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Songs of Love, Lust and Loss

by Hornswaggle

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1.
I beat a rhythm that pounds like blood I play my music from within the wood And I'm singing all of the night and day The boys and girls come out to play Join my parade, stepping down the trees Disappearing to where my music leads There's a mystery there for you to find Step in the line or get left behind Sing with me, even if you don't Dance with me, even if you won't Feel the pull of the melody And the sweetest kiss of harmony Candy stripes and rainbow colours Bright delights and a circus for us And I'm singing; all of the night and day Leading all of the boys and girls away And it’s one, two, three, come and dance with me Three, four, five, it’s time to live, it’s time to die And it’s one, two, three, come and dance with me The hurdy gurdy whirligig man
2.
Magpie Tree 02:51
One for me when I'm feeling blue. Two for the ballad of me and you. Three for the love of a bride in white. Another for a child who came at night. Five for words from a poet's tongue. Six for riches where they belong. Seven for the words you can never say. Eight for health 'til your dying day. In the magpie tree I count nine birds, Laughing at me with cackling words. Twenty dark eyes are looking at me, There's someone else in the magpie tree. Who's that sitting in the magpie tree? Way up high and looking at me. Nine old birds in the magpie tree. Sitting with the devil and he's come for me. One for sorrow, two for mirth, Three for a wedding, four for a birth. Five for silver, six for gold, Seven for a secret never to be told. Eight will bring you joy and health. But it's nine for the devil his old self. Take your lesson from a fool like me. Best stay away from the magpie tree. Down jumped the devil and away I went. Ran all day 'til I was spent. Take your lesson from a fool like me. Best stay away from the magpie tree.
3.
Old Jack 03:44
I let the devil dance with me He came from Lynchburg, Tennessee I let him dance for just one night Another night that ends in a fight I let the devil dance with me Another night I fell in love Enchanted by the devil’s drug Dancing in the summer rains The devil pumping in my veins I let the devil dance with me He dragged me up and he took me down He led me all over this dirty town And Old Jack wants to dance, Old Jack wants to sing And Old Jack wants to love, Old Jack to drink I woke up in a stranger’s bed I can’t remember a thing I said But if the words were ‘I love you’ I’m sorry but it isn’t true I woke up in a stranger’s bed Now everyday I hear his call The devil wants to see me fall And though he sends me to my end The devil is my only friend And everyday I hear his call He dragged me up and he took me down He led me all over this dirty town And Old Jack wants to dance, Old Jack wants to sing And Old Jack wants to love, Old Jack to drink In the cold morning light, I come to suspect There’s nothing behind but despair and regret So I lift another bottle off from the shelf And I raise myself a glass And I drink to the devil’s health He dragged me up and he took me down He led me all over this dirty town And Old Jack wants to dance, Old Jack wants to sing And Old Jack wants to love, Old Jack to drink
4.
On the first of July, with the sun rising high Our vessel sets out on the sea I gave to my girl a single white pearl With which to remember me And it's yo ho ho, how the west wind blows Over the water and sands And it's yo ho ho, steady as she goes Sailing towards strange lands Far from our home, in waters unknown Leviathan breaks through the waves A serpent so vast, he drags down our mast And sends us to a watery grave And it's yo ho ho, how the west wind blows Over the water and sands And it's yo ho ho, steady as she goes Sailing towards strange lands Lost in the deep, I awake from my sleep To the kiss of the sea king's daughter With eyes emerald green, the prettiest I've seen And kisses that taste of the water And it's yo ho ho, down below I go The ocean girl at my hand And it's yo ho ho, down below I go Sailing towards strange lands Months go on by, 'til the day that I spy: In the sand lies a single white pearl That very day, I make my way To return to the arms of my girl And it's yo ho ho, steady as she goes To ask my girl for her hand And it's yo ho ho, no more will I go sailing towards strange lands
5.
Dogs of War 04:44
Hear the cannons roar and smell the fires burn There's a bayonet or a bullet whichever way you turn Hear the bugle call and see the Jack up high We're dying by the dozen no matter how we try But Captain I would rather be Back at home with my Molly Leigh I'd kiss her ruby lips and I would hold her tight And I’d never have to fight any more No quarter, no retreat No surrender, no defeat Cry havoc my boys and let slip the dogs of war The Captain rests his hands on his belly large Waves about his sword and signals for the charge It's over then we go, through the muck and mire As the broadswords sing and the muskets fire But Captain I would rather be Back at home with my Molly Leigh I'd kiss her ruby lips and I would hold her tight And I’d never have to fight any more No quarter, no retreat No surrender, no defeat Cry havoc my boys and let slip the dogs of war I wish I was home, safe in my bed Down on the fields we only sleep when we're dead Lay down your guns and raise the white flag Let's all have some peace, if there's peace to be had If it should be my fate, to die where I stand Fighting for a stranger in far off foreign land Promise me, my friends, don't leave me here alone Promise me, my friends, you'll see my body home But Captain I would rather be Back at home with my Molly Leigh I'd kiss her ruby lips and I would hold her tight And I’d never have to fight any more No quarter, no retreat No surrender, no defeat Cry havoc my boys and let slip the dogs of war
6.
There’s a gypsy street singer, with a four chord box Cold fingers wrapped in polka dot socks A magpie stole his silver gloves Oh how she sings, oh how she loves To a waltz beat rhythm he stamps his foot Lets out a scream from down in his gut The magpie dances, the magpie sings Drops into his hat a silver ring ‘Oh I do,’ he cries, ‘Oh I do,’ he cries. ‘You for me,’ he sighs, ‘me for you. Me for you.’ By moonlit song with a loving glance On the Charles Bridge they sing and dance A gypsy street singer wearing silver gloves Beats out the rhythm of his one true love Rising up on a prayer and a wing Hear them dance, watch them sing
7.
I would rather live on pennies, And say what's in my heart, Than for all the riches in the world, Take my dreams apart. I will not try to impress, Take me as I am, The genius, the faults and all, Are what make me a man. Give me power and passion, Faith, joy and love. Give me life and laughter, Heart, soul and blood. I will not kill nor take away, From any man or beast, For there is surely room for all, To join our worldly feast. There is no idol that I pray to, I worship as I do, I would rather lead by action, Than sit upon a pew. Give me power and passion, Faith, joy and love. Give me life and laughter, Heart, soul and blood. I have no time for unkind words, I have no time for hate, In the time that we are given, I would much rather create. I would rather live on pennies, And say what's in my heart, Than for all the riches in the world, Take my dreams apart. Give me power and passion, Faith, joy and love. Give me life and laughter, Heart, soul and blood.
8.
Holly bears the crown with blood on her lips Rose petals bloom on the glass she sips Take her by the hand, let her teeth sink in Drinking from the rivers beneath your skin Let the church bell ring let the dream begin The sky is heavy and the ground is thin A mirror, a window, a door and a cry Learn to fall before you learn to fly Ivy wears the smile of the rising moon Leading you a dance around the open room Candles shine off the walls of glass Silent witness to what will pass Let the hang man dance, let the fool run free Let the princess dream of the queen she'll be The water, the rose, the blood and the ring Learn to choke before you learn to sing Holly and Ivy with kisses for songs As vicious and as bright as the night is long The heart it will beat and blood will flow Little red drops left in the snow Let the empire shake let the tower fall Let the white wolf howl, let the raven call The dagger, the thorn, the hart and the crown Learn to breathe before you learn to drown The Holly and Ivy, the heart and the blood Fire and ice, iron and wood Holly and Ivy with kisses to give Learn to die before you learn to live
9.
A Son's Love 03:59
The pirate Captain Roberts, on the run from the law, Crashes into port, and arrives at the door, Of the lonely old inn, high up on the hill, Home to Widow Watson, and her young son Will. It's a cold and quiet night, mother and son alone, As the pirate Captain Roberts, storms into their home. His teeth are black. His words are red. He shoots down the son and takes the mother to bed. Young Will drags himself across the wooden floor, Leaves a trail of blood from here to the door. He tries to find the words, so that he can pray, Before he has a chance he hears Captain Roberts say. "I am cruel, I am cold, I will do what I will, I will take what I want, I am happy to kill. Don't scream or run, don't beg or cry, By shot or by blade I will see you die." Come the morning light, with Captain Roberts fled, The mother and the son, he has left for dead. Yet saved from the grave by a passing friend, Young William survives and swears his revenge. As the years go by, his course stays true, Never does he sway, from what he has to do. He searches over seas, he searches over lands, There'll be no rest 'til there's blood on his hands. Then one day he hears, of a privateer ship, The Captain matches Roberts from the toe to the tip. He will have his revenge, he will have his day, Twenty years ago he hears Captain Roberts say. "I am cruel, I am cold, I will do what I will, I will take what I want, I am happy to kill. Don't scream or run, don't beg or cry, By shot or by blade I will see you die." The ship lies in port, Captain Roberts at his rest, As William rides to town to make good on his debt. William reigns in his horse and draws his gun, The midnight return of the vengeful son. He lets out a scream, full of pride, full of hate. "Draw your weapon, come and meet your fate!" Robert strides from the door, twin pistols drawn, And gunshots blaze with the coming of the dawn. The bullets take flight, the blood rains down. Shot through the chest, Roberts drops to the ground. He says with a grin "I always knew I would pay." Before he dies he hears William say. "I am cruel, I am cold, I will do what I will, I will take what I want, I am happy to kill. Don't scream or run, don't beg or cry, By shot or by blade I will see you die."
10.
I killed a John when he was three sheets gone, And honey there's a lot worse that I've done. I took his money and I left him there, A stinking corpse in the thoroughfare. My momma died the day I was born, From her swollen belly I was torn. The devil cried as my momma died, He'd been promised her first born. I'm the devil's daughter, I'll rip you in two, I killed my momma and I'll sure kill you. I'm the devil's daughter, I swear it true, There'll be nothing left by the time I'm through. My father stood, stood at our front door, To sell his daughter as a two-bit whore. So I took his axe from the whittling shed, And stuck it deep into the bastard's head. My sisters were taken by the lord of the land, To beg for food from his jewel filled hand. But there's only one thing money will bring, From the gallow's tree we let him swing. I'm the devil's daughter, I'll rip you in two, I killed my momma and I'll sure kill you. I'm the devil's daughter, I swear it true, There'll be nothing left by the time I'm through. Let the witchfinder search my naked flesh, I'll smile at the touch of his cold caress. I'll bend him over the ale house keg, And rip out his spine with a railroad peg. I lay with the vicar and I razed the church, Rode him to heaven as the parish burnt. We are mud and blood, we bring down doom, Tell the devil I'll be home soon. My momma was a witch, with the devil she lay, Promised he would take me away. Rode the switch and broke the bone, The devil's come to take me home. I'm the devil's daughter, I'll rip you in two, I killed my momma and I'll sure kill you. I'm the devil's daughter, I swear it true, There'll be nothing left by the time I'm through.
11.
A rope around your neck, scaffold standing high Take a look at the crowd, come to see you die To punish your crime, you will serve no time Just a short drop, a sudden stop and a gallows dance Red faced judge, with a black cloth on his head Says ‘Hang him by the neck, ‘til he be dead, dead, dead’ To punish your crime, you will serve no time Just a short drop, a sudden stop and a gallows dance The witness said you were the worst of men A thief and a pirate who will strike again To punish your crime, you will serve no time Just a short drop, a sudden stop and a gallows dance With a wicked grin you stand and say ‘I wouldn’t have lived any other way I robbed and I killed, you say I must die So throw up your rope and hang me high’ Hang me high, hang me high, hang me high Hang me high, hang me high, hang me high Let me shake, let me break, let me drop, let me stop Hang me high, hang me high, let me die
12.
I have loved and lost and loved and lost and loved and lost again Each in their turn I remembered the same Friends and companions lent me their cheer And we toasted with wine, whiskey and beer A bucket, a barrel, a cup or a flask There's many a vessel that's good for the task Raise up your glass or whatever you choose To the ones that you win and the ones that you lose From five miles high or seven hells deep Sharing a smile or starting to weep Say that it's yours, say that it's true And I'll raise a glass to all that you do Whoever, whatever, you're going through Many's the friend who's been there too Sing out your joy, cry out your blues To the ballads, the bastards, the bad luck and booze A bucket, a barrel, a cup or a flask There's many a vessel that's good for the task Raise up your glass or whatever you choose To the ones that you win and the ones that you lose To the songs that we’ve forgotten, and the girls that moved on To friends and family and those now gone To words said in haste, or not said at all To that very first kiss, or nervous first call The harder they hit, the harder you try It's okay to smile and it's okay to cry If you never get up and throw yourself in You may never lose but you’ll never win A bucket, a barrel, a cup or a flask There's many a vessel that's good for the task Raise up your glass or whatever you choose To the ones that you win and the ones that you lose

credits

released April 2, 2015

Hornswaggle are...

Chris: Millinery excellence and riddles.
Alice: Hexes, potions and charms.
Šárka: Travelling tales and strings.
Damien: Stories and graveyard ghosts.

All songs written and performed by Hornswaggle.

Many thanks, blessings and pints of fine ale to our family and friends for their continued support; to Rob Gray for yet more artistic endeavours; to Teresa and the Brixham pirates; to Mike Szabo for capturing our souls with his infernal device; and to all of the fans around the world who are helping us to spread the Hornswaggle word.

Artwork by Rob Gray: www.shabbycheek.com
Photography by Mike Szabo: www.michaelszabophotography.co.uk

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Hornswaggle UK

Born in the dusty cellar of a ramshackle pub, to the sounds of waves crashing and the smell of real ale, Hornswaggle emerge armed with a carnival of songs to delight and astound.

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