Lyrics for Good life, Dear Enemy?
 

Does anybody know a site that I can get the lyrics from (the good life) (I know that the songwriter was Barker)

Will, do you mean the song entitled, "The Good Life," by the group called "Dear Enemy," or do you mean some other group?

There *is* a song called "The Good Life" by "Dear Enemy," an Australian indie pop band from the '80s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dear_Enemy_(band).
I checked on elyrics.net and metrolyrics.com for lyrics for this song and was surprised to find none.

If this is the song for which you seek the lyrics, then the best I can recommend is to listen to and write down the words as you hear them in the video of the song below. Then if there are spots that are hard to understand, ask someone if she or he can figure out what was sung.

If this is the correct song and you post the words you hear, then I will listen and try fill in any missing blanks, if I can:

Dear Enemy - "The Good Life"

"The Good Life" by Dear Enemy lyrics
 

Yes, the song is called "The Good Life" by Dear Enemy.
These are the lyrics I can hear:
... By 6 each morning,
...for work his mouth still yawning,
leaves his wife to sleep the day alone, as he rides the train he thinks of the...(maybe 'day') he brings home, day after day, (maybe 'by') ten oclock it's time for tea break,...he plans the escape, a simple note could always break the news,.......thinks of the work he must do, and he only wants a good life, she wants to be a good wife, ...helping through the hard times...alone, so alone, at 5 o'clock it's time for leaving, runs for the train his mind still scheming, and...her life alone,...on his way home, and he only wants a good life, she wants to be a good wife, ...helping through the hard times, they only need it cause it...alone, so alone, ...(sounds like waaaah) he only wants a good life, she wants to be a good wife...helping through the hard times, they only need it cause it...alone, so alone, he only wants a good life, she wants to be a good wife,...Heeeee and sheeeee, they only want a good life, the good life, the good life, the good life, they only want a good life.

The main bit that bugs me is the first 1-3 words at the start, and the part of the chorus after "good wife". Thanks a lot for helping so far.

Hi there, Will. I see the thread got moved to a more appropriate section by a moderator. The songwriter lyrics forum is intended for original lyrics written by members, so that is the reason we are now here in the "Name That Tune" section.

I took the lyrics you could hear and added those that I heard. I think now we have most of them, except for a few words that sound mumbled to me or that I just don't recognize. Maybe they are Australian slang! :D Hopefully some other detective member will listen to the video and fill in the blanks. You're welcome for the help.

It's a rather catchy song and also a sad one: it's about a man who feels caught in his life and wants to leave his wife, I think. After listening to the song several times, trying to decipher the lyrics, I find it is starting to get stuck in my head like a lot of good '80s pop songs do. :)

Here you go:

* * * * *

Dear Enemy - "The Good Life"

He hears the alarm at six each morning,
gets up for work with his mouth still yawning,
leaves his wife to sleep the day alone.

As he rides the train he thinks of
the pay he brings home
day after day.

At ten o'clock it's time for tea break.
He's ___ -ing his handy plan for escape.
A simple note could always break the news.

___ of ____ at last as he thinks
of the the work he must do.

And he only wants a good life.
She wants to be a good wife.
[She's got to admire, ?] help him through the hard times.
They only need it cause he feels so alone,
so alone.

At 5 o'clock it's time for leaving,
runs for the train, his mind still scheming
and she's there to face her life alone.

He hesitates but once again
he's on his way home.

And he only wants a good life.
She wants to be a good wife.
[She's got to admire, ?] help him through the hard times.
They only need it cause he feels so alone,
so alone.

(Waaaah)
He only wants a good life.
She wants to be a good wife.
[She's got to admire, ?] help him through the hard times.
They only need it cause he feels so alone.

He only wants a good life.
She wants to be a good wife,
helps him through the hard times
because he feels so alone.

He and she, they only want the good life,
the good life, the good life, the good life,
they only want the good life.

Thanks so much for the help!
I'm satisfied knowing most of the lyrics now.

If anybody else is reading this thread, it would be interesting to know what you think the blank spots in these lyrics are:


He hears the alarm at six each morning,
Gets up for work with his mouth still yawning,
leaves his wife to sleep the day alone.
As he rides the train he thinks of the pay he brings home day after day.
At ten o'clock it's time for tea break. He's ___ -ing his handy plans the escape.
A simple note could always break the news. ___ ___ ____ at last as he thinks of the the work he must do. And he only wants a good life.
She wants to be a good wife, ____ ____ ____ help him through the hard times.
They only need it cause he feels so alone, so alone.
At 5 o'clock it's time for leaving,
runs for the train, his mind still scheming
and she's there to face her life alone. He hesitates but once again he's on his way home.
And he only wants a good life. She wants to be a good wife.
She's got to __ help him through the hard times.
They only need it cause he feels so alone, so alone.
(Waaaah)
He only wants a good life.
She wants to be a good wife.
She's got to __ help him through the hard times.
They only need it cause he feels so alone.
He only wants the good life.
She wants to be a good wife, helps him through the hard times, because he feels so alone.
He and she, they only want the good life, the good life, the good life, the good life, they only want the good life.

*To do this follow the YouTube link above.

It's "Scotch and dry" help him through the hard times. Happens to be my favourite drink - especially from this era. Also he's "cupping" his hands.

If you like this song you will probably also appreciate "Computer One" another hit Dear Enemy had here in Australia in about 1984. Great song.

If you still want to know what the lyrics are - here they are (I think)

------------------------------
Dear Enemy
The Good Life
(Les Barker)

He hits the alarm at six each morning,
Gets up for work with his mouth's still yawning,
Leaves his wife to sleep the day alone.
As he rides the train he thinks of the pay he brings her home
Day after day

By ten o'clock it's time for tea break.
His cup in his hands, he plans the escape.
A simple note could always break the news.
Lines of thought are lost as he thinks of the work he must do.

And he only wants a good life.
She wants to be a good wife,
Scotch and rye help them through the hard times
They only need it cause they feels so alone, so alone.

At 5 o'clock it's time for leaving,
Runs for the train, his mind still scheming
Could she stand to face her life alone
He hesitates but once again he's on his way home.


And he only wants a good life.
She wants to be a good wife,
Scotch and rye help them through the hard times
They only need it cause they feels so alone, so alone.

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it.

Landed the vinyl of this album and there were lyrics printed on the inner sleeve. Compared cupidstunts lyrics from the 3/6/14 post, and they're correct.