1. |
Songs To Die To
04:25
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Play the songs, the ones that spur me on
The ones that break my heart and liberate my soul
I want to hear the songs - the ones that lay me low
Just want to sing along with songs to die to
All those tunes I remember
As Vincent said:
“There is no god – please remember”
Play the songs, the ones that give me hope
The ones that linger on and won’t let go
I want to hear the songs - the ones that make me smile
The ones that make me cry - my songs to die to
All those tunes I remember
As Vincent said:
“There is no god – please remember”
All those tunes I remember
As Vincent said:
“There is no god – please remember”
Play the songs, the ones I grew up on
The ones that touch my heart and galvanise my mind
So put the needle on and turn the volume high
You’ll never be alone with songs to die to
I want to sing along with songs that make me strong
Or songs that make me tired and all emotional
I want to sing the songs that never let me d own
My inspirationals - my songs to die to
Come on and sing those songs – these are my songs from life
These were my happy times, these were my crappy times
I want to sing along - my god, what have we done?
Je suis Le Moribond
My songs to die to.
Help me love, for when my brain gives up
Just want to sing along with Songs for Life
Please remember.
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2. |
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Things that make me happy
Things that make me glad
Kids that make me chuckle
Friends that make me laugh
Stuff that leaves me hanging
Invariably in the lurch
But smiling through adversity works
I can see you’re happy
I can tell you’re glad
These simple things in life
Are just the best for mental health
If this makes you happy
If this makes you glad
Then we have a future to shout about
And as I grow much older
Will those vinegar-ed chips on my shoulder
Waste and fall away..?
Things that make us happy
Things that make us glad
Things that make us wish
We’d an extra ten years in the bag
In a simpler life of bliss
All we want is this:
Lasting peace and happiness
Smiling through adversity works.
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3. |
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I don’t need your skin-deep, on-the-cheap, bullshit fairy tales
I don’t need your phoney empathy or your bribes
What I need instead is socially-led autonomy -
My revolt against your Age of Plenty calls
I don’t need your Monkey sneering at my philosophies
I don’t need your media run by billionaires
What I need instead is tolerance-led, and rational thinking -
My revolt against this Age of Ty-Rants calls
Bang the drum
Reality - it does not serve our purpose
So bombard their world with lies disguised as truths
It’s what they want to hear, they’ll want to hear
And we can fool them ‘til the votes come home
I don’t need your mass consumerist any more
What I need instead is peace in my head - and sanity!
My revolt against this Age of Plenty calls
Bang the drum.
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4. |
Losing Faith In The Wall
04:00
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We’ve lost our faith in The Wall
You lost the fight for the Soul
You should be safe in The Wall
But now you’re not safe at all
You lost all faith in The Wall –
‘cause you went back on your word
We lost all faith in your goals
Because our voice wasn’t heard
You know that this is what
you get when trust is broken
Faith in the Wall
It was presumed and not earned
Misplaced your faith in The Wall
Misunderstand and be damned!
We’ve lost our faith in The Wall
You lost the fight for our Soul
We should be safe in The Wall
But now we’re not safe at all
You know that this is what
you get when trust is broken
Here in the Heartlands
Spurned and forsaken
Taken for granted
Right-eous indignation
Faith in The Wall
These are the “Seats Of Our Soul”
We should be safe in the Wall
But now there’s “tanks on the lawn”
We lost all faith in The Wall
It’s where you’re needed the most
We should be safe in The Wall
But we’re in purgatory now
Here in the Heartlands
Spurned and forsaken
Don’t speak us language
Stark retribution for you and me, love
Faith in The Wall
You lost the fight for the Soul
We’ve no faith in The Wall
We’re in purga-Tory now
Here in my heart I’m
Riled and exasperated
As the hopes for our salvation
Are lost for a generation
Tribulation
Again!
Faith in The Wall
I’m in purgatory now
Lost my faith in The Wall
I’m a purga-Tory now…
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5. |
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Reassert our obligations to this land
Reclaim our title as the Champions Of Britishness
Consideration and responsibility
Want to spend my time doing some things that are of value
Get out and make a little difference to your world
Selfishness, arrogance corrupting our communities
It’s not impossible for us to make it change
Want to spend my days a-feeling good about myself
Want to demonstrate that I’m a human
Give back – ’cause giving back is good for you
Claiming back a country to be proud of – proud of!
Fight back – no laissez-faire disunity
Claiming back a country that we’re proud of – proud of!
We could do better with the time that’s on our hands
Coronavirus shows that it is more than possible
May just be small bits but then every little helps
Come away more positive and feeling that I’m useful
Those that take advantage they must be held to account
They spoil our cities and pollute our green environments
Uphold the rights of all us many not the few
Want to spend my time a-working for the common good
Want to show my offering has impact
Give back – ’cause giving back is good for you
Claiming back a country to be proud of – proud of!
Fight back – no laissez-faire disunity
Claiming back a country that we’re proud of – proud of!
Good for you!
Become a volunteer and give your time away
Pick up some litter and support your local charities
Make sure the neighbour who’s a granny is ok
Go the extra mileage and give of yourself!
I want a sense of purpose and to really contribute
Want to be respected as a human being
Give back – ’cause giving back is good for you
Claiming back a country to be proud of – proud of!
Fight back – no laissez-faire disunity
Claiming back a country that we’re proud of – proud of!
Good for you!
Do it today.
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6. |
dEBRA 2021
02:50
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Singing songs for Debra
Writing words she’d never see, and
Cursing This Audacity!
Here I am losing face with Debra
As profit motive sets the pace
And privilege re-incarnates
Falling out of the trees
Hanging on as these
One-aim bandits strive to undermine us
Implanting greed as efficiency
And to hell with need
Well, I’d move the earth for Debra
If I don’t somebody else will
In Kremlin or Capitol Hill
I’m working flexitime for Debra
Here’s monetary evidence –
Should I pay the rent or buy more drinks?
Buy more drinks!
Turning up at your door
Turning up as before
Uninvited, ten feet small
I’ll eat an apple a day - eat an apple a day
It keeps our foes at bay
Fearing hard for Debra
These clownheads put too much at stake
So before we all go and dance down the Foodbank Way
I will spend an hour with Debra –
She’s smiling and exquisitely frayed
Superlative for her age
Sitting tall in the sun
Sit and talk in the sun
We watch the High Street close around us
Still closing down the years
No fulfilment here
Uncertain in this hazy future
When will this story end?
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7. |
Words On Fire
03:29
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In your head there’s a psychopath frenzy
From your mouth there’s a cynical snarl
In your eyes a dismissive impatience
Withering scorn for society’s “noise”
And the way that you master your puppets
Riding roughshod over rules in the way
Sneer and smirk behind the mask of Rasputin
Pulling the strings in your “ideas” crusade
Words on fire
Save us from messiahs and people-blinkered thinkers
Words on fire
Save us from the rantings of robot puppet-masters
Words on fire
Save us from the zealots’ tongue
And in your mind you’re the anarchist Head-Chef
Nothing gets in the way of your goals
In your ego there’s your own self-importance
But in your heart there’s a massive big hole
What’s intelligence without emotions?
Innovation without Humanity?
But all the zealots go to Logical Heaven
Free from our failing mediocracy
Words on fire
Save us from messiahs and people-blinkered thinkers
Words on fire
Save us from the rantings of robot puppet-masters
Words on fire
Save us from the zealots’ tongue
Words on fire
Words on fire
Words on fire
Save us from the rantings of robot puppet masters
Words on fire
Words on fire
Words on fire
Words on fire
Words on fire
Words on fire
Save us from messiahs and people-blinkered thinkers
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8. |
Can You Kanreki
05:00
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We’ve come full circle, lived through our eto
Entered the geju
We are the re-born: The Second Lives
So farewell to troubled bygones
Welcome our Springtime
We are the re-born: The Second Lives
And thanks for our funky red caps
They will protect us, as we untangle and re-energise
Here’s our new stage of life
Offload those years gone by
Starting again is nice
Two can mek it– two kanreki
Our newfound childhood is in our now-hood
In celebration
We are the re-born: The Second Lives
It’s time to focus on new ways
Good yakudoshi
We are the re-born: The Second Lives
So thanks for our red chanchanko
They will protect us, as we untangle and re-energise
Here’s our new stage of life
Offload those years gone by
Starting again is nice
Two can mek it– two kanreki
In our new stage of life
Upwards and onwards as
Starting again is nice
We can tek it – do kanreki
You can too kanreki
Here’s our new stage of life
Offload those years gone by
Starting again is nice
Two can mek it– two kanreki
In our new stage of life
Upwards and onwards as
Starting again is nice…
So! Bye bye - we’ve come full circle
Entered the geju
We are the re-born: The Second Lives
Farewell to troubled bygones
Here comes our Springtime
We are the re-born: The Second Lives
Thanks for the red chanchanko
And funky red caps
They will protect us as we resurrect
It’s time to begin our new youth
Good yakudoshi
We are the re-born - the Second Lives
Here’s our new stage of life
Offload those years gone by
Starting again is nice
Two can mek it– two kanreki
In our new stage of life
Upwards and onwards as
Starting again is nice
We can tek it - do kanreki
Here’s our new stage of life
Offloading years gone by
Starting again is nice
Two can mek it– two kanreki
In our new stage of life
Upwards and onwards as
Starting again is nice
We can tek it – do kanreki
You can too kanreki.
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9. |
A Life More Ordinary
05:19
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We met upon the station
Standard class together for the journey ahead
Got married in an old church
Saw the kids through school - and those lean years beyond
Got jobs and paid our taxes
Saved up for those rainy days and those in the sun
Bought a house with lovely garden
Where we laughed and cried and sang and drank ‘til the dawn
Living in a life more ordinary
In our life more ordinary
Our hope shines through
We cleared our debts and millstones
Made the time to take a trip around the world
Paid off our debt to “Big Society”
Gave away some money to the less-fortunate
Looked after ageing family members
Cried a lot when oh, they passed away
Living in a life more ordinary
In our life more ordinary
In this life more ordered:
We will cede control to cunning clowns
The blatant lies that grind us down
Life more ordinary – ha ha ha ha
Life more ordinary – ha ha ha ha
In our life.
In this life more ordinary
Our hope shines through
If this is the right wing then who’s on the left wing?
“You’re just ordinary”
Life more ordinary
Life more ordinary
Life more ordinary
If this is the starter then serve up the main course
Life more ordinary
If this is the B-side then please play the A-side
Life More ordinary
If this is the B-side then please play the A-side
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10. |
It's A Wonderful Lie
05:45
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When the Truth comes to light
We stifle, we stonewall
Stand aloof and patronise
We’re boasting, self-toasting, arrogant liars
It’s a wonderful lie – it’s a wonderful lie
Deny everything that we’ve messed up in
Tell a wonderful lie – hypocritical smile
Whitewash everything, avoid that scrutiny
When the Truth hits the pan
And we’re caught with our pants down
Forced to lose the party line
And support those services
That we’ve always starved and deprived
It’s a wonderful lie – it’s a wonderful lie
Reject anything that seeks to place the blame
Tell a wonderful lie – we’re the pigs in the sky
Brainwash the electorate until they forget
We’ll just say what we like, so here’s a world-beating lie:
“We now love our NHS and we’ll keep it safe”
It’s a wonderful lie
It’s a wonderful lie
Two-faced and ludicrous
Blaming someone else
It’s a wonderful lie
It’s a wonderful lie - shout the mouth and then hide
Not worth resigning for - instead we’re “learning from”
It’s a wonderful lie – take the trip, test your eyes
Denying everything that we’ve messed up in
It’s a wonderful lie - it’s a wonderful lie
Accountability is a fallacy
It’s a wonderful lie
(It’s a wonderful lie - though ironically fine
Watching Conservatives turning socialists…
Finding money all right when the need should arise
Shocked interventionists forced to splash the cash
It’s a wonderful sight - though for a very short time
We watched scared Conservatives turning socialists...)
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11. |
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Don’t, don’t let me down
Or suffer in silence
My world is not my own anymore
Sit me down
Turn me round
Hold my hand so much tighter
I just need to find some time, so
Don’t, don’t let me drown
Or stonewall the niceties
My voice is not my own anymore
Wear the crown, Zopi Clown
Who knows what your mind is there thinking
Behind the vacant blanket stares
So don’t….
Ease my soul
Ease my soul
Ease my soul
Don’t let me …
Don’t, don’t let me frown
Ease my soul
Ease my soul
Ease my soul
Don’t, don’t let me drown
Or suffer in silence
Or lock me up in silos
My life is not my own
My voice is not my own
My world is not my own
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12. |
When Our Kingdom Comes
04:46
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Hey love, let’s talk new worlds
About a vision of heaven here on Earth
We are the Children of Brute Force serving brute lords
But they will hold their tongues when our Kingdom comes
For in my Dream Time of “How It Should Be” time
All those vultures are dead men – their gods are damned
There’ll be no State Obedience tugging at our heart strings
We’ll throw those chains away when our Kingdom comes
When our Kingdom comes
Build your future - tell me what it looks like?
What’s your vision – what’s your paradise?
Build your workforce – who can help you get there?
How will you know it?
And in our freedom from Acquiescence
No more money-hyenas gnawing at our bones
Say “No!” to Death and Boredom - we’ll keep our lives open
Then our veg will grow, when our Kingdom comes
For in the daylight, life will touch life
It’s where our flowers flourish – in the Sun
There’ll be no subjugation to wither and stifle us
So our sap will rise when our Kingdom comes
When our Kingdom comes
Build your future - tell me what it looks like?
What’s your vision – what’s your paradise?
Build your workforce – who can help you get there?
How will you know it when you have arrived?
Heaven: here on Earth
And why not NOW
Here on Earth?
When our Kingdom comes
Here on Earth
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13. |
Songs To Die To Reprise
08:37
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Ghosts from the Hand and the Rose
Fly ‘cross the passing years to mind me
Whispered mantra that calls:
This is why you are, and where you are from
All those lives I remember
Please remember
Milestones and millstones galore
Life-changing happenings that mould us
Share both suffering and joy
The consanguinity that binds us
All these things I remember
Please remember
Sutton-On-Seaside with a dad I never really got to know
We’d catch the early morning train waves as they broke on the sea wall steps below
Or driving round the mourning mountains in the orange Bug and in the rain
Those Ulster summer days with the Blood, with the Saved, but against the grain
Here’s my great uncle’s sepia photo - he’s in his army best
And The Commonwealth Grave, in northern France where his short life came to rest
Or seeing the dark in my brother’s eyes - the end wasn’t long after
A lifetime beating the odds but now silence…and forgotten laughter
All those things to remember
All these lives in remembrance
All these things I remember
Oh, please remember
Aye
We’re scared of living
We’re proud of living
We’re dying to live it
Aye
We died to live it
We died - you’re living
We’ve died - you’re loving
Please remember.
When I die, re-live it.
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The Great Leap Forward
The Great Leap Forward (1986-?) is the very long term solo project of Alan Brown - former member of John Peel favourites
bIG*fLAME, A Witness, Inca Babies, Sarandon.
Incisive political and social commentary layered on top of sharp yet melodic guitar pop music.
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