Redundancy

It takes you a while
To get the whole thing worked out in your head
And it's a difficult job
To sort the truth from the lies that we said

There's no changing people
You knew from the start
And I can see that it was just the consequence
What I thought was a change of heart


But you gave up so easily
You turned your back on me
And I thought all I had to do was ask

Your words went where you meant them to
Straight where you sent them to
When I thought all I had to do was ask
I found out at last


The thought of your kiss
Is taking my mind off the rain
And your hair in my mouth
And it's taking my mind off the pain

It goes to your head
When they all say you're as strong as a bear
I carried you cross the threshold
But we didn't
R each the top of the stairs


And long after the wind died down
I finally looked around
At the hopes
That lay scattered on the ground

But that's all gone now, I confess
Just like the Bible says
The things that rip us apart
They come straight from our hearts


Through the window behind you
The sun sets so cold on the glass
The book's getting wet
That I left outside on the grass

And I hope you'll forgive me
If I leave the letter unburned
Though I know you won't agree
Some truths are better unlearned


I gave up so easily
Once you gave up on me.

Cambridge, England

The drains are running over,
Washing your hopes away;
You sit and watch a blue umbrella
Till it turns the corner
Then you quietly say

In the cold light of the afternoon
Things are just what they seem to be
My truelove told me
I crossed a fine line
Well, she’s always been too fine for me


And I’m sad as a cold Cambridge april
And sorry for myself
As these sympathetic tears fall from the unrequited sky above

The shops begin to close now
You walk down Kings’ Parade
Your thoughts are brimming over
You turn the corner
And quietly say

In the cold light of the afternoon
People see what they want to see
My truelove told me
Just what I asked her
Well she always was too true to me


And I’m sad as a cold Cambridge april
And worried for my health
Caught between self-pity and the deep blue sea of love

Lucy

Lucy I can see you've grown a lot,
Since you said it couldn't be,
And Lucy you're not made of stone you know,
And you know about me.

You told me when I asked you long ago
That it could never never be.
But I've been coming round to you for so long,
Maybe you're coming round to me.


Lucy, don't let me love you
If you can't care for me,
'Cause I don't know how to get you off my mind.
Lucy, if I have to leave you, in the end,
You know that I will leave my life behind.


Lucy you know I often let things
Hurt more than they should
And if you want to want me
It won't do any good.

I don't know just what you're feeling
Though my eyes are open wide.
And I've lost sight of where I stand,
But I've got a hope so deep inside.


Lucy, if you know you'll never
Give yourself to me,
To let me stay would only be unkind.
'Cause Lucy, you're the only one
Who ever caught my eye,
And I don't know how to get you off my mind.

Games With Logic

These games with logic have worn you out
The argument subsides
And leaves no trace of sadness in your eye.
-
I have no answers, I have no plans,
I thought I had no pride,
But anger always takes me by surprise.
Sometimes I think
It?s you who have changed.

The city traffic is shutting down
The streets of grey and gold
Red sun sets down a quiet sky.
-
Sat in the dark there, down on the floor
Your high heels in your hand
You long to give the evening just one more try.

This is the moment I have been waiting for
But the moment's moving far too slow,
And it?s crumbling
Underneath my feet
I?m feeling lost and sick,
Love, how can we have so far to?

That's a sad look
A sad logic in your eyes.
Seems we must always talk this way.
There is dark rain falling
From a darker sky
But it won't wash these dark thoughts away.

Golden Boy

Golden boy your mother waits
She knows the sun will shine
But she is sure to shade your eyes
-
Golden boy your mother waits
To rock you in your sleep
So your sun will be slow to rise
-
Golden boy your sister’s arms
Will hold you now a while
She’s resting all her hopes on you
-
Golden boy your mother smiles
And lulls you
The sun is soaring into view

And I’m gonna be hard
I’m gonna be cruel
Before you believe
I’m gonna use words that you won’t understand
The things that I say
Will darken your way
Will darken your day
And make you let go of her hand
You’re going to have to leave it behind
Like you left your bed this morning
You don’t even have to make up your mind
To turn away
-
You’re going to find you brushed her aside
When you went away this morning
Although it never entered your mind
To break her heart
-
You’re going to have to leave it behind
Like you left your bed this morning
They’re gonna have to wave you goodbye
And turn away

Lights go off one by one
All the leaves are falling down
Lights go off one by one
All the children leaving home

Golden boy your mother smiles
She knows one day you’ll fly
You will forget these tears you cry
And when you’re hovering in the doorway
She will kiss your eyes and say
Golden Boy the world is open wide

Strange Notion

She came home to tell me she was more than I deserved
Stood before me with a cold heart full of words

She said: maybe I love you; but not the way you think I do
Cause there’s a kind of understanding that I just don’t get from you

These aren’t straightforward times
Like you’ve often heard it said

We are living through strange times
And I can’t show the way ahead

So I’m not gonna offer you no gratuitous cool
Cause I don’t take you for so much of a fool

Because it isn’t always easy;
Not everyone feels free

And I’ve got some faith
But only just enough for me

Cause I got hit by a force that was bigger than me
I was hurt in a way that I did not foresee

Got caught in a trap of my own design
I wanna get some wiser wisdom another time

Wedding Rings

Before you went away
You always came to stay
At the cold time of the year

And thoughts turn back to you
You’ve done what you said you’d do
The very last time you were here

At noontide we would stray
Down on the bridleway
Along the stream between the farms

Behind the applecart
For another lost art
Taking the autumn in your arms

It’s such a clear night
Just ice and moonlight
The firesmoke climbs up to the stars

The new year’s old enough
The air is cold enough
To freeze the honey in the jar

To set the sky right
To help the moonlight
To close the door to my desire

I let your maiden-name
Burn in the candleflame
And stirred the ashes in the fire

Resignation

She says it’s wisdom
Not to move too fast
Says that she loves me
But she’s sure that it won’t last
She wants to leave me
But I can’t say why
It’s a kind of resignation
To the way that sweet things die

She says she’s given up
On false deluding hopes
Packed up her childish dreams
With skipping rhymes and ropes
Because love makes promises
The heart believes
Long after it should have learnt
That love deceives

And so you turn away
Because you know my love is gonna die
And so you look away
You won’t even meet my eye
You sound so sure
You wanna close your door
You say you’re not even disappointed anymore

You call that wisdom
Who d’ya learn your wisdom from?
‘Cause your confidence has crumbled
And your hope is almost gone
And you are trying to build a house
Out of worry, doubt and fear
Just one thing you’re sure of - that
Nothing can be what it appears

I’m looking at you
And there’s a strange look in your eye
I want to reach you
But you don’t let me try
You say I’m kind
Too kind to understand
Well don’t you know
It seems to me
That I understand, I just disagree
And did it never seem to you
That I might have some wisdom too?

She says it’s wisdom
Not to move too fast
Says that she loves me
But she’s sure that it won’t last
Well I may be blind to things
Your eyes can clearly see
But don’t hand your resignation
In to me

Let's Toss Just One More Coin

On a Saturday morning
I was under a cloud
On my usual corner
In my old home town

In the midst of a deluge
I was wandering round
And I was seeking for refuge
From an April shower

She was sitting at a windswept outside table
On the pavement by our one and only café
She seemed to be kindalazily reading a magazine
But it was clear there was something she had to say

The waiter was speechless
When she gave him her tip
Picked up her lemonade
Took just one sip

And said I see you don’t know me
So I hope you won’t mind
When I saw how you’re suffering
I knew I couldn’t pass by

I can see that you’re worried
I can see that you’re lost
Anybody can see you’re starting
To count the cost

Setting out from this little place you’re living in
Following a star and that’s the only thing you see
And you’re frightened you will fall into the oblivion
Between where you are and where you want to be

The people around you
Will do their best to be kind
They’ll make you offers
You’ll have to decline

Cause you’ve already set foot
On a different path
Though you’re frequently falling
I’m not tempted to laugh

Cause it’s not easy
It takes courage to try
I can see that you want me
To simplify:

You gotta look up from your rainsoaked English high-street
Learn to tell the bitter from the sweet
You gotta look far from these grey skies we’re under here
The transformation will be complete

So look up from your lonely English high-street
Just to learn to tell the bitter from the sweet
Look far from these precincts that we’re standing in
Cause this may be the last time we will meet

Yes you gotta look up from the high-street
Learn to tell the bitter from the sweet
Look far from these streets that we’ve been walking in so long
-
So let’s sit a few more seconds now
Just until I take my leave
Till the froth on the lemonade subsides
Let’s toss just one more coin
And whether it comes up heads or tails
Either way it’s you that’s gonna decide

Song For Reuben Mann

Reuben,
I’ve still got your pen,
I’m sorry
Cause I took it home
As though it were my own
It lay forgotten in my pocket
Until I found it
Just the other day

I know
I won’t be hearing from you
I know that you
W ill always let things be
But Reuben,
When you couldn’t lay your hand on it
Who else would your thoughts turn to But me?

So I’m saying Reuben
I’ll take good good care of that pen
I wouldn’t treat it
Like I treat my own
I’ll write sweet and happy thoughts with it
And when the time comes then I’ll send it home

If there was something you wanted to write down
I believe it will come to you again
You will hold it once more in your right hand
When all these things return

Hot Milk Blues

Well I gave myself a sore sore throat
Singing Tom Waits impressions again
So I’ll give myself that early night
Turn in by nine
And I’m bound to be dreaming by ten

Drawing the curtains, nursing a cold
Like growing young again, like growing old
Going to bed before the watershed
And keeping my ears clean

It’s sweet as life passing me by
Watching him
Pull the wool over your eyes
Sweet as hot milk and sugar
Tom Waits and whiskey
And I’ll never stay out late again

You see maybe I don’t need your advice
You’re a fool, love, to think that I do
Maybe I’m no judge of character
But I believe I’ll take care of myself
So much better than he’ll care for you

Put the cat out & leave the dishes to soak
Going over the last words we spoke
Laying my head on that early night bed
And I’m keeping my ears clean

It’s sweet as life passing me by
Watching him
Pull the wool over your eyes
Sweet as whiskey and toothpaste
Cigarettes and lilacs
And I’ll never stay out late again

No sound from the street
The whole city’s as still as a room
Peek out at the clouds
Racing over the sky
Say goodnight to the moon

And I’m sat in my dressing gown
Like the middle of the night
Got no place to go
Yeah I’m travelling light
Just hot milk and sugar,
Tom Waits and whiskey
And I’ll never stay out late again
Just hot milk and sugar,
Tom Waits and whiskey
And I’ll never stay out late again

Walk / Don't Walk

The green man says
The road is half empty
The red man says
The road is half full
But why should you let them
Tell you what to do?

Your mother says
You ought to forget me
Your father says
To go back to school
But why look at me
When I’m looking at you?

Hurry now, and don’t be left behind
Look both ways
And make up your own mind
Hurry!
‘cause the Swiss train leaves
When the first star
Starts to shine

The green man says
The road is half empty
The red man says
T he road is half full

One says stop and one says go
One says yes and one says no
Everyone is talking
From his own point of view

But when the little hand points to seven
And the big hand points to time to go
You know that they can’t
Can point the way to you

“Open your mouth and close your eyes”
That’s not the wisdom of the wise
So close your mouth,
Open your eyes and
Make your mind up soon
Hurry, because the Swiss banks close at noon

You won’t see your answer written in the clouds
Drifting on the summer wind
And you won’t find it looking in the sun
You only need to look inside you
You only need to keep your vision true
It’s as easy said as it is easy done

Take your time ‘cause time is on your side
Once you know, you’ve made up your own mind
Don’t worry! because the Swiss train leaves
And your new life begins

Copenhagen

We sailed over the wine-dark sea
In a night of silver and gold
From Saint Lucy to Christmas day
The sun did shine so cold

Got up early and wrapped up warm
To breathe the winter crisp and clear
Scarcely knew what I was searching for
But I was sure to find it here

In the blue between the sea and sky
At the far horizon where the morning lies
You said another word
You gave another sign
In beautiful and hurried time

And though I thought it would be sweet
Still I was swept right off my feet
Standing there among the quiet city streets
-
I should have known right from the start
To stay away from Aphrodite’s dart
Copenhagen winter put a high song in my heart

We sailed over the frozen sea
And cut the ice apart
On Saint Lucy and Christmas day
To catch up with our hearts

Got up early and wrapped up warm
To see the dawn of the new year
Didn’t ask what we were looking for
But we were sure to find it here

Though I thought it would be sweet
I was swept right off my feet
Standing there among the quiet city streets
-
I should have known right from the start
Stay away from Aphrodite’s dart
Copenhagen put a high song in my heart

Black Coffee, Grey Suit

This is not black coffee,
This is an undefined.
Luke-warm like a photocopy,
It will clear my mind.
Down, look down that lonesome road
(Golden sun, silver moon,
Copper penny, paper money)
I was working late
On special rate
By the drinks machine
I fell into a dream.

We were born into
Bupa-cover,
Raised on
Sunlit Saturdays,
Leaning into the wind and the light
The spray cut up and the sail stretched tight
Till the whole day sings
A hard-earnt song

Recruit me, grey-suit me
I want to be a part of what you’re building

Hoops

When your feet get tangled on all the hoops you’ve jumped through
And you’re wondrin’ is it worth standing up again
And you watch the fast-train leave from where it dumped you
And you’re looking round for somebody to blame

When every door you stepped through just swings shut and leaves you
To wonder why you sold yourself so short
Great expectation only flattered to deceive you
And you ask what all your compromise has bought


Don’t you stamp your heel and frown
Don’t you fling your burden down
Don’t trouble the morning air with sad regret
Don’t you lift your head and scream
You can’t trouble anybody’s dream
Wait a second, cause by my watch it’s early yet

When your feet get tangled and you feel you’re falling headlong
When you’re shot down and falling fast to earth
Just trying to think of something that sometime you must have said wrong
And you try to understand for all you’re worth

Yes when your feet get tangled and your hands are cut from falling
And it’s all you can do not to cry
And you’ve got no reason left to keep it all in
And suddenly it seems so much sweeter not to try


Don’t you lift your head and scream
You can’t trouble anybody’s dream
Bite your tongue and swallow your strongest curse
Don’t you pass your pain around
Better not to make a sound
Than say a word you know you can’t reverse
Because there never was a scene that anger won’t make worse

And when you’re choked on the smoke of the fires you started
You stare at the doorway from where we parted
And it suddenly dawns on you just where you are
Then you’ll wonder how it ever got this far

You stood in front of fifteen full-length mirrors
You filled ten waiting rooms just with sighs
And you were bored with the inside of your eyelids
But there was nothing you could do ‘cept to close your eyes

And then you smiled and told me you’d lost your last illusion
Your sorrow filled the little corner where we sat
It was just so touching I had to hide my confusion
I had to laugh and ask “Just what makes you think that?”

Cause when you’re choked on the smoke of the fires you started
And you stare at the doorway from where we parted
It’ll suddenly dawn on you just where you are
-
Yes when you’re choked on the smoke of the fires you started,
You stare at the doorway from where we parted,
And there’s nothing but sadness everywhere you look:
Then you’ll start to comprehend the path you took


So don’t crash out and burn
No don’t lash out in turn
Close your eyes, count to ten before you do
You could even try and count your blessings too
And the times that I’ve had to jump a hoop through you

Black Flies

When black flies
Fall from the skies
And it thunders every afternoon
Grey heat
Presses down
In warm and steady rain

Finally everything breaks down
Melts and falls into the ground
Turn away

Sitting stuck inside a car
Dream of going far away
Thought I’d work the summer through
Hoped to live another day

Finally everything breaks down
Melts and falls into the ground
Turn away

Summer winds blow you my way

Sinking down into sleep
Dream of couples hand in hand
Breath of summer fresh and clear
Bathe the yellow moonlit land

After everything breaks down
Close your eyes and turn around
Turn away

Nocturne On A Knife-Edge

The flame’s sunk deep into the candle
We talked long into the night
And now I begin to see the tooth that bites you
That was hidden in the light

You know I believed you were the happy one
And you didn’t think I was so blind
To trust the smile that plays about you always
Till insomnia opened my eyes

They stole your hope so quietly
At the crossroads where they agreed to part
Two sweet bites from the apple of your eye
And then they divided up the heart

You told me the words of the agreement
When they promised to break up the happy home
Put your illusions into cardboard boxes
Your childhood in the back of a van

You know that I know that I can’t help you
And what good have fine words ever done?
It’s no use saying it’s no use crying
That’s no news to anyone

They parted the moon and stars between them
Took your hope and turned your sky so black
With my little flame I come hoping that I might be
The one to bring it back
-
They parted the moon and stars between them
And now I come under your sky so black
One hand shielding my flame against the wind
The other tied behind my back

You say you wish you’d never told me
And you’re scared you’ll make me lose my smile
But don’t try to pull out
The speck of sorrow
That I caught looking in your eye

They parted and shared your heart between them
They took your hope and left your sky black
I’d give my daughter and half my kingdom
To the man who brings it back
-
Yes they parted the moon and stars between them
They took your childhood sky apart
And left us sitting in my sad kingdom
While the candle eats its heart

Streelight Lullaby (for J.W.C.)

Hush, you’re at your wits’ end
What good do you think it will do?
Now you’ve said goodbye to your fairweather friends
Nothing, nothing will bring them back to you
Let’s go home into the sodium night;
We won’t talk while the night-mail goes by
Wrap ourselves up in the frozen fog
Under stars and streetlamps
and the wide open sky

Can’t come into the warm
While the cold’s in your heart
Let it melt in there
Till we’re happy like before it started
Never you mind, never you cry
They’re just bygones and let them go by

They just want to go sucking your soul through a straw
Painting your future so black
To blindfold you and spin you around
Then tell you to find your way back

Home into the sodium night;
We won’t talk while the night-mail goes by
Wrap ourselves up in the frozen fog
Under stars and streetlamps
We can hold our heads high

Oh come into the warm
And open your heart
Look my way now,
I’ve been lonely ever since it started
Never you mind now never you cry
They’re just bygones and let them go by

I Caught The Sun

I caught the sun today
It sent my thoughts astray
From dawn until night
The wind and the light
Drove your memory away


The quiet now’s so deep
I can feel my heart beat
Too soon
To have forgotten you
Too late to sleep


In the stormy nights
The car alarms wail
Now there’s only the rain,
A distant plane
As the moon watches
Silent and pale

Nightingale Lane

I drove out to Nightingale Lane
To find an old song that came on the wind
Below a harvest moon that rose to my mind
The headlights filled the wood with shadows

And I saw that nothing had changed
When I looked out down Nightingale Lane
Above the black horizon stars appear as the rook cries home

The wind shakes the trees and it shivers right through me
In the darkness of the night
I suddenly catch my name quietly called
Above the black horizon early stars appear

I walked out down Nightingale Lane
Below the stars, a wanderer’s way
Because a fire was in my heart