I was born in my mother's bed in a downstairs room
12 Melville Road in Birmingham
I was shocked to see the novelty
Of a litlle old fat bald thing, it was my old man

I was born in the back of a mobile shack
And my father said to me "son, I'm gonna call you James"

Working in a shop is a dead end job
I left after eight weeks, it was just as well
'Cause coming up behind me like a high speed train
Was the New York City new wave, Verlaine/Hell

I was born in the back of a mobile shack
And my mother said to me "son, oh play guitar"
Play it boy

Now I've got it easy
Doing the things that I always wanted
But it's not enough
I'm gonna shoot out of this decade in a spaceship
Failing that, a hippy bus

I was born in the back of a mobile shack
And my father said to me "son, I'm gonna call you James"
I was born in the back of a mobile shack
And my father said to me "son, I'm gonna call you James"
James
Call you James
I was born in the back of a mobile shack
And my father said to me "son, I'm gonna call you James"
I was born in the back of a mobile shack
And my father said to me "son, I'm gonna call you James"
James
Call you James

Oh, James
Call you James
Yeah, James

I was born in the back of a mobile shack
I was born in the back of a mobile shack
I was born in the back of a mobile shack
I was born in the back of a mobile shack