1. |
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Please don't think that I'm Santa Claus, 'cos Christmas comes every day
you can hear them slay bells ringing out every time you turn this way
You need not think that I'm a human being, its nothing but a fraud
Just cos I bring you presents every once in a while
Don't think I'm Santa Claus
Lindy, oh Lindy
You're sweeter than sugar cane
Lindy, Lindy, say you'll be mine
While the moon am a shining
And my heart am a twining
Meet me there little Lindy by the watermelon vine
Lindy, oh Lindy
You're sweeter than sugar cane
Lindy, Lindy, say you'll be mine
While the moon am a shining
And my heart am a twining
Meet me there little Lindy by the watermelon vine
Now keep a little cozy corner in your heart for me, heart for me
I'll be as good to you as anyone can be, just wait and see
If you promise what I ask you we'll both agree
Now keep a little cozy corner in your heart for me, heart for me
keep-keep-keep a little cozy corner in your heart for me, heart for me
I'll be as good to you as anyone can be, just wait and see
If you promise what I ask you we'll both agree
Now keep a little cozy corner in your heart for me, heart for me
Lindy, oh Lindy
You're sweeter than sugar cane
Lindy, Lindy, say you'll be mine
While the moon am a shining
And my heart am a twining
Meet me there little Lindy by the watermelon vine
Now everybody works but Father, He sits around all day
with his feet up to the fire, smoking a pipe of clay
Mother takes in washing, So does sister Anne
Everybody works at our house
Except for their old man
Lindy, oh Lindy
You're sweeter than sugar cane
Lindy, Lindy, say you'll be mine
While the moon am a shining
And my heart am a twining
Meet me there little Lindy by the watermelon vine
Father went to work this morning, At a dollar and a half a day
Done took his feet from the fire, Done throwed his pipe away
Mother quit taking in washing, So has sister Anne
Now everybody's taking vacations
Except for their old man
Lindy, oh Lindy
You're sweeter than sugar cane
Lindy, Lindy, say you'll be mine
While the moon am a shining
And my heart am a twining
Meet me there little Lindy by the watermelon vine
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2. |
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She walks in the cold dark hour before the morning
The hour when wounded night begins to bleed
Stands at the back of the patient queue
The silent almost sleeping queue
Seeing no-one and not being seen
Working shoes are wrapped in working apron
Rolled in an oilcloth bag across her knees
The swaying tram assaults the morning
Blue grey steely day is dawning
Draining the last few dregs of sleep away
Over the bridge and the writhing foul black water
Down through empty corridors of stone
Each of the blind glass walls she passes
Shows her twin in sudden flashes
Which is the mirror image, which is real?
Crouching hooded gods of word and number
Accept her bent-backed homage as their due
The buckets steam like incense coils
Around the endless floor she toils
Cleaning the same white sweep each day anew
Glistening sheen of new-washed floors is fading
There where office clocks are marking time
Night's black tide has ebbed away
By cliffs of glass awash with day
She hurries from her labours still unseen
He who lies besides her does not see her
Nor does the child who once lay at her breast
The shroud of self-denial covers
Eager girl and tender lover
Only the faded servant now is left
How could it be that no-one saw her drowning?
How did we come to be so unaware?
At what point did she cease to be her?
When did we cease to look and see her?
How is it no-one knew she was there?
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3. |
Pale Blue Eyes
06:55
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Sometimes I feel so happy,
Sometimes I feel so sad.
Sometimes I feel so happy,
But mostly you just make me mad.
Baby, you just make me mad.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
Thought of you as my mountain top,
Thought of you as my peak.
Thought of you as everything,
I've had but couldn't keep.
I've had but couldn't keep.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
If I could make the world as pure and strange as what I see,
I'd put you in the mirror,
I put in front of me.
I put in front of me.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
Skip a life completely.
Stuff it in a cup.
She said, Money is like us in time,
It lies, but can't stand up.
Down for you is up."
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
It was good what we did yesterday.
And I'd do it once again.
The fact that you are married,
Only proves, you're my best friend.
But it's truly, truly a sin.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
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4. |
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Lately there's nothing but trouble, grief and strife
There's not much attraction about this bloomin' life
Last night I dreamt I was bloomin' well dead
As I went to the funeral, I bloomin' well said,
Look at the flowers, bloomin' great orchids
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
And look at the corfin, bloomin' great 'andles
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
I was so 'appy to think that I'd popped off
I said to a bloke with a nasty, 'acking cough
Look at the black 'earse, bloomin' great 'orses
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
Look at the bearers, all in their frock coats
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
And look at their top 'ats, polished with Guinness
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
Some people there were praying for me soul
I said, "It's the first time I've been off the dole"
Look at the mourners, bloomin' well sozzled
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
Look at the children, bloomin' excited
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
Look at the neighbours, bloomin' delighted
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
"Spend the insurance", I murmered, "For alack,
You know I shan't be with you going back"
Look at the Missus, bloomin' well laughing
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
Look at me Sister, bloomin new hat on
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
And look at me Brother, bloomin' cigar on
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
We come from clay and we all go back they say
Don't 'eave a brick it may be your Aunty May
Look at me Grandma, bloomin' great haybag
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
Look at the florists, counting their profits
Ain't it grand, to be blooming well dead!
Look at the lawyer, reading the will out
Ain't it grand, to be blooming well dead!
Taxes and rents I'll have no need to pay
I dodged them by blooming well snuffing it, hooray!
Look at the landlord, Blooming old Shylock
Ain't it grand, to be blooming well dead!
Look at me schoolmates, blooming well giggling
Ain't it grand, to be blooming well dead!
Look at the earthworms, blooming well wriggling
Ain't it grand, to be blooming well dead!
All my old chinas, I saw them standing round
I said as they slowly lowered me in the ground
Look at the tombstone, granite with knobs on
Ain't it grand, to be blooming well dead!
Now its all over, look at them scarpering
Ain't it grand, to be blooming well dead!
Look at the weather, blooming well raining
Ain't it grand, to be blooming well dead!
Then I awoke with a really shocking start
I found me in bed, with the missus on me arm
I got the milk in, baby was screaming
Ain't it grand, to be blooming well dead!
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5. |
Father Had a Horse
03:40
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My father had a horse,
My mother had a mare
My brother had a Rabbit
And my sister had a hare
We'd ride on the horse
Take a pull from the mare
A hunt for the rabbit
And a chase for the hare
Drink boys drink, Merry merrily
We all do belong to a happy family
My father had a bull
My mother had a cow
My brother had a pig
And my sister had a sow
We'd beef from the bull
Butter from the cow
Pork from the pig
And a litter from the sow
My father had a rat
My mother had a mouse
My brother had a flea
And my sister had a louse
A trap for the rat
A cat for the mouse
A hunt for the flea
and a chase for the louse
My father had a knife
My mother had a fork
My brother had a bottle
And my sister had a cork
So drink boys drink, Merry merrily
We all do belong to a happy family
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6. |
Thief in the Night
02:53
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A guitar is a thief in the night
That robs you of sleep through the wall
A guitar is a thin box of light
Throwing reflections that rise and fall
It reminds you of Memphis or maybe Majorca
Big Bill Broonzy or Garcia Lorca
A truck going north or a cab to the Festival Hall
And the man who plays the guitar for life
Tests his thumbs on a slender knife
Forever caresses a frigid wife
His fingers travel on strings and frets
Like a gambler's moving to cover bets
Remembering what his brain forgets
While his brain remembers the fears and debts
Long fingernails that tap a brittle rhythm on a glass
Around his neck a ribbon with a little silver hook
Like some military order second class
You can read him like an open book
From the hands that spend their lives creating tension
From the wrists that have a lean and hungry
Eyes that have a mean and angry look
A guitar is a thief in the night
That robs you of sleep through the wall
A guitar is a thin box of light
Throwing reflections that rise and fall
A guitar reminds you of death and taxes
Charlie Christian outplaying the saxes
The beginners' call and the very last call of all
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7. |
Syncopatin' Shuffle
02:58
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8. |
The Crimea
04:42
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You British subjects all attend
Who live both far and near
Who have got sons a fighting
In the cruel Russian war
Here's another glorious victory
Old England may obtain
With the sons of France and Turkey
By land and on the main
On the twenty-fifth of last December
Lord Raglan bold and brave
Led on his lads to action
He swore that he would have
Sevastopol that very day
To conquer he was bent
With the sons of France and Turkey
It was his clear intent
Lord Dundas I must confess
Is a gallant soldier bold
And he poured his broadsides into them
And every shot it told
The Royal Marines the volunteered
To face the Russian horde
With gallant horse and foot soldiers
Along the Russian shore
Our gallant British soldiers
They nobly led the van
And they fought for nearly three hours
Till the Russians could not stand
The shot and shell no tongue can tell
The numbers there were slain
At Sevastopol that very day
By land and on the main
Then boldly to our destiny
We nobly did advance
And the Turks they fought like heroes
With old England and France
The Russians fought us ten to one
But still the could not stay
And Sevastopol was taken
Upon that glorious day
A thousand British soldiers lay
A bleeding in their gore
The taking of Sevastopol
The bloody stream did pour
By horse and foot we did advance
And nobly led the way
And Sevastopol was taken my boys
Upon that glorious day
We'll not forget our Admiral
Brave gallant Charles Napier
Nor yet the Price Napoleon
To him we'll only cheer
We made the foe surrender
Believe me when I say
At Sevastopol we did my boys
’twas on that glorious day
Here's to Napoleon Bonaparte
And to England’s lovely Queen
And every gallant soldier
And the Royal true Marines
Here's to all our gallant soldiers
That’s been fighting on the main
May they all return with victory
To old England back again
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9. |
Carrying your Smile
03:53
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Carrying your Smile carefully in my heart
I carefully close the door and step into the dark
Although the journey home may take a little while
I will go the distance carrying your Smile
I will go the distance carrying your Smile
Carrying your Smile it hardly hurts at all
When we say goodbye when the silence falls
I won't count the days I won't count the miles
I just go the distance carrying your Smile
I just go the distance carrying your Smile
All across the world this is what we do
We step into the dark and hope that we get through
All that keeps us going are the people that we love
Sometimes there are checkpoints
but that won't be enough
Carrying your Smile like a lucky charm
I'm a lucky man to have held you in my arms
We line up at the checkpoints we line up single file
I wanna go the distance carrying your Smile
I wanna go the distance carrying your Smile
I wanna go the distance carrying your Smile
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10. |
The Gravedigger
05:36
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I am an old gravedigger and Toby Turfs me name
For providing folks with long homes I've gained a tidy fame
By various occupations we strive to gain our bread
you all live by the living but I live by the dead
With me digging and me delving come along both rich and poor
I'll provide you with a lodging as you've never had before
But use is second nature, I doesn’t care a pin
I often ring the gay folks out and toll the grave ones in
When all friends give you up, don't I close to you stick fast;
And like a faithful dad provide you with a home at last.
l'm often times jeered and laughed at by ignorant young men,
But when I pops 'em in 'the ground I has the laugh on them.
To do your dirty work as well as Jack Ketch someone must,
But though I pops you 'nenth the turf, I doesn’t scrap you first
Against my grave-like character folks have a base design,
And say I bone the old., bones as boney fidey mine.
It's a vile insinuation, I don’t mind telling you
But if I nail the old nails, it’s just to buy a screw.
There’s not a man throughout the world, however rich he be
Can furnish such a lodging, or such an home no me.
No rent or tax collector comes knocking at your door,
And though you had the gout for years you never have it more.
No railway speculator can get you in his snare
Though subject to a coughing, you'd never cough in there
And though you've long walked into grub, you'll want none there, 'tis true.
It's ten to one more likely the grub walks into you...
You maybe a clever fellow, but, death you cannot do.
Both wiseacres and bookworms, the worms at last book you
I'll own that great men should be last to crumble in their beds,
Yet the biggest fools last longest, 'cos they’ve got the thickest heads
I've no respect to persons and why I'll quickly show.
The low folks and the high ones are equals down below,
And you that are termed long slabs when you kick the bucket do,
Your friends can very kindly clap a long slab over you.
Although myself may say so, I am an honest soul
I one no one a penny though I lets folks in the hole
And though your resting should turn out either wet damp,
Its not at all material, you ll never catch the cramp
You wonder how such colour should round my visage lurks,
For turning up the fresh earth is very healthy work
I'm like a lucky sportsman who hunting out of breath
Runs down the fox and so you see we re both in at the death
All trades must live, so you'll allow, that I must live by mine
We shall all some day find graves end, so don’t despise my line
I'm only King Death's dustman a sort of churchyard mole
And you're the dust and ashes, too, that I pitch in the hole
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11. |
Time You Old Gypsy Man
03:59
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Carrying your Smile carefully in my heart
I carefully close the door and step into the dark
Although the journey home may take a little while
I will go the distance carrying your Smile
I will go the distance carrying your Smile
Carrying your Smile it hardly hurts at all
When we say goodbye when the silence falls
I won't count the days I won't count the miles
I just go the distance carrying your Smile
I just go the distance carrying your Smile
All across the world this is what we do
We step into the dark and hope that we get through
All that keeps us going are the people that we love
Sometimes there are checkpoints
but that won't be enough
Carrying your Smile like a lucky charm
I'm a lucky man to have held you in my arms
We line up at the checkpoints we line up single file
I wanna go the distance carrying your Smile
I wanna go the distance carrying your Smile
I wanna go the distance carrying your Smile
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12. |
Get up stand Up
04:33
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Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!
Preacherman, don't tell me,
Heaven is under the earth.
I know you don't know
What life is really worth.
It's not all that glitters is gold;
Half the story has never been told:
So now you see the light, eh!
Stand up for your rights. Come on!
Most people think,
Great God will come from the skies,
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth,
You will look for yours on earth:
And now you see the light,
You stand up for your rights.
We sick an' tired of-a your ism-skism game
Dying and going to heaven in-a Jesus' name, Lord.
We know when we understand:
Almighty God is a living man.
You can fool some people sometimes,
But you can't fool all the people all the time.
So now we see the light
We gonna stand up for our rights!
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Russ Chandler London, UK
Russ Chandler is a forceful singer and banjo player who sings songs he feels have something to say to the world we live
in.
He plays traditional, political and modern songs.
He is a fine banjo player and as well as giving concerts can teach and give presentations on the history and culture of the instrument.
His first album Last Night In Babylon was described by fRoots magazine as “Masterly”
... more
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