What should I tell her?
She's going to ask
If I ignore it, it gets uncomfortable
She'll want to argue about the past
Still I think she believes me
Every word I say
I think I'm starting to believe it all myself
Go ask the gentlemen who play it but hate to pay
And it don't bleed and it don't breathe
It's locked its jaws and now it's swallowing
It's in our heart, it's in our heads
It's in our love, baby, it's in our bed
It holds my arms down
Sits upon my chest
Waves its finger at me every night and day
And it don't rest
And it don't breathe and it don't bleed
It's locked its jaws and now it's swallowing
It's all a lie, it's nearly dead
It's in our hope, baby, it's in our bed
The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen Album Lyrics
The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen Lyrics
Writer: GREG DULLI
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Gentlemen
Your attention please
Now turn off the light
Your infection please
I haven't got all night
Understand
Do you understand?
Understand
I'm a gentleman
I stayed in too long
But she was the perfect fit
And we dragged it out so long this time
Started to make each other sick
But now I've got time for you
For you, you, you and you and me too
Well, come and get it, come and get it
Cause I'm done
Understand
Do you understand?
Understand, I'm a gentleman
I'm a gentleman
I waited for the joke
It never did arrive
And words I thought I'd smoke
Let me in I'm cold
All messed up but nowhere to go
You got indecision, and indecision is my enemy
Well, unlock the cabinet, hey
I'll take whatever you got, got, got
Now I'm on it, now I'm on it
And you're done
I waited for the joke
It never did arrive
And words I thought I'd choke
I hardly recognize
Now turn off the light
Your infection please
I haven't got all night
Understand
Do you understand?
Understand
I'm a gentleman
I stayed in too long
But she was the perfect fit
And we dragged it out so long this time
Started to make each other sick
But now I've got time for you
For you, you, you and you and me too
Well, come and get it, come and get it
Cause I'm done
Understand
Do you understand?
Understand, I'm a gentleman
I'm a gentleman
I waited for the joke
It never did arrive
And words I thought I'd smoke
Let me in I'm cold
All messed up but nowhere to go
You got indecision, and indecision is my enemy
Well, unlock the cabinet, hey
I'll take whatever you got, got, got
Now I'm on it, now I'm on it
And you're done
I waited for the joke
It never did arrive
And words I thought I'd choke
I hardly recognize
Writer: GREG DULLI
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Be Sweet
Ladies, let me tell you about myself
I got a dick for a brain
And my brain is gonna sell my ass to you
Now I'm OK, but in time I'll find I'm stuck
'Cause she wants love, and I still want to f*ck
Now that I'm ashamed, it burns
But the weight is off
Now that you're out of the way
I turn and I can walk
You showed no sympathy, my love
And this was no place for you and me to walk alone
On my grave, am I OK?
I'm sure I'm not
Ladies let me tell you about my love
She kept giving me more
But it wasn't enough
So understand
Now that I come to you
To understand my little self
To understand my little self
And Baby you be sweet, be sweet, be sweet
And Baby you be sweet, be sweet, be sweet
And Baby you be sweet, be sweet, be sweet
And Baby you be sweet, be sweet, be sweet
I got a dick for a brain
And my brain is gonna sell my ass to you
Now I'm OK, but in time I'll find I'm stuck
'Cause she wants love, and I still want to f*ck
Now that I'm ashamed, it burns
But the weight is off
Now that you're out of the way
I turn and I can walk
You showed no sympathy, my love
And this was no place for you and me to walk alone
On my grave, am I OK?
I'm sure I'm not
Ladies let me tell you about my love
She kept giving me more
But it wasn't enough
So understand
Now that I come to you
To understand my little self
To understand my little self
And Baby you be sweet, be sweet, be sweet
And Baby you be sweet, be sweet, be sweet
And Baby you be sweet, be sweet, be sweet
And Baby you be sweet, be sweet, be sweet
Writer: GREG DULLI, RICHARD MCCOLLUM
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Debonair
Hear me now and don't forget
I'm not the man my actions would suggest
A little boy, I'm tied to you
I fell apart
That's what I always do
This ain't about regret
My conscience can't be found
This time I won't repent
Somebody's going down
Feel it now and don't resist
This time the anger's better than the kiss
I must admit when so inclined
I tend to lose it than confront my mind
Cause it don't bleed and it don't breathe
It's locked its jaws and now it's swallowing
It's in our heart
It's in our head
It's in our love
Baby it's in our bed
Tonight I go to hell
For what I've done to you
This ain't about regret
It's when I tell the truth
And once again the monster speaks
Reveals his face and searches for release
A little boy is tied to you
Attracted only 'til it comes unglued
Cause it don't bleed and it don't breathe
It's locked its jaws and now it's swallowing
It's in our heart
It's in our head
It's in our love
Baby it's in our bed
Tonight I go to hell
For what I've done to you
This ain't about regret
It's when I tell the truth
Tonight I go to hell
For what I've done to you
This ain't about regret
I'm not the man my actions would suggest
A little boy, I'm tied to you
I fell apart
That's what I always do
This ain't about regret
My conscience can't be found
This time I won't repent
Somebody's going down
Feel it now and don't resist
This time the anger's better than the kiss
I must admit when so inclined
I tend to lose it than confront my mind
Cause it don't bleed and it don't breathe
It's locked its jaws and now it's swallowing
It's in our heart
It's in our head
It's in our love
Baby it's in our bed
Tonight I go to hell
For what I've done to you
This ain't about regret
It's when I tell the truth
And once again the monster speaks
Reveals his face and searches for release
A little boy is tied to you
Attracted only 'til it comes unglued
Cause it don't bleed and it don't breathe
It's locked its jaws and now it's swallowing
It's in our heart
It's in our head
It's in our love
Baby it's in our bed
Tonight I go to hell
For what I've done to you
This ain't about regret
It's when I tell the truth
Tonight I go to hell
For what I've done to you
This ain't about regret
Writer: GREG DULLI
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
When We Two Parted
Baby, I see you've made yourself all sick again
Didn't I do a good job of pretending
You're saying that the victim doesn't want it to end
Good, I get to dress up and play the assassin again
It's my favorite
It's got personality
I should have seen this shit coming down the hall
Every night I spent in that bed with you facing the wall
If I could have only once heard you scream
To feel you were alive
Instead of watching you abandoning yourself
Baby, you can open your eyes now
And please allow me to present you with a clue
If I inflict the pain
Then baby only I can comfort you, yeah
Out of the night we come
And into the night we go
If it starts to hurt you
Then you have to say so
Out of the night we come
And into the night we go
If it starts to hurt you
Then you have to say so
Out of the night we come
And into the night we go
If it starts to hurt you
Then you have to say so
Didn't I do a good job of pretending
You're saying that the victim doesn't want it to end
Good, I get to dress up and play the assassin again
It's my favorite
It's got personality
I should have seen this shit coming down the hall
Every night I spent in that bed with you facing the wall
If I could have only once heard you scream
To feel you were alive
Instead of watching you abandoning yourself
Baby, you can open your eyes now
And please allow me to present you with a clue
If I inflict the pain
Then baby only I can comfort you, yeah
Out of the night we come
And into the night we go
If it starts to hurt you
Then you have to say so
Out of the night we come
And into the night we go
If it starts to hurt you
Then you have to say so
Out of the night we come
And into the night we go
If it starts to hurt you
Then you have to say so
Writer: GREG DULLI, RICHARD MCCOLLUM
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Fountain And Fairfax
Angel, I'm sober
I got off that stuff
Just like you asked me to
Angel, come closer
So the stink of your lies
Sinks into my memory
She said baby, forever, but I don't like to be alone
So don't stay away too long
Baby, forever, well it's Tuesday now
I hear him breathing inside of her
Let me drink
Let me tie off
I'm really slobbering now
Let it stink
Let it dry up
It's impossible
How?
Angel, forever
Don't you promise me what you cannot deliver
Angel, together
I'll be waiting for you on Fountain and Fairfax
I got off that stuff
Just like you asked me to
Angel, come closer
So the stink of your lies
Sinks into my memory
She said baby, forever, but I don't like to be alone
So don't stay away too long
Baby, forever, well it's Tuesday now
I hear him breathing inside of her
Let me drink
Let me tie off
I'm really slobbering now
Let it stink
Let it dry up
It's impossible
How?
Angel, forever
Don't you promise me what you cannot deliver
Angel, together
I'll be waiting for you on Fountain and Fairfax
Writer: GREG DULLI
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
What Jail Is Like
I'll warn you, if cornered
I'll scratch my way out of the pen
Wired, an animal
The claustrophobia begins
You think I'm scared of girls
Well maybe, but I'm not afraid of you
You wanna scare me then you'll cling to me no matter what I do
Tell you a secret
We shared a needle once or twice
I loved her, she loved me
We slept together a couple of times
You think I'm proud of this
Well maybe, but the shame you never lose
Infatuated with a lunatic and cornered by the muse
And it goes down every night
This must be what jail is really like
And I will scratch my way out of this pen, again
Lonely? Or maybe
Or maybe not, it all depends
Your ideal, your image
Your definition of a friend
If what you're shoveling is company
Then I'd rather be alone
Resentment always goes
Much further than it was supposed to go
And it goes down every night
This must be what jail is really like
And I will scratch my way out of this pen
And I will fall back into it again
I'll warn you, if cornered
I'll scratch my way out of the pen
Wired, an animal
I'll scratch my way out of the pen
Wired, an animal
The claustrophobia begins
You think I'm scared of girls
Well maybe, but I'm not afraid of you
You wanna scare me then you'll cling to me no matter what I do
Tell you a secret
We shared a needle once or twice
I loved her, she loved me
We slept together a couple of times
You think I'm proud of this
Well maybe, but the shame you never lose
Infatuated with a lunatic and cornered by the muse
And it goes down every night
This must be what jail is really like
And I will scratch my way out of this pen, again
Lonely? Or maybe
Or maybe not, it all depends
Your ideal, your image
Your definition of a friend
If what you're shoveling is company
Then I'd rather be alone
Resentment always goes
Much further than it was supposed to go
And it goes down every night
This must be what jail is really like
And I will scratch my way out of this pen
And I will fall back into it again
I'll warn you, if cornered
I'll scratch my way out of the pen
Wired, an animal
Writer: GREG DULLI
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
My Curse
You hurt me baby
I flinch so when you do
Your kisses scourge me
Hyssop in your perfume
Oh, I do not fear you
And slave I only use
As a word to describe
The special way I feel for you
You look like me
And I look like no one else
We need no other
As long as we have ourselves
But I won't cry about it
Every time you get obsessed
Every time I came undressed
All ugly thoughts are gone
I'm sure we'll all be friends
I'll try to break your back
You'll try to make amends
Curse softly to me baby
And smother me in your love
Temptation comes not from hell but from above
And there's blood on my teeth
When I bite my tongue to speak
Zip me down, kiss me there
I can smile now
You won't find out ever
Hurt me baby
I flinch so when you do
Your kisses scourge me
Hyssop in your perfume
Oh I do not fear you
And slave I only use as a word to describe
The way I feel when I'm with you
If I have to lie about it everytime I came undressed
I flinch so when you do
Your kisses scourge me
Hyssop in your perfume
Oh, I do not fear you
And slave I only use
As a word to describe
The special way I feel for you
You look like me
And I look like no one else
We need no other
As long as we have ourselves
But I won't cry about it
Every time you get obsessed
Every time I came undressed
All ugly thoughts are gone
I'm sure we'll all be friends
I'll try to break your back
You'll try to make amends
Curse softly to me baby
And smother me in your love
Temptation comes not from hell but from above
And there's blood on my teeth
When I bite my tongue to speak
Zip me down, kiss me there
I can smile now
You won't find out ever
Hurt me baby
I flinch so when you do
Your kisses scourge me
Hyssop in your perfume
Oh I do not fear you
And slave I only use as a word to describe
The way I feel when I'm with you
If I have to lie about it everytime I came undressed
Writer: GREG DULLI
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Now You Know
Since you're aware of the consequences
I can pimp what's left of this wreck on you
Bit into a rotten one, now didn't you?
And they watch you chew, chew, chew
And they watch you chew, chew, chew
Chew it up
Did you have blinders on, my dear
Or were you just willing?
Or was I unaware of the damage a lie can do?
I thought you knew, knew, knew
I thought you knew, knew, knew
Listen up
Drive it off
Punctuate it with a smoker's cough
Light it up
Stick around
I told you somebody's going down now
Spit it up
Get it out
Let me kiss that beautiful mouth
Tell me is it the same?
My sweetness, my everything
And is this condescending a comfort at all to you?
Oh, we bit into a rotten one
Now didn't we?
Well, baby now it's through, through, through
Now it's through, through, through
Now it's through, through, through
Now it's through
I can pimp what's left of this wreck on you
Bit into a rotten one, now didn't you?
And they watch you chew, chew, chew
And they watch you chew, chew, chew
Chew it up
Did you have blinders on, my dear
Or were you just willing?
Or was I unaware of the damage a lie can do?
I thought you knew, knew, knew
I thought you knew, knew, knew
Listen up
Drive it off
Punctuate it with a smoker's cough
Light it up
Stick around
I told you somebody's going down now
Spit it up
Get it out
Let me kiss that beautiful mouth
Tell me is it the same?
My sweetness, my everything
And is this condescending a comfort at all to you?
Oh, we bit into a rotten one
Now didn't we?
Well, baby now it's through, through, through
Now it's through, through, through
Now it's through, through, through
Now it's through
Writer: GREG DULLI
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
I Keep Coming Back
I wanna leave you
But I just can't leave you
I keep coming back for a little more of your love
I wanna go away, but honey, I just can't stay
I keep coming back for a little more of your love
And I can't understand when I try as hard as anyone can
Each night I dream, I wake up and scream
Aah baby, that I love you woman, I love you
Oh baby, I realise I treated you wrong
But I'm so sorry, let me come back were I belong
You see I'm your fool, I lost my cool
Ah baby, that I love you woman, I love you
And I wouldn't lie
Oh, but I lay down and die
Oh baby, that I love you woman
Oh baby, that I love you woman
That I love you woman
I love you
But I just can't leave you
I keep coming back for a little more of your love
I wanna go away, but honey, I just can't stay
I keep coming back for a little more of your love
And I can't understand when I try as hard as anyone can
Each night I dream, I wake up and scream
Aah baby, that I love you woman, I love you
Oh baby, I realise I treated you wrong
But I'm so sorry, let me come back were I belong
You see I'm your fool, I lost my cool
Ah baby, that I love you woman, I love you
And I wouldn't lie
Oh, but I lay down and die
Oh baby, that I love you woman
Oh baby, that I love you woman
That I love you woman
I love you
Writer: GREG DULLI, RICHARD MCCOLLUM
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Original Writer and Publisher
Gentlemen is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band the Afghan Whigs. It was recorded primarily at Ardent Studios in Memphis, with the band's frontman Greg Dulli producing, and released on October 5, 1993, by Elektra Records.
Written by Dulli on tour for the band's 1992 album Congregation, Gentlemen is composed as a troubling song cycle that follows a toxic relationship as it ends. Noted for Dulli's grimly acerbic lyrics and influences from soul music, it is considered by critics to be the Afghan Whigs' greatest record, an essential release from the 1990s, and among the best-written breakup albums.
On the lyrical content:
"I think people get kinda disappointed when I say the album isn't all autobiographical, and I'm like, God, that's kind of mean, to think something like that. Why would you want poor little me to go through all that? It's like anything else. You use some license. It's observation. Maybe it started out with something autobiographical, and then you want to blow it up into something bigger."
— Greg Dulli (1994)
The album was remastered in deluxe format for its 21st anniversary and covered extensively in a dedicated volume of the 33⅓ music book series.
Genre(s):
Alternative rock, post-punk, hard rock, R&B, soul, grunge Written by Dulli on tour for the band's 1992 album Congregation, Gentlemen is composed as a troubling song cycle that follows a toxic relationship as it ends. Noted for Dulli's grimly acerbic lyrics and influences from soul music, it is considered by critics to be the Afghan Whigs' greatest record, an essential release from the 1990s, and among the best-written breakup albums.
On the lyrical content:
"I think people get kinda disappointed when I say the album isn't all autobiographical, and I'm like, God, that's kind of mean, to think something like that. Why would you want poor little me to go through all that? It's like anything else. You use some license. It's observation. Maybe it started out with something autobiographical, and then you want to blow it up into something bigger."
— Greg Dulli (1994)
The album was remastered in deluxe format for its 21st anniversary and covered extensively in a dedicated volume of the 33⅓ music book series.
Producer(s): Greg Dulli
Length: 48:56
Released: October 5th, 1993
Year: 1993