The Waterboys

[fox69]

"Love And Death"

"Love And Death"



Behold the flashing waters
A cloven dancing jet,
That from the milk-white marble
For ever foam and fret;
Far off in drowsy valleys
Where the meadow saffrons blow,
The feet of summer dabble
In their coiling calm and slow.
The banks are worn forever
By a people sadly gay:
A Titan with loud laughter,
Made them of fire clay.
Go ask the springing flowers,
And the flowing air above,
What are the twin-born waters,
And they'll answer Death and Love.

With wreaths of withered flowers
Two lonely spirits wait
With wreaths of withered flowers
'Fore paradise's gate.
They may not pass the portal
Poor earth-enkindled pair,
Though sad is many a spirit
To pass and leave them there
Still staring at their flowers,
That dull and faded are.
If one should rise beside thee,
The other is not far.
Go ask the youngest angel,
She will say with bated breath,
By the door of Mary's garden
Are the spirits Love and Death.

 

[fox69]

"Love Anyway"
(performed by Mike Scott)

"Love Anyway"
(performed by Mike Scott)



So you crahed the plane
And there's hell to pay
I'm making it plain
I love you anyway

You made a fool
Out of me today
I'm breaking the rule
I love you anyway

You threw the blame
What a role to play!
My story's the same
I love you anyway

You dealt the blow
And you burst the ball
I'm letting you know
I love you most of all

Magic we chase - only to find
It comes from a place higher than mind
Higher than dust, but only just
It hangs on the cusp

I can hear you scream
Like a branded slave
It's only a dream
I love you anyway

You've got a war to wage
Chief to obey
Foe to engage
I love you anyway

You hunker down
Feeling small
Judging the clown
I love you most of all

I picture you with the eye of my mind
A portrait in blue, unravaged by time
Beauty undimmed and through your pale skin
The beauty within

So you beat the child
Sent him away
Beauty defiled
I love you anyway

You tricked the King
Cut him where he lay
Unthinkable thing
I love you anyway

You held the jewel
And you let it fall
Prince of a fool!
I love you most of all

Over the wind, under the hill
Wing upon wing, love over will
When the big me meets the big you
The things we will do!

I'll make the time
If you name the day
Trouble or shine
I love you anyway

I think of you
As child of clay
Whatever you do
I love yo anyway

 

[fox69]

"Love That Kills"

"Love That Kills"


Will you take me slowly
will you lead me all the way
Will you sing me your songs
Until I am ready for
The LOVE that kills
Yeah!

I have known you in the
Sheets and folds of many lifetimes
You were there when I was made
And I will speak to you in the language of dream until
Love comes my way
Love that kills
Yeah!

Hey I will ride on a dolphin, rain in my face,
Wind in all of my sails
There's a shadow hard on my heels now,
But I'm still trying to, I'm still trying to...
Get to the place, where rolling rivers overspill
I have come a long way and I need my cup refilled

So when you come for me slowly
When you come knocking on my door
When the soul sings
And the man is still
I will be ready
I will be ready
Yes I will be ready for the love that kills
Yeah!

The love that kills
The love that kills, Kills, kills
The love that kills

 

[fox69]

"Love Will Shoot You Down"

"Love Will Shoot You Down"



Ain't you hard to beat
After all this time,
Still standing on your feet – somehow -
Way beyond your prime?
Well, love will shoot you down, will shoot you down
Love will shoot you down, will shoot you down

You believe you were The One
But it was only grace
And when your hour is done
And somebody takes your place
Love will shoot you down, will shoot you down
Love will shoot you down, will shoot you down

Time, old Time, King Time is moving back and forth
Like a backlit dancer on a pale white horse

On a mad racecourse
In a hungry land
You will be forced
To play your secret hand
And love will shoot you down, will shoot you down
Love will shoot you down, will shoot you down

Fate is driving like a vigilante through the crowd,
Hot coals on his feet, bullets on his brow

Power will spit you out
Grief will leave you stunned
A camera will pick you out
A thief will cock the gun
And love will shoot you down, will shoot you down
Love will shoot you down, will shoot you down

Time, old Time, King Time is moving back and forth
Like a backlit dancer on a pale white horse

 

[fox69]

"Lucky Day / Bad Advice"

"Lucky Day / Bad Advice"



You can't spend all your life
Sittin' on a cloud playing a twelve-string
You can't spend all your life
Sittin' on a cloud playing a twelve-string

But you'll make this day again, this lucky, lucky day again
But it's not just a day again until you touched it

Get yourself a pedal-steel player
There's money in the cabaret business
Get yourself a pedal-steel player
There's money in the cabaret business
You can't spend all your life
Sittin' on a cloud playing a twelve-string
You can't spend all your life
Sittin' on a cloud playing a twelve-string

But you'll make this day again, this lucky, lucky day again
But it's not just a day again until you touched it

Don't put that song in your album
You don't need no sax in the band
Don't put that song in your album
You don't need no sax in the band
Get yourself a pedal-steel player
There's money in the cabaret business
You can't spend all your life
Sittin' on a cloud playing a twelve-string

But you'll make this day again, this lucky, lucky day again
But it's not just a day again until you touched it

Wake up you gotta make a change
You gotta dress like one of the Levellers
Don't put that song in your album
You don't need no sax in the band
Get yourself a pedal-steel player
There's money in the cabaret business
You can't spend all your life
Sittin' on a cloud playing a twelve-string

 

[fox69]

"Mad As The Mist And Snow"

"Mad As The Mist And Snow"



Bolt and bar the shutter for the foul winds blow
Our minds are at their best this night and I seem to know
That everything outside us is mad as the mist and snow
That everything outside us is mad as the mist and snow.

Horace there by Homer stands, Plato stands below
And here is Tully's open page, how many years ago
Were you and I, lads, mad as the mist and snow?
Were you and I, lads, mad as the mist and snow?

You ask what makes me sigh, what makes me shudder so
I shudder and I sigh to think that even Cicero
And many minded Homer were mad as the mist and snow
That Cicero and Homer were mad as the mist and snow
That Cicero and Homer were mad as the mist and snow
…

 

[fox69]

"Malediction"

"Malediction"



I am walking in the last rays of the setting sun.
Whistling a hangman's tune with head held high swinging my gun.
I say this little boy is angry, I say this little boy is mad!
This little boy comes to destroy, stone-eyed, cold-faced in swathes of vengeance clad.

And the black cock crows. And a dead wind blows.

In my wake are seven women who tried to steal my soul.
In my belly six wild wolves curse and howl from their foul hole.
I say no earthly will may stop me, I say no earthly will may try.
No earthly will may halt the spill of blood from wounds and tears from craving eyes.

And the black cock crows. And a dead wind blows.

Below me burn the city lights in fires of pearls and jewels.
I'm climbling down the city walls, unseen, unfussed - the sentries must be fools.
I say all pleasantries are over, I say all pleasantries are past.
My enemies, you pimps and thieves, prepare to meet your nemesis at last.

And the black cock crows. And the dead wind blows.

 

[fox69]

"Martin Decent"

"Martin Decent"



Martin Decent came to play, came to play, came to play
On a bright and winter's day
Turned his coat in the morning

Martin Decent spoke out loud, spoke out loud,
Told his tale to the listening cloud
Then he turned his coat in the morning

Ate his greens and his rhubard raw
Chewed his food with a vigorous jaw
Wrote down he all he heard and saw

Martin Decent sang along, sang along, sang along
Leant his voice to the children's song
Then he turned his coat in the morning

Told a few little lily-white lies
Hid the truth behind his eyes
Nobody knew he was in disguise

Martin Decent danced a lot, danced a lot, danced a lot
Struck the pose for a photograph
Then he turned his coat in the morning

Martin Decent went back home, went back home, went back home
Slept like a log in a bed of his own
Then he turned his coat in the morning

Yes he did!
Hey! Fuck him! Roll him in manure!

 

[fox69]

"Medicine Bow"

"Medicine Bow"



There's a black wind blowing
A typhoon on the rise
Pummeling rain
Murderous skies!
I'm gonna take my books
I'm gonna wear my coat
I'm gonna find my scarf
And wrap it around my throat
And you can
Come with me
Through the driving snow
We're gonna ride on up to
Medicine Bow

Well I spent too long
Just stuck on the shore
There's a man in my head
But he isn't me anymore
I'm gonna find me a ship
Stowaway on a boat
I'm gonna burn all the words
And letters and cards that I ever wrote
And you can
Sail with me
Where the current flows
We're gonna move on up to
Medicine Bow

I'm gonna change my colours
Cancel my things
Stop my squawking
Grow some wings!

Well I will not sleep
And I will not rest
I will put my soul
And my will to the test
I'm gonna tug at my tether
I'm gonna tear at my lead
I'm gonna test my knowledge
In the field of deeds
And you can
Run with me
FAST AS WE CAN GO
Over the hill to
Medicine Bow

 

[fox69]

"Medicine Jack"

"Medicine Jack"



Let me tell you the tale of Medicine Jack
He went out in the woods and he never came back
Equipped with a stick and a big old sack
He went too close to the railroad track

You know what they say about Medicine Jack
He lived his life in a rolldown shack,
The wind a-screeching through the cracks
And the sound of the trains from the railroad track

Well here's the truth about Medicine Jack
He painted his face and his whole shack black
He went up in the woods and he never came back
He must have got too close to the railroad track

Did you see him on that fateful night?
Did you see his grizzly face in the torchlight?
Did you see him crawling down among the trees
And getting scabs on his hands and knees?
Did you see the demise of Medicine Jack
His pitiful face still painted black
Just a spit and a stride from the rolldown shack
Down on by the railroad track?
Don't turn your back on Medicine Jack!

I was thinking about the ghost of Medicine Jack
On starless nights when the sky is black
I can hear him singing those deadman's blues
And whistling down by the railroad track