The Spring
I went to see how it was born a river
How there were stones piled up, human hands
Hiding hiding
But you will greet the world you hidden river
You’ll belong and you’ll be strong,
Finding finding
Finding for me the secrets that are lost
for anyone but me…hiding
Then I’ll go and disappear under a pile of stones
Just like you, under a pile of stones,
My end is your beginning
You’ll be born again from salty water
And me, and me from filthy earth
I went to see how it was born a river
How there were stones piled up
Finding, hiding
Apocalypse Later
when west meets east
or east meets west
and all that we have loved the best is scorched to ash
there is no pale dove
where roaches reign
or any sign of olive branch
and no rainbow in the sky
cars rusted, bridges twisted
can the rain fall from the sky?
when all the rivers have gone dry
can I give a bloody toss
for this lost race?
and all is lost,
the karmic wheel is flat and busted
shrivelled 'n' frail,
keeps a weather eye
no wisdom left
clings to bones tenaciously
she clings to life,
anxious voices
ungraciously
she's falling now
cold in her bones,
all feeling gone
she's falling now,
shrivelled 'n' frail
fading, fading in the night
falling through the failing light
when west meets east
and east meets west
and all that we have loved the best has gone
and all the gods and demons all
will turn to dust
and fall like dry snow
every word the prophets shouted,
every book the gods have puked
will burn quite nicely on the pyre
for everything that we held dear
when we end up floating dust
Give Me a Lover
never heard a thing
I slept without fear
reached out a hand
found you near
never saw a thing
I couldn't explain
took all your love
never said a thing
I kept my mouth shut
would have called you back
found I could not
got me a shirt
its colours are plain
heart on the sleeve
ripped up and stained
give me a lover
I'll give you a frown
give me a tether
I'll tie him back down
give me a lover
I'll give you a frown
give me a tether
I'll tie him back down
never changed my mind
I flew with your tenderness
would be too scared
if I weren't in your arms
rated you twice
your wonder and pride
curled in a box
closed mean and tight
give me a lover
I'll give you a frown
give me a tether
I'll tie him back down
never heard a thing
I slept without fear
reached out a hand
found you near
never saw a thing
I couldn't explain
took all your love
poured it down the drain
Cars & Trains
I have tarried here too long
So far from your shore
Your quiet love cannot bring me home
Cannot bring me home
I have strayed so very far
Been gone from your door
Nor wings of birds nor your sweet song
Will ever bring me home, will ever bring me home
I have gone so very far
Been away so long
Cars and trains and sailing ships
Cannot bring me home
I have tarried here too long
So far from your shore
Your quiet love or grace of God
Cannot bring me home
Will never bring me home
Golden Boy
saw him with his head on his knees
wouldn't wave, wouldn't wave goodbye
everyone gone, everyone distant
oh, but he wouldn't move
like a stone in the river
golden boy, where is your mother, where is your brother
are you here alone
oh, but you wouldn't move
still and unseen
just the wind in the trees
and the red in the sky
and the black of the church
and the cracks of the earth...
boy, where will you go now
everyone leaves
tears flowing freely
a stone in the river
silence, silence is king
everyone leaves, everyone dies
oh, but you are not moved, my golden boy
with your tongue like silver, my golden boy
with your tongue like silver, my golden boy
my golden boy, my golden boy
A Girl in a Hat Like That
a girl in a hat like that can be whatever she wants she can float untied
on the same breeze blowing those harlequin plumes
she's her own mistress, in her wild hat, she's the queen of Victoria Park
from bandstand to ice-cream van
but she's not there, nor here nor there, or anywhere
and will she ever, ever pay her bill?
a girl in a hat like that can be whatever she pleases and float untied
on the same breeze blowing those harlequin plumes
she's gone, lost in the streets, how many times has she changed her name?
she knows exactly what she wants
another dream, another town, another chance
another hook to hang that sodding hat
a girl in a hat like that can be whatever she wants she can float untied
on the same breeze blowing those harlequin plumes
she's her own mistress, in her wild hat, she's the queen of Victoria Park
from bandstand to ice-cream van
but she's not there, nor here nor there, or anywhere
and will she ever, ever pay her bill?
a girl in a hat like that laughs her socks off
as she she drives you mad, and she drives you mad
she pulls the strings that make you dance
without a back, a backward glance, at the Empire
a girl like that will break you in half as she goes Dutch
a girl like that, a girl like that, a girl like that...
how many times has she changed her name?
how many times has she changed her keys?
how many hats has she had like that?
who knows?
All lyrics © 2017 S. Bossy Retti & R.Hayden