left to say And as the twilight of your youth approaches fast I know we are Just vampires at heart
13.
Dr Ronald 01:50
Dr Ronald's on the NHS Been there a while but can't get used to the stress Dr. Ron's (been) going out on a limb for a while Dr. Ronald's at the top of her field There's no diseases that she won't get healed Dr. Ronald's (been) going out on a limb for a while Dr Ron(lad's) been on the verge of collapse for a while Dr. Ronald's on the brink of crazy Injecting knitting needles into jelly babies Dr. Ron's (been) going out on a limb for a while (Woo woo) Dr. Ronald's going to be (gonna be) sleeping with the fishes Dr. Ronald's going to be sleeping with the fishes Dr. Ronald's going to be sleeping with the fishes tonight Dr Ronald's on the NHS Been there a while but can't get used to the stress Dr. Ron's (been) going out on a limb for a while (Woo woo) Dr. Ronald's going to be sleeping with the fishes Dr. Ronald's going to be sleeping with the fishes Dr. Ronald's going to be sleeping with the fishes tonight
14.
We were different people then And the world was our oyster Now we don't have a choice to make Just another bitter pill to swallow I'm trying not to reminisce But we can seal it with a kiss 'till tomorrow We were different people then When the world was our oyster Now we don't have a choice to make Just another bitter pill to swallow I'm trying not to reminisce But just be careful what you wish for next...
15.
I didn't wanna go out with the in crowd… Out with the in crowd Didn't wanna go out with the in crowd Out with the in crowd I never wanna go out with the in crowd Out with the in crowd Don't wanna go out with the in crowd woooaaaahhh… You never knew me before, A fact you hardly disguised But now I guess you're just another mother with a glint in her eye It's hard to hide your disappointment when the fly's been in the ointment a while You'd sneak a cheeky ciggie at the back of the bus But ain't that what a regional celebrity does? You're going out with the in crowd, ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow out….

about

'Irony Curtain' was The Ragamuffins' first "comeback" record, and their most ambitious to date (at the time!). Rooted in the sounds that have come to define their corner of the United Kingdom, the band have stitched together a record of love, loss and life on the dole in Coalition Britain - recession rock you can dance to, if you will.

NOTE: Tracks 10-15 segue into each other to form a 'medley' that closes the album; unfortunately, due to the way Bandcamp works, if you're streaming the album online there's a slight gap at the beginning of each song. Sorry! We've checked, and this isn't an issue with the downloads; it all sounds as it should.

We've added a few extra tracks and uploaded the more up to date versions of Let You Down and, of course, the album's signature track, "Generosity Killed The Fat Cats". At the time of recording we were absolutely flat broke, and Ed, our wonderful and beautiful friend who funded most of this thing through 7L Recordings was hardly Elon Musk himself so some of the songs aren't as crisp as they SHOULD be. It's the 10th anniversary of the record in 2022, maybe we should re-record the rest as a special treat!

Hope you enjoy it anyway, warts and all!

credits

released May 7, 2012

© The Ragamuffins 2012
All songs by David Jaggs
Recorded by the Ragamuffins at Studio Bedsit, Pennine Lancashire
Produced by David Jaggs
Mixed and mastered by Joshua Raven
Album Artwork by James Darlington-Brown and David Jaggs
Additional artwork by Richard Brunning

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The Ragamuffins UK

The Ragamuffins are a little bundle of joy of a band with vocal melodies soaring high above swirling organs, soulful brass, chiming guitar, driving bass and heart-pounding drums to deliver perfectly packaged, virtually irresistible indie-pop songs that have earned wholehearted recognition and airplay far and wide and continue to put beaming smiles across faces. ... more

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