Fairport Convention

[fox69]

"Claudy Banks"

"Claudy Banks"


'Twas on one summer's evening all in the month of May
Down by a flowery garden I carelessly did stray
I overheard a young maid in sorrow to complain
All for her handsome sailor boy who ploughed the raging main
I boldly stepped up to her and put her in surprise
I'll vow she did not know me, I being all in disguise
Says, I'm a charming creature, my joy and heart's delight
How far have you to travel this dark and stormy night?
Away kind sir, to the Claudy Banks if you will please to show
Pity her poor girl distracted, oh, there I have to go
I am in search of a young man and Johnny is his name
Along the banks of Claudy, I'm told he does remain
'Tis six long moths on batter, since your true love left the shore
In passing the wide ocean where French's cannons roar
And crossing the wide ocean with honor and for gain
I'm told his ship was wrecked all on the coast of Spain
On hearing of this dreadful news, it put her in despair
With a wringing of her hands and a tearing of her hair
Oh, since he's gone and left me, no other man I'll take
Oh, on the banks of Claudy I'll wander for his sake
Oh, my heart was filled with joy that night, I could no longer stand
I fell into her arms, crying, "Betsy, I'm that man
I am your faithful young man, whom once you thought was slain
Now, since we've met on Claudy Banks, we'll never part again"

 

[fox69]

"Clear Water"

"Clear Water"


I want clear water from here to the horizon
I want some calm seas for the journey still ahead
Fair weather as we head for the skyline
Clear sky in the morning and every sunset red
I want clear water as we sail out to the head
All I want to hear is the ripple from the bow
Let us be at ease now and know our true position
Like a compass to the star, like a team hooked to the plough
And as for all the history, best it's left unwritten
Few would believe if we told all we have seen
Comedy and tragedy have come along unbidden
They are the port and starboard that we sail in between
I want clear water for each new destination
And if the storm should break, we will take it in our stride
We rode out the tempest when the clouded stars were hidden
And the rising of the moon proved to be a fickle guide
And if we hear the timbers creak, we'll be give and take
Voices from outside, we know our craft is strong
As long as we can speak without raising our voices
The music of the storm is in the guardian of the song
At night upon the deck I want to feel the salty spray
Like warm tears on my face for the passing of the day
And I watch the wheeling star 'til the light breaks in the east
May the journey never end, let us be at peace
I want clear water from here to the horizon
Maybe scarred and feathered, but who'd say we were wrong
The journey not the goal was the only thing that mattered
While the wounds you thought had healed can still be opened by a song
I want clear water from here to the horizon
I want some calm seas for the journey still ahead
Fair weather as we head for the skyline
Clear sky in the morning and every sunset red
A clear sky in the morning and every sunset red

 

[fox69]

"Close The Door Lightly When You Go"

"Close The Door Lightly When You Go"


One, two, three
Turn around, don't whisper out my name
Like a breeze, it would stir a dying flame
I'll miss someone, if it eases you to know
And close the door lightly when you go
Who was the one that stole my mind?
Who was the one that robbed my time?
Who was the one who made me feel unkind?
See you on the road, sweet love of mine
Take your tears from someone else's eyes
They're made of glass
And they cut like wounded knives
Memories, they're drifting like the snow
And close the door lightly when you go
Who was the one that stole my mind?
Who was the one that robbed my time?
Who was the one who made me feel unkind?
See you on the road, sweet love of mine
Who was the one that stole my mind?
Who was the one that robbed my time?
Who was the one who made me feel unkind?
See you on the road, sweet love of mine
Turn around, don't whisper out my name
For like a breeze, it would stir a dying flame
I'll miss someone, if it eases you to know
And close the door lightly when you go

 

[fox69]

"Closing Time"
(originally by Leonard Cohen)

"Closing Time"
(originally by Leonard Cohen)



Ah we're drinking and we're dancing
And the band is really happening
And the johnny walker wisdom running high
And my very sweet companion
She's the angel of compassion
She's rubbing half the world against her thigh
And every drinker every dancer
Lifts a happy face to thank her
The fiddler fiddles something so sublime
All the women tear their blouses off
And the men they dance on the polka-dots
And it's partner found, it's partner lost
And it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops
It's closing time
Yeah the women tear their blouses off
And the men they dance on the polka-dots
And it's partner found, it's partner lost
And it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops
It's closing time
Ah we're lonely, we're romantic
And the cider's laced with acid
And the holy spirit's crying, "where's the beef?"
And the moon is swimming naked
And the summer night is fragrant
With a mighty expectation of relief
So we struggle and we stagger
Down the snakes and up the ladder
To the tower where the blessed hours chime
And I swear it happened just like this
A sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
The gates of love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
But closing time
I swear it happened just like this
A sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
The gates of love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
Closing time
I loved you for your beauty
But that doesn't make a fool of me
You were in it for your beauty too
And I loved you for your body
There's a voice that sounds like god to me
Declaring, declaring, declaring that your body's really you
And I loved you when our love was blessed
And I love you now there's nothing left
But sorrow and a sense of overtime
And I missed you since the place got wrecked
And I just don't care what happens next
Looks like freedom but it feels like death
It's something in between, I guess
It's closing time
Yeah I missed you since the place got wrecked
By the winds of change and the weeds of sex
Looks like freedom but it feels like death
It's something in between, I guess
It's closing time
Yeah we're drinking and we're dancing
But there's nothing really happening
And the place is dead as heaven on a Saturday night
And my very close companion
Gets me fumbling gets me laughing
She's a hundred but she's wearing
Something tight
And I lift my glass to the awful truth
Which you can't reveal to the ears of youth
Except to say it isn't worth a dime
And the whole damn place goes crazy twice
And it's once for the devil and once for Christ
But the boss don't like these dizzy heights
We're busted in the blinding lights
Busted in the blinding lights
Of closing time
The whole damn place goes crazy twice
And it's once for the devil and once for Christ
But the boss don't like these dizzy heights
We're busted in the blinding lights
Busted in the blinding lights
Of closing time
Oh the women tear their blouses off
And the men they dance on the polka-dots
It's closing time
And it's partner found, it's partner lost
And it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops
It's closing time
I swear it happened just like this
A sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
It's closing time
The gates of love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
But closing time
I loved you when our love was blessed
I love you now there's nothing left
But closing time
I miss you since the place got wrecked
By the winds of change and the weeds of sex

 

[fox69]

"Come All Ye"

"Come All Ye"


Come all ye rolling minstrels
And together we will try
To rouse the spirit of the air
And move the rolling sky
Those that dance will start to dance
And those who don't will sway
In time to this our merry tune
That we play for you today
So come all ye rolling minstrels
And together we will try
To rouse the spirit of the air
And move the rolling sky
Our fiddler, he just loves to play
And that's why he plays so good
And now he plays a violin
Made out of solid wood
So come all ye rolling minstrels
And together we will try
To rouse the spirit of the air
And move the rolling sky
Possessor of the magic touch
But no magician, he
Will play for you some magic notes
Instead as you will see
So come all ye rolling minstrels
And together we will try
To rouse the spirit of the air
And move the rolling sky
The sound of beating on the drums
From behind you hear
And to the rhythm of guitar
We hope you'll lend an ear
So come all ye rolling minstrels
And together we will try
To rouse the spirit of the air
And move the rolling sky
Well, the man who plays the bass does make
Those low notes that you hear
And the high notes come from you and me
For we will sing so clear
So come all ye rolling minstrels
And together we will try
To rouse the spirit of the air
And move the rolling sky

 

[fox69]

"Crazy Man Michael"

"Crazy Man Michael"


Within the fire and out upon the sea
Crazy Man Michael was walking
He met with a raven with eyes black as coals
And shortly they were a-talking
Your future, your future I would tell to you
Your future you often have asked me
Your true love will die by your own right hand
And crazy man Michael will cursed be
Michael he ranted and Michael he raved
And beat up the four winds with his fists-o
He laughed and he cried, he shouted and he swore
For his mad mind had trapped him with a kiss-o
You speak with an evil, you speak with a hate
You speak for the devil that haunts me
For is she not the fairest in all the broad land
Your sorcerer's words are to taunt me
He took out his dagger of fire and of steel
And struck down the raven through the heart-o
The bird fluttered long and the sky it did spin
And the cold earth did wonder and start-o
O where is the raven that I struck down dead
And here did lie on the ground-o
I see that my true love with a wound so red
Where her lover's heart it did pound-o
Crazy Man Michael he wanders and calls
And talks to the night and the day-o
But his eyes they are sane and his speech it is plain
And he longs to be far away-o
Michael he whistles the simplest of tunes
And asks the wild wolves their pardon
For his true love is flown into every flower grown
And he must be keeper of the garden

 

[fox69]

"Dark Eyed Molly"

"Dark Eyed Molly"


Deep and dark are my true love's eyes
Blacker still is the winter turning
As the sadness of parting proves
And brighter now is the lantern burning
That lightens my path to her

No fiddle tune will take the air
But I'll see her swift feet a-dancing
And the swirl of her long brown hair
Her smiling face and her dark eyes glancing
As we stepped up from Banbury Fair

If my waiting prove in vain
Then I'll pack and track ever take me
And the long road will ease my pain
No jewelled mankind will ever make me
Whisper love's words again

For in drink I'll seek good company
My ears will ring with the tavern's laughter
And I'll hear not her last sweet sigh
And who's to know in the morning after
How I long for her dear dark eyes
And I long for her dear dark eyes
How I long for her dear dark eyes

 

[fox69]

"Dawn"

"Dawn"


Morning shone among the shadows
Sunlight bled upon the silence
From the blackest night
Must come the morning sky
But yesterday was such a long time
Yesterday may last forever
From the barren land
Yesterday might always rise
Sleep, will we ever sleep
Oh, to sleep in peace once again my love
Tears are falling in the darkness
Hearts are bleeding in the silence
From the widest ocean
Who would miss this smallest tear
Then might always be a bad time
Then might always last forever
But these stormy clouds
We may see them all disappear
Hope has she really gone
Will she ever come back again my love
Sleep, will we ever sleep
Oh, to sleep in peace once again to love
Hope has she really gone
Will she ever come home again my love

 

[fox69]

"Dear Landlord"
(originally by Bob Dylan)

"Dear Landlord"
(originally by Bob Dylan)



Dear landlord
Please don't put a price on my soul
My burden is heavy
My dreams are beyond control
When that steamboat whistle blows
I'm gonna give you all I got to give
And I do hope you receive it well
Depending on the way you feel that you live

Dear landlord
Please heed these words that I speak
I know you've suffered much
But in this you are not so unique

Each of us, at times, we might work too hard
To have it too fast and too much
And anyone who fills his life up
With things he can see but he just cannot touch

Dear landlord
Please don't dismiss my case
I'm not about to argue
I'm not about to move to no other place
Each of us, he has his own special gifts
And you know this was meant to be true
And if you don't underestimate me
I won't underestimate you

 

[fox69]

"Decameron"

"Decameron"


She doesn't see the day today
No colours where the children play
She doesn't see the things she saw
White crosses painted on the door
See me fly, see me cry, see me walk away
Every time the sun shines, to me it's a rainy day
He didn't see the summer go
Though he knew what the shadows know
He didn't see his arms grow old
He didn't feel his blood run cold
See me fly, see me cry, see me walk away
Every time the sun shines, to me it's a rainy day
They listened to his voice grow pale
No stamps were on the morning mail
They all listened to the white truck ring
Words just didn't mean a thing
See me fly, see me cry, see me walk away