1. |
Prison Cell
05:47
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I heard it said and I believe
nobody’s really free
without the chains of love
he raised a bar stool over his head
tried to strike another man dead
I saw it happen, I was there
my chest grew tight, but not with fear
as the borders disappeared
keep me in a prison cell
father I believe you
darlin’ I would never leave you
I wanna kiss the ceiling
addicted to the feeling
on a tiny patch of sand
barbed wire and an empty hand
he knows just what to do
the choices are so few
as hungry shadows circle round
dropping live shells on the ground
there’s nothing left to say
no perfect judgement day
after victory, the death of your enemy
wasn’t it he who set you free
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2. |
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pain in my shoulder, what could it be from
my body is a prophecy of degradation
it’s showing us all a lickin to come
a crack in the wall, the path of the sun
strip me naked, take off my make-up
I’ll let you come in babe, you don’t gotta fake it
a bottle of that stuff, I got a batch of
here comes the rapture, a camera gonna capture it all
our love will reach the sea
spools of copper, built to unravel
wound up so tight, on shifting gravel
but it rings hollow, it feels so wrong
down in basel in the shiny marble halls
somebody tell me what to do now
so easy to forget, when I’ve made no vows
dive into a hurricane, tsunami
flood my spirit, drown my body
and I miss you, lover, I really do
but only when I sleep alone, its true
I guess I’m looking for something to spread my love
beyond the bounds, oh its up its down
it’s down inside the earth it hurts
I don’t know how to work it out ohoh
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3. |
Hello Yeah
04:31
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hello, yeah
you got nice hair, where you from
I’ve heard of that nation but
what’s your mother tongue
listen will you listen to me
I wanna talk to you cuz
that’s what I do in the face of beauty
and I find in you so much more than me
you feel so far away
your long laugh rising from your feet
through the ground that does not bring me the same
maybe it’s because I feel ashamed
I’m falling for your pride
in 1986 I lost a certain kind
the day I asked my father
why the black boys seemed on edge all of time
now I won’t beat around the bush
you bring a tingling to my eye and to my ears you bring a rush
and lately only you can really make me blush
and though I know you can’t I wish you would
deliver me from this bitter ballast in my blood
I’m casting off this brittle skin
never woulda known could be outgrown
without you walkin in
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4. |
One Eye In, One Eye Out
05:32
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I’m a snail and I’m bold, I’m crossing a road
even the hungry crow has a tear in his eye as he watches me try
I got one eye in and one eye out
one on death and one on doubt
one on the sky and one on my heart
cuz if I didn’t do that, I couldn’t even start on a journey like this.
on this big old freeway six lane wide
that’s like 45 minutes to the other side
but I gotta cross or I’m gonna die
I’ve already lost two of my family
I watched them shrivel up in front of me
a single drop of dew stopped me from shrivelling too
now there’s just silence where their laughter used to be
I know what you’re thinking: snails don’t laugh
oh yes we do, it’s just like the laughter coming out of you
as you watch your daughter climb into the swimming pool
for the first time
watching her grow, watch her turn from a little bun into a radiant sun
start arguing with you about what should and should not be done
pushing your buttons, touching your scars
as you drive her to her swimming lesson across the park
so you stop and you yell, and she starts to cry
and you regret it right away and you wanna comfort her but you gotta drive
and even if you knew, in that moment of shame
provoked by your child who carries your name
and even if you knew, in that moment of rage
provoked by your child for whom you’d die just to save
and even in you knew in that moment you snapped
provoked by your child who’s become your best bet
to let out your love in this indifferent world
even if you knew in the moment that
the tires of your car crushed my back,
and snapped my shell and sliced my neck
and the hope that I held fades to black
even if you knew, would you even look back?
at the tiny speck, on the grey concrete of the interstate?
I don’t think you would
cuz you don’t believe that a snail could be worthy of your love
I’m a snail and I’m bold, I’m crossing a road
soon the hungry crow will swoop down to dine and fill his belly with mine
and the siege of Aleppo drifts by on your Facebook wall
as your daughter finally learns the crawl
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5. |
Live It Blues
06:56
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someone I remember took me for a long and dirty ride
and when I hit the bottom, I forgot how to climb
she said a lot of pretty things to me, and at the time, I’m sure it was no lie
but her truth was no longer than the blink of my eye
but I don’t regret a thing, so now I’ll sing
if you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn
if you don’t live it, it won’t ever take you home
I loved someone who told me she loves me more than I can understand
so much, she got wasted on the body of another man
I couldn’t find the meaning, I couldn’t see the light
until I heard it beating, my heart had reached the other side
so once again I’ll sing
if you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn
if you don’t live it, you will never take it home
if you don’t live it, it won’t ever make you sing
if you don’t live it, it won’t ever mean a thing
and i’m thankful for the journey and even for the pain
and for the depth of the tenderness that only forgiveness brings
so one more time,
if you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn
if you don’t live it, it won’t ever take you home
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6. |
Autobiography
05:03
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this is my autobiography, although it may seem premature
everything that’s gonna happen to me already passed my door
every sweet love affair, every triumph every shame
the colors explode, and when they clear
no no, they do not stain
I think you know what I mean
and in the words of my mother, a good man uses his humility
and in the words of my lover, baby just give me what I need
and in the words of my father, don’t think too much of status and wealth
the bad man might reap profit and praise
but the good man meets with the lord himself
I keep trying to believe
all the lullabies ever sung to me
and in the words of S P Taylor, everybody knows it’s too late
and in the words of my sister, Evie’s birthday’s on the 28th
and in the words of Stephen Biko, either you’re proud or you’re dead
it’s in the moves of Muhammad Ali, if you live on earth, you got to pay the rent
yeah if you live on earth, you got to pay, I think you know what I mean
momentary euphoria, hypnotised in the dance of death
everybody is looking around, tryin’ to find what he does best
and in the words of my daughter, daddy why’d you bring me here?
I guess I’m craving something that will never disappear
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North Sea String Quartet Rotterdam, Netherlands
The North Sea String Quartet is one of the most versatile string quartets of the Netherlands. Their blend of world music, combining their own compositions with improvisation, could be defined as folk-fusion. These are strings that will make you move.
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