1. |
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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
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2. |
Magpie Tree
02:51
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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.
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3. |
Old Jack
03:44
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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
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4. |
Strange Lands
04:03
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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
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5. |
Dogs of War
04:44
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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
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6. |
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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
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7. |
Heart, Soul and Blood
02:19
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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.
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8. |
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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
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9. |
A Son's Love
03:59
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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."
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10. |
Devil's Daughter
05:54
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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.
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11. |
Gallow's Dance
02:51
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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
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12. |
Good For What Ails You
02:36
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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
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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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