Drunken Lullabies
[ print out    ]
 
1. Drunken Lullabies
2. What's Left of the Flag
3. May the Living Be Dead
4. If I Ever Leave this World Alive
5. The Kilburn High Road
6. Rebels of the Sacred Heart
7. Swagger
8. Cruel Mistress
9. Death Valley Queen
10. Another Bag of Bricks
11. The Rare Ould Times
12. The Son Never Shines
 
Drunken Lullabies

Must it take a life for hateful eyes
To glisten once again
Five hundred years like Gelignite
Have blown us all to hell
What savior rests while on his cross we die
Forgotten freedom burns
Has the Shephard led his lambs astray
To the bigot and the gun

Must it take a life for hateful eyes
To glisten once again
Cause we find ourselves in the same old mess
Singin' drunken lullabies

I watch and stare as Roisin's eyes
Turn a darker shade of red
And the bullet with this sniper lie
In their bloody gutless cell
Must we starve on crumbs from long ago
Through bars these men made steel
Is it a great or little thing we fought
Knelt the conscience blessed to kill

Must it take a life for hateful eyes
To glisten once again
Cause we find ourselves in the same old mess
Singin' drunken lullabies

Ah but maybe it's the way we're taught
Or maybe its the way we fought
But a smile never grins without tears to begin
For each kiss is a cry we all lost
Though nothing is left to gain
But for the banshee that stole the grave
Cause we find ourselves in the same old mess
Singin' drunken lullabies

I sit and dwell on faces past
Like memories seem to fade
No colour left but black and white
And soon will all turn grey
But may these shadows rise to walk again
With lessons truly learned
When the blossom flowers in each our hearts
Shall beat a new found flame

Must it take a life for hateful eyes
To glisten once again
Cause we find ourselves in the same old mess
Singin' drunken lullabies

back


What's Left of the Flag

His eyes they closed and his last breath spoke
He has seen all to be seen
A life once full, now an empty vase
Wilt the blossoms on his early grave
Walk away me boy, walk away me boy
And by morning we'll be free
Wipe that golden tear from your mother dear
And raise what's left of the flag for me

Then the rosary beads count them one, two, three
Fell apart as they hit the floor
In our garb of black we must pay respect
To the color we're born to mourn
Walk away me boys, walk away me boys
And by morning we'll be free
Wipe that golden tear from your mother dear
And raise what's left of the flag for me

In his place there grew an angry festered wound
Filled with hatred and remorse
Where I'd pick and scratch till the blood it matched
The silent rage now that fills my lungs
For there are many ways to kill a man they say
With bayonet, axe, or sword
But son a bullet fired from a shapeless guise
Leaves but the shell of a Thompson gun

Walk away me boys, walk away me boys
And by morning we'll be free
Wipe that golden tear from your mother dear
And raise what's left of the flag for me

From the East out to the Western shore
Where many men and many more will fall
But no angel flies with me tonight
Till freedom reigns on all
And curse the name for which we slaved our days
Till every man shall his kingdom come

But sure as night turns day
Ends the passion play
Oh my god what have they done
With madman's rage, well they dug our graves
But the dead rise again you fools

Walk away me boys, walk away me boys
And by morning we'll be free
Wipe that golden tear from your mother dear
And raise what's left of the flag for me

back


May The Living be Dead (In Our Wake)

Said her name was Marie
From the banks of the lee
With the prettiest eyes my own had ever seen
Her hair like the ripples
They danced with the tide
As our hearts washed away to the sea
Was she sent down to me from the heavens above
Her breath pure as whiskey my heart fell in love
Now the devil is courtin' a different tune
And I laugh as his tears wash the rain

Tell me why no one's listening
Is there nothing at all left to say
In a world so unforgiving
You mean more to me each every day
So may the living be dead in our wake

One cold winters night behind clouds stars did hide
And the ghosts of our souls thanking Christ we're alive
Our spirits they crackled with lover's first sight
Till the mornin' came fresh with a new
Will you dance with me now heavens child sang the clown
We've nothing to lose but your wings and my frown
Where over the hills where the valleys will ring
To the sound of our love singing true

Tell me why no one's listening
Is there nothing at all left to say
In a world so unforgiving
You mean more to me each every day
So may the living be dead in our wake

But the summer sun is melting now
With the leaves I'll soon be gone
Will you have the strength when the emptiness shadows fall
Or will your aching heart be ripped apart
By the beating from the storm
Or will howling gales like yesterday's be gone
Yeah be gone.... be gone

Was she sent down to me from the heavens above
Her breath pure as whiskey my heart fell in love
Now the devil is courtin' a different tune
And I laugh as his tears wash the rain

Tell me why no one's listening
Is there nothing at all left to say
In a world so unforgiving
You mean more to me each every day
So may the living be dead in our wake

back

If I ever leave this world alive

If I ever leave this world alive
I'll thank you for the things you did in my life
If I ever leave this world alive
I'll come back down and sit beside your feet tonight
Wherever I am you'll always be
More than just a memory
If I ever leave this world alive

If I ever leave this world alive
I'll take on all the sadness
That I left behind
If I ever leave this world alive
The madness that you feel will soon subside
So in a word don't shed a tear
I'll be here when it all gets weird
If I ever leave this world alive

So when in doubt just call my name
Just before you go insane
If I ever leave this world
Hey I may never leave this world
But if I ever leave this world alive

She says I'm okay; I'm alright,
Though you have gone from my life
You said that it would
Now everything should be alright
Yeah should be alright

back

The Kilburn High Road

Many's the day I took for granted
Breathing the air that sinlenced some
As the North Wind blew
With its head of thunder
Beating its breast with a war drenched song
Bathe awhile, awash in slumber
Cry what's left to sleep
Where you dream of the love you left forever
But pity no more nor grieve

For we're the kings of it all
For the day we were born
Now we're the kings of the Kilburn High
Sure we'll always take a drop and we'll never leave a sup
Your empty glass is but a tear filled eye
We were the kings of the Kilburn High

Listen to the sound of dead men dying
March as they flee but exiled bound
Their ship once sailed no longer anchors
For gone is the green
And their hallowed gound

Toast to tears of times past glories
This ageless clock chime stalls
Where to kiss the lips of that love forgotten
To fly where no others have soared

For we're the kings of it all
For the day we were born
Now we're the kings of the Kilburn High
Sure we'll always take a drop and we'll never leave a sup
Your empty glass is but a tear filled eye
We were the kings of the Kilburn High

Toast to tears of times past glories
This ageless clock chime stalls
Where to kiss the lips of that love forgotten
To fly where no others have soared

For we're the kings of it all
For the day we were born
Now we're the kings of the Kilburn High
Sure we'll always take a drop and we'll never leave a sup
Your empty glass is but a tear filled eye
We were the kings of the Kilburn High

back

Rebels of the Sacred Heart

Now im aiming for heaven but probably wind up down in hell
where upon this altar i will hide my guilt ridden head
but its time ill take before i begin.. 3 sheets to the wind.. 3 sheets to the wind
Ya its time ill take before i begin.. 3 sheets to the wind.. 3 sheets to the wind

* Rebels are we... tho heavy are hearts shall always be
Im no ball and chain no prison junky.. were the rebels of the sacred heart
I said no ball and chain no prison junky.. were the rebels of the sacred heart

terrified of the open road.. ya where it leads you'll never know
but rest assured he'll be on your back.. ya the holy ghost to his tongues in black
As the band ?? hells and the young girl cries
The blessed Virgin and a prayer group outside
the albatross hanging round your neck is the cross your bare for your sins and grades

*chorus*

genuflect all you refugees who fled the land now im ?? chenile (?)
Say a prayer for those left behind from beyond the pail to the northern sky
so save your shillings on your last expense cuz in gods name they built a barbed wire fence
Be glad you sailed for a better day but dont forget they'll be hell to pay

*chorus*

reserection of rejection of all things life must be

Im no ball and chain no prison junky.. were the rebels of the sacred heart

now bless me father for i have sinned
but its the same old story again and again and again
i will suffer the pain of an everyday life from morning to noon to the shadow less night
i will suffer the pain of an everyday life from morning to noon to the shadow less night

*chorus*

back
 


Cruel Mistress

Next time out to sea
Bring enough soul to bury me
For I don't want my final jig
In the belly of a squid
Take my trousers take my shirt
Just give me that sweet dirt
For the water's cold and grim
And I never did learn to swim
No her love never set me free
So I set off for the ocean
Now in my dreams she comes to me
Whispering of peace
But I've known since the day
That we sailed for Santiago
Her dry embrace would kiss my face
No never, No more

The sea is a cruel mistress
The sea is a cruel mistress

Many moons to the day
That I threw her love away
Now every whale spouts "go to hell"
As the wind laughs in my face
I've grown harder on the eyes
And salty to the taste
My pride has gone with the wake
As I wait a cold wet grave
I rose to the smell
Of a wet desert hell
And I thought to myself
How'd I wind up in this jail
Till a voice called to me
From deep within the sea
Dry your eyes my dear fisherman
Your ass belongs to me

The sea is a cruel mistress
The sea is a cruel mistress

The earth will rest my bones
Lord I know, Lord I know
But I'll see you when I get home
From the cold, yeah from the cold

No her love never set me free
So I set out for the ocean
Now in my dreams she comes to me
Whispering of peace
But I've known since the day
That we sailed for Santiago
Her dry embrace would kiss my face
No never, no more

The sea is a cruel mistress
The sea is a cruel mistress

Next time out to sea
Bring enough soil to bury me
For I don't want my final jig
In the belly of a squid

Next time out to sea
Bring enough soil to bury me
For in my dreams she comes to me
Whispering of peace....

back

Death Valley Queen

Death valley queen where have you been
Since they crowned you in glory
Filled your head with dreams
But it still goes to show in every desert
There's a rose that's blooming for all to be seen
I remember you well from that town
You did dwell with the face of an angel
In a dump hot as hell
When I asked for a kiss
You kindly dismissed
So i lead my poor heart to the slaughter
Tell me dear what did you fear
I'd do you no wrong though no stranger to sin
So death valley queen go marry your king
Or an old maid you'll end up for certain1    1

Off I did set on my trail of regret
Where I thought of you now in your castle and crown
So I found me a whore with a face just like yours
After several gallons of porter
When I awoke, she had scarpered I was broke
Laying cold in the bed with a whale for a head
So death valley queen go marry your king
Or an old maid you'll end up for certain

Then the ball dropped why everything fell by the way
As your teardrops were falling I forgot to say
That I have always loved you
Yeah I have always loved you
Yeah I
Yeah I
I have always loved you

When I returned downtrodden and burned
There were billy goats grazing
Where once you'd be found
So I hung out to dry
On this limb for a lie
Take me back for I'm cursed on the mainland
Tell me dear what did you fear
I'd do you no wrong though no stranger to sin
So death valley queen go marry your king
Or an old maid you'll end up for certain
I said death valley queen go marry your king
And a-roving I'll end up for certain

back


Another Bag of Bricks

Twas in the early evening
Near the presence of the moon
You told me you would meet me here
Well now is not too soon
This dagger twisting in my back
Tells me I never should
Have trusted everything to fall
From beggar to the fool
I see your face like every race
A serpent with two arms
Devouring me while rains the sun
With dreams in foreign lands
This cold and dark tormented hell
Is all I'll ever know
So when you get to heaven
May the devil be your judge
With another bag of bricks

I scratch your name across these walls
And with my blood turns red
Then drips upon my killing floor
Where now I call my bed
No precious light to harbor
Like so many here before
With every drop of life you take
Now breathes a thousand more
With another bag of bricks

Temper filled with blindness
Leads this lost and lonely man
Dragged around your whipping tree
A scourge you can't command
So you deafen me with silence
Drown me with your roar
Scowl me with your hallow eyes
Still burnin' to the core
No door will go unanswered
Like so many closed before
No vagabond to knock upon
This tired and beating war
When all return from exile
Free from all once bound
Decline and bawl old parasites
The truth will yet be found
With another bag of bricks

This cold and dark tormented hell
Is all I'll ever know
So when you get to heaven
May the devil be your judge
With another bag of bricks

back


The Son Never Shines (On Closed Doors)

I saw her there from afar
Her hair grey charcoal
Takes a drag from her tar
I kissed her a smile
But her blood red shot eye
Said the son never shines on closed doors

It's been eight long years since I saw
The woman who's labored
Since the day I was born
These wrinkles now face
To that cold dark damp place
Where the son never shines on closed doors

She said the son never shines on closed doors
I open to find only hurricanes blow
Take me away back to the green fields of May
Because the son never shines on closed doors

Death comes like a theif in the night
To steal while you sleep
The soul's flickering licght
Well maybe it's then
She said, I'll see you again
Because the son never shines on closed doors

She said the son never shines on closed doors
I open to find only hurricanes blow
Take me away back to the green fields of May
Because the son never shines on closed doors

And we all go the same way home
Yeah we all go the same way home

back