Non-album lyrics

[mark t]

Tower

indeed that does, thanks!

[Eke]

just one suggestion eke [the fourth section of The 107] is repeated, the second time with matter singular.

I'm happy to correct that as long as I don't have to transcribe all the iterations of the last couple of lines I'm not sure that I get the connection of the two versions to the previous "matter"s but it certainly seems a valid interpretation (and of course you're factually correct in that it does repeat )

I loved the "Sky was so heavy it sank like a rock" line. A bit over the top but it conjured up a marvellous image.

And here's the checklist...

Click on the title to see the current state of play. Black means it's passed my rigorous quality control and has been promoted to the main site, blue means it's still under discussion:-

The 107
Born Sandy Devotional
Man Who Can
Of The Plaza
When A Man Turns Bad
White Shawl

The full version of BSD has now gone to the main site. I've just added the new bits to the (Edit) version rather than giving it its own entry. Does that sound OK?

[Eke]

I've updated a few bits on the main site. Torch's changes are in and I've added the songs from the new version of BSD. Of the Plaza has the "thunderhead did sound" line and When A Man Turns Bad has the "he's bloodless, still rides for you" line which were under discussion. I thought the best way forward was to put those versions in and correct them later if required rather than keep them hiding in the forum.

[glee]

Thanks Eke, glad someone remembers the login...

[Urpal]

I thought it was worth it's own transcription:

Stolen Property (Demo lyric incorporating Love & Affection)

Someone’s standing in the rain like they’ve got no place to go
Maybe that someone is you, maybe someone you don't want to know
Maybe lost possession
Maybe stolen property

Lying around waiting on a signal from heaven
Never had to heal any deep incision
Darling you ain’t moving any mountain
You ain’t seeing any vision
You ain’t freeing any people from prison
Just an aphorism for every occasion

As if the only thing that matters
Is a place at the table
Never read this label
When you drank from the bottle
It said Keep Out Of Reach Of Children


Let her come(?), let her go,
Let her go, let her go away now

Let her run away, let her run,
Let her run, let her run now

Can't hold you now, can't hold you now
Can't hurt you now, can't hurt you now

She don't belong any more, stolen property,
Finders keepers..

Some enchanted summer night,
In the moonlight you and me go swim
Through ticket stubs, alcohol,
The night club singer sings..

Sweet, sweet love and affection
Aiming for our attention, sing
Sweet, sweet love and affection
Singing for our redemption

I call you by... your name
I call you by your name
I call you by...your name
I call you by your name

Like a baby crying for the milk of it’s mother
Like an addict scratching for a vial of ether
Not something you could teach or touch, or promise or taste,
Nor inherit, nor break, nor marry, nor pen

There’s a banging at the door now
She’s out there in the rain
Waiting to be let in..
Start again

Start again
Start again..
All over again now, baby,
All over again
All over again now, baby,
Stolen property

I think the new elements give an insight into the inspiration for the honed down and enhanced "classic version". Dave was obviously right in retrospect to cut out the Dylanesque "hobo voce" (the "ain'ts" and that sort of slang grammatical shorthand) and use the language that suited his voice and command of language and more naturally measured the rhythm of the song.

[LAMF]

Snake Pit

I was sick and tired of my old friends
Felt like they were dragging me down
Felt like moving up to something bigger and faster
Turning my back on that small town scene

There was a place I knew I could go
No-one would follow
I let myself slip
Into the snake pit

All my loved ones I stabbed in the back
I knew they had been dragging me down
I left their bodies to be picked at by crows
In a ditch on the edge of town

I looked myself squarely in the eye
I obeyed my inner voice
I chose the path of righteousness
I [??]  free choice

There was a place I knew I could go
No-one would follow
I let myself slip
Into the snake pit

So if you’re sick and tired of your old friends
You feel like they’ve been dragging you down
You feel like moving up to something bigger and faster
Turning your back on that small town scene

There is a place I know you can go
No-one will follow
Just let yourself slip
Into the snake pit

Anyone tried deciphering this anymore? Thought I'd give it a go, but with not much luck.

But here's some guesses:

I am [??] of rejoice
I am [??] all free choice

I believe its:
I eliminated all free choice

[Eke]

Thanks LAMF - I think we guessed that in the end after a comparison with the version on Jack Brabham but it's great to get independent confirmation.

[Urpal]

Wish To See No More

I wrote the tale in which I dwell
I know precisely how it ends
But I don’t believe I have the strength
To see it through again

The tide that pulls me, pulls me down
Is stronger than the fall
I only swam in one direction
Wish to swim no more

I called you
Did you call me?
I always thought of you
As someone I could call
In an emergency

With every pal I had
And with every pal I never had
All fallen by the waysides
Or just rolling overboard

When I put my trust in them
As I put my trust in you
And every compass spins for you
And every ship adrift for you
And hold me
From what I may do
To myself in spite of you

And tender was our fine defeat
And splendid our decline and fall
My eyes were blind
To all but you
I wish to see no more

Now help me to my feet, young man
And guide me to the door
I only ask for one reason
I wish to see no more

I called you
Did you call me?
I always thought of you
As someone I could call
In an emergency
Did you call me?
I was always someone you could lie to
In an emergency

Excellent song. One of my favourites of the bonus tracks on BSD.

[Eke]

Well done Urpal - that brings us up to date with the officially released songs now

[torch]

I've just been looking through the great work you've been doing and I thought I should remind Urpal that 'Man who can'
is by Alsy Mcdonald (words and music). Also the line in Stand Up refers to 'reference shelves'. Also the collaboration between
Dave and Phil featured Phil's lyrics in 'Curse on You', both wrote
lyrics for 'We should have been someone' and 'This one eats souls' and Dave wrote all the the lyrics for ' Every Gentle Soul'.
While credited for a co-write on 'Leaning', Will Akers can't recall
making any contribution at all and likewise his contribution to
'The Lord burns every clue' was probably some minor lyrical
one.

[torch]

One last thing, the original line for Crucifiction Speech is
'Whose favours I'm to win' Dave did slip up a bit at times but
with so many songs to remember it's not surprising. I recall
him once singing the lyrics of Television's Venus( Broadway
looked so medievil, it seemed to flap like little pages etc.)over
the lyrics for No Desire. Crazy kid!

[geoffm]

.
While credited for a co-write on 'Leaning', Will Akers can't recall
making any contribution at all

one.

maybe Will made the popcorn whilst they watched "Night of the Hunter"
Hat,coat etc

[torch]

Very droll. Brings to mind the cheeseburger songs that Dennis
paid Brian for each new song.
Incidentally last week a very fine and unusual film noir was on
t.v. 'Force of Evil' written and directed by Abraham Polonsky
and starring John Garfield. It's about the numbers racket and
uses this stylized dialogue 'that dispenses with punctuation and
relies on repitition.' If anyone gets the option don't miss it.
It also is quite instructive as to the nature of the numbers game

Storch

[Urpal]

The lyrics to There Must Be A Curse On Me as jotted down last night but unverified by additional study.

There Must Be A Curse On Me

Nobody saw me
I crept in the back room
Without any warning
My feet are swollen
I haven’t stopped running
Since yesterday morning
And if you don’t want me
I’ll show myself out your back door
I’ll leave you in peace
And I won’t come around here no more
No, no more

My heart keeps on beating
It beats out the truth
That has never been spoken
I once took a load off
An old friend of mine
And got both my legs broken
But the chief of police
He was keeping the peace
But it didn’t last long
Got a dog on my trail
And I knew then that something was wrong

There must be a curse on me
There must be a price on my head
There must be a curse on me
Tomorrow my tears will run red

If it’s not too much trouble
Could you turn off the lights
And draw all the curtains
Don’t expect any guests to arrive
But you can’t be too certain
Do you have much to eat?
Just some bread and cold meat
Would be fine
I’ll get up and fix it myself
‘Cause I don’t have much time

There must be a curse on me
There must be a price on my head
There must be a curse on me
Tomorrow my tears will run red

I like 'em, and they go well with the rhythm of the song. Slightly surprised it's an Alsy penned song, demonstrating again the "internal consistency" of the other contributors beyond Dave to The Triffids' song cycle.

[Eke]

Well done Urpal I've been meaning to get the old transcribing quill out for the new reissues since you mentioned it ages ago. Just too blooming lazy I guess. Will try to make a bit of an effort now you've set the ball rolling.