1. |
Vesper's Flight
05:29
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2. |
Jesus is a White Man
04:19
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I can’t sing songs of freedom. You see I’m already free
A product of a capitalist - white democracy
I live in modest comfort – you might say comfortably numb!
Because Jesus is a white man along with Peter, James and John
Peter, James and John
I don’t write songs of protest. What grounds do I have to complain?
Those protests on the TV scream but no-one’s freed - the song remains the same
While others fight for justice - my rights have already been won
Because Jesus is a white man along with Peter, James and John
Peter, James and John
Now I know that black lives matter. I know your human rights
We take a knee. We’re bourgeoisie but still I don’t sleep well at nights
I may be sitting pretty privileged, but I know when something’s wrong
Just ‘cos Jesus is a white man – I’ll no longer sing your song
Because Jesus is a white man – I’ll no longer tag along
Thank God Jesus stands for all men - come together and stand strong
together and stand… strong
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3. |
Fair Skinned Mary
03:48
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Come and pull the board my fair skinned Mary
Come and pull the board for me
I will work the load my fair skinned Mary
You will work for free
It’s black as tar a mile below, so dark and cold as charity
But your fair skin I’ll see though dimly. Light the way – I’ll watch you grimly
Come and pull the board my fair skinned Mary…
No school for you my bonny child, no summer sun to brown your skin
I need you as white as snow to better spy you down below so…
Come and pull the board my fair skinned Mary…
If I could I’d dress you like a queen. I’d place you on a velvet throne
But no more dreams of frills or lace - I need you here in this foul place so…
Come and pull the board my fair skinned Mary…
Don’t think that I don’t feel your fear, I hear you cry and tremble so
You must put out all fright and dread if we’re to earn our daily bread
Come and pull the board my fair skinned Mary…
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4. |
Nine Ladies
04:11
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Nine ladies dancing - all on a summer’s day
Nine young ladies dancing with a piper for to play
On Stanton Moor in Derbyshire - round by Derwent side
Nine ladies dancing hoping soon - to be a bride
Now Constance smiled and curtseyed as - she stepped into the ring
“Faithfulness and tender favours to my love I’ll bring”
Goodness blushed a crimson scarlet when she took her turn
“By my sweet affection his devotion I will earn”
Peace proclaimed her chastity - and likewise Patience too
Love and Joy were much less coy their men they would pursue
Round and round they danced and skipped - all through the afternoon
And Billy Stumps the Kingstone gaily played - his lusty tune
Good Deeds asked for kindness - from her man’s caress
While Mercy asked forbearance - and for gentleness
Temperance wished for a man - both charming and composed
And Billy Stumps played on as nine young ladies rang the rose
Misdeeds upon a Sabbath day by River Derwent’s flood
No work nor play on this day for the righteous or the good
Now some would think, for everyone, - these laws were understood
But not for these nine ladies
Foul fate befell our nine bells - to locals all well known
A thunderous crack – which chilled these nine young ladies to the bone
A voice declared, “Blasphemers all. - Each sin must be atoned”
The lightning flashed and thunder crashed … and turned them all to stone
Billy Stumps took to his heels - to make good his escape
The thunder spoke again and Piper Billy shared their fate
On Stanton Moor, as statues still, - they stand for all to see
Observe the Sabbath day I pray, or their fate … yours may be
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5. |
Some Folk
03:08
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Some folk mostly do the right things - Perhaps they’ve seen the writing on the wall
And some folk hear the sound of marching bands and they heed the clarion call
But some folk only know their “Why should I” – Could they be heading for a fall?
You can’t put them right - If you stay all night
You see some folks they have got no sense at all
Some folk they can smell a change coming - And some folk get a tingle on their skin
Some folk hear the long train running and the answer blowing in the wind
But some folk cannot run before the storm - Won’t furl their mainsails in a squall
Don’t waste your time - It’s a paradigm
You see some folk they’ve just got no sense at all
Now you can lead your horse to water but cannot make him drink
And likewise some folks will go blindly to the slaughter because you cannot make them think
Perhaps you may just prick their consciences if you come on strong like a wrecking ball
But it’s a lot to ask - a superhuman task
You see some folk they ain’t got no sense at all
some folk they ain’t got no sense at all
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6. |
Australia
05:03
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Australia you took our breath away
Your green and your gold is a bright and bold cabaret
Here on the old island in wizened shades of grey
We pale against your dazzling chardonnay
Australia blessed by your southern lights
You bask in your sun while we freeze in our snow and ice
Your gruff and bluff image contrived – what a brilliant disguise
While we dream of heaven, you live in paradise
On this fair isle they found Orange gold at the end of the Rainbow
And it’s true – you know, Alice is in wonderland
And the Wizard of Auz stays because – well where else would he go?
Ve con Dios amigo
Australia none other can compare
A shining new vision of hope from the seeds of despair
Vivacious and bursting with life in a garden so rare
‘til we meet again my young friend – advance Australia fair
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7. |
No Place for Heroes
05:02
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Cold November, damp. I’m living like a tramp. Nowhere to stay no place to go
My feet two lumps of lead. Nowhere to lay my head. Blow you winter winds blow.
Upstanding family man. Now that’s all down the pan. I’m dying here on the street
Wearing out some road. My brain on overload. I am dead and I am beat.
There’s no happy ending here. The past it keeps on sending me
Receiving like a phone.
Radio squawking. That’s my boys’ voices talking.
Did they make it home? Didn’t make it home!
So I’m a little tight. This doorway’s home tonight. Unroll my sleeping bag
And as I close my eyes a little more of me dies. So I’ll smoke this little fag’
God don’t make me dream. Don’t wake me with a scream. I’m lying naked on this floor
Can’t make them go away. Things I saw on that day. I can’t take this any more
There’s no happy ending here. The past it keeps on sending me…
There’s no happy ending here. The past it keeps on sending me…
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8. |
A Night So Rare
04:46
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The wild wind howled for a hunter’s moon and the darkness pierced the soul
Courage lost as the banshee flew on a night as black as coal
The sirens cry – “Come by – come by” but pray don’t enter there
No don’t be seen on hallow’s e’en out on the moor on a night so rare
Now on this night of the necromat see the mortal line draw paper thin
And from the ancient mounds – from the ziggurats, the other world comes tumbling in
Hobgoblins troll for your mortal soul – all foul forces fill the air
Yes the whole aos si on hallow’s e’en are out on the moor on a night so rare
It is the will of God. It is the march of time as each day adds to the ledger of your sins
All things pass. All men decline and the night is closing in
You would be wise not to compromise your soul – let you beware
No don’t be seen on hallow’s e’en out on the moor on a night so rare
Yes you would be wise not to compromise your soul – let you beware
No don’t be seen on hallow’s e’en out on the moor on a night so rare
on a night so rare
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9. |
White Whale
05:12
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Be done! Now call me Ishmael for in faith that is my name
I and only I survive to tell of what became
Of the Pequod in pursuit of Captain Ahab’s Holy Grail
White Whale!
I served aboard a merchantman out of Nantucket Sound
But seeking for adventure found myself for whaling bound
I met an old harpooner - he was dark as I was pale
In friendship bound together we went hunting for the whale
Queequegg was my shipmate a truer soul you’d never find
A painted dark barbarian. Courageous wise and kind
I prefers a sober pagan in the fury of a gale
To a pious drunken christian – Queequegg’s heart would never fail
Three weeks aboard the Pequod where all was calm pretence
Whence Ahab appears and takes us all into his confidence
Few words but deep, deep meaning from this giant of a man
Entreats us all to join and hunt down his leviathan
This gaunt ungodly, God-like man scorched from lightening’s breath
Beseeched, cajoled, enjoined us on his rendezvous with death
‘This Spanish gold for he – the first - who raises the white whale’
Our course was set, our fate was sealed to destiny we sailed
Not the Rachael, Jeroboam nor the Samuel Enderby
could help us in our quest to find this terror of the sea
Then ‘She blows!”. Suddenly ‘She Blows… See the White Whale blow!’
Ahab spies his nemesis ‘Now to the boats and row!’
For three long days we fought the beast for three days he prevailed
Though brave men fought and died we could not best this damned whale
Says Gabriel to Flask ‘I hear the tolling of a bell…
…this incarnate shaker god will drag us all to hell!’
Then the White Whale sounds and rises and she’s struck and split the keel
The Pequod, dealt a mortal blow, my shipmates fate was sealed
‘Sink all coffins and all hearses now into one common tomb…
I’ll chase thee down to Davey Jones though I be fortune’s fool!’
The ocean claimed the Pequod and made of her a hearse
Enveloped in that great grey shroud her cargo to disperse
But echoes on the water born defying deaths dark veil
‘From hell’s heart I stab at thee
And to the last I grapple thee
With my last breath thou cursed be’
White Whale
White Whale
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10. |
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11. |
'til Next Time
02:47
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And so it comes to this. It seems we’ll have to miss
Your nephew’s birthday party and Friday’s parish whist drive
And, of course, the weekly kick about is absolutely definitely out
‘till next time
It seems we’ll have to spend indefinite weekends
Completely isolated – alone intoxicated
You know those post-apocalyptic scenes?
It turns out were not only in your dreams
‘till next time
And so it comes to pass – the terminal morass
The breakdown of society and I am reliably
Informed that schools and pubs have had to shut
And sadly up with this we’ll have to put
‘till next time
When finally at an end there could be a dividend
Carbon rates are falling – we’ve slowed down global warming
The sky today’s a vivid China blue
The air smells fresh the water’s clearer too
‘till next time
I can hardly wait to see you all again
It’s a bugger but it’s worth it in the end
‘till next time
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The Mather Robinson Band Salford, UK
Dave Mather and Pete Robinson grew up together in the north of England in the nineteen sixties and have been writing and performing music individually and as a team ever since. From Opera to rock to pop and now back to their roots in folk music. Mather & Robinson entertain audiences in the north west of England but if you ask them - they will hummmm. ... more
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