LYRICS

No More

No more my lord I ain’t never turning back no more

Why test my faith? Why do you tempt me to fall from grace?

I think I’ll live my life away from the glare of your white light

No more my lord I ain’t never turning back no more

 

Based on an unaccompanied spiritual song from an old Alan Lomax recording, this take twists the opening phrase around from its original apologetic meaning to dismiss the idea of going back to an abusive relationship…

 

P.I.G.

Knock knock who’s there at the door its getting late I’m having nobody over

Knock knock who’s there at the door by the hair of my chin

Little piggy its me at the door the big bad wolf I’m coming over for dinner

Little piggy its me at the door won’t you please let me in

Or I’ll huff and I’ll puff until I blow your house down right down to the floorboards

I’ll huff and I’ll puff until I blow your house down

You can’t build a house out of sticks and straw don’t believe me just ask your two sisters

You can’t build a house out of sticks and straw so come on let me in

I didn’t make this house out of sticks and straw I built it myself out of bricks and mortar

I didn’t make this house out of sticks and straw not by the hair of my chin

So you’ll huff and you’ll puff until you blow yourself out right down to the to your last breath

You’ll huff and you’ll puff until you blow yourself out

I’ll catch my breath and climb up your wall cross your roof and come down your chimney

I’ll catch my breath and climb up your wall by the hair of your chin

If I catch you climbing up my wall I’ll get some tinder and I’ll tend the fire

If I catch you climbing up my wall you can let yourself in

You’ll huff and you’ll puff until you throw yourself right down to your death

You’ll huff and you’ll puff until you throw yourself down

I’ll huff and I’ll puff until I blow myself out right down to the cinders

I’ll huff and I’ll puff until I blow myself out

 

The three little pigs in song form!

 

Wanted

The hangman said I want to hang him today wanna make him sweat a bucket wanna make him pay

For a fistful of dollars bring him before the law bring him in alive for a few dollars more

I found the wanted man drinking at the bar he said I don’t know who the hell you think you are

I’m gonna take you outside gonna make you dance gonna bleed you good you don’t stand a chance

I can hear the howling in the wind I can see the sweat start to burn his skin I can feel his fingers start to itch inside he is champing at the bit

I know he can’t take it anymore any second now and he’s gonna draw when I can see it in his eyes I pull the trigger and watch him die

I just took his lousy messed up life I just made a widow of his wife I made an orphan of his boy turned his daddy into a lifeless toy

 

Written in homage to the Spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone…

 

Johnny Still Ain’t Home

Its 2021 and we’re all out packing guns and all I know is johnny still ain’t home

Its 2022 and there’s more red than white and blue and all I know is johnny still ain’t home

Its 2023 and no one seems to be free and all I know is johnny still ain’t home

Its 2024 when they declare all out war and all I know is johnny still ain’t home

Its 2025 and no one got out alive and all I know is johnny still ain’t home

 

Based on an old American Civil War song which, in light of the recent polarisation of American cultural/political camps, seems chillingly relevant today…

 

The Boat Song

Outside its blowing a gale but can you feel it putting wind in your sail so take me by the hand as cold as a graveyard in December in a far away land

If we get caught on the rocks I’d grab your hat your earrings I’m very sari but please understand that this here boat ain’t got no anchor so baby on my command abandon ship

When we crawl out from the shipwreck we’ll mark the spot by leaving an ex right here in the sand where we will bury the treasure along with all of our plans

 

Written about a boat…

 

Black Diamond Express to Hell

The train that I ride is coming into call right here at Gloucester terminal

I thought I’d seen it all before but never did I see a more wretched hive of scum and villainy

The conductor’s calling all aboard that black diamond express to hell

He said step right on up ladies and gentlemen all you local frauds and charlatans

There’s no need for tickets this is your ride your salvation has arrived

We’re departing all aboard that black diamond express to hell

I’m sorry but did you think that was your stop well you ain’t ever getting off

Didn’t you hear me call we’re hellbound and we’re going deeper underground

I guess we’re staying all aboard that black diamond express to hell

 

Inspired by an A. W. Nix sermon and gifted to those who frequent Gloucester’s favourite haunts…

 

Let My People Go

See the land of Palestine let me people go

The adopted home of the Ishmaelites let my people go

Go down Moses to the promised land go tell old Pharaoh let my people go

Racism institutionalised let my people go

No one free to criticise let my people go

Go down Moses to the promised land go tell old Pharaoh let my people go

Look into old Pharaoh’s eyes let my people go

Demand and end to apartheid let my people go

Go down Moses to the promised land go tell old Pharaoh let my people go

 

This interpretation of the classic spiritual highlights some of the analogues between the struggles faced by the Isrealites of the Bible with those of many modern-day Palestinians… Just to be clear, the message isn’t one born out of any antisemitic agenda, but rather of a hope to elicit empathy for an oppressed people.

 

Angie

A little loving’s what I need

Cross my eyes and dot my Ts

A cup of continental coffee

A little loving’s what I need

A little Angie

Save me your sympathy

A little is what I need

So c’mon baby set me free

‘cos I’ve been waiting so god damn long

 

A standard of the London Folk scene in the 60s, Angie (regardless of how you spell it!) was apparently composed for a girl who worked at Continental Café – Davey Graham’s original and the possibly more famous reinterpretations from Bert Jansch and Paul Simon are instrumental guitar pieces but here we add words to help tell the story...

 

In My Time of Dying

In my time of Dying don’t want nobody to moan all I want you to do is bring my body home

Well well well so I can die easy Jesus gonna make up my dying bed

Meet me Jesus in the middle of the air if these wings should fail me meet me with another pair

Well well well so I can die easy Jesus gonna make up my dying bed

I’m going on down to the river stick my sword in the sand shout my troubles over I made it to the promised land

Well well well so I can die easy Jesus gonna make up my dying bed

In my time of dying don’t want nobody to cry all I want for you to do is bury me when I die

Well well well so I can die easy Jesus gonna make up my dying bed

 

An old gospel interpreted by many seminal artists (Blind Willie Johnson, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin to name but a few) the great thing about this song is that each version treats it wildly different from the next; this is our take…

 

Summertime

Summertime and the living is easy fishes jumping and the cotton is high

Your daddy's rich and your mama’s good looking so hush little baby don't you cry

One of these mornings you're gonna rise up singing spread your wings and take to the sky
But until that morning there's nothing can harm you with Mummy and Daddy standing by

 

The Healing Crow

Carve my name in stone save this wandering soul carry me home calling on the healing crow

Those are the words to your song since your bird has flown now I sing them alone calling on the healing crow. You felt it in your bones soon you’d have to go journey on beyond calling on the healing crow.

 

A tribute to our friend and collaborator in all things musical, Damon T, who sadly lost his battle with

Cancer. The Healing Crow was born from our last meeting before he passed, where he handed over a set of handwritten lyrics he wanted to sing together on what he knew would be his final album… we never had the chance but this song was written in memory and tribute… Rest in peace brother x

 

Drunken Sailor

What shall we do with the drunken sailor early in the morning

Put him in the guardroom until he gets sober early in the morning

Put him in the long boat and make him bail her early in the morning

Put him in bed with the captain’s daughter early in the morning

 

What shall we do with the drunken sailor???