Introduction:
Released in 1982, Utopia mirrored the style of other Utopia offerings of this period (Swing to the Right). Utopia spawned the succesful single and video 'Feet Don't Fail Me Now'.


Credits:
All songs written by UTOPIA, except "Feet Don't Fail Me Now", and "I'm Looking at You But I'm Talking To Myself", written by UTOPIA and Doug Howard.
Produced by Todd Rundgren and UTOPIA for Neo-Utopian Laboratories, Ltd. (NULL).
Engineered by Todd Rundgren and Chris Andersen.
Recorded at Utopia Sound Studios.
Mastered at Sterling Sound.
Album design and production:The Creative Directors, Inc., New York.
Art Directors: Len Zabala and John Wagman
Photography: Bill Hayward
Stylist: Yonah Schurink


Track Listing:

  1. Libertine
  2. Bad Little Actress
  3. Feet Don't Fail Me Now
  4. Neck On Up
  5. Say Yeah
  6. Call It What You Will
  7. I'm Looking At You But I'm Talking To Myself
  8. Hammer In My Heart
  9. Burn Three Times
  10. There Goes My Inspiration
  11. Princess Of The Universe
  12. Infrared and Ultraviolet
  13. Forgotten But Not Gone
  14. Private Heaven
  15. Chapter and Verse


Discography:

LABELCat. NoTracks/TitleFormatCoverCountry
Network69859Feet don't fail me now/There goes my inspiration7" singleNo PSUSA
Network67935Hammer in my Heart/Hammer in My heart12" promo SinglePSUSA
Network69830Hammer in my heart/I'm looking at you, but I'm talking to myself7" singleNo PSUSA
EpicA2972Feet Don't Fail Me Now/Forgotten but not gone7" SinglePSSPAIN
EpicEPCA2972Feet Don't Fail Me Now/Forgotten but not gone7" singlePSUK
EpicXPS166Princess of the universe/Chapter and Verse/Forgotten but not gone/Private Heaven/Infared and Ultraviolet7" free with 'utopia'No PSHOLLAND
EpicEPCA2966Princess of the universe/Chapter and Verse/Forgotten but not gone/Private Heaven/Infared and Ultraviolet7" SinglePSHOLLAND
EpicEPC25207UtopiaAlbum + 7"StandardUK
Network60183UtopiaAlbum + 12" StandardUSA


Lyrics:

Libertine

When she walked in the room
You could faint from the strong perfume
And she said her name was Libertine
In my ear, a voice said don't be a fool stay clear,
Better stay away from Libertine
Stay away from Libertine
Stay away from Libertine
Stay away from Libertine

So I stayed out of view
But my eyes couldn't come unglued
I was hypnotized by Libertine
So in time I broke down and I lost my mind
Then I made a move on Libertine
Stay away from Libertine
Made a move on Libertine
Stay away from Libertine
I made my move on Libertine

And I waited all night
'Til the timing was right
For another man was reaching for her hand
But he went to the phone
And when I got her alone
It just wasn't the same
Tell me what's in a name?

She made me drunk with her charms
Then she left on her husband's arm
And I got the shaft from Libertine
I was weak and I know just from whence I speak,
Better stay away from Libertine
Stay away from Libertine

Bad Little Actress

I can't carry on
This play is too long
I must be going
Extend my regrets
I gave it my best
But now I'm going
This is too much for me to take
Something tells me that she's faking it
She says she don't care
She wants to be fair
She must be joking
It's simple she said
Let's not lose our head
Tell me she's joking
This is too much for me to take
But somebody isn't faking
Someone's heart is breaking
And if you see her give her my critique
She's a bad little actress
Gets no curtain call
But the worst of all
When the curtain falls
There's no one at the backstage door

I'm more than her friend
'Cause I knew her when
She was no sensation
She's wasting our time
Repeats all her lines
What's her motivation?
Now she won't share her stage with me
Her performance was outrageous
Put me through some changes
So if you see her give her my critique
She's a bad little actress
Her delivery don't come naturally
Anyone could see she doesn't mean a word she says
Her mascara ran
And the show was panned
But I'm still her biggest fan
So when you see her give her my critique
She's a bad little actress
Gets no curtain call
But the worst of all
When the curtain falls
There's no one at the backstage door

Feet Don't Fail Me Now

Can't you see, she don't want you around no more
Can't you see, that her hand's pointing at the door
Feet don't fail me now
How could anyone stay
Anyone could see it's time to go away
Time to take a powder
Open up your eyes
But it feels like my legs have been paralyzed

Feet don't fail me now
Begging please don't make a fool of me
Feet don't fail me now
Please don't keep me where I should not be
Feet don't fail me now
Stop pretending that you've gone to sleep
Feet don't fail me now
Begging please don't make a fool of me

See your things piled in the hall
Turn around, there's a new picture on the wall
Feet don't fail me now
We're the last ones to know
Anyone could see it's time for us to go
Time to hit the highway
Nothing left to do
But it feels like my shoes have been crazy glued

Neck On Up

I gave the girls the eye
I've given lust a try
I'm just an average guy
From the neck on down
I used to have my fun
When all was said and done
I only wanted someone
From the neck on down
Maybe it's one too many mornings after
Maybe I'm sick of my own nervous laughter

Now I'm looking for heaven
From the neck on up
For a perfect eleven
From the neck on up

I was a typical man
I had a master plan
I thought that heaven began
From the waist on down
And I had always said
That I could use my head
But I was thinking instead
From the waist on down
Maybe it's one too many frozen shoulders or
Maybe I haven't noticed getting older

Trapped in a dream
Something has to change in this endless stream
Of ships that pass in the night
Is this what I want out of life?
I want to know what this game is about
I want someone to try and figure me out

I can't determine why
But I'm a different guy
Your modus operandi
Turned me inside out
It's not that I don't care
About your fine hardware
But you've got something else there
I can't figure out
Maybe I just can't finish what I've started or
Maybe it's simply that I've been outsmarted

Now I've found my heaven
From the neck on up
You're a perfect eleven
From the neck on up

Say Yeh

I didn't call this meeting and
I never heard such beating around
Around the bush and
You can't commit to something so
You won't come up with nothing at all
Unless you're pushed
But I wanna get this straightened out
I'm getting tired of waiting

When I say when will you lay your love down for me,
Don't say what
When I say why won't you put out something for me,
Don't say what, say yeah

We had a good thing going but
We never did quite know what it was
But it was good so
Why don't we just start over and
Maybe I can help you lower your guard I think we should
But you gotta stop resisting me
I wanna get some kissing
I don't believe in magic but
You could avert a tragedy here
I got to say that
I think you've got the power and
You know the final hour has come
So don't delay 'cause
I wanna get this straightened out
I'm getting tired of waiting

Call It What You Will

You can call it anything you want
But a rose is a rose and a thorn is a thorn
Tell me white is black and black is white
You can say anything but that don't make it right
You can tell me that the world is flat
If I didn't know any better, I might go for that
And the sky is falling on my head
I believe the sky is falling on my head
I've been such a fool
Don't you agree?
I let you call all my shots for me
Don't you know how it feels
When you've got high ideals?

Call it what you will - don't call it love
Call it what you will - don't call it love
Call it what you will - don't call it love
Call it what you will - don't call it love, not in front of me

I think I'm old enough
I can handle myself when the going gets tough
You don't have to hide it anymore
Why bother sparing me now when you didn't before?
You can save that line for someone else
That's your own can of beans and I swear I won't tell
Now is the sky is falling on my head
I believe the sky is falling on my head
I've been such a fool
But don't cry for me
You are the one who needs sympathy
Tell me how many times
Can you play the same line?

Now the sky is falling on your head
Look out baby, now the sky is falling on your head
Yes the sky is falling on your head
I believe the sky is falling on your head
You've been such a fool
Now can't you see?
You lost your best opportunity
You passed up a prize
For some pie in the sky

I'm Looking At You But I'm Talking To Myself

I'm looking at you but I'm talking to myself
Looking straight at you but I'm talking to myself
Talking to myself
'Cause I still can remember
Words that didn't sound so well planned
What is wrong with me?
You don't have to pretend to understand

Every moment, I am thinking to myself
It seems so different, I am thinking to myself
Thinking to myself
And I don't want to face it
Why is everything so past tense?
What is wrong with me?
This just don't seem to make any sense

And I'm looking at you but I'm talking to myself
Looking straight at you but I'm talking to myself

It wasn't over, I was hoping to myself
We've got forever, I was hoping to myself
Hoping to myself
And for a shred of a second
I thought we could still change our fate
What is wrong with me?
I can see it's already way too late

'Cause you're looking at me but you're talking to yourself
Looking straight at me but you're talking to yourself
And I'm looking at you but I'm talking to myself
Looking straight at you but I'm talking to myself

Hammer in my Heart

There's a hammer in my heart
Pounding out your name
There's a hammer in my heart
Here it comes again

I hear a certain sound
And it just won't go away
It sends a message out
What's it gonna be today?
It wakes me up at dawn
And as the day goes on
I try to turn it off but the beat goes on

It never lets me rest
I can't get a minute's peace
I lay awake in bed
Wondering will it ever cease?
It's like a top ten song
I hear it all day long
I try to turn it off but the beat goes on

Burn Three Times

Burn burn burn
Burn burn burn
Burn burn burn
Burn burn burn
I'm cookin' up somethin'
Cookin' up somethin'
Cookin' up somethin' special for you
It's on the back burner
On the back burner
On the back burner waiting for you
I'm no burger king, I'm no pizza pie spinner
Don't come sniffin' 'round here for something to eat
It's a gourmet thing, not a TV dinner
So stay out of the kitchen if you can't take the heat

It's gonna
Burn burn burn - you might get burned
Burn burn burn - 'cause it's so hot
Burn burn burn - that you might get burned
Burn burn burn

I've got a hot number
Got a hot number
Got a hot number bearing your name
It's such a big order
Such a big order
Such a big order turn up the flame
It's a champagne kiss with a surprise in the middle
I hope you're hungry, I've been cookin' all day
Got a love so strong you couldn't squish it with a griddle
Call out the volunteers 'cause my heart's a flambe'

I gotta time it right so it's warm when you get it
Turn up the heat just a little bit higher
It was a good idea but I think I overdid it
I can't reach the oven and the kitchen's on fire

There Goes My Inspiration

They say pain can bring out the artist's best
But since you've been gone, I just can't care less
Common sense doesn't realize
It can hurt so bad
Everyday I sit in my garret staring at the floor
But my heart isn't in it anymore

There goes my inspiration
My reason for creation
There goes my inspiration
I felt it fly away when you said goodbye

Me and Gaugin used to party down
I was hung in the Louvre, I was Renoir's pal
Vincent Van Gogh used to joke with me
Now they don't come 'round
It's all over town that the master's lost his touch
I'm so lost I can hardly hold a brush

And now my palette is a sorry mix of grey and brown
And all the other art lovers stay away
'cause I'm bringing them down

Now I wander the left bank every day
Searching for my muse in sad cafes
Peddle my oils to the galleries
But they turn me down
Everybody says I'm a master of technique
But the style and the sentiment is weak

Princess of the Universe

Well, I wanna shake that thing wit'cha all night long
Yeah, you're a princess baby, you can do no wrong
Said you're a beacon of light when the sun is gone
Yeah, you're a princess baby, you can name that song
Well, they just couldn't touch you with a ten foot pole
And they just couldn't catch you, 'cause you're on a roll
You got so much juice, you make the telephone ring
You make me jump right up, I wanna shake that thing
Wit'cha all night long
You're the princess of the universe
You're a princess baby, you can do no wrong
You're the princess of the universe
Well, I ain't seen nothing like it since the Sha got the rope
You got a legion of liggers that would shame the Pope
You just say the word and they run like hell
You gotta take a cold shower, so your head don't swell
But you can do no wrong
You're the princess of the universe
You're a beacon of light when the sun is gone
You're the princess of the universe
Well, you ain't got a man who can touch what you got
But you're looking for a subject that can fill that slot
When the count is down, I want to step in time
And when your fingers pop, I want to tow that line

Infrared and Unltraviolet

Take a look
At the things that you can't see
All the mystic treasury
And you'll get them for free
Infrared and ultraviolet

Check it out
Like a secret waterfall
Like a rainbow on the wall
Costs you nothing at all
Infrared and ultraviolet

There is nothing to buy
Why not give it a try
While you're waiting for your ship to come in

Pass it on
Let the ancient song survive
Make it fun to be alive
Throw it in overdrive
Infrared and ultraviolet

For it's something in your mind
That will let you see behind
Cross the border and find
Infrared and ultraviolet
Infrared and ultraviolet

Forgotten but not Gone

She's been good to me
She's been as kind as a girl can be
But I get the feeling
She thinks that certain something is gone
It's the little things
Like the words to the songs she sings
Are a little different
And I can tell that I'm not the one

It's just a matter of time
Forgotten but not gone
I'm the invisible guy
Forgotten but not gone

It was my mistake
'Cause I gave less than I could take
And I never noticed
She wanted something I didn't have
And my roving eye
Drove her off to another guy
Now she doesn't see that
To keep from crying I've got to laugh

And it's so hard to believe
When I call her she turns away
Like she don't see me at all
And it's so hard to believe
All that water under the bridge Don't count for nothing at all

It's the same old line
Out of sight and you're out of mind
But I never thought that
I'd see the day when she didn't care
But the joke's on me
I came home yesterday to see
Them in bed together
And making love like I wasn't there

It was a matter of time
Forgotten but not gone
I could have rolled up an died
Forgotten but not gone
I'm the invisible guy
Forgotten but not gone

Private Heaven

Ah, what happened to our little girl?
She doesn't sing like she used to do
Ah, why won't she say it to the world?
She doesn't want us anymore. She is gone
In a private heaven
They may try
But nobody can find you
In a private heaven
Close your eyes
It's waiting right behind you

Ah, when did her laughter fly away?
She doesn't smile like she used to do
Ah, where is her happy yesterday?
She doesn't want us anymore. She is gone
In a private heaven
They may try
But nobody can find you
In a private heaven
Close your eyes
It's waiting right behind you

You can't take our love away - no you can't
You can't take our love away - please don't take
You can't take our love away - no you can't now
You can't take our love away - please don't take it
You can't take our love away - no you can't
You can't take our love away - please don't take
You can't take our love away - can't take it away
You can't take our love away - can't take it away
You can't take our love away - you can't take it away

Ah, will you be coming home again?
She doesn't have somewhere else to go
Ah, who will become your special friend?
I will be taking her away. She is gone
In a private heaven
They may try
But nobody can find you
In a private heaven
Close your eyes
It's waiting right behind you

Chapter and Verse

I got the dictionary in my hand
But I can't seem to find the word I'm looking for
I've checked every letter, now I'm up to Z
There just ain't anymore
I've got a million choices in my head
If I could only chose the one that says it best
I shelled out a quarter for a greeting card
Now I can't seem to get my pen to do the rest

But I know it all by heart, chapter and verse
I'll quote you any part, every word
But it's so deep inside it can't be heard

I've got the Sunday paper in my hand
And I've been working on the weekly cryptogram
I know there's a message in between the lines
That's the same way I am
I got the crossword puzzle half complete
But now I need another word four letters long
It's just like the way I want a perfect fit
I can settle for less but all of them are wrong

There could be no jealousy over my poetry
It's my weakest quality, no vocabulary
I got the scrabble letters in a pile
But there could never be enough to say it all
I know you don't wanna hear the same old line
So you'll just have the read the writing on the wall


Promotional Videos:


Tour Dates:


Suggested Listening:

Suggested Reading: