- ROLL OVER VAUGHN WILLIAMS
Gentle ladies, gentle men
Waiting 'till the dance begin
Carefully we come to speak
The word for all to hear
If you listen, if you should
We won't be misunderstood
But don't expect the words to ring
Too sweetly on the ear
Live in fear, live in fear, live in fear
In the gutter, in the street
Off his head or off his feet
Listen to the scratchy voices
Eating at your nerves
Pencils ready, paper dry
Shoot the girls and make them cry
Run for cover, things are bad
But now they're getting worse
Live in fear, live in fear, live in fear, live in fear
Is it painful, is it right?
Does it keep you warm at night?
Fool your friends and fool yourself
The choice is crystal clear
If you break it on your knee
Better men might disagree
Do you laugh or do you stick
Your finger in your ear?
Live in fear, live in fear, live in fear, live in fear
- NOBODY'S WEDDING
Everybody came to nobody's wedding
Everybody knew it was bound to be a hoot
What can you do when nothing else is cooking?
You make your own amusement, bring a pile of loot
There was Alice, the butcher, Tidy and Gunn
Who couldn't see where they were heading
It was sixteen days and sixteen nights
And it weren't even nobody's wedding
"What a great reception," all the people cried
"Who stole the groom and who stole the bride?
How did the countess slide underneath the door?
Why is the wild boy chopping up the floor?"
There was Alice, the butcher, Tidy and Gunn
Who couldn't see where they were heading
It was sixteen days and sixteen nights
And it weren't even nobody's wedding
I didn't hear the sound of the tin cans rattle
I didn't hear a teardrop, I didn't hear a prattle
I didn't hear the words of the Bible being read
When it's nobody's wedding, nobody's wed
There was Alice, the butcher, Tidy and Gunn
Who couldn't see where they were heading
It was sixteen days and sixteen nights
And it weren't even nobody's wedding
- THE POOR DITCHING BOY
Was there ever a winter so cold and so sad?
The river too weary to flood
The storming wind cut through to my skin
But she cut through to my blood
I was looking for trouble to tangle my line
But trouble came looking for me
I knew I was standing on treacherous ground
I was sinking too fast to run free
With her scheming, idle ways
She left me poor enough
The storming wind cut through to my skin
But she cut through to my blood
I would not be asking, I would not be seen
Begging on mountain or hill
But I'm ready and blind with my hands tied behind
I've neither a mind nor a will
With her scheming, idle ways
She left me poor enough
The storming wind cut through to my skin
But she cut through to my blood
It's bitter, the need of the poor ditching boy
He'll always believe what they say
They tell him it's hard to be honest and true
Does he mind if he doesn't get paid?
With her scheming, idle ways
She left me poor enough
The storming wind cut through to my skin
But she cut through to my blood
- SHAKY NANCY
Here she comes and there she goes
Nothing on her fingers, nothing on her toes
Why she comes, nobody knows
Here comes Shaky Nancy
Don't be believing, she melts in your hand
Runs with the tide and she shifts with the sand
She'll send you a message and turn to stone
She's a hard girl, Nancy
One cold morning, ice on the sea
Shaky Nancy, won't you lean on me?
Must mean something, how can you lose?
There's nothing choosy or chancy
Here she comes and there she goes
Nothing on her fingers, nothing on her toes
Why she comes, nobody knows
Here comes Shaky Nancy
Nancy went walking, she's gone for the day
When she comes back, she's been two years away
There's still tears in her eyes
Who'll say a prayer for Nancy?
Here she comes and there she goes
Nothing on her fingers, nothing on her toes
Why she comes, nobody knows
Here comes Shaky Nancy
Throw me a bottle, throw me a bowl
And you throw what's left of me into the hole
I'll take a sleep, I'll take a sleep
And I'll dream sweet dreams of Nancy
Here she comes and there she goes
Nothing on her fingers, nothing on her toes
Why she comes, nobody knows
Here comes Shaky Nancy
- THE ANGELS TOOK MY RACEHORSE AWAY
Well, the angels came to see me today
Said "We've taken your racehorse away"
And I believe it was that bookmaker from Crail
I believe that he put one in her pail
Oh, the finest in the field
Only measured to her shoulders they only ever see her heels
And I believe (I believe) every sporting man will cry
I believe (I believe) to see his income pass him by
She won the Lanark Silver Bell
And she stole every heart away
She stood her stand at sixteen hands
And I'd ride her easy
But they've taken, they've taken, my racehorse away
There's a racecourse in the sky
And that's where all the racing horses must go by and by
And I believe (I believe) every steward, lord and groom
I believe (I believe) that they're calling her home
She would look me in the eye
And that was all she had to say
She stood her stand at sixteen hands
And I'd ride her easy
But they've taken, taken my racehorse away
They've taken my racehorse away
They've taken my racehorse away
They've taken my racehorse away
They've taken my racehorse away
Taken my racehorse away
- WHEELY DOWN
She womanly lay like the lay of the land
The land around Wheely Down
And every curve was a high, high hill
To hang above the town
From Holland they came to make their maps
And they had made her well
For the rivers danced all across the green
And the pine woods sweet did smell
As far as ever a man can see
It yields him more and more
And every house he washes it white
And he covers it all with straw
Except for the fool who makes his home
Upon the flooded ground
And the still on the tide is a glass to the eyes
That stare out of Wheely Down
All things must change within the earth
The moving in and the lame
For the worms will rot the miller's wheel
And the rats will eat the grain
And the armies of deliverance
Are run into the ground
And the kestrel turns in the empty skies
On high over Wheely Down
- THE NEW ST. GEORGE
The time has come for action
Leave your satisfaction
Can't you hear St. George's tune
St. George's tune is calling you on?
Freedom was your mother
Fight for one another
Leave the factory, leave the forge
And dance to the new St. George
Don't believe pretenders
Who say they would defend us
While they flash their teeth and wave
The other hand is being paid
They choke the air and bleed us
These noble men who lead us
Leave the factory, leave the forge
And dance to the new St. George
The fish and fowl are ailing
The farmer's life is failing
Where are all the backroom boys?
The backroom boys can't save us now
We're poisoned by the greedy
Who plunder on the needy
Leave the factory, leave the forge
And dance to the new St. George
- PAINTED LADIES
It's a grey, grey morning, the rain it do fall
I'm feeling hungry and low
My bed's so empty, how I wish I could call
On the painted ladies I know
When you've got no credit, don't hold no sway
With the painted ladies I know
It's a "Thank you for nothing, we'll see you someday"
The painted ladies I know
Leave at home what you value enough
And laugh all your senses away
When you want to love everyone, how can you love
The painted ladies all say
Those film stars and beauties will please you tonight
If you go to bed with a book
But they can't hold a candle to something that trembles
If you need to do more than look
They come from rich fathers and twinkle their eyes
And you're begging them please not to go
When you're starved for some loving, they can make you feel special
The painted ladies I know
If you're seeking fortune, if you're seeking fame
And you're looking yourself in the eye
And God help the children, playing their game
The end of the game is goodbye
They pass through your vision like thoughts in a dream
Your good times are slipping away
It's time to move on or go down with the ship
The painted ladies all say
- COLD FEET
I know you're the wayward kind
The way you always drag behind
Show me a horse and I'll feed it hay
Show me the cart and I'll throw it away
Prettiest face I've ever seen
It looked like something in a magazine
To a blind man it's plain to see
That I need you and you need me
I've got cold feet, it's a-crazy chasin'
When things get serious, time is a-wastin'
I'd cross my fingers but they don't seem to meet
There's no need to tell me that I've got cold feet, a-ha-ha
Took me home to tell your dad
That you were the best girl I've ever had
I stayed for dinner, I couldn't refuse
I spilt the tea and I ate the news
Ah, you must think you're really neat
Got me tied down to my seat
I can't move, it's hard to think
With cramp in my eyelids and I can't blink
Well, I've got cold feet, it's a-crazy chasin'
Things get serious, time is a-wastin'
I cross my fingers but they don't seem to meet
There's no need to tell me that I've got cold feet, a-ha-ha
A-ha-ha
- MARY AND JOSEPH
Mary and Joseph were watching the border
Lovers with a different pose, like the worm that loves the rose
Mary is in stitches, she's tied down on the bed
While Joseph plays a ukulele standing on his head
Sad is the hour that saw them divided
People with a common blood, parted in the name of God
The father and the mother of the royal king on earth
He'll only come when hearts are joined and peace rings in his birth
- THE OLD CHANGING WAY
I'm Darby the tinker and my brother is Tam
We go where the work is, my boys, and we work where we can
With the mending and fixing, it's together we stay
Intending our fortunes to try on the old changing way
We come to your cities and we call on your wives
We'll fix up your kettles, please dear missus, we'll sharpen your knives
And we always agreed that together we'd stay
Intending our fortunes to try on the old changing way
Now times they grew scanty and the money grew thin
We worked for a song but the money it didn't come in
Now brothers are kindred but hard times betray
And so we stumbled apart on the old changing way
We never agreed to divide our tin
And when you're out of love with your brother, your hard times begin
For the spikes and the brothels, they're shameful to see
But don't you travel alone, boys, this warning you take from me
You must share with your nearest till the end of your days
Or else it's forever you'll roam the old changing way
- TWISTED
It's been raining for a long time and I can't seem to stand
She left about an hour ago and so did the band
I'm sitting at the bar, my face in the jar
And something tells me I'm twisted
Whoa ho, sitting at the bar with my face in the jar
Something tells me I'm twisted
People are looking hazy and people are looking dim
I'd go for help if I could find the way I came in
I feel in clover, it's time to keel over
Something tells me I'm twisted
Whoa ho, sitting at the bar with my face in the jar
Something tells me I'm twisted
Here's the one to lay you out with Charlie in the trough
This one's got your name on it written in the froth
Draining the dregs, I'm running out of legs
And something tells me I'm twisted
Whoa ho, I'm sitting at the bar with my face in the jar
Something tells me I'm twisted
Whoa ho, sitting at the bar with my face in the jar
Something tells me I'm twisted