Wrong Place, Right Time

Lyrics

(1)

Wrong place right time
I used to think I could do what I wanted to
Right time for me alone
Walk the streets of complete full homes

Wrong place, but I'm bound
To stick with what I intend to see through (2)
See you, in wrong place
Right time but there's miles in between

I keep on knocking but there's no bugger in
I have to sing gothic, boo hoo

See me, a new reign
A new reign not to be forgotten
Right place, right time
Right time and Britain is mine
That day, on way
And all peasants will know Oranj (3)

Peasants smile: big shine
Very happy under rule of Oranj  (4)
You can whine under rule of Oranj

Mike Clark: sez I bastard (5)
He is deranged, I am William of Oranj
Go insane in Holland!
I can't wait to taste anthrax turf again (6)
Big Wren: homage Oranj  (7)
I am Oranj I have paid dues to the one
Who's #1 in heaven
As in Heaven so in Britain
(By Oranj I am Oranj I am one)

Can't dance can't sing
Cursed forever is William of Oranj
Can't dance can't sing
Cursed forever is William of Oranj
Can't dance can't sing
Cursed forever is William of Oranj
Can't dance can't sing
Cursed forever is William of Oranj
Cursed forever is William of Oranj
Cursed forever is William of Oranj
Cursed forever is William of Oranj
Cursed forever is William of Oranj

Notes

1. The riff here somewhat resembles "Gloomy" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, which may be a coincidence. In 1973, Dr. John scored a hit with a song with almost the same title ("Right Place, Wrong Time"), although musically and lyrically there is no resemblance.  

^

2. The House of Orange's motto is Je Maintiendrai ("I will maintain") (thanks to Nairng).

^

3. The William of Orange theme of I Am Kurious, Oranj is loosely woven into many of the songs on the album, and in many ways this song seems to nod to it without succumbing entirely.  

^

4. From Nairng: I watched one of those crappy Lucy Worsley history progs which described William riding through the UK on a white horse, being welcomed by peasants lining the streets in town after town. In reality, the revolution wasn't quite as "bloodless" as that, but I think that's the popular view which MES is drawing on for the main thrust of this lyric.

^

3. Michael Clarke is the ballet dancer and choreographer whose ballet, I Am Curious Orange, was the occasion for the composition of much of the music on the Fall's soundtrack album I Am Kurious Orange.  The Fall played live behind the dancers.  

^

4. Saith Wikipedia, "Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis." There isn't any obvious connection to Holland, or to William of Orange.

^

5. This could be a reference to Christopher Wren (1632-1723), a contemporary of William III, who hired Wren to remodel Hampton Court Palce. Wren also helped to design Kensington Palace, which had been begun during William's regime, although his involvement seems to have begun after the monarch's death.  

^

Comments (17)

Robert
  • 1. Robert | 02/05/2013
"Can't dance, can't sing / Cursed forever"

Possibly refers to William being asthmatic all his life.

http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/stuart_6.htm
dannyno
  • 2. dannyno | 24/07/2014
"Mike Clarke"

It'll be "Mike Clark", won't it?
dannyno
  • 3. dannyno | 15/03/2015
Wrong Place Right Time seems to have been wrongly allocated to the Wonderful and Frightening World... album....
bzfgt
  • 4. bzfgt | 28/03/2015
I figured the time was right...
Gus
  • 5. Gus (link) | 13/10/2015
From the viewpoint of reactions to Orange Marsh in Northern Ireland in July, the "Cursed forever ..." describes some significant political backgrounds.
bzfgt
  • 6. bzfgt | 23/11/2015
Gus, could you expand on that comment a little?
bzfgt
  • 7. bzfgt | 23/11/2015
And do I take you correctly to mean "Orange March"? I know nothing of "Orange Marsh"...
dannyno
  • 8. dannyno | 01/01/2017
"can't dance, can't sing".

I wonder if MES had been listening to Pete n Dud?

http://www.phespirit.info/derekandclive/ad_nauseam_04.htm


(sings and plonks piano:) #Oh, I can't sing and I can't dance 'n' anything else as well!


A red herring, most likely.
bzfgt
  • 9. bzfgt | 04/01/2017
Yeah, I was always reminded of Phil Collins....but I just googled it and MES got there first, at least before that particular slice of dreariness.
Martin
  • 10. Martin | 21/03/2017
"Can't dance, can't sing": this is slightly reminiscent of an opinion expressed after an early screen test by Fred Astaire ( “Can’t act. Slightly bald. Can dance a little”).

http://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/08/07/bald/
Glowjobs
  • 11. Glowjobs | 04/03/2018
"In 1973, Dr. John scored a hit with a song with the same title, although musically and lyrically there is no resemblance. "

No actually, REVERSED title kids
bzfgt
  • 12. bzfgt (link) | 17/03/2018
Thanks for the correction, I must be dyslexic. Or maybe not, since if I simply reversed them they'd be reversed just in the opposite direction....maybe double dyslexic. No, then they'd be both correct....I got it, I'd 1.5 dyslexic...
Nairng
  • 13. Nairng (link) | 09/10/2018
"I'm bound to stick with what I intend to see through"
The House of Orange's motto is Je Maintiendrai (I will maintain).
"Walk the streets of complete full homes...see me, a new reign...peasants smile"
I watched one of those crappy Lucy Worsley history progs which described William riding through the UK on a white horse, being welcomed by peasants lining the streets in town after town. In reality, the revolution wasn't quite as "bloodless" as that, but I think that's the popular view which MES is drawing on for the main thrust of this lyric.
If you read the wiki page about his actual landing, you could probably construe some tortuous link to the title, but that might be somewhat forced.
Albion Inmate
  • 14. Albion Inmate | 18/09/2019
For years I've been mishearing 'Mike Clarke' as 'My Clock'
Geuz
  • 15. Geuz (link) | 08/04/2020
William of Oranj freed Britain form a Catholic take-over, and helped to install the laws to prevent papists from becoming king, and from Catholics to enter offices Parliament. Charles II was a particular hater of protestants, since his father was beheaded by Oliver Cromwell.

As a Dutchman, I have my doubts to whether him becoming king of England was a move that profited my country, because he moved the central bank from Amsterdam to London, and did nothing to prevent a papist take over of the Netherlands, although he still was Stadholder and thus also responsible for the Netherlands. His body-guards moved back to Holland after a while also. Not appreciated.

He may not be appreciated, also not by the description found here it seems, but was very important for international politics, and saved the lives of protestant Irish, who would have been murdered by Irish Catholics if he hadn't intervened. Catholics not being able to enter British government today, which was normal in all Northern European countries where Reformation had won, is very important. In the countries that where invaded by the papist agents Hitler and Napoleon, these laws where demolished. Mark's nationalism is very well placed.

Right place, wrong time, I could interpreted as, that such awake and somewhat peaceful revolution could be even more helpful today, where popery has taken over most countries again through espionage by the Jesuits. USA doesn't have any anti-papist laws, the ones that where placed after the murder of Abraham Lincoln by the Catholics where demolished in the 20th century.
Doom
  • 16. Doom | 13/12/2020
I still hear/mishear:

As in Heaven so in Britain = I said heaven's so inbred sir.
Nairng
  • 17. Nairng (link) | 06/06/2021
#1 in heaven - probably not a reference to the 1979 Sparks hit single & album, but still I cannot resist mentioning it

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