1. |
The Cruel Brother
06:31
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* the cruel brother * (child #11)
the first of the lords was all in yellow ...
il-e lay-a-lay & a lullay, gay
said the fairest one “come be my marrow” ...
il-e lay-a-lay & a lullay, gay
the second of the lords was all in the green ...
il-e lay-a-lay & a lullay, gay
he said to the fairest one: “come be my queen”
il-e lay-a-lay & a lullay, gay
“oh I have asked them one & all, save sister anne & brother john” ...
il-e lay-a-lay & a lullay, gay
“kiss me sister 'ere we do part ..."
il-e lay-a-lay & a lullay, gay
& as he kissed one kiss, he stabbed her heart ...
il-e lay-a-lay & a lullay, gay .
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2. |
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at the faire of st botolph - the falconer and the little red man went to the fair of st botolph/out on account, they swore on the horns, on dogs, and honey, and black lambs/eagle stones clacking and fairy sparks flying/they went to the fair of st botolph/the pinet, the beech-owl, watched them go by as they walked from the woods to the carr-lands/through the beast market and up past the swan they went to the fair of st botolph/a gerfalcon, sore-hawk, mantling, sharp they traded with jess, bells and leash/the falconer and the little red man went to the fair of st botolph/they left through the fen, through the rustling reeds/back to their greenwood tree bed/up on the heath with the forest below far from the fair of st botolph/
fading in sunlight the little red man whispered away in the wind.
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3. |
The Knights Of December
04:21
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the knights of December - they come the knights of december/with hopes
obsidian/then they they are gone/& light the sun/the year’s begun/we step
in song, in song/to circle once again and on/to travel on, to travel on & on
they come the knights of december/with hopes obsidian Knights of December
with hopes obsidian/the war has gone/the stone lies shorn/the rock has cooled
the fearful spite has waned/they stand aside the sun that died/once more alive
ascend, arise .
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4. |
Two Ravens
04:12
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two ravens - all in a vale of tumbled stone/there sat two ravens black as coal/
one did to the other say/ where shall we go and dine the day/where shall we
go and dine the day/there lies a man on the valley side/no one knows that he
has died/ no one knows that he lies there/nobody knows and
no one cares/
nobody knows and no one cares/we’ll sit upon his lifeless breast/and pluck
his eyes for to give him rest/and take the locks of his golden hair/to line our
nest that’s cold and bare/line our nest that’s cold and bare/there’s much to feast
here many days/and bones to crack here where none may gaze/and when
it’s done and the stones are bare/the wind shall blow for ever more/the wind
shall blow for ever more/ the wind shall blow for ever more/oh the wind shall
blow for ever more .
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5. |
Invitation
06:42
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invitation - sister little child/think how sweet a world you & i would make
together/love idle & slow/oh until we die, you & the land like one another/
land where suns hang moist, in a sky of mist/all my thoughts secretly steeping
in the strange repose of your faithless eyes/when they glitter through your
weeping all is ordered beauty there/calm & luxury & pleasure/sister little child.
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6. |
The Hare
06:00
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the hare said:
"see, thru fire I leap – laugh or weep, the world will go on ..."
the hare said to me:
“I’ll bring a child to thee -
laugh or weep, the world will go on ...”
the hare said:
“see I’m & young indeed, I’m both & none of these –
the world will go on ...”
the hare said:
“see – you walk on twisted feet, I leap & I am fleet –
the world will go on ...”
the hare told me:
“good fortune, or bad for thee –
should you laugh,
should you weep – the world will go on …” .
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7. |
Taile Of A Charme
04:19
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taile of a charme -
one moonshiney night,
i went to the toad
the toad that lies under the wall
and i charmed him out, i charmed him out
and the toad came at my call
so i sat up on high, waiting for one
waiting for one to come by
and
i tore the bat's wing at the shriek of the fox
waiting for one to come by
i've been to the market, cold to the bone
and
i have not been to the fair
i bought me a rabbit, cold to the bone
and
i did not buy a hare
i'll roast it and boil it, then eat it cold
with jack-in-the-hedge by and by
his dry throat cut, and his heart's blood drunk
and his skin hung out to dry .
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8. |
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* drink, drink to me, only with thine eye *
sun is high in the summer sky
i must drink or i will die
all i want
is a glass of water
in the doorway there you stand
a glass of water in your hand
you are cooler than the water
cooler than the glass of water
all i want
is a glass of water
with my eyes i drink you up like the water in the cup
i drink you like a glass of water
all I want
is a glass
of water
now the moon is in the sky
all alone in my bed i lie
thinking dreaming of a glass of water
all i
want
is
a
glass
of
water
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9. |
A Murder Of Crows
06:22
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a murder of crows - deceiving bone, the golden grain/the greyback crow wends
home/oak and ash, the starless earth/and peggy’s lantern burns/old pricky otchin
keb’d and cawed/king harry’s eyelids closed/the trickster fox will dine tonight/
sleek in sated sleep/the east wind & the west wood speak/cock throstle listens
close/when nettle bears a sweet red rose/the erl-king will return/the crooked
moon, the ivied owl/the spinner spins his yarn/from lindsey down to lincoln
town/the restless world will turn.
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10. |
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winter suite (ii) open fields
and all these words writhe & rise/and all unsung & all disguised/
and all are hiding in the day/
when all are hidden changing as i say them/
i am filled with wonder/and is my breath is taken/
and i’m bewildered & dazed/and every story comes alive/
circling, weaving in my sighs/breath coming faster to bear/
& gentle phrases bestride the air/
and i know this music/I am unafraid then/and i’m left exalted in the day .
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16. |
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Martyn Bates UK
(For CD version write to Jerry at eyeless@eyelessingaza.com)
voice +acoustic w/songs/ e-guitars/kybd/ tape. Since 1980,
Eyeless in Gaza, & since 2000, Twelve Thousand Days, Mick Harris etc. Knew stuff / Forgot stuff / cared too much / cared too little - perhaps. 2023:current band = Kodax Strophes … with Martyn reportedly "still longing for 'Christmas in my soul". kodaxstrophes.bandcamp.com
... more
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