1. |
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Lyrics
CHORUS
I just want to be a hedgehog,
Snooze away the winter in a nice leafy pile
I just want to be a hedgehog
Curl into a ball and escape for a while—
But everyone around me is so wizzy wizzy wizzy
All running round in a tizzy tizzy tizzy
All out glorifying busy busy busy;
I don’t think so!
1. Well, once I used to eat al fresco
Catch a little sun
And watch the birdies at their play
Now I’ve got to dine al desko
Cos the boss will say I’m slacking
If I spend the time away.
Though my mind is going crazy crazy crazy
Can’t do my work because I’m hazy hazy hazy
If I take a break he’ll say I’m lazy lazy lazy.
I don’t think so!
(CHORUS)
2. Cos now you’ve got to be a striver
It really isn’t done to be content or take a rest
Otherwise you are a skyver
And why are you not battling
To be up there with the best?
I wouldn’t even dignify it with the name of ratrace
Round in a hamster wheel to end up at the same
place
Just die early if you carry on at that pace
And I don’t think so!
(CHORUS)
3. So! Add some caffeine to your tiredness;
That’ll improve your judgement
And make everything just great!
Try some coke for added wiredness!
That’ll help you cope
With what they’re piling on your plate!
Headless chickens going manic manic manic
All running round in a panic panic panic
But if tiredness was a drug…..
It’s so dangerous they’d ban it ban it ban it.
(spoken) But can you really see that?
I don’t think so!
And! (CHORUS)
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2. |
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Lyrics
I picked a rose from my mother’s garden
At the dusking of the day
And in that rose from my mother’s garden
All the sweets of the summer lay
The smokefall of many autumns
And the quickening of so many springs,
Scent of frost and of summer woodbine
And a thousand remembered things
And the chink there of summer teacups,
And the music across the lawn,
And the children’s prattling-prattling voices,
All heedless of any bitter thorn.
Oh where is the summer laughter?
Oh where are the winter snows?
Only echoes are in the garden
And a single autumn rose.
I walked away from my mother’s garden
For it’s I may no longer stay
I walked away from my mother’s garden
At the dusking of the day.
I walked away from my mother’s garden
For the season was at a close;
But I shall find her in every garden,
And in the fragrance of every rose.
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3. |
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Lyrics
CHORUS:
Anytime could be the last time
How the years flow by in fast time;
Will I stand in that old meadow,
Watch the mist and the evening shadow,
Watch the sunset from your window?
Will I ever see your smile again?
1. The baby’s first and faltering word
We note the day when it is heard,
We all remember our first kiss,
The when and where of that first bliss.
These things are noted in the journal
Recorded there for time eternal;
Last times are the strangest thing
For Time is always on the wing; and
(CHORUS)
2. First time that your heart was shattered,
First time that your dreams were scattered,
It seemed the black would never shift;
Seemed the cloud would never lift,
Now joy and sorrow intertwined,
A dappled light in heart and mind,
And last times are the strangest thing
For Time is always on the wing; and
(CHORUS)
3. First love first gig first getting high
The first time that you touched the sky
You heard the mermaids on the beach
You heard them singing each to each.
Oh will they sing that way again,
Or has there been just too much pain?
And last times are the strangest thing
For time is always on the wing, and
(CHORUS)
Final chorus:
Any time could be the last time,
How the years flow by in fast time;
Now I stand in this old meadow,
Watch the mist and the evening shadow,
Watch the sunset from your window,
In the sunshine of your smile again
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4. |
Young Waters
04:10
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Lyrics
About the Yule, when the winds blew cool
And the feasting it began
Oh there is come to our king’s court
Many’s the well-favoured man.
The queen’s looked over the castle wall,
Beheld both dale and down,
And there she spied Young Waters
A-riding to the town.
His footmen they did run before
And his horsemen rode behind;
A mantle of the burnished gold
Did keep him from the wind.
Golden graced his horse before
And silver shod behind;
The horse that Waters rode upon
Was swifter than the wind.
And then up then spoke a wily lord
And unto the queen said he,
“Oh, say whose is the fairest face
Rides in the company?”
“Oh, I’ve seen lord and I’ve seen laird
And knights of high degree,
But Young Waters is the fairest face
That ever my eyes did see.”
And then out spoke the jealous king
And an angry man was he,
Saying would he had have been twice as fair
You might have excepted me.”
“You’re neither lord nor laird,” she says,
“But the king that wears the crown.
And there’s not a knight in all of Scotland
But to thee must bow down.”
But for all that she could do nor say
Appeased he would not be,
And for the words that the queen had spoke
Young Waters he must die.
And they have taken Young Waters
And put shackles on his feet,
And they have taken Young Waters
And thrown him in dungeon deep.
“Oh it’s oft I’ve ridden through Stirling Town
In the wind both and the wet
But I never rode through Stirling Town
With fetters on my feet.
It’s oft I’ve ridden through Stirling Town
In the wind both and the rain
But I never rode through Stirling Town
Never to return again.”
And they have taken to the heading hill
His young son in his cradle,
And they have taken to the heading hill
His horse both and his saddle.
And they have taken to the heading hill
His lady fair to see,
And all for the words that the queen had spoke
Young Waters he did die.
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5. |
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Lyrics
1. Oh I’ll wager a hatful of guineas
Against all of the songs you can sing
That someday you’ll love
And the next day you’ll lose,
And winter will turn into spring
CHORUS A:
And the snow falls and the wind calls
And the year turns round again
And like Barleycorn who rose from the grave,
A new year shall rise up again.
2. Cruel winter cuts through like the reaper
The Old Year lies withered and slain
But young Phoebe shall rise
With a gleam in her eyes
And the snowdrop shall bloom in the lane.
(CHORUS A)
3. And there will come a time of great plenty,
A time of good harvest and sun;
Till then put your trust in tomorrow my friend
For yesterday’s over and done, and
(CHORUS A)
4. And I’ll garland a bonnet of daisies
To crown you the Queen of the May
And all shall behold
The seasons unfold
As surely as night follows day
CHORUS B:
Ploughed and sowed and reaped and mowed
The year turns round again;
And like Barleycorn who rose from the grave
A new year shall rise up again.
5. She shall give to us all that we wish for
Hold fast and have faith in the strong;
For the land shall give back
And we shall not lack
For joys all the summertime long.
(CHORUS B)
6. In the sweet endless days of the summer
We’ll laugh and we’ll sing in the sun
And we’ll tread that old round
On the old common ground
Till we end up back where we’ve begun
(CHORUS A)
Young Phoebe arise
With a gleam in her eyes
And the year turns round again
And I’ll wager a hatful of guineas
Against all of the songs you can sing
That someday you’ll love,
And the next day you’ll lose,
And Winter will turn into Spring.
The Year Turns Round Again
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6. |
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Lyrics
I went out to the hazel wood
Because a fire was in my head
I cut and peeled a hazel wand
And hooked a berry to a thread
And when white moths were on the wing
And moth-like stars were flickering out
I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout.
When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire aflame
But something rustled on the floor
And someone called me by my name.
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air.
Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands
I will find out where she is gone
And kiss her lips and take her hands
And walk among long dappled grass
And pluck till time and times are done
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.
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7. |
Mother Morphia
02:14
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Lyrics
Angel of Mercy, Mother Morphia,
You know I would crawl the floor for ya
Lie and cheat and steal and whore for ya
Mother Morphia mercy on me
Mother Morphia, mercy on me.
I fall on the thorns of life, I bleed,
And the world wasn’t made for human need,
But I know my spirit shall be freed
I said Mother Morphia mercy on me
Mother Morphia mercy on me.
Unpurposed, here it comes again
That matchless elemental, pain;
And you will cry to your God in vain
I said Mother Morphia mercy on me
Mother Morphia mercy on me
Pain
Stronger than breath
Pain
Stronger than death
Pain
Stranger than love
Mother Morphia mercy on me
Mother Morphia mercy on me.
Dark-eyed angel with a scorpion kiss,
Oh thank your gods they invented this
Because anything else is taking the piss,
Mother Morphia mercy on me
Mother Morphia mercy on me.
The least of it is I’d break the law for you,
I’d break Love and Trust, and more for you,
Follow a banner to a Holy War for you;
Mother Morphia mercy on me
Mother Morphia mercy on me
Mother Morphia mercy on me.
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8. |
The Trees They Grow Tall
05:15
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Lyrics
The trees they grow tall
And the leaves they do grow green,
Many’s the time my true love I’ve seen;
Many’s the time I’ve watched him all alone
He’s young but he’s daily growing.
Oh father dear father,
You’ve done to me great wrong;
You’ve married me to a boy who is too young;
I am twice twelve, and he is but fourteen,
He’s young but he’s daily growing.
Well daughter dear daughter,
I’ve done to you no wrong,
I’ve married you to a great lord’s son.
He’ll be a man to you when I am dead and gone,
He’s young but he’s daily growing.
Well father dear father, if you do see fi t
We’ll send him to college for one year yet;
I’ll tie the green ribbons all around his hat
To let the maidens know that he’s married.
One day she’s looking o’er her father’s castle wall,
She spies all the boys a-playing at the ball
Her own true love was the flower of them all
He’s young but he’s daily growing.
It’s one fine morning all in the month of May
That’s when they went to the meadows for to play
And it’s what they’ve done there
She would never say
But she nevermore complained of his growing.
At the age of fifteen he was a married man,
At the age of sixteen the father of a son,
At the age of seventeen
His grave it did grow green
For death had put an end to his growing.
I’ll make my love a shroud of Holland oh so fi ne,
Every stitch I put in it
The tears come trickling down,
And I will mourn my true love until the day I die
But I’ll watch o’er his child while he’s growing.
For now my love is dead and in his grave does lie,
The green grass grows over him so very very high,
I never shall forget him until the day I die
And I’ll watch all o’er his child while he’s growing
One day she’s looking o’er her father’s castle wall,
She spies all the boys there a-playing at the ball;
Her own dear son is the fl ower of them all
He’s young but he’s daily growing
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9. |
My Little Bird
01:57
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Lyrics
I had a little bird, and a pretty bird was she,
She sang at my window the sweetest melody,
She sang at my window in the springtime of the year
Singing willow, sing all a green willow.
I had a little bird, she was the joy of all my heart,
Sweetly she sang to me that soon we must part.
Sweetly she sang as the summer days ran by
Singing willow, sing all a green willow.
Now the short day is dying and my pretty bird must fl y
That sang at my window as the summer days ran by
That sang at my window, that sang in my heart,
Singing willow, sing all a green willow.
Through all the bitter winter I laid upon my bed
Grieving full sore that my pretty bird was dead,
Grieving full sore that no more I would her see,
Singing willow, sing all a green willow.
Now the new leaves are springing and the fields they do grow green,
Once more at my window my pretty bird is seen,
And if she do sing to me then I will not more grieve,
Or sing willow, sing all a green willow.
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10. |
Turn and Rise Again
03:37
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Lyrics
When there’s nothing in your eyes but dancing pictures
And nothing in the papers now but lies;
And it seems like the cloud of hatred is a shroud
That is wrapping round the planet as it dies
You gotta look into your heart for your truth, and
turn and rise again
Look inside for your truth, and turn and rise again.
When they’re telling you who you should be hating
And just why you need that new device;
When the phantoms on the screen
Are all that can be seen
Just remember that they’re playing you with loaded dice
You gotta look into your heart for your truth, and
turn and rise again,
Look inside for your truth, and turn and rise again.
When they’re telling you the terms of the battle
And what constitutes a valid argument
Tell you how to look cool and how not to look a fool
And just how to put your soul out to rent;
You gotta look into your heart for your truth, and
turn and rise again,
Look inside for your truth, and turn and rise again.
Well they hope that our fears will divide us,
That the only thing that bonds us will be hate,
And they’d love to blow apart
That great collective heart
So come on now before it is too late,
You gotta find the hearts that love what you love,
And turn and rise again,
Find the hearts that love what you love,
And turn and rise again
Oh well ain’t nobody said it would be easy,
And ain’t nobody said it would be fun;
But in the darkest night
You gotta find that tiny light
Cos if you can’t then the bastards have already won
So catch a shining moment on the run!
You gotta find the hearts that love what you love,
And turn and rise again,
Find the hearts that love what you love,
And turn and rise again.
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11. |
The Darkling Thrush
02:27
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Lyrics
I leant upon a coppice gate
When Frost was spectre-grey,
And Winter’s dregs made desolate
The weakening eye of day.
The tangled bine-stems scored the sky
Like strings of broken lyres,
And all mankind that haunted nigh
Had sought their household fires.
The land’s sharp features seemed to be
The Century’s corpse outleant,
His crypt the cloudy canopy,
The wind his death-lament.
The ancient pulse of germ and birth
Was shrunken hard and dry,
And every spirit on this earth
Seemed fervourless as I.
Then all at once a voice arose among
The bleak twigs overhead
In a full-hearted evensong
Of joy illimited;
An aging thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,
In blast-beruffled plume,
Had chosen thus to fl ing his soul
Upon the growing gloom.
So little cause for carolings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware.
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12. |
Rubaiyat
05:22
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Lyrics
Awake! For morning in the bowl of night
Has flung the stone that puts the stars to flight,
And lo! The hunter of the east has caught
The sultan’s turret in a noose of light.
Dreaming when dawn’s left hand was in the sky
I heard a voice within the tavern cry:
Awake my little ones and quickly fill the cup
Before life’s liquor in its cup be dry.
Myself when young did eagerly frequent
Doctor and sage and I heard great argument
About it and about, but even so
Came out by that same door as in I went.
With them the seed of wisdom I did sow
And with mine own hand I laboured it to grow
And this was all the harvest that I reaped
“I came like water, and like wind I go”
Alas alas! What profit to repeat
How Time that old traitor is slipping neath our feet;
Unborn tomorrow and dead yesterday
Why fret about them if today be sweet.
Tis all a chequerboard of nights and days
Where destiny with men for pieces plays
Hither and thither he moves and mates and slays
Then one by one back in the box he lays.
So leave the wise to wrangle and with me
The quarrel of this old universe let be,
And in some corner of the hubbub coucht
Make game of that which makes as much of thee.
So come along with me and leave the wise
To talk—one thing is certain that life flies;
One thing is certain and all the rest is lies
The flower that once has bloomed forever dies.
Before the phantom of false morning died
Methought a voice within the tavern cried:
When all the temple is ready and prepared
Why lags the drowsy worshipper outside?
The moving finger writes and having writ
Moves on; nor all thy piety nor wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a line
Nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.
And this I know, whether the one true light
Kindle to Love, or wrath-consume me quite,
One fleeting glimpse within the tavern caught
Is better than in the temple lost outright.
And when thyself with shining foot shall pass
Among the guests star-scattered on the grass
And reach the spot where I made one—
Turn down, turn down, turn down an empty glass!
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13. |
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Lyrics
A nursery rhyme with actions!
I just want to be a hedgehog,
Snooze away the winter in a nice leafy pile…..
(rest head against hands and close eyes)
I just want to be a hedgehog,
Curl into a ball and escape for a while…..
(raise arms in circular shape above head and bend forward - like a ball)
But everyone around me is so wizzy wizzy wizzy
(point fingers, raise hand & make a swirly motion)
All running round in a tizzy tizzy tizzy…..
(make running motion with arms),
All out glorifying busy, busy, busy……
(pat both legs with hands in time to words).
I don’t think so!
(point to yourself then with hand out flat move hand out across body in a kind of ‘NO!’ action).
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Ruth Cooke UK
Wbsite: www.ruthcooke.com
Ruth has been writing and performing songs for many years now but has mostly been
too busy living to record anything!
She is mostly to be found at folk clubs and festivals or at small gatherings and round campfires - although she wouldn’t say no to a small stadium!
She loves singarounds wherever they may be and is a regular floor singer at Lewes Saturday Folk Club.
... more
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