Who Do You Think You Are

Written by: Ray Davies

Published by: Davray Music, Ltd.

Lyrics:

Who do you think you are?
A gallant rescuer?
A knight in shining armor?
A great adventurer?

Who do you think you are?
You walking tick-tock man
You just walked into my life
With no excuse or invitation

At least I should demand an explanation
An apology is too much to expect
From an egocentric pompous ignoramus
Who does not know the meaning of the word respect

Don't you realize what you are doing
Or even think about what you have done?
I really might consider even suing
You wretch, you boar, I've seen your type before

You come to the jungle with your big shotgun
Surrounded by lackeys, the great mighty one
Then cut off the head of the dead tiger
Another trophy to hang on the wall

Then you boast about all your great conquests
While your women retire from the room
While you sip at your port and play billiards
And reminisce about the wogs and colonial coons
Well here's a wog who's far superior to you

Your style, your views
Straight from The London Illustrated News
You speak your mind once you have read it in The Times
Ha ha, poo poo, your condescending attitude
Hee hee, ho ho, your pompous regimental pose

The cut of your jacket, the style of your hair
Just like the cover of Vanity Fair
And I suspect in your case it's pure vanity
Or ignorance or sheer pomposity
No, I think it's just stupidity

You think you're the conqueror and the hero
Defending the empire, a great [?] foe
You fight to the death, no matter the cost
But now you're here and you are lost

Your stubborn pride prevents the wrong admission
If you were drowning would you sink or swim
If swimming meant you'd made the wrong decision?
You'd sooner drown, now that is rather dear

If a man doesn't know he's a fool, then help him
If a man has no manners, he needs teaching
If he is asleep, then he needs waking
If he's stupid, he needs shaking
If he is lost, he needs a guide
And if a man's wise, then follow him

My father was the wisest man
So strong, yet so kind, but always a leader
He was born to rule this troubled land
Which he did like a warrior, like his father before him
But more than all his quality
He ruled over his subjects with compassion and dignity

The earth, the land, the sky, the sea
No, my father was all
Yesterday and tomorrow
And into eternity

Who do you think you are?
A walking tick-tock man?
A great adventurer?
A mechanical automaton?

Who do you think you are?
A gallant rescuer?
A knight in shining armor?
Why should I even care?

This song can be found on the following releases:

stereo mix, recorded 16 Mar, 1987 at (possibly) Calliope Studios, New York
80 Days (demos) 1987 UK Cassette


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