SONGS 1998

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

WHISKEY EARLY MORNING SUN SHE DIDNT MARRY ME POPLAR ROAD A SERVANTS LIFE MAKE DO AND MEND WIND BLOWIN AROUND THE OLD BARN DOOR SOUND OF THE RAIN DROWNING MOON GREAT SONG SMALL YOU ARE TRUCK IN THE TREES

WHISKEY
WHISKEYS MAKING ME STAGGER WHISKEYS GOT A HOLD OF MY BREATH WHISKEYS DEEP INSIDE OF ME ITS A DEVIL THAT CANT BE FED

OH WHISKEY YOU BEEN MAKING ME BLIND WHISKEY YOUVE LEFT ALL MY BEST YEARS STAGGERING BEHIND OH WHISKEY, OH WHISKEY, OH WHISKEY

WHISKEY TOOK MY FIRST WIFE TOOK MY BABIES TOO PUT THEM ON A FAST TRAIN STRAIGHT OUT OF WATERLOO

NOW I SLEEP HERE EVERY NIGHT WITH ONE EYE ON THE TRAINS WAITING FOR THOSE TRACKS TO BRING THEM BACK AGAIN

OH WHISKEY YOUVE TAKEN THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE

EARLY MORNING SUN

EVERY YEAR WHEN I WAS A BOY THE FAIR CAME TO MY TOWN ID GO RUNNING OUT TO THE FIELD BEHIND MY HOUSE BUT THE FILLING STATIONS ARE CLOSED NOW AND THERES A NEW ROAD TO THE SOUTH AND IN THE FIELD I USED TO KNOW THEYRE BUILDING ANOTHER HOUSE

AND EVERYONE I EVER KNEW THEYRE ALREADY GONE TOOK A CAR OR TOOK A TRAIN IN THE EARLY MORNING SUN

WELL SOME OF EM I KNEW GOT MARRIED AND SOME OF EM HAVE ALREADY DIED SOME OF EM STILL LIVE AROUND HERE BEEN WORKING ALL THE DAYS OF THEIR LIVES BUT I AINT NEVER SEEN ONE OF EM AS HAPPY AS THE DAY THAT FAIR ARRIVED ALL OF US KIDS WOULD GO RUNNING DOWN THE STREET BEHIND

I STILL REMEMBER THOSE LIGHTS LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY AS THEY FLASHED BEHIND OUR HOUSE I REMEMBER WAITING FOR SOME MONEY THAT MEANT I COULD GO RUNNING OUT BUT NOW I KNOW THERES NO PRIZES TO BE WON YOU GET OLD AND YOU WORK AWAY AND YOU WAIT FOR THE SUN AND ALL YOURE LEFT IN THIS LIFE IS A FIELD OF MUD AND STRAW IN THE EARLY MORNING SUN

SHE DIDNT MARRY ME

HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUBURBAN WHITE WASH IM STARING BACK AT THE YEARS IVE LOST IVE BEEN CLEANING THE WINDOWS WTH A DIRTY WHITE CLOTH LOOKING FOR SOMETHING OUT THERE IN THE FOG

BUT SHE NEVER DID MARRY ME

WELL NOW THE LEAVES ARE RED AND THE SKY IS GREY AND I DONT EVEN REMEMBER THAT FATEFUL DAY HAVENT HEARD A VOICE FOR NEARLY THREE WEEKS DONT EVEN TALK TO THE WOMAN WHO CLEANS

BUT SHE DIDNT MARRY ME I HATE THIS SUN I JUST DRAW THE BLINDS LISTEN TO THE RADIO UNTIL LATE AT NIGHT SOMETIMES I WONDER WHAT LIFE COULD HAVE BEEN IF ID TAKEN A CHANCE AND MARRIED EILEEN SOMETIMES I CANT EVEN SLEEP

POPLAR ROAD
ON POPLAR ROAD THE TREES ARE HIGH SEEMS LIKE THEY MUST TOUCH THE SKY AND I AM ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD STANDING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

ON POPLAR ROAD

ON POPLAR ROAD THE FENCES ARE WRECKED THERES COWS IN THE CORN, THERES RATS IN THE SHEDS HEAVEN KNOWS HOW IT CAME TO THIS NO-ONE KNOWS, NO-ONE EVEN GUESSED

AND ON AND ON IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO HEAVEN

WE QUIT THE FARM IN 1966 MY DAD WENT TO WORK ON A FACTORY SHIFT NOW I COME OUT HERE EVERY CHANCE I GET TO LET THE WIND TEAR AT MY HEAD

NOW EVERYBODYS LOOKING AT ME STANDING HERE IN A FIELD OF WEEDS BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHO PLANTED THESE TREES THE NAME OF EVERY MAN WHOS PLOUGHED THESE FIELDS ON AND ON IT GOES UP TO HEAVEN ON POPLAR ROAD

A SERVANTS LIFE
I WAS PLOUGHING WITH RAIN IN MY EYES WHEN CROMWELLS TROOPS CAME GALLOPING BY AND I WAS STILL THERE WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS THAT TWO OF MY BEST FRIENDS HAD DIED AT WATERLOO THATS THE LIFE THATS A SERVANTS LIFE I WAS FIRST OUT THE TRENCH WHEN I HEARD THE WHISTLE BLOW ALL THE WAY FROM THE SOMME TO THE BELFAST ROAD I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO DIE I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A SERVANTS LIFE ID BEEN WAITING TABLE FOR THEM FROM 1850 TO 1910 NEVER EVER GOT MORE THAN A PITTANCE WHEN I RETIRED THEY SAID GOOD RIDDANCE I WORKED IN THAT CAR FACTORY FOR FORTY YEARS I FIXED THE HEADLIGHTS THAT WAS MY FIELD I NEVER KNEW WHAT THE SUN WAS LIKE FOR I WAS THE ONE THAT ALWAYS WORKED NIGHTS I CAME OVER FROM JAMAICA IN 1956 ENDED UP CLAENIGN FOR THIRTY YEARS SINCE WHEN I LEFT THEY GAVE ME A WATCH THAT EXPIRED THATS A SERVANTS LIFE NOW IF YOU GO OUT ANY NIGHT IN ANY CITY WHERE THE LIGHTS SHINE BRIGHT YOULL SEE MY FACE BEHIND THE GLASS SERVING YOU BECAUSE IT WILL NEVER STOP THIS SERVANTS LIFE.

MAKE DO AND MEND

SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY THAT HE SMILED WHEN HE TALKED SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY HE DRAGGED HIS HEELS WHEN HE WALKED THREW DOWN HER PAD, THREW AWAY HER PEN SHE SAID I AINT GOING BACK TO NO MAKE DO AND MEND

MAKE DO AND MEND

NEXT THING SHE KNEW SHE WAS IN HIS CAR SHE WOKE UP NEXT MORNING IN ANOTHER PART PARKED ON A BEACH , SHE DIDNT KNOW WHERE SHE DIDNT REALLY EVEN CARE, SHE AINT GOING BACK TO

WELL THAT AFFAIR LASTED THREE WEEKS THEN SHE FOUND SHE WAS LOST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATES WITHOUT A JOB SHE DIDNT KNOW WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO DO NOW, ENDED UP IN A BAR YOU KNOW HOW IT IS YOU ALWAYS END UP SOMEWHERE BUT SHE AINT GOIN BACK TO

BACK IN ENGLAND NOW THERES A MAN THAT WAITS WHO SAYS HE WO NT MAKE THE SAME KIND OF MISTAKE BECAUSE HELL SEE TROUBLE COMING ROUND THE BEND AND WONT EVER END UP WITH JUST THE MAKE DO AND MEND

NOW TAKE A WARNING FROM THIS STORY, BEWARE YOU CAN RUN ALL YOUR LIFE BUT NEVER GET THERE SOMETIMES IT IS SAD BUT YOU JUST CANT ESCAPE EVEN FOLLOWING A STAR WONT FREE YOU OF THE MAKE DO AND MEND

WIND BLOWING AROUND THE OLD BARN DOOR

THE CHICKENS ARE SCRATCHING AT THE GROUND THERE AINT BEEN A GOOD HARVEST SINCE THE SHIP WENT DOWN MEN THEY SAY ARE GETTING HUNG EVERY YEAR FOR DOING NO MORE THAN ASKING FOR A BEER

THERES A COLD WIND BLOWING AROUND THE OLD BARN DOOR BRINGING NO GOOD, BE YOU RICH OR BE YOU POOR

THE SQUIRES GOT A MONKEY AND A BLACKJACK OF BEER AND HES THINKING OF LAYING OFF MEN AGAIN THIS YEAR WELL I BEEN TO THE FAIRS ALL ACROSS THESE DOWNS BUT THERE AINT NO WORK NOWHERE TO BE FOUND

WELL I DONT KNOW WHAT IM A GONNA DO SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN ITS TRUE IVE BEEN WORKING HERE FOR TWENTY YEARS BUT I DONT KNOW IF IM GONNA BE A MAN OF DECISION OR A MAN WHO TRUSTS TO FATE WAITING AROUND FOR WHATEVERS BLOWING IN THE WIND

(THATS OLD DAVEY BELL GETTING REAL HIGH ON SOME OLD RYE WHISKEY.)

SOUND OF THE RAIN

THIS GRAVEL TRACK IS FULL OF RAIN HILLS ARE DISAPPEARING AGAIN I DONT KNOW WHAT BROUGHT ME BACK TO THIS OLD TIN SHACK

MAYBE IT WAS THE SOUND OF THE RAIN FALLING DOWN AGAIN SOUND OF THE RAIN

I MET A GIRL IN LONDON TOWN OH HOW SHE SPAN MY HEART AROUND NOW IM BACK HERE IN THESE FIELDS WATCHING THE MUD DRY ON MY HEELS

AND LISTENING TO THE SOUND OF THE RAIN POURING DOWN ON THIS TIN ROOF AGAIN

ALL OF MY FAMILY ARE BURIED NOW I GO TO THE CHURCH AND I SEE THE GROUND AND I LISTEN TO THE SOUND FALLING ON THE BURIAL GROUND TODAY.

DROWNING MOON

I MADE A CROSS OUT OF STICKS AND BONE THEN I WALKED TO TOWN KEPT IT IN A POCKET HID SO THE DEVIL WOULDNT SEE IT

I WAS SHIVERING LIKE A DROWNING MOON

TALKED TO A CROW IN A SYCAMORE TREE HE SAID NOW GO CAREFULLY COS IVE SEEN THE DEVIL WALKING IN FRONT OF THEE I WAS SHIVERING LIKE A DROWNING MOON

THE DEVIL BETTER BE AWARE IM NOT GONNA LET HIM STOP ME SEEING MY DARLING MARIE COS SHE MEANS THE WHOLE DAM WORLD TO ME AND IM SHIVERING LIKE A DROWNING MOON

THE CROW SAID HED SEEN BETTER MEN THAN ME THROWN BY THE DEVIL IN THAT DARK COLD STREAM BUT I FEEL NO FEAR WITH MY CROSS ON MY CHEST ILL SEE HER BECAUSE I FEEL BLESSED

THE DEVIL TOOK MY BABY AWAY FROM ME NOW IM SHIVERING ALL OVER

GREAT SONG
I SAT DOWN AND WROTE A GREAT SONG DIDNT TAKE ME VERY LONG I WAS SAT LOOKING OUT AT A FIELD THINKING OF TRAINS AND FERRIS WHEELS

THATS HOW IT FEELS GREAT SONG, GREAT SONG

MY SKIN IS LOOSER NOW, MY HAIR IS GREY BUT THEY CANT TAKE YOUR LOVE AWAY THE CATTLE ARE RESTLESS, THE MOON IS ON THE WANE I AINT NEVER GONNA BUILD A FENCE AGAIN

GREAT SONG, GREAT SONG

WELL THE TIN ROOF IS RATTLING THE WIND IS COMING THROUGH THE DOOR BUT I STILL THINK I CAN FEEL YOUR BREATH ON MY NECK LIKE WHEN YOU CALLED

GREAT SONG, GREAT SONG

SMALL YOU ARE

THIS IS FOR THE UNBELIEVERS FOR THE FAINT OF HEART AND IF YOU DONT BELIEVE ME JUST WALK OUT IN THE DARK AND LOOK UP AT THE STARS

YOULL SEE HOW SMALL YOU REALLY ARE SMALL YOU ARE

YOU CAN BE BORN TO WEALTH AND STILL DIE IN PAIN YOU CAN BE BORN IN HELL AND STILL FIND A WAY AND IF YOU DONT BELIEVE ME

THIS IS FOR THE BULLYS AND FAKES PEOPLE WHO WASTE THEIR LIVES AWAY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS TOWN AND SPEND ALL DAY STARING DOWN AT THE GROUND

GO WALK OUT IN A PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND LOOK UP AT THE STARS YOULL SEE HOW SMALL YOU ARE SEE HOW SMALL YOU ARE YOULL SEE HOW SMALL YOU REALLY ARE

TRUCK IN THE TREES

THIS IS THE BEND THEY DIDNT MAKE THIS IS THEIR LAST RESTING PLACE THESE WERE THE TREES THAT THEY MISSED THESE ARE THE TRACKS THAT THEY LEFT ITS A SMOULDERING MESS ANOTHER TRUCK IN THE TREES

WE FOUND THEM LYING THERE TOGETHER SHE WAS WEARING HER NEW WEDDING RING AND HE WAS WEARING THE FOOTBALL SHIRT SHE BOUGHT HIM LAST SPRING ITS A SMOULDERING MESS ANOTHER TRUCK IN THE TREES

A YEAR AGO HE BOUGHT THE NEW TRUCK USED IT EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK NOW ITS JUST A SMOULDERING MESS AND THEYRE COMING TO TAKE IT AWAY

NOW THEYRE PULLING IT OUT WITH A CRANE AND THE ENGINES STEAMING IN THE RAIN AND A PATROL CAR IS HEADED OFF TOWARDS TOWN A ST.CHRISTOPHER IN THE OFFICERS HAND ITS A SMOULDERING MESS ANOTHER TRUCK IN THE TREES

ALL SONGS SHAUNBELCHER HORSESHOE SONGS 2013