LYRICS
CALVARY SONG
It's as cold as the stare from some clothes-horse
Who scowls from your chic magazine
And you wield it like some kind of flick-knife
When you need to win the day quick and clean
It would shatter like your umpteenth windscreen
If you ever ventured out of your space
It was with you when you came to Calvary
To be waved on 'cause it showed through your face
I'm walking with you in the precincts
Of a townscape half the world knows as home
Where a boom's never far from the pavements
And the slumped always lie where they're thrown
You're a slave to the tones of your cellphone
You're a fool for that superhighway mud
Will it take being cast away to show you why
You were thirsty in the midst of a flood?
There's a message for you from the crossroads
Where the souls of your departed betters meet
It says: "Just keep on doing what you're doing,
And you might as well carry your grave-goods on the street."
It's as hard as the ice on my wash-stand
It was handed down as worthy things will be
And I wield it like some kind of visa
When my country treats me like a refugee
You can trample it over my dead body
And no doubt you'll be convinced it's had its day
But I had it when I came to Calvary
And there I was suffered to stay
There's a message for you from the crossroads
Where the souls of your departed betters meet
It says: "Just keep on doing what you're doing,
And you might as well carry your grave-goods on the street."
Might as well carry your grave-goods on the street.
ON THE TURN OF A WORD
Our falling from grace was a slap in the face, with your signet ring raising a weal
Yet I would have sworn this was our blissful dawn, and to blue eyes this heaven is real
I sat unsuspected and heard you connect, it was all I could do not to throw
We're now set adrift and I feel oddly lifted beyond where you're likely to go
I'm trading psychoses for mammon the gently absurd
There'll be no more history revised, no more bones disinterred
On the turn of a word
Or the twist of a grin
I'm trading psychoses for mammon the gently absurd
There'll be no more history revised, no more bones disinterred
On the turn of a word
Or the twist of a grin
My sources report you were finally caught, and forgiveness now sickens the air
My show of good grace will rebound in your face, and I'm damned if I'll say that I care
I'm trading psychoses for mammon the gently absurd
There'll be no more history revised, no more bones disinterred
On the turn of a word or the twist of a grin
On the turn of a word or the twist of a grin...
SLEEPING DOG
You should not wake my love, you're only walking by
But so you shake my love, this sleeping dog won't lie
Against his grain my love, to find out who you are
And who'll remain my love the reddest faintest star
On nights drawn in now, the days begin now
To share the skin now, and every comfort's colder
Than the springtime, this in-between time
There's only "meantime..." that puts us both on hold
So holding back my love until you make your move
I'll keep on track my love, traverse that thoughtless groove
But if you speak my love, you show me who you are
And silent shrieks my love, a half-seen shooting-star
On nights drawn out now, my senses shout now
And there's no doubt now that every pain is kinder
Than October, the dog-days over
And though we're sober, elation's on our mind
So wide awake's my love, and you're just walking by
But nothing shakes my love; this sleeping dog won't lie
No, nothing shakes my love; this sleeping dog won't lie.
ABANDONED MAN
I see that visage there; that sleepless empty stare
What have you done, abandoned man?
What made you run, abandoned man?
You sacked your father’s hall, framed your deniable soul
When did it die, abandoned man?
Have you rehearsed your alibi, abandoned man?
I too may be lost in space
Home for everything, everything in place
If I could believe I’m free
Would I leave these times or would these times abandon me?
Into your big parade some came, and sometimes stayed
Who turned their back, abandoned man?
Who left you flat, abandoned man?
I too may be lost in space
Home for everything, everything in place
If I could believe I’m free
Would I leave these times or would these times abandon me?
Slack-jawed you go your round; shoot up and guzzle down
How far’s too far, abandoned man?
And do I envy what you are, abandoned man?
Would I leave these times an abandoned man?
Would I leave these times an abandoned man?
Would I leave these times an abandoned man….?
THE LONGEST RAINY DAY
Hard air, raging land
Nowhere firm for me to stand
I'm not there, to pinch my face
The moment it starts raining.
Iron sky, sulky sea
Rising, unbeknownst to me;
Doesn't seem like much of a place
But what if it keeps raining?
Then we may find that it's all good:
Milk and honey, wool and wood;
Thatch will keep out the
Rain that bears tidings of where you were a child
Rain reminding you of when you were a child.
Harsh news, melting floe:
I'm so quick at being slow
Set things running, couldn't keep pace
And now it's always raining.
Can we yet find that it's all good?
Quarrels loosed in drowning wood?
Flags won't keep out the
Rain that bears tidings of where you were a child
Rain reminding you of when you were a child.
Can we yet find that it's all good?
Quarrels loosed in drowning wood?
Flags won't keep out the
Rain that bears tidings of where you were a child
Rain reminding you of when you were a child.
Rain reminding you of when you were a child....
FILM
I can tell you all about my early life
And I'd make your evening seem to crawl by
Better for us both if I just keep it dark
Show myself some scenes to be enthralled by
The world is thick with film that nobody ever sees
Whose stars are out and about their own publicity
Re-working novelisations that can never be set
For any soul not sickened of the whole sorry business yet
I can think of doings in my younger days
I could share with you; convey the true me
They get lost in telling and you're speaking now
But your anecdotes don't say much to me
The world is thick with film that nobody ever sees
Whose stars are out and about their own publicity
Re-working novelisations that can never be set
For any soul not sickened of the whole sorry business yet
We've all been through many changes
Strayed well beyond our ranges
'Til we knew that we'd be strangers
Wherever anybody speaks our language
We'd be strangers
The world is thick with film that nobody ever sees
Whose stars are out and about their own publicity
Reworking novelisations that can never be set
For any soul not sickened of the whole sorry business yet
[The world is thick with film] That no-one ever sees
[The world is thick with film] That no-one ever sees
[You should have been there] [The world is thick with film]
[You should have been there] [The world is thick with film]
[You should have been there]
[You should have been there] Then why are you telling me?
[You should have been there] Then why are you telling me?
[You should have been there] Then why are you telling me?
A TOWN ON A TIN
We’ve pored over these pictures
Every time we bridged that gap
And wondered what it was like there
As the crumbs dropped in our lap.
To live in such a perfect place
Would be more than we can afford
But we could spend a weekend there
In a guest-house, half-board
And see the sights; maybe a guided tour
Look at the lights and explore…
We’ve dreamed of such an outing
While the rain battered at our panes
And living here’s ever harder
With our jobs pouring down the drains.
We’ve lifted the lid and imagined ourselves
Bathed in that prosperous sun
Let’s sell off a ring for our travel
Treat ourselves to a weekend’s fun
And see the sights; maybe a guided tour
Look at the lights
It’s our town now, our town to explore…
We’ve lifted the lid and imagined ourselves
Bathed in that prosperous sun
Let’s sell off a ring for our travel
Treat ourselves to a weekend’s fun
And see the sights; maybe a guided tour
Look at the lights
It’s our town, not their town any more…
See the sights; maybe a guided tour
Look at the lights
It’s our town, not their town any more…
THE WONDERS
Giddy on last night and not enough sleep, I'm afire seeing you
Every record I play has a rightness today, and I know you sense it too
In the wonder of new love, wonder of new love
Dizzy on sunshine and no appetite, to the beach we can go
"Hand in hand" doesn't cover what our fingers do as we walk close and slow
In the wonder of found love, wonder of found love
How can you typify
All the things that my soul was shy?
It's the wonder of this love, wonder of this love
Giddy on daylight and freedom and you, no-one else seems real
We can drink to our hopes and we know that
The rest of the world will have to deal
With the wonder of our love, wonder of our love
And all that I'm wanting to do
Is commit this old sinner to you
In the wonder of new love, wonder of found love
Wonder of this love, wonder of our love...
AVIGNON
I know why the bright birds sing away in Avignon
I have seen the sunlight on the Rhône
Music filters through the alleyways in Avignon
Comes at you from the stone
And especially when you’re alone...
I know why the shutters bang away in Avignon
I have felt the mistral down the lanes
Time itself is blown like gossamer from Avignon
The glass measures out grains
And the same sand remains
I was always open to a deeper song
And when I dream of Avignon
I might be there again, rememb’ring when there was a day
I was sure I’d been around for much too long
And then I’d dream of Avignon
I might be there again, rememb’ring when I heard about Avignon
I know why they sang about the bridge at Avignon
I believe they’re dancing on it still
Nothing every slips my mind concerning Avignon
I can feel that faraway chill
Of the centuries on their hill
I was always open to a deeper song
And when I dream of Avignon
I might be there again, rememb’ring when there was a day
I was sure I’d been around for much too long
And then I’d dream of Avignon
I might be there again, rememb’ring when there was a day
... I’m there again, rememb’ring when
... I’m there again, rememb’ring when
... I’m there again, rememb’ring when
there was a day
THE VISITORS' BOOK
I can hardly bear to stand
In this place she shared with me
“Write your name, address and comments here”
Who did wrong by whom
No longer matters now she’s left me be
“Write your name, address and comments here”
Do these stones have ears?
Can stained glass behold?
Will the words I write
Leave their readers cold?
Who knows?
I was never one to pray
Never filled that empty page
“Write your name, address and comments here”
Now my heart has found a door
Now I’m at the pleading stage
“Write your name, address and comments here”
Do these stones have ears?
Can stained glass behold?
Will the words I write
Leave their readers cold?
Who knows?
So this little country church
Knows another lover’s pain
“Write your name, address and comments here”
Glows within by candles lit
To speed my lost one back again
“Write your name, address and comments here”
SEMINARY
God damn this confusion
Curse this constitution
Devil take this field;
Your cloudy reception
Darkens my perception
Can my soul be healed?
When the frost lingers on the wall
And the paint is running in the hall
And you see through my disguises:
I’m no king at all.
A moment’s displacement
Swallowed in the basement
Swearing there’d be snow;
Revived by a best friend
Crutch made by the next friend
I will briefly know.
And there’s no advantage on the hill
I can barely reach the window-sill
And my borrowed crook won’t fool you:
I’m no shepherd still.
The tar’s black in my blood
I’m more coal than high blood
Cut me where you will.
God damn this confusion
Curse this constitution
Devil take it all…
NOW BY NUMBERS
Five-star tombs criss-cross the seas
Nine lives choked on hanging-trees
Six feet down, uprooted Holy Three...
All that my folks celebrated, the "do"s and "don't"s they inculcated :
The smashed inscription on a desecrated grave
And all my loyalties, every leaning, my loves and drives and search for meaning
Are swamped and scattered by this overweening wave; it's 'now by numbers' now.
Five-star tombs criss-cross the seas
Nine lives choked on hanging-trees
Six feet down, uprooted Holy Three...there are
Five-year plans for deadly sins
Nine-day wonders with no chins
Six-guns go to earth in these three rings...
All the stillness in which I'd awaken declined by inches or was slowly taken
There's no more eloquent peace, just a vacant howl
And all my doing as I would be done by, the prizes that I patiently won by
Fair means, I might just as well have swung by foul; it's 'now by numbers' now.
Five-star tombs criss-cross the seas
Nine lives choked on hanging-trees
Six feet down, uprooted Holy Three...there are
Five-year plans for deadly sins
Nine-day wonders with no chins
Six-guns go to earth in these three rings...