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Dick Greener
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Dick Greener

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BBC IN CONCERT - LYRICS

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All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission.
Please do not reproduce these lyrics elsewhere without express permission.

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New World

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

There's blood in the dust
Where the city's heart beats
The children play games
That they take from the streets
How can you teach when you've so much to learn
May you turn
In your grave
New world.

There is hate in your eyes
I have seen it before
Planning destruction
Behind the locked door
Were you the coward who fired the last shot
May you rot
In your grave
New world.

There is death in the air
With the lights growing dim
As those who survive
Sing a desperate hymn
Pray that God grants you one final request
May you rest
In your grave
New world.


Sheep

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

July the fourth in the market town
Farmers have come for miles around
Bringing their wives and children.

A farmer stands with his youngest son
Watching their sheep driven from the pen
The slaughterhouse is waiting.

Look they're turning back
They're frightened
Dogs are snapping at their heels
Jumping on each other's backs
Hear their squeals.

The young boy stands looking quite dismayed
How can they know they're just animals
Come pull yourself together.

The farmer tells him to look inside
Row after row of raw carcasses
Their blood runs in the gutters.

Listen to their silly bleating
Farmer beats them with his stick
Milling by the open door
Don't be sick.

The young boy
Takes a look around
See people watching blankly
And he pities them
For they too
Look like sheep
And he tells himself
When he grows up
When he becomes a farmer
He will just plant seeds of love
He will just plant seeds of love
He will just plant seeds of love
And he will harvest peace.


Tears And Pavan

(Cousins/Hudson/Ford)

Old School Songs/Fazz Music

Tears
(Cousins)

Where are the tears
That you should be crying right now
I see the world weariness
In your eyes
I hear your voice
Soft and sad
Yet your laughter rings
Like carillons of bells
In my ears
I feel your heart
Beat like the wings of the wild goose
I smell your love
On me
I can still taste the tears
That you should be crying right now.

Pavan
(Hudson/Ford/Cousins)

And when she lies in need of care and comforting
So as a child's toy she is caressed
And yet when cast adrift upon the changing tide
So as a ship becalmed she lies at rest

Oh darling go to sleep
For the night is young
There are many songs
Yet to be sung
Oh but I will sing them all to you
Before the night is through.


The Hangman And The Papist

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

The village square stands quiet with the curfew still in force
The streets are even clear of dogs and whores
Like some evil bird of prey the scaffold spreads its wings
The people build their fires and bolt their doors
The mayor is giving dinner to the officers and wives
His eldest son is learning how to fawn
The barrack block is hushed and tense, the soldiers drawing lots
Who will be the hangman in the dawn.

The lot falls on a young man who has served for but a year
His home is in the village close nearby
He shivers at the thought of what he's forced to do next day
He wonders who it is that has to die
The full moon casts a cold light on the gloomy prison walls
The papist walk his cell, he cannot sleep
He hears the waiting gallows creaking just beyond the door
He prays for he has no more tears to weep.

The day begins to break, the muffled drums begin to sound
A crowd begins to gather in the square
The presence of the hangman in his terrifying mask
Weighs heavy on the minds of all those there
The colonel reads the sentence which the papist knows by heart
He has failed to show allegiance to the King
His crime is thus with God himself, in His name he must hang
The papist, head held high, says not a thing.

The jailer binds his hands and puts the blindfold to his eyes
He leads him through the door before the crowd
The hangman sees his victim and the blood drains from his face
He sees his younger brother standing proud
The hangman tries to protest but is ordered to proceed
His trembling hands begin to take the strain
His eyes are blind with streaming tears, he cries for all to hear
"Forgive me God, we hang him in they name".


Benedictus

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

The wanderer has far to go
Humble must he constant be
Where the paths of wisdom
Distant is the shadow of the setting sun.

Bless the daytime
Bless the night
Bless the sun which gives us light
Bless the thunder
Bless the rain
Bless all those who cause us pain.

Yellow stars may lead the way
All diversions lead astray
While his resolution holds
Fortune and good will will surely follow him.

Bless the free man
Bless the slave
Bless the hero in his grave
Bless the soldier
Bless the saint
Bless all those whose hearts grow faint.


Heavy Disguise

(Ford)

Fazz Music

Crowded afternoon and there's not enough room in the city today
The people assembled to hear what resembled evangelists say
Some came just to see them for a laugh
Others to be free
Fools must pretend to be wise
We've a faith that we use as a heavy disguise.

Tears from the crowd with men crying aloud or just ringing their hands
The love in their hearts at this joining of people from far away lands
I'd so many questions I could ask
I wanted to be free
Fools must pretend to be wise
We've a faith that we use as a heavy disguise.

Cheers from the crowd for a much-loved constituent lately arrived
Here's to the soul of the man who takes toll for just staying alive
Can't ignore the feeling in the air
Glad that I was there
Fools must pretend to be wise
We've a faith that we use as a heavy disguise.

Evening drew on with a change of opinion from left wing and right
And North accused South who were left little doubt that they needed to fight
I cannot begin to understand
The suffering tonight
Fools must pretend to be wise
We've a faith that we use as a heavy disguise.


The River

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

I made a sideways motion
Turning a new leaf
The single minded miner's girl
Was there to share my grief
I shivered in the butter wind
Three times the cockerel crowed
I waited for the river
But the river did not flow.

An autumn turned to silver
Winter turned to gold
The weatherman said dress up
Oh but I did not feel the cold
Kids waited with toboggans
As I sheltered from the snow
I waited for the river
But the river did not flow.

I will drink the milk from you breasts
Meld myself to you
Collect the valley lilies
The worshippers once strew
My body aches with hunger
Yet your belly has to grow
I waited for the river
But the river did not flow.


Down By The Sea

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

Maybe you think, a lot like me
Of those who live beside the sea
Who feel so free, so I surmise
With their comfortable homes, and wives
Who end up drinking tea together
In the afternoon of their lives.

They build their homes upon the seashore
The quicksand castles of their dreams
Yet take no notice of the North wind
Which tears their building at the seams.

In their dismay and blind confusion
The weeping widows clutch their shawls
While as the sea mist ever deepens
The sailors hear the sirens' calls.

And in the maelstrom sea which follows
The lifeboat sinks without a trace
And yet there still remain survivors
To bear the shame of their disgrace.

Last night I lay in bed
And held myself
Trying to remember
How it once was with you
How your hands were softer.

Yesterday I found myself
Staring into space
Rather like the sailor
In my own home surroundings
I'm not sure I know me.

If you were me what would you do
Don't tell me I don't need you to
It won't help me now.


The Winter And The Summer

(Lambert)

Not available

Looks around with angel face
She does everything with amazing grace
She wears smart clothes but no-one knows
She's got nobody waiting at home.

She is not the only song I sing
Though I sing them all for her
There is something in her melody
That I've never heard before.

The winter and the summer
Need never come again
The winter and the summer
Need never come again
In my life there is no season
No reason.

She is not the only book I read
See her pages are not torn
And her story is of loneliness
Though her memory still war.

The winter and the summer
Need never come again
The winter and the summer
Need never come again
In my life there is no season
No reason.

Every now and then I'm sad
Thinking what we could have had
If we'd met some years before
Would we now be wanting more.

She is not the only sound I hear
Though to hear her lights my day
There's no picture in the gallery
That has half as much to say.

The winter and the summer
Need never come again
The winter and the summer
Need never come again
In my life there is no season
No reason.


Part Of The Union

(Ford/Hudson)

Fazz Music

Now I'm a union man
Amazed at what I am
I say what I think
That the company stinks
Yes I'm a union man.

When we meet in the local hall
I'll be voting with them all
With a hell of a shout
It's out brothers out
And the rise of the factory's fall.

Oh you don't get me I'm part of the union
You don't get me I'm part of the union
You don't get me I'm part of the union
Till the day I die, till the day I die.

As a union man I'm wise
To the lies of the company spies
And I don't get fooled
By the factory rules
'Cause I always read between the lines.

And I always get my way
If I strike for higher pay
When I show my card
To the Scotland Yard
This what I say.

Oh you don't get me I'm part of the union
You don't get me I'm part of the union
You don't get me I'm part of the union
Till the day I die, till the day I die.

Before the union did appear
My life was half as clear
Now I've got the power
To the working hour
And every other day of the year.

So though I'm a working man
I can ruin the government's plan
Though I'm not too hard
The sight of my card
Makes me some kind of superman.

Oh you don't get me I'm part of the union
You don't get me I'm part of the union
You don't get me I'm part of the union
Till the day I die, till the day I die.


Lay Down

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

By still waters I lay down with the lambs
In pastures green I made peace with my soul
And I cared not for the night
While my guiding star shone bright
By still waters I lay down
I lay down.

Lay down, I lay me down
Lay down, I lay me down
Lay down, I lay me down
For my soul.

At the roadside I took toll of my times
In dirty streets I found peace for my soul
May the merciful be right
Are you ready for the night
At the roadside I lay down
I lay down.

Lay down, I lay me down
Lay down, I lay me down
Lay down, I lay me down
For my soul.

In deep sorrow I took flight with the sun
From mountains high I gained strength for my soul
I proved stronger than the test
When my spirit came to rest
In deep sorrow I lay down
I lay down.

Lay down, I lay me down
Lay down, I lay me down
Lay down, I lay me down
For my soul.


Autumn

(Hawken)/(Cousins)/(Cousins)

Old School Songs

Heroine's Theme
(Hawken)

[instrumental]

Deep Summer's Sleep
(Cousins)

I sense Autumn coming on
The mist has hung low all day
Small birds gather on the wing
Preparing to make their way.

The trees begin to show
A trace of brown among the green
Bringing back the memories
That only you and I have seen.

I sense Autumn coming on
The sun sinking red and deep
The fires burning in the fields
As late Summer falls asleep.

The leaves begin to scatter
As the North wind calls their name
Folding gently back into
The silent earth from which they came.

The Winter Long
(Cousins)

Still waters flow
Sea breezes blow
Wild flowers grow
Abundant at your feet.

Soft falling snow
Warm candle glow
Flushed faces show
The pleasure when we meet.

Hold on to me, I'll hold on to you
The winter long I will always be with you.
Hold on to me, I'll hold on to you
I will be the one who will always see you through.


Out In The Cold

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

I walked in the city at midday
It was empty and bare
I looked in the mirror at midnight
There was nobody there
You had become the very breath that I breathed
You were all I desired, my will to succeed
But now I know how it feels to be old
Out in the cold.

I walked in the city at midday
It was feeling the strain
I looked in the mirror at midnight

It was starting to rain
I sucked on your breasts, your legs opened wide
I could scarcely believe all the pleasures inside
But now I know how it feels to be old
Out in the cold.

Whoever believed in astrological signs
Under my eyes your name burns in the lines
For now I know how it feels to be old
Out in the cold.


Round And Round

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

I drew the blade across my wrist
To see how it would feel
Looked into the future
There was nothing to reveal
For we were just the product
Of the ever spinning wheel
Round and round we go
Round and and round we go.

Come and see me
When the screw has turned another turn
It's not that I'm confused
But I've an awful lot to learn
But I will be the one
To make you work for what you earn
Round and round we go
Round and and round we go.

After all it's just the revolution I despise
The dawn of revelations and the flower power prize
And I pity those poor children with no sunshine in their eyes
Round and round we go
Round and and round we go.


Hero And Heroine

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

Hero's face was gaunt and tanned
His sail was set in search of land
His life-raft, solely by him manned
Was guided by the tide
Heroine wore fleecy white
She beckoned like some saviour bright
Shipwrecked sailors in the night
Were bid welcome to her side.

Where one man's search must surely cease
The irresistible white fleece
Led Hero in search of the peace
That she alone could offer
Thus he knelt before her feet
Wary lest their eyes should meet
He knew his life was incomplete
For he had yet to suffer.

Enticing Heroine, so calm
Took Hero firmly by the arm
Told him that she meant no harm
That she alone could save him
Hero could no longer speak
While realising he was weak
His life increasingly grew bleak
For all the love she gave to him.

While storm clouds gathered high above
The heroine he grew to love
Turned slowly to a snow white dove
And spread her wings to fly
Crushed and broken in the end
Hero watched his soul ascend
Knowing that he was condemned
To sail all alone to die.


Lay A Little Light On Me/Hero's Theme

(Cousins)/(Lambert)

Old School Songs

Watch my hand
See it shakes
Trembling as my life blood bleeds
Comfortless
Superfakes
Offering their empty creeds
That have faith or substance
That change to suit the doubter
To satisfy his needs.

Rid me of your darkness
Lay a little light on me
Clothe me with your brightness
Lay a little light on me
Oh save me someone
Lay a little light on me

Growing boys
Masturbate
Drink the wine and take the bread
Saintly priests
Castigate
Holy water for the head
With shades of John the Baptist
Who came intent to rescue
And danced with death instead.

Bless the good
Curse the bad
Some are wise
Others mad
Phoney profiteers suitably seeming sad
Preparing for the kingdom
Annointing us with wisdom
Convinced that we'll be glad.


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Lyrics © Copyright stated copyright owner.
All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission of copyright owner.
Please do not reproduce these lyrics elsewhere without express permission.