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A Sermon Lyrics

When you reach number ten
And think the struggle ends
But it ain't the end
It's only a trend

You have to unbend
'Cause it's only a trend
Don't lose all your friends
Don't make heroes end

When you reach number eight it ain't no pearly gate
'Cause it won't satiate your growing appetite
You can ply your trade and push your crusade
Emancipate or indoctrinate, but the
Traps are all laid for any honest crusade
Your old values will fade as you struggle to make the grade
As you struggle to make the grade
As you struggle to make the grade
You needn't bother

When you hit number four you're almost through the door
But there's a whole lot more you just can't ignore
The telephone's sure, you know the score
But don't let this uproar dissipate your encore
It's written in the news how you paid your dues
But you've no excuse for the people you abuse

When you reach number one you can beat your drum
You can sack your roadies in Birmingham
When your record is platinum, you can stick it to the bath,
To the wall like you've always planned
It's written in the news how you paid your dues
There's no excuse for the people you abuse

When you reach to the top
Who do you abuse?
No excuse
For the people you abuse

{fade}

You've got no excuse
For the people you abuse
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Cover art for A Sermon lyrics by Police, The

Stewart's father was actually Miles Copeland Jr. (Stewart's brother is Miles Copeland III). To paraphrase Al Pacino in "Scent of a woman", this probably makes Stewart's grandfather Miles Copeland Sr. :)

Cover art for A Sermon lyrics by Police, The

When you reach to the top Who do you abuse? No excuse For the people you abuse

{fade}

You've got no excuse For the people you abuse

Cover art for A Sermon lyrics by Police, The

Oh! When I first read these lyrics, maybe about 20 years ago, I interpreted it as being typical Police deprecation of religion, just far more cynical than what's usual, but clearly it's just another song like Peanuts: about the music/celebrity industry.

Cover art for A Sermon lyrics by Police, The

Stewart Copeland has joked that the group took the “Police” name because it gave them free publicity in every country in the world. However, his father Miles (Sr.) had been a founding father and field agent for the CIA, later writing two books about those experiences. And Stewart had decided on the name even before forming the band. Andy’s pre-Police career was commemorated in Jenny Fabian’s book Groupie, where his genitals are described by those in the know as being “perfectly formed.” In the same psychedelic era, he was predictably experimenting with LSD: “My first few acid trips were all deeply religious experiences and I started to get the White Light and all that.”

Interesting excerpt from Rock & Holy Rollers: The Spiritual Beliefs of Chart-Topping Rock Stars in Their Lives and Lyrics by Geoffrey D. Falk. How did that genital comment make it in there? I’m laughing … hilariously …