The Zutons – Valerie

From their 2006 album, Tired of Hanging Around. The song peaked at #9 on the UK singles chart and #8 on Scotland’s singles chart in 2006.

Note…This is not the Monkees hit song.

From independent.co.uk

Not to be confused with the hit of the same title by Steve Winwood, the Zutons’ “Valerie” was the song that gave the Liverpool band their breakthrough.

It was, according to their lead singer Dave McCabe, named for a friend he had met in America who had been caught drink driving. The band’s drummer, Sean Payne, has called it a “musical postcard to her, saying he’s having a hard time and can she come over and see him.” McCabe wrote it in a taxi on the way to visit his mother. “The whole song was written before I got there,” said McCabe. “So 20 minutes, max.” It was recorded at London’s Townhouse Studios, with Stephen Street producing and the band playing together live. “The guitar arpeggio at the start was added as an afterthought to improve the intro,” recalls Street. “It took a couple of attempts of mixing to get it right.”

Amy Winehouse also did a version of the song.

Valerie

Well, sometimes I go out by myself
And I look across the water
And I think of all the things, what you do
And in my head, I make a picture’Cause since I’ve come on home
Well, my body’s been a mess
And I’ve missed your ginger hair
And the way you like to dressWon’t you come on over?
And stop makin’ a fool out of me
Why don’t you come on over Valerie?
ValerieDid you have to go to jail?
Put your house up on for sale
Did you get a good lawyer?
I hope you didn’t catch a tan
I hope you’ll find the right man
Who’ll fix it for yaAre you shoppin’ anywhere?
Changed the color of you hair, are you busy?
And did you have to pay the fine
You were dodging all the time, are you still dizzy?Yeah, ’cause since I’ve come on home
Well, my body’s been a mess
And I’ve missed your ginger hair
And the way you like to dressWon’t you come on over?
And stop makin’ a fool out of me
Why don’t you come on over Valerie?
Valerie
Valerie
ValerieWell, sometimes I go out by myself
And I look across the water
And I think of all the things, what you’re doin’
And in my head I make a picture’Cause since I’ve come on home
Well, my body’s been a mess
And I’ve missed your ginger hair
And the way you like to dressWon’t you come on over?
And stop makin’ a fool out of me
Why don’t you come on over Valerie?
Valerie
Valerie
ValerieYeah, Valerie

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Sean Payne / Russell Pritchard / Boyan Chowdhury / Dave Mccabe / Abi Harding / Paul Molloy