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©
Dick Greener
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Dick Greener

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FROM THE WITCHWOOD - LYRICS

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A Glimpse Of Heaven

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

The hillside was a patchwork quilt
Neatly stitched with tidy hedge
And crumbling grey stone wall
The trees were bare, but Spring was near
To conjure up its endless strings
Of green magic handkerchieves

Could you only see what I've seen
You would surely know what I mean
I think I must have caught a glimpse of heaven.

A string of diamonds formed a stream
That tumbled down the daunting cliff
To sparkle bright on the beach.

New born lambs that sweetly played
Speckled eggs all newly laid
But for you I would have stayed
I think I must have caught a glimpse of heaven.


Witchwood

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

I dropped down in the witchwood
To see what I could find
The trees had taken time out
To blow away my mind
All that I could hear there
Was the sound of my own voice
But the music it was making
Was nothing of my choice.

The interwoven branches
Were laden deep with snow
A rainbow shone so softly
To show which way to go
I observed its many colours
Till my eyes were rimmed with frost
I tried hard to trace my footsteps
For I feared I might get lost.

The witchwood started singing
With a strange unearthly sound
My fingers grew like branches
I stood rooted to the ground
And the spell is still unbroken
I am still her bidden slave
Till a casket from the witchwood
Bears my body to the grave.


Thirty Days

(Ford)

Fazz Music

I have people to free, they're depending on me
So I can't afford to die
Get them safely back, then I won't stay too long
I'll be leaving soon for London
So I'll look this war straight in the eye
Only thirty days so I can't afford to die.

When I think of the dead, that go round in my head
No I can't afford to die
So the thing to do is pretend that they weren't there
With my baby at home waiting
I can give myself a little sigh
Only thirty days so I can't afford to die.

God ain't taking my hand, not to no promised land
So I can't afford to die
So I'll cease my command before another bomb
If I see my home a free man
I'll remember why I never cried
Only thirty days so I can't afford to die.


Flight

(Hudson)

Fazz Music

I wish I were a bird
Then I could fly
I'd see the crowded people
As they go by
I'd soar into the air
And fly as high as I could see
Drifting through the clouds
With no-one to bother me
Just looking for a star
I wonder if you are here.

I feel the loss of time
As days go by
And see the lonely people
Who wonder why
Just searching for a reason
To reveal a secret sin
Trying to find an answer
To release the good within
Just looking for a star
I wonder if you are here.

I'll rise the early bird at dawn
To sing my ever-loving song
I'd come and sit beside you a friend
Then you'll see me flying again.


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".


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.


Canon Dale

(Hudson)

Fazz Music

Dyfan's tale
Of the holy Canon Dale
Setting sail
Homeward for his lonely cell
In your holy ground I found.

Peace to dwell
The beginning of a world
Love entwined
Throughout all the world combined
In your holy ground I found.

Days and day
He would go his chosen way
Keeping trace
Of the things you do and say
In your holy ground I found.


The Shepherd's Song

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

The heavy air was scented by
The disappointed flowers
The weatherman had promised them
Warm soft summer showers
They bowed their weary heads
Resigned to wait a few more hours
And we walked together in the half light
Down secret paths
Climbed wooden fences
Till a dancing meadow
Enveloped us within its grassy web.

There was no need for discussion
It was surely no disgrace
Her soft skin had the texture
Of the finest silken lace
Waiting moist and trembling
It was just the time and place
And our woven bodies sang together
In harmony
With understanding
Till we fell back smiling
Rejoicing in the music we had made.

The blood red summer sunset
Was a slowly spreading stain
That rose behind the bandstand
As the shepherd played again
We heard his silver trumpet
It had blown away the rain
And we lay together in the long grass
Holding hands
And making sweet talk
Till the smell of woodsmoke
Reminded us that it was to go.


In Amongst The Roses

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

The old house stands deserted
Crumbling and decaying
Its broken windows watching
As a young child wanders
In amongst the roses
Overgrown and falling
The garden once was cared for
Life is like the garden.

The roses reach to touch her
They whisper as she passes
Their petals form a carpet
Soft and warm and scented
In amongst the roses
Full in bloom and fading
The young child cannot hear them
Life is like the young child.

The young child has been gathering
Flowers for her mother
Flowers for her bedside
Flowers for her table
In amongst the roses
She is gathering wild flowers
The roses bend to kiss her
Life is like the roses.

The old house stands deserted
Crumbling and decaying
Its broken windows watching
As a young child wanders
In amongst the roses
Full in bloom and fading
The young child cannot hear them
Life is like the young child.


I'll Carry On Beside You

(Cousins)

Old School Songs

Short is the time
Though eternity long
Life is but part of the journey
While you've the faith to carry on
I'll carry on beside you.

Steep is the path
But your feet have wings
Sharing the weight of your burden
While you've the strength to carry on
I'll carry on beside you.

Dark is the night
Yet the road shines clear
Lit by the souls of believers
While you can see to carry on
I'll carry on beside you.

Deep is the grave
May you rest in peace
Preparing yourself for the next time
While you still need to carry on
I'll carry on beside you.


Keep The Devil Outside

(Ford)

Fazz Music

As for the help you called for
Nobody seemed to answer
The difference in man is no more
Than being a priest or dancer.

....
You really don't know what they're after
They cling to the things that they see best
And drown in their tears of their laughter.

If you see fit to fight
Whether you're black or white
How many hope to keep the devil outside
How many hope to keep the devil outside.

You've been given your name and your number
Right from when you were a baby
I look at the earth and I wonder
What have they done to her lately.

If you see fit to fight
Whether you're black or white
How many hope to keep the devil outside
How many hope to keep the devil outside.

Love dies hard
You will never hear me say
That the world will not
See a better day
See a better day.

If you see fit to hide
The stakes of the men that died
How many hope to keep the devil outside
How many hope to keep the devil outside.

If you see fit to fight
Whether you're black or white
How many hope to keep the devil outside
How many hope to keep the devil outside.


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Site © Copyright

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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.