1. |
Nine Ladies
04:28
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Sunday Morning & the folk of Stanton gathered in the square, they met their friends there
Church bells ringing call the faithful to repentance & to prayer, time to go there
When came a jaunty man, a fiddle underneath his arm & a charmful smile
His coat was emerald green; his hair was lustrous in the light & black as night
“Come ladies forget your sins this day
I'll play you a tune to dance your cares away
Kick your feet lift your skirts up over your knees & we'll stay forever young under the trees
We'll stay forever young under the trees”
And when he'd finished speaking he flashed a smile & walked away, nevermore to stay
Nine ladies left their friends & families & followed after him; where was the sin?
He led them through the trees; they formed a ring before the dance as though in a trance
And when his bow did sound, all ten were instant turned to stone, standing alone
“Come ladies forget your sins this day
I'll play you a tune to dance your cares away
Kick your feet lift your skirts up over your knees & we'll stay forever young under the trees
We'll stay forever young under the trees”
(“All ten,” you say? Yes. The King Stone (fiddler) stands some 40 metres South West of the circle.)
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2. |
Jonny
04:15
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Find your way home, Jonny, find your way home
Don't allow Napoleon to whiten your bones
Dodge the lead shot, Jonny, dodge the lead shot
Hang on to the memories of all the things that you've got
For I'm waiting at home with a child on my knee & the bed now feels empty where you used to be
Find your way home, Jonny, find your way home
Don't allow Napoleon to whiten your bones
Keep your head down, Jonny, keep your head down
Let the other soldiers be the first into town
Dodge the sharp lance, Jonny, dodge the sharp lance
Don't allow Napoleon to take you far into France
When the cannonballs fly, keep your head to the ground; don't lift your eyes till the guns cease to pound
Keep your head down, Jonny, keep your head down
Let the other soldiers be the first into town
Come back to me, let those Spanish girls be & we'll see what it's like to be free
Make sure you don't die, in some far land to lie, no come back to me over the sea
Over the sea
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3. |
Where is Summertime
03:31
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Webs adorn the hedgerows & dew is pearling there
And we have had no summertime to mitigate our care
Came April, and came too an Arctic blast
That month long seared the countryside till May did come at last
But the merry month's sweet promise, with blossom now unfurled
Was dashed by storm & tempest from polar regions hurled
June's xenith sun was his by leaden skies
Denying views of golden girls but still, there was July
The month of heat & thunder, a travesty we found
Where were the happy gillyflowers? Chilled to sodden ground
Where is summertime?
So all now rests on August & hopes of bland September
Instead, a spell the greybeards call the worst they can remember
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4. |
Sam Whittle
04:07
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Young Sam Whittle he did very little just whittling all the day
In a woodland glade with his trusty blade young Sam would like to play
He'd search the trees for likely prospects, oh the hours on a branch he'd spend
He'd whittle it thin, whittle it short & whittle it sharp at the end
Well, young Sam Whittle when doing very little found a mighty wood one day
All the trees were green & a babbling stream led him further on its way
When a great tree branch got his attention & its shape he thought he'd amend
He'd whittle it thin, whittle it short & whittle it sharp at the end
But before Sam's knife began to slice, he heard the strangest sound
Like a maiden's giggle & the sound of a fiddle all rising from the ground
And the sound of the maiden confused him & his thoughts seemed to wander & wend
Must whittle it thin, whittle it short & whittle it sharp at the end
She filled his mind, her perfume pine; her touch felt much like binging vines
As her arms young Sam entwined
Well young Sam Whittle could do very little as his feet began to root
His skin turned hard, his arms branched out & he lost his head to boot
And a voice seemed to echo inside him, “You'll hurt no more of my friends”
No more whittling thin, whittling short or whittling sharp at the end
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5. |
Friends
04:19
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She said, “He's gone for month now. How will I cope on my own”
She said, “It's not easy when your heart's close to breaking. I feel so alone”
I said, “There's no need to worry.” I said, “He misses you too”
I said, “He'll be back soon, then you'll be together.” I said, “He loves you.”
But I didn't say I love her more than she ever can know
And I didn't say I never would go
And I'll never know a love that's returned for as long as I live
And I'm desperate to say, “Forget about him & love me. Love me.”
She said, “Of course he still loves me. He'll be with me till the end.”
She said, “Thanks for listening. You've made me feel better. Your such a good friend.”
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6. |
Sophie
04:29
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She's leaving home, my little girl's got a new world
A boy in her life a place of her own, it's a new world
The treasured moments pass so swiftly
And when you turn around, without a sound, like eiderdown, they drift away
Up in her room, so many things she has left behind
Her first teddy bear, he's starting to wear & he's left behind
The bed I made for her went long ago
The books we used to read are boxed away, no time to play, not today
Time to let go, Dad, you musn't be sad
Memories linger; it won't be so bad
I saw her today, we went for a drink at a cafe
A scone & some tea, some coffee for me at the cafe
Two adults sit & chat at the table now
And though I miss my girl I remember how our happy times are made today
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7. |
Billy
03:00
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“Would you like to come & meet your son,” my dear wife said to me
He'd just been born in Nottingham to cap our family
And the midwife & the nurses & the doctors all agreed
He was a beautiful boy
His teachers said he was a star: so clever but so shy
He hid away from birthday friends & we both wondered why
And learning came so easily as school years drifted by
Our beautiful boy
But adolescence brought its pain, self-doubt & fear prevailed
Social skills eluded him, he kept his glamour veiled
And now obsessions ruled his life & cleanliness was all
And we were left to contemplate his tactical withdrawal
And now a young man writes his stories, hopes unsatisfied
Troubled by uncertainty, oblivious of our pride
Yes, we still see the shining star that's trapped somewhere inside
Our beautiful boy
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8. |
Endlessly
05:30
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The smell of your hair first thing in the morning; the ache of the heart when we disagree
The light in your eyes, like the sun in clear blue skies, seems to warm me tenderly
The things that you love that always amused me, a scalding hot bath, a cup of weak tea
The way that you shout when you think there's no-one about, then you sing so quietly
These are the things I'll remember my love when you're not lying next to me
I'll think of your ways till I reach the end of my days & I'll love you endlessly
But time passes by as we know it must do & things won't remain as they used to be
But I truly feel that our love is timeless & real & will stay eternally
And so I recall significant moments, success & defeats you shared with me
The wonder & pride that you chose to stay by my side, I will love you endlessly
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9. |
Copper & Gold
04:56
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Three sisters sat by the side of a brook, as pretty as sisters could be
Two girls were shrouded with long golden hair but the other one stood out to me
Her eyes were the colour of oak leaves in spring, reflecting the light of the sun
Her face was a vision to lighten the soul & around it her copper hair shone
I asked if she'd walk with me down by the stream, she answered you shouldn't be kind
My sisters are beauties with gold in their hair, two better you'd struggle to find
I told her, “Your hair shines far brighter than theirs, the light in your eyes is less cold
“Your face is more lovely, your skin is more fair & I'd rather have copper than gold”
I lost my heart in the hot summer sun to a beautiful girl whose copper hair shone
If I may make so bold, I prefer copper to gold
One look was all that was needed for me, I knew from the start where my future would be
Let tomorrow unfold, I prefer copper to gold
Her father was vexed that I courted his girl, he had a rich suitor in mind
The young man came calling with gold in his purse, a better she'd struggle to find
She said to her father, “You must understand, love is not something that's sold
“I've given my heart to a poor country boy & I'd rather his coppers than gold”
We were married in springtime & the years have been kind
And a happier couple you would struggle to find
Now her hair's flecked with silver & she fears she looks old
But I simply tell her I like silver better than gold
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10. |
Badajoz Jackson
04:06
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We reached the town of Badajoz across the Spanish border
Our allies held in Frenchmen's hands, to free them was our order
We dug defences for the guns, the French attacked the diggers
But Jackson laughed at ricochets & dug his trench with vigour
Death stalked gaps in Badajoz's walls, morale was down to zero
He led us straight to Badajoz's walls, Jackson was our hero
Mouths were dry despite the rain as the guns began their pounding
But Jackson kept our spirits high with strength & wit abounding
The guns fell silent on the 6th both sides braced for battle
We watched the forlorn hope attack & saw them felled like cattle
With dead & dying all around we heard a voice commanding
“For king & country, at 'em lads” & there was Jackson standing
He led us through the French defence, we cleared the walls & towers
The French defeat was full complete & Badajoz was ours
With Spanish gold & girls at risk, for me it was no wonder
Jackson died by his own side, defending them from plunder
When Wellesley heard of Jackson's death they say he wept in sorrow
We saw him laid in a soldier's grave & left him on the morrow
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11. |
Here & Now
03:35
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As evening expires, the warmth of the day fades away
But your smile stays in place brings a light to your face here & now
We snuggle inside, I turn down the light for the night
While a song stirs our hearts, trepidation departs here & now
I'll say what I want you to know; you'll stay, no-one wants you to go
It's clear that I must have you here by my side
Tomorrow's a far distant day; we won't throw this moment away
We know that our love's set to grow here & now
But can it go on or will we fell less tenderness with the light of the day
I so want it to stay here & now
So love me tonight; don't speak of a moment of weakness
Tonight is no crime so remember this time here & now
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12. |
Swallows
04:11
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When evening colours day with crimson fire in silken clouds
And autumn calls its name with early dew on gilded leaves
I watch the swallows fly, they're gathering on the wires up high
They'll soon be on their way leaving here for warmer climes till another day
My heart would ride the air, this shivering land I'd leave behind
And live the swallows life in longer days on slender wings
No more cold days for me, no freezing by the Christmas tree
No prayers for early springs; skimming over water on my shimmering wings
Oh how I would like to fly with swallows
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13. |
A Tale of Eyam
05:56
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She looks at me over the boundary, marked by stakes & stones
And I look back at my own true love, standing all alone
And the sadness in her eyes belies the smile she gives to me
Oh Emmott, step across the stones & take your leave of Eyam
I have loved her these many years since first I saw her face
Her smile it did beguile me with her softness & her grace
And we share a love that knows no bounds, save this between us here
And I'd carry her across the stones, but I'm not allowed so near
And every day, I've met her here since the boundary first appeared
When all the folk of Eyam agreed to stay
Now the dead are laid in gardens by their grieving family's hands
And Emmott takes the flowers I leave before I walk away
Five of her kin have been laid to rest, five of my family too
And she tells me they passed away peacefully but we both know that's not true
And she says it'll soon all be over & we can start a new life of our own
And we'll watch as our children play in the fields, flesh of our flesh & bone
When I came to the boundary yesterday, no-one was waiting for me
And I stayed holding onto the daffodils that I'd brought for my love to see
And Emmott Sydall & Rowland Torre will never wed here in Eyam
But I pray we'll be married in Paradise, that death's not the end of the dream
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14. |
Another Song
03:05
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Another hour of the day has passed me by
The people with me are laughing, I don't remember why
Another time I might have laughed along
Another time I might have written another song
Another night on my own, around me empty space
Another night when I close my eyes & see your face
And I feel your skin & I touch your hair
And I try to pretend that you're really there
Another hour of the day has come & gone
Another reason to try to write another song
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Adrian Hall Chesterfield, UK
Ade has played in progressive rock & classic rock bands Gehenna & 3 Legged Cat before writing songs for acoustic bands Old
Pekuliar & Ar Faoued.
He is lucky to live on the edge of the Derbyshire Peak which continues to provide stories & inspiration for songs.
... more
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