Written by Carl Barat in response to a comment by Edward Larrikin (of Larrikin Love and Pan I Am) bemoaning his weariness of his native country, notably in Larrikin Love's song "Downing Street Kindling," "Tired of England" had been known prior to release under the working titles, "How Can They Be Tired of London?" and "How Can They Be Tired of England?". It was written at its earliest, incomplete form in December 2006.
Overtly nationalistic, Tired of England was lyrically inspired by Samuel Johnson's famous saying, "If you're tired of London, you're tired of life."
Perhaps as a nod to the band's debut single Bang Bang You're Dead, the song opens with a trumpet solo performed by Anthony Rossomando that is not included on the single version.
| Romance at Short Notice |  Dirty Pretty Things | Album | 2008-06-30 |
| Tired of England | Dirty Pretty Things | Single | 2008-06-23 |
How can they be tired of England?
They'll never know the England that we know
Never know where the ones with dreams go, no
Never notice the skies with their eyes down low
We'll never be tired of England
United in rain in the cities
To channel the pain and the pity's woe
To carry them back to the place below
With the blues, the greys
The green, the brown
To lonely nights uptown
Don't let them bring you down
Lonely nights uptown
Don't let them bring us down, no
How can they be tired of London?
The scents in the air on a warm day
Generation of hope that sees better days
But moving along in the same old ways
We'll never be tired of London
From Clerkenwell into the city
The state of the rudes is a pity though
Generations of cramps with their kids in tow
With the blues, the greys
The green, the brown
To lonely nights uptown
Don't let them bring you down
Lonely nights uptown
They'll never bring us down, no
While the queen of England sits on her throne
of bingo cards and chicken bones
Don't drink yourself to a lonely death
in casinos on crystal meth
Don't drink yourself to a lonely death
in casinos on crystal meth
So sing your song of Banbury Cross
Don't breathe a word about your loss
Jack Frost, old Nick to follow down
With cut price cars and top shelf porn
How can they be tired of England?
How can they be tired of England?
How can they be tired of England?
How can they be tired of England?
