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Sweet By and By

Band songlist

Info

Sweet By and By is a Peter Doherty track, that was first known to fans as an alternate title for Songs They Never Play on the Radio, a very early Babyshambles track, rarely played. The definitive album version of "Sweet By and By", a title that Peter Doherty attached to several completely different songs over the years, was eventually recorded for Grace/Wastelands and credited to Peter Doherty and Alan Wass. This final version has no relevance whatsoever to Songs They Never Play on the Radio.

In a review of Grace/Wastelands, the NME said; "...the tinkly piano and jazz-parp trumpets suggest we’re in a jaunty illegal whiskey den in New York, 60 years back. And maybe Pete’s had a few too many tumblers of tongue-shrivelling bourbon – towards the end of this he does sound rather...merry." Acording to another review, the track contains trumpets, and sounds "as if its straight outta Bugsy Malone".

The title "Sweet By and By" quotes Quentin Crisp's memoir The Naked Civil Servant. In the February 10, 2009 issue of NME, Doherty also said of the song, "‘Was it so long ago? When we first hit the road?’ That’s Wolfman anyway! Because whenever I get together with Wolfman he’s very nostalgic, we always end up talking about the first ever Libertines tour where we went out of London and it was just a complete tale of destruction. So it is kind of about that tour, yeah. But also there’s a little bit about ‘It wasn’t so long ago, when you said you loved me so/Where did you go? You didn’t even say goodbye,’ which is kind of true. It was a bit rude. Kate, she didn’t even say goodbye. I did finish with her, but she didn’t even say goodbye. So it’s quite a sad song really."

Appearing on

Grace/Wastelands Peter DohertyAlbum2009-03-16
Unknown Sessions BabyshamblesSessionUnknown
Unknown Sessions BabyshamblesSessionUnknown

Concerts

Cité de la Musique Peter DohertyParis, France2010-07-07

Lyrics

Was it so long ago
When we first hit the road?
I remember those early shows

When we used to go,
Ba-bara pa ba ba-para-para-rara da da da da

Was it so long ago
When you said you loved me so
And with kisses untold
Your love would unfold, oh my
Where did you go? Oh, I don't know
You didn't say goodbye
Where did you go?
I don't know, hit a hole
You left me wondering
Wondering if love's just a lie

Left me wondering
If you found some other guy
Well, all I do is hang my head and cry
Sometimes I moan
Sometimes I moan

Where did you go? I don't know
Didn't say goodbye
Where did you go? I don't know
Left me wondering if love's just a lie
Everywhere I go, people say, "Who's that funny guy?"
"All he does is hang his head and cry
"Sometimes he moans
"Sometimes he moans
"'Oh, why?'"

We used to go,
Ba-bara pa ba ba-para-para-rara da da da da

NameSweet By and By
BandPeter Doherty
CreditsPeter Doherty