Road sweeping has come a long way since the early 1970s, when the Modern Lovers were singing of the joys of the open road and the AM radio.
Peter - vocals, guitar • Steve - lead guitar, backing vocals • Ian - keyboard, backing vocals • Mark - bass, backing vocals • Ann - flute, backing vocals • Pete - drums
lyrics
One-two-three-four-five-six!
Roadsweeper, roadsweeper
Going ‘bout three miles an hour
Drive my Scarab past the high street shops
With the suction fan on
I maintain the local street scene
Sweeping pavements in the afternoon
Clean it up when it’s litter strewn
Got the suction fan on
Yeah I’m a roadsweeper
Alright
I had a handcart and a broomstick
Used to sweep along the kerbsides
Used to sweep up all the fag butts
In the rain or the sun
Then I got my compact sweeper
With its nozzle jets and spray bars
I’m in love with modern cleansing
Don’t have to sweep, got the suction fan on
Like a roadsweeper
That’s right
Said welcome to the Scarab M25H
Hopper capacity of two point five metres cubed
The pavement is much cleaner as you go by slow
You need a fleet for urban streets
And it smells like heaven, I say
Roadsweeper once, Roadsweeper twice
I’m in love with street cleansing and I’m on shift all night
Well now
Roadsweeper, roadsweeper
Going ‘bout three miles an hour
Drive my Scarab past the local shops
With the suction fan on
And me in love with modern sweeping
Me in love with my compact sweeper
Channel brush and belly brush
Nozzle jets and spray bars
Like the roadsweeper
O.K. now you sing Kerbside Sorters
(Suction fan on!)
I got the sounds of modern sweeping
I’ve got the world, got the pavement, got the
I’ve got the engine, got the power
credits
from Dark Side of the Bin,
released March 16, 2017
Music: Richman. Words: Jones.