City Boy ‎– Dinner at the Ritz (1977)

Dinner at the Ritz is the second album by English art-rock sextet City Boy, released in March 1977 on Vertigo (UK, Europe) and Mercury (US).

A1. “Momma’s Boy”

3:43 | hard rock |
Written-By – Lol Mason, Steve Broughton

They tell me he’s a menace to man, this boy of mine
They say they’re gonna take him away, make him tow the line
Don’t take him away, Don’t take him away

A handsome and intelligent child, he’s nobody’s fool
They showed him round the chemistry lab and later lost the school
Don’t take him away, Don’t take him away

Chorus
Cause he’s a Momma’s boy, always been good to his
Momma that boy has always been good,cause
He’s a Momma’s boy, always been good to his
Momma that boy, he never does what he should
We say Momma!

It’s almost like holiday camp, if you’re nice to me
I’m what they call your commandant, I’m here to please
Leave him with me, leave him with me

Chorus
Cause he’s a Momma’s boy, always been good to his
Momma that boy has always been good, cause
He’s a Momma’s boy, always been good to his
Momma that boy, he never does what he should
We say Momma!

A2. “Walk on the Water”

3:42 | funk rock | talk box
Written by Lol Mason, Max Thomas, Mike Slamer

I saw him selling scenes from illegal dreams
The dude with an eye for a dime
Michael, my disciple…

Then there was John the faithless one
He was a sunny side boy on a money call
Colossal apostle…

They found us in a tent by the river Trent
We stood in the stream, killing bream
An old-time revival…

Chorus
Why don’cha!
Take a walk on the water, take a walk on the water
Take a walk on the water…Chilly, chilly cold
Take a walk on the water, take a walk on the water
Take a walk on the water…Chilly, chilly

Hey Jude with Your eyes giving guilt to mine
You caught me turning the water to wine
Water Divining

In a massive country pad
Slowly going mad, gimme a banner headline
And a space in “TIME” “The boy has the Power.”

Chorus

So here we had three believers in me
With virgin white robes and mystical strobes
Mazuma time with a neon sign
Forget the tent now the money’s spent

A3. “Narcissus”

5:26 | hard rock, art rock | sinister, epic
Written by Lol Mason, Max Thomas

Lying here beside myself with joy
I am too much for my mirror
Mama said she wished me dead
Called me bad, too bad…

I fell in love as a boy
Opened my eyes and saw my shadow
With eyebrows raised, they searched my face
And found my mate, too late…

Chorus
Don’t need no audience round me I’m fond of my own company
Who wants the birds and the bees when I’ve always got me up my sleeve
Who said that no mans an island surrounded by nothing but sea I
I tell you he’s wrong and misguided I stand here surrounded by me

(Breaking up the mirror, you’re a sinner, you’re a sinner
…Breaking up the mirror; you’re a sinner you’re a
Sinner. . .)

“Come down to earth” They called up to me
“We have a bed to ease your journey, crazy fools are born to bruise
But we’ve the cure for both of you
Don’t need no audience round me I’m fond of my own company
Who wants the birds and the bees when I’ve always got
Me up my sleeve (etc)

A4. “Dinner at the Ritz”

6:41 | art rock | multi-movement
Written by Lol Mason, Max Thomas

Do you think that we could risk an evening at the Ritz!
Another shabby hotel room would really blitz my ego
Why must we meet like this! Sharing illicit kisses
You turn a blind eye to the fact that your leaving my heart in pieces

I know a little cafe noir where we can sit and count the stars
We can stay till the early hours, supposing of course they allow us
And when they play “As Time Goes By” memories seem to hide here
And while the world is deep in slumber we’ll dance the the eternal rumba

Won’t you come away with me
Leave it all behind
There’s a happy ending somewhere
Between the lines…

What more can you ask of me, yet another Penthouse suite!
Going through my dimes and quarters, slipping away like water
So through her expensive tastes your pockets have gone to waste
And I can tell by the way you lie there you’re only a paper tiger

No more early mornings as I gaze in Your eyes
No more hidden kisses and sleepy lullabies…

I’m constantly aware of the things we can never share
At the stork club some chic little pub that I could never afford…
But I wish that I could bare your ultra feminine flair
For your accent on current events over dinner drives me spare…

Dinner at the Ritz, I’d be pleased to make an appointment
I’ll be at your door an hour before we arranged

B1. “Goodbye Blue Monday”

5:01 | funk rock, art rock | multi-movement
Written-By – Lol Mason, Max Thomas, Mike Slamer

Sign here sunshine never to look back again
Your star sign tells me it’s all in the plan
Let’s talk business over a bottle of wine
Feel dizzy! Seemingly this is the time…

Goodbye blue Monday no-one to drag me out of bed
No more signing on at ten
I’ll be a starving star instead

Hey all you creepers just form a line to kiss my ass
I’m telling you this dude’s got class
Just bow your head and raise your glass

Goodbye blue Monday, this boy needs an entourage
Something to fill the third garage
Maybe they’ll auction Ceasar’s barge…

Watch band-wagons, fashion is forcing the man to hang on
Helplessly shaking his can…
Still more TV. drinks in a nameless motel
Promoting a gala performance in hell

And so the press say that they’re growing tired of me
To hell with friends and N.M.E’s
They only write those things to tease

You never guessed that I was in it for the bread
I only played to get ahead
See where the hype has finally led

Goodbye blue Monday no-one to drag me out of bed
No more signing on at ten
I’II be a starving star instead…]’m a leader
I’m a leader (Repeated)
Bye-bye, bye blue Monday
Bye-bye, bye blue Monday…(Repeated)

B2. “The Violin”

7:20 | folk, ballad | baroque
Written-By – Lol Mason, Steve Broughton

A kindly word for friends and strangers almost anyone she meets
A lonely house at the end of the road full of silly memories
And when the locals laugh at her she turns a blind eye to it all
She sees the irony and so what no-one really meant it
A grey old lady, touched and lonesome, just a little bit eccentric
But no-one sees the secrets hidden in a diary stowed beneath the stairs

Chorus
And she sat that night in her chair by the fire hearing his violin
Tears appeared and burned her cheeks as he caressed every string
As the dawn arrives to hurt her eyes the coals are growing dim
And when the room grows cold she still recalls every inch of him

Germaine was a leggy lady, barely old enough to know how
To hold the right knife at the table it was difficult but somehow
She caught the eye of an evening pirate and he sailed his way into her heart

Her Valentino played violin till it was well into the night
Enjoyed her evening oh so much although she never ate a bite
So Cinderella lost her slipper to a Lilting, Latin Gigolo

Chorus
And he stood that night by the tableside playing his violin
Tears arrived in Germaine’s eyes as he caressed every string
As the day appeared with the tables cleared, she was still there listening
And she rose to go with her eyes still closed, but she paused to glance at him
There was no-one there but her and as she sadly took her fur, she heard…
A little weary eyed, but smiling she wandered home…
Alone

Then every evening she came back to her table by the window

B3. “State Secrets – A Thriller”

7:33 | art rock, suite | multi-movement
Written-By – Lol Mason, Max Thomas, Mike Slamer

I – State Secrets

Got myself a secret in a briefcase
Desperation rendezvous and don’t be late
Mata Hari maiden, milky silky stocking
Freezen’ war lolly, going iron curtain shopping

Civil service sandwiches and there’s no bar
I’d much prefer an ounce or two of caviare
There’s a plane just leaving, it’s gonna take me there
Something tells me that Moscow’s hip this time of year

Chorus
State secrets straight from my heart
Aaah they make you shiver
State secrets straight from my heart
Aaah C’mon deliver

Take myself a long awaited holiday
One with all advantages of extra pay
Make a Kremlin cutie for to be my comrade
And if the streets are paved with roubles then I’II stay

Chorus
State secrets straight from my heart
Aaah they make you shiver
State secrets straight from myheart
Aaah C’mon deliver

II – Heavy Breathing

He’s not the type of guy that you’d recognise
There’s nothing to suggest that he’s a prize winner
His only claim to fame is a plaque above his bed says
He’s a good boy
He’s not the sort of man you could easily like
You can’t exactly say that he’s a nice guy
His only one delight is to see her late at night before the
Curtains are drawn

Chorus
Oooh heavy breathing he’s out of control
Oooh heavy breathing he’d sell you his soul
You’ll find him in the waiting room just wasting time
Fumbling in his pockets for some loose change
His shoes are even older than the chip upon his shoulder
You’ll find him easily bribed

He really feels that detante is a dirty word
He’d gladly throw a spanner in the skoda
You’ve got to catch this guy before he reaches
Chou-En-Lai
That’s him succinctly described
Chorus
Oooh heavy breathing he’s out of control
Oooh heavy breathing he’d sell you his soul

III – Spring In Peking

Can I interest you…in a lychee nut
Through your decadent yearning they say Rome is still
Burning
There’s a perfect view when your eyes are shut
Please ignore the warnings there’s no against yawning

When your rice-wined eyes…meet the rising sun
You’ll forget you’re in prison as the paddy fields glisten

Chorus
Spring in Peking where the wind meets the sea
Just follow me to the land of the free
Spring in Peking Aaah…
Now your free to move…anyplace you want
But if ever we lost you there’s a bug in your nostril
We’ve a lot to lose if we found you gone
Consider what it would cost you if the other side got you
Here’s your home from home called the gilded cage
All at peace and contented these are words we invented

Chorus

Spring in Peking where the wind meets the sea
Just follow me to the land of the free
Spring in Peking Aaah..

Tracklist:
A1. Momma’s Boy (3:43)
A2. Walk on the Water (3:42)
A3. Narcissus (5:26)
A4. Dinner at the Ritz (6:41)
B1. Goodbye Blue Monday (5:01)
B2. The Violin (7:20)
B3. State Secrets – A Thriller (7:33)
|i. State Secrets
|ii. Heavy Breathing
|iii. Spring in Peking

Credits:
Lol Mason — lead vocals, backup vocals
Steve Broughton — lead vocals, backup vocals, autoharp
Max Thomas — vocals, keyboards
Mike Slamer — electric guitars
Chris Dunn — bass, acoustic guitar
Roger Kent — drums, percussion

Mutt Lange — producer
Duncan the Dog — accordion
Dave Jackson — saxophone
Van der Graaf Generator — vocals
Jack Holstein — fiddle
B.J. Cole — pedal steel
R.J. Lange — bass
Fiachra Trench — piano

Sources: