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LYRICS
Glastonbury Tor - under construction
The Platitude Song
Copyright Lynne Paris April 2006
Based on true story of David Campbell , Lynne's father, her recollection of her father's experience in the war.
Chorus
It’s a bloody long way behind enemy lines
When your regiment’s gone and you’re all alone
And you’ve lost your gun and you’ve lost your coat
And the only escape is a fishing boat
And the shots do ring and the bombs explode
And the sky is filled with fire and smoke
And your eyes do sting and your lungs do choke
It’s a bloody long way from home
With now’t to drink and now’t to ate
For three days I’m abandoned here
And me veins are pumping liquid fear
I’m a bloody long way from home
Repeat chorus……..
Me Ma and Pa got a telegram
Deep regrets for your missing son
Presumed dead but the day was won
He’s a bloody long way from home
But not for me those war torn lands
The beaches of Normandy in forty five
For I’ve a mind to stay alive
Tho I’m a bloody long way from home
Repeat chorus………..
And in the smouldering morning mist
I caught the sight of a sardine ship
Crushed in the hold with the walking dead
We ran the gauntlet home
And when once more on British Ground
I headed for Dunfermline where I was bound
Me Ma near passed away when I tatted at the door
For I’d found my way home
Repeat chorus twice………
copyright Lynne Paris
(not be taken seriously)
Chorus
And it’s Yo Ho Ho, a sailor I will be
Pullin’ on the riggin like a sailor aught to be
It’s up with the anchor and down with the grog
And it’s all for the sake of me darlin’
I was four and twenty years when first I went to sea
To make a fortune for me darlin and me
No money in my pocket, it didn’t bother me
And it’s all for the sake of me darlin
Chorus
For four and twenty days, I sailed the cruel sea
The captain was a bastard but it didn’t bother me
Me darlin would be waiting upon that homeward shore
And it’s all for the sake of me darlin
Chorus
I sailed across the oceans though they be far and wide
Encountered many dangers and many fears beside
I made a fortune to please me darlin bride
And it’s all for the sake of me darlin
Chorus
Since first I went to sea a decade has gone by
I took me fortune home to meet the homeward tide
Me darlin was not waitin’ upon that homeward shore
She’s gone off to marry another
Chorus x 2
Lynne Paris
Copy write 1995
Written for Alistair Hartley , Lynne's son, in Whitby 1998. Lynne and Trev are currently building Summerfields in France as a retreat for family and friends
Chorus
In the Summerfields the bees are buzzin every night and day
The haystacks stand like wagon wheels along the tractor way
It's every kid's adventure ground it's where we want to play
In the Summerfields I guess we'll be ok
In the summer days the sun shines out behind the clouds so bright
It climbs the ladder of the dawn and slides into the night
Those crazy hazy lazy days when me and Dave would fight
In the Summerfields I guess we'll be alright
But in the dreary streets and downtown roads there's nowhere for us to go
The adults always shout at us it makes me feel so low
I'd rather be back where the rambling rivers always flow
Into the summer fields down below
Based on the Irish Toast discovered by Ros Bielstein on a beer mat in Ireland circa 2000
In a sleepy little hollow south of Galway Bay
Where the pier road stretches out into the sea
Surrounded by the green hills along the coast
Doolin is the place I'd like to be
Chorus
And we'll raise a toast - an Irish Toast
Long life and health to you
A land without rent will be heaven sent
And when you die, you'll die in Ireland
In that town by the sea the music waits for me
A lively jig or haunting melody
The fiddler plays his tunes in crowded smokey rooms
He plays a gaelic air for you and me
Repeat chorus
The bodrhan keeps the beat -keeps you jiggin' on your feet
The banjo player's picking out a reel
In Doolin town at dawn, the music plays til morn
And you can hear them singin in the street
Repeat chorus twice
Copyright Old Father Ted
See that Eagle fly in the blue sky so high telling me I've got to be strong
See the red sun rise in the morning saying follow me you'll never go wrong
You'll never go wrong if you follow me, you''ll never go wrong if your eyes can see
The will of the land and the bird in the tree - and then you and me
See the little fox in his lair, he's learning, learning how to make his life long
See the little bird in his warm nest waiting, waiting for his wings to grow strong
He'll fly away when his wings are strong, he'll fly away when he can sing his song
He'll fly away when his time has come, and nothing can go wrong
See the river run with it's water shining
What do you think that it's telling you?
You go fishin', spend all the summer swimmin'
But leave it clean whatever you do
You'll never let die the river or the sea
You'll never let die the green grass or the sea
Leave them behind for those that follow you
That's what you must do
Freedom, hope, a family and a future -- repeat four times
The Tradesman
Lynne Paris June 2006
Unaccompanied
The Tradesman's life is full of strife
Full of strife is a Tradesman's life
You work for your family work for your wife
Full of strife is a tradesman's life
Chorus
For money is time and time is money
If you can't work fast then that's not funny
For you won't get work 'cos you can't compete
'Cos your work's too good and you're not cheap
And the customer is oh so tight
Wants a good job but not done right
And the clock is ticking where does time go ?
Ticka ticka tock ticka tock tick toe
And finally when the cheque is here
Do you get enjoyment do you get beer
You only get bills and rent and such
You might get a bit but you don't get much
Chorus
For money is time and time is money
If you can't work fast then that's not funny
For you won't get work 'cos you can't compete
'Cos your work's too good and you're not cheap
And the customer is oh so tight
Wants a good job but not done right
And the clock is ticking where does time go
Ticka ticka tock ticka tock tick toe
The craftsman toil is a labour gold
Well respected in days of old
Replaced now by the metal hand
Lost forever to this land
And the tradesman follows in his wake
Wake up now before it's too late
Chorus
For money is time and time is money
If you can't work fast then that's not funny
For you won't get work 'cos you can't compete
'Cos your work's too good and you're not cheap
And the customer is oh so tight
Wants a good job but not done right
And the clock is ticking where does time go
Ticka ticka tock ticka tock tick toe
copyright Rachel Livingstone 1989
D Bm D
As I feel the flames a’ flickering
A D
I know your not coming home
Bm D
So the ashes of our adventure
A G D
Will fly in the breeze and roam
Chorus
A D
And I see the embers glowing
G D A
Burning brightly now
Bm G
By the dim light of the morning
A G D
Everything’s faded to grey
You know things are always changing
So find a life of your own
Yes start a new adventure
Like a statue created from stone
So now you have your freedom
I hope you like it well
As in the years before us
You’ll remember you were the one who fell
Yes imagine me like a Phoenix
From the Ashes I will rise
As the suns rays pale the embers
I will fly to embrace the sky.
copyright Rachel Livingstone 2002
Round the Wrekin, down the Five
Mountains of Wales keep my memories alive
Round the Wrekin down the Five
Mountains of Wales keep my memories alive
When I was young Mum Dad and Me
We’d go off for the weekend go down to the sea
Our boat was waiting patiently
Waiting for us to set her free
We went….
Walking the winter sailing come spring
The sea and the mountains made my soul sing
Seascape and landscape, storms calms and gales
I’ll always remember the Mountains of Wales
We went…
We took our boat far over seas
Running before the southerly breeze
She sailed back to Menai one last trip
We wonder where she is now, our little ship
We went…
No more sailing, time and money are short
Children, friends and parents take up my thought
Now we walk in the forest we sing of ships sails
But I will be remembering the Mountains of Wales
We went…chorus
Copyright Rachel Livingstone 2003
Can you see her there? Can you see her there?
That Girl
I always see her there! Always see here there!
A Girl
A Girl like any Girl but she’s trapped in a world
A world
Of Shadow
Chorus
She calling out to me
From the Shadow
She won’t let me be free
From the Shadow
Have you seen a Bird? Have you seen a Bird?
In a Cage
Fly in to the bars, crash in to the bars
In rage
She’s dying to take her flight, lift of into the light
And away
From the Shadows
Chorus
We met when I was four, met when I was four
That girl
She been a friend to me, been a friend to me
That girl
Now she’s demanding to be, asking help from me, to run
From the Shadows
Chorus
So I tried to let her know, wanted her to go
To Forget
I cast her out from me, dashed her memory
Regret
Waves roll rocks down to sand, I could not withstand the call, the call
From the Shadows
Chorus
Lyin' in your arms I feel so safe
Lyin in your arms I chase the dragons away
Lyin in your arms I just want to say
That lyin in your arms I will stay
Chorus
Forever and ever and ever more
Forever and ever more
Forever and ever and ever more
Forever and ever more
V2
The house without you here feels so alone
And all that I hear is your voice upon the telephone
I just don't know how can I carry on
Wherever you are I call home
Repeat Chorus
Instrumental break
Repeat V2
Forever and ever and ever more
Forever and ever more
Forever and ever and ever more
Wherever you are I call home
The Platitude Song
Day turns into night time, sitting all alone
The kids will now be sleeping I am reaching for the phone
But there’s no one left to call, they’ve heard it all before
And I’m left to talk to shadows or just staring at the wall
Shall I catch up on the chores, shall I watch TV
Or listen to the silence as its screaming back at me
Or stare at empty chairs that fill this lonely world of mine
No instead of feeling hopeless I’ll take one day at a time
Chorus
It’s the lesser of two evils, a stitch in time saves nine
Pointless to keep crying over spilt milk all the time
The lesser of two evils no more making do and mend
I’m sure that being cruel will be kinder in the end
I bet you too are sitting watching TV all alone
And wondering what you did to be left there on your own
It would be easier to weaken, take you back and start again
But we’d both go round in circles and get dizzy with the pain
Chorus
So I’m looking to the future, the path is hard to see
For it’s clouded by regrets and divided loyalties
And I know we both must grieve for what was yesterday
For when loves dies there’s nothing that can take the pain away
Chorus
Yes I’m sure that being cruel was kinder in the end.
Sue Harris
Glastonbury Tor
I’ll tell you a tale of sweet mystery,
Of a land that is set in a silvery sea
Every time that you see her you’ll leave wanting more
For such is the magic of Glastonbury Tor.
Her beauty is legend in tales told of old
And a bitter sweet story’s about to unfold
A tale of two sweethearts with a world to explore
Who followed the path up to Glastonbury Tor
Their hearts they were beating their breath laboured hard
As together they stepped ‘neath the moon and the stars
They climbed to the top and in wonder they saw
The mist that was rolling round Glastonbury Tor
And they turned and embraced and their spirits did soar
As they gazed at the mist around Glastonbury Tor
Like silvery ribbons their spirits entwined
And they vowed they would share it with all of mankind
And as Avalon spread like a carpet before
They made love in the moonlight on Glastonbury Tor
And their hearts reached the heavens and down to the shore
And enchanted the mist around Glastonbury Tor
Well the Guardians were angry that their magic was seen
And banished her sweetheart far over sea
To this day she is waiting and you hear the wind roar
When you stand at the top of the Glastonbury Tor
Every time that you see her you’ll leave wanting more
For the mist is still rolling round Glastonbury Tor
Sue Harris 23/5/05