Over Bridges of Sighs
To rest my eyes in shades of green
Under Dreaming Spires
To Itchycoo Park, that's where I've been
(Chorus 1)
What did you do there? - I got high
What did you feel there? - Well I cried
But why the tears there? - I'll tell you why - yyyyy
It's all too beautiful, It's all too beautiful
It's all too beautiful, It's all too beautiful
It's all too beautiful
(Bridge)
I feel inclined to blow my mind
Get hung up, feed the ducks with a bun
They all come out to groove about
Be nice and have fun in the sun
I'll tell you what I'll do - What will you do?
I'd like to go there now with you
You can miss out school - What that be?
Why go to learn the words of fools?
(Chorus 2)
What will we do there? - We'll get high
What will we touch there? - We'll touch the sky
But why the tears there? I'll tell you why
It's all too beautiful, It's all too beautiful
It's all too beautiful, It's all too beautiful
It's all too beautiful
I feel inclined to blow my mind
Get hung up, feed the ducks with a bun
They all come out to groove about
Be nice and have fun in the sun
It's all to beautiful, It's all to beautiful
It's all to beautiful, It's all to beautiful [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/small_faces/itchycoo_park.html ]
Ronnie lane had the tune of an old hymn "god be in my head" in mind when he was writing itchycoo park. If you ever listen to both, you can hear the similarities in parts of the melodies. The lyrics, of course, were a collaboration between ronnie and band mate steve marriott. Ronnie had begun the words while visiting oxford and seeing the churches ("under dreaming spires") but the name of the song comes from a nickname for one of the local parks where steve played as a child. Probably little ilford park, but often debated, even by steve and ronnie. There were parts of the park in the 60s which were overgrown with nettles or "itchycoos" in local dialect. Lovers often came away with the itches after rendevous. There are also ponds in the park where ducks live. The whole atmosphere is one of young love in the 60s, skipping school, maybe smoking a bit of weed or taking some acid and having fun in the park, in all senses of the word. The bbc objected to the "we'll get high" lyrics, and steve marriott managed, in his inimitable style, to convince them that it referred to the swings in the park. As ian "mac" mclagan (the keyboardist in small faces) was heard to say "steve was full of s**t. "