Tag Archives: World Party

Republic of Letters

World Party: Is It Like Today?

Many years ago
He looked out through a glassless window
All that he could see was Babylon
Beautiful green fields and dreams
And learn to measure the stars
But there was a worry in his heart

He said
How could it come to this?
I’m really worried about living
How could it come to this?
Yeah, I really wanna know about this

Is it like today?
Uh, uh-uh

Then there came a day
Moved out ‘cross the Mediterranean
Came to rest on isles and the Greek young men
And with their silver beards they laughed
At the unknown of the universe
They could just sit and guess God’s name

But they said
How could it come to this?
We’re really worried about living
How could it come to this?
Yeah, we really want to know about this

Is it like today?
Oh, oh-oh

Then there followed days of kings
Empires and revolution
Blood just looks the same
When you open the veins
But sometimes it was faith, power or reason as the cornerstone
But the furrowed brow has never left his face

He said
How could it come to this?
We’re really living in a landslide
How could it come to this?
Yeah we really wanna know about this

Is it like today?
Oh, oh-oh

Then there came a day
Man packed up, flew off from the planet
He went to the moon (to the moon)
To the moon (to the moon)
Now he’s out in space, hey, fixing all the problems
He comes face to face with God

He says
How could it come to this
I’m really worried ’bout my creation
How did it come to this
You’re really killing me you know

It isn’t just today
Oh, oh-oh
Is it like today?
Eh? Ah
Is it like today?
Oh, bang
Ooh

Many years ago
He looked out through a glassless window
Didn’t understand much what he saw

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Karl Edmond De Vere Wallinger

Is It Like Today? lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Republic of Letters

World Party: Is It Too Late?

Talk about biting the hand that feeds
Sitting there watching as it bleeds
Try your best in the winter light
When it really should be summer night

Is it too late, baby? Too late now
Too late, baby? Too late now
Too late for you to realize
Everything could have been alright

Is it been to long? Yeah
Is it too long now
Is it too long for you to make the change?
Gotta love yourself to make a better day

I hate the way you don’t want to move
What’s the matter?
Money rules the groove now
What we’re doing here today
Won’t make the bad life go away

You gotta grow the beard
Find the doubt
And maybe you’ll work
Something out, hey

Is it too long baby? Too long now yeah
Too long for you to make the change
You got to love yourself
To make a better day, better day

Look out

And recognize your soul
And everything’s alright
You gotta see the whole
And everything’s alright

Come on give yourself a break
Everything’s alright
We’ll be breathing deep
And everything’s alright

Well, come on come on come on
Everything’s alright

In a dream I was crossing African plains
And elephant’s graveyard, a bone dry place
And I was wondering why there was no more rain
And in a pile of bones, I saw your face

Is it too late baby?
Is it too late now? Yeah

It’s aright
It’s alright
It’s alright

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Karl Edmond De Vere Wallinger

Is It Too Late lyrics © Polygram Music Publishing Ltd. Gb

Republic of Letters

Karl Wallinger, RIP

I wish I had profound things to write after the untimely death (he was only 66) of World Party’s Karl Wallinger. Though I’ve listened to Goodbye Jumbo too many times to count, I’ve never written about Wallinger or World Party. This seems bizarre to me, especially as I regard Goodbye Jumbo as one of the finest pop statements ever conceived.

My great friend, Kevin McCormick, first discovered World Party and turned them on to me back in 1989 or 1990. While I don’t think that Wallinger ever quite topped Goodbye Jumbo, I do very much like everything he recorded

From the opening notes of the album, Goodbye Jumbo, Wallinger invites us into his basement for a private concert. At least that’s how the album feels to me.

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Wallinger somehow mixed anxiety with hope, turning us onto the larger world and finding our humanity within it.

Though it came on a later album, Bang, my favorite Wallinger song is his ode to western civilization, “Is it Like Today?” I always encourage my western heritage students to listen to it.

Again, I have nothing profound to say, except thank you, Karl. You’ve definitely made my world brighter over the past thirty-four years. May you rest in peace.