Lyrics:

I was surprised
I was happy for a day in 1975
I was puzzled by a dream
It stayed with me all day in 1995
My brother had confessed he was gay
It took the heat off me for a while
He stood up with a sailor friend
Made it known upon my sister's wedding day.

Got married in a rush to save a kid from being deported
Now she's in love
I was so touched, I was moved to kick the crutches
From my crippled friend
She was not impressed
Cause I cured her on the Sabbath
I went to confess
When she saw the funny side, we introduced my child bride
To whiskey and gin
To whiskey and gin.

The priest in the booth had a photographic memory
For all he had heard
He took all of my sins and he wrote a pocket novel
Called The State That I'm In
So I gave myself to God
There was a pregnant pause before he said okay
Now I spend my days turning tables round in Marks & Spencer
They don't seem to mind.

I gave myself to sin, I gave
Myself to providence and I've
Been there and back again
The state that I am in.

I gave myself to sin, I gave
Myself to providence and I've
Been there and back again
The state that I am in.

Oh love of mine, would you condescend to help me?
Cause I am stupid and blind
Desperation is the Devil's work, it is the folly Of a boy's empty mind
Oh and now I'm feeling dangerous
Riding on city buses for a hobby is sad
Why don't you lead me to a living end
I promised that I'd entertain my crippled friend,
My crippled friend.

I gave myself to sin, I gave
Myself to providence and I've
Been there and back again
The state that I am in.

I gave myself to sin, I gave
Myself to providence and I've
Been there and back again
The state that I am in.

I gave myself to sin, I gave
Myself to providence and I've
Been there and back again
The state that I am in.

I gave myself to sin, I gave
Myself to providence and I've
Been there and back again
The state that I am in.

I gave myself to sin
And I've been there and back again
Oh yeah

andrewpickford81 wrote: What? No Whimsy?

Is this Donovan's son? Just joking!

I've not heard this one... I like eet well.

diane wrote:

Enjoyed it!

Funny - I just got a PM last night suggesting I reconsider my take on this song, and on Belle & Sebastian in general. And now here's my chance. I'm still not wild about this song. I'll have to listen for some other songs by them to form a clearer opinion, since I'm told this track is not particularly representative.

Great song! This sounds like an alternative mix or outake of the original song.

andrewpickford81 wrote: "Feyity"? LOVE that word! 8)

Hadn't heard Belle & Sebastian before - and given how much talk there's been about them, I feel underwhelmed. Reminds me of the first time I saw "Casablanca". All my friends went on and on, raving about what a great movie it was, until finally someone rented it and we all sat down to watch. It did not live up to the hype - but what could? Years of people saying it's the greatest movie ever, and I'm expecting something awesome and life-changing. sigh . . .

"And she said 'Bye, bye, Miss American pie...'"

I must have been listening to RP lo these 17 months with the volume way too low! Bill has played Belle and sebastian before and I never noticed! I love this! If I were back to my old free-spending ways, I would have already clicked and bought this on Amazon! Gave it an "8"! Awesome RP-like playlist this morning, B & R!

radiojunkie wrote: Al Stewart, Ray Davies, please.................. I though Donovan, for a moment. Man of many vioces....

There certainly are better B&G tunes. I don't need to hear this one ever again.

Just OK

Al Stewart? Absolutely not!! Nothing like him! Kinks? Definitely! I thought it was Ray Davies, and looked to see.

Nope.

There is a better version of this song, a better recording, which is snappier and stronger. I like this band a lot.

great lyrics

ghevlana wrote: I'm reminded of early Al Stewart. The first two albums, long before the Year of the Cat thing. I find this to be quite amusing, although I'm certainly not going to defend the chops of the drummer or that voice.

This song makes me very happy with my own drumming abilities. I think this could be one of the worst. A solid 1.

Anybody getting The KINKS out of that??

:?: :!: TEDIOUS...BORING...ETC...

I keep trying... I just don't like it.

I think I saw these guys open for the Indigo Girls some years ago. Reacted then like I am now: well, that's . . . pretty good. Not too bad, anyway. Decent lyrics. IG put on a hell of a show, though--not least because their sound guys got control of a terrible echoey venue. . . .

I found this kinda pathetic - on every level with voice topping the list.

More Belle and Sabastian (the band, not the boy and his dog) would be nice.

Kept waiting for it to break into ... "so bye-bye miss american pie..."

This is a good tune but play B & S' "Step Into My Office Baby"!

Daveinbawlmer wrote: Man! Not at all! Over the years I've found it continually difficult to get into Tori.... but this song..and most of Belle...amazing!

As this song came on, I realized that I have a love/hate relationship with this band that I don't have with too many others. Some of their songs are glorious to listen to repeatedly, and they take me to a blissful place. Yet other times, just the sound of his voice makes me want to smack him. Weird. Anyone know what I'm talking about...??

If Tori Amos was a guy would she sound like this ? Blech.

They're as playful and charming as a highschoolband (can be), but underneath that there's enough going on to make them interesting. I wonder whether they'll still be this attractive after they really learn how to play their instruments In some respects comparable with Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers.

ghevlana wrote: definitely has a major Donovan sound to it - the music and the voice both. good stuff.

Is it just me or does this sound like Donovan?

lolitampeg wrote: Actually they wrote the whole soundtrack for that movie, but this song is not on the soundtrack cd... This is from the excellent single "Dog on wheels"

CruzanBits wrote: The best things about B & S are: Melody Wit Feyity Britishness

The best thing about Belle and Sebastian is their cameo mention in Telephone by Stratford 4.

I agree that the drummer sounds like an eighth-grader. Ack.

nice to see Donovan is still around

I still have to laugh when I see someone voted '10' on a song like this...'godlike'...really? 'godlike'...wow

A good song with not-so-good vocals. :?

Donovan's bastard son.

awesome song anyone remember hearing it in todd solondz's film 'storytelling'....pretty uncomfortable scene.

drH wrote: I don't know about precious. How about vapid? OK, it picks up toward the end. Let's try vacuous.

drH wrote: Either you are being sarcastic or you and I are on opposite ends of the musical pendulum arc.

WIMPY WHINY. LAme-o. The drummer sounds like he's in eighth grade. I want to beat these people with a tire iron!

Never been one of my favorites either. I recognize that their lyrics are good, witty, clever, and all that, but they have never really hooked me for some reason. My loss, probably.

isn't this just precious?

absolutemotion wrote: If you are bored by Belle & Sebastian, it may be because you are not soaking up all the wry, understated humor of their lyrics. Examples from this song: "My brother had confessed that he was gay. It took the heat off me for a while. He stood up with a sailor friend and made it known upon my sister's wedding day..." --and-- "The priest in the booth had a photographic memory for all he had heard. He took all of my sins and he wrote a pocket novel called 'The State I Am In.' So I gave myself to God. There was a pregnant pause before he said OK..."

SiniLMan wrote: Me three. It appears they worked pretty hard making this song, but the question remains: Why?

absolutemotion wrote: I don't get it either

Is it just me or is their of hint of Don Mclean's American Pie in there?

I much prefer the Tigermilk version of this song, but I appreciate the selection! B&S sounds great on a Friday morning.

I've listened to a bunch of Belle and Sebastian and I just don't get it. To me they are boring boring boring.