Different From The Book

Written by: 
J. Martyn
9 Dec 1968

She came made a phonecall
And I came running round,
Not knowing what I left behind,
Not knowing what I've found.

I was sitting in the armchair
With my telephone by the hand,
Thinking about all the things I've done
And all the things I've planned.
But it all ends up so different from the book;
'Cause it all ends up so different from the book.

[interlude with flute]

I was standing in the doorway
With my suitcase in the hand,
Containing everything I had,
All my grains of sand.

And I was looking down at people
That I never saw before,
Wondering if I'll know them
And wondering what for.
'Cause it all ends up so different from the book;
'Cause it all ends up so different from the book.

[interlude with flute]

Now Katie's chasing children,
And Jackson's chasing Frank.
And Deacon is looking for someone else
To put inside his bank.

And upstairs all the meanwhile
Patricia wins again.
She gets smart and thinks this time
The wife had best begun.
'Cause it all ends up so different from the book;
'Cause it all ends up so different from the book.

[interlude with flute]

Now she came made a phonecall
And I came running round,
Not knowing what I've left behind,
Not knowing what I've found.

I was sitting in the armchair
With my telephone in my hand,
Thinking about all the things I had,
All the grains of sand.
'Cause it all works out so different from the book;
'Cause it all works out so different from the book.

sitenote:
The song is uncredited but probably written by John. It was never recorded but broadcast 11 December 1968 in John Peel's Night Ride, with Harold McNair playing the flute.
There were plans in 2007 to release this recording as one of four bonus track on The Battle Of Medway, but these fell through for licensing reasons.