Modern Man

 Modern man

He dances

Modern man in trousers

Could lose some weight

Gain in love not hate

Yes, he's a modern man

He's out there on the town

Living life as best he can

Yes, he's a modern man

He'd shoot you down

If he liked it

But he'd rather

Dance with the bouncers

Yes, he's the modern man

Needs a beer

In his stomach

To keep

The butterflies

Turning into caterpillars

And then a Chrysalis 

Yes, he's a modern man

She's got a new friend

 She's got a new friend

I don't doubt it

She's got a new friend

I want to shout it

She's got a new friend

And it don't mean much to me

I wish I could win

Her in the end

But I know that now

I'm just her old friend

Yes she's moved on

Like a ship in the sea

And I'm out here on my island

well I'm not complaining

And I'm not drowning

I'm just sorry to see

Her ship leaving me

 She's got a new friend

I don't doubt it

She's got a new friend

I want to shout it

She's got a new friend

And it don't mean much to me

You're not my type

 

E You're not my type G-E

Am I call it hype A G

Dm7 A little Am7 drunken Dsus4 D Tyke

Am Kind of tripe G-A

E You're not my type G

 

E I like it black

Am I like it white

E You're not my type G

 

F You think you're Zebra

C I don't like stripes

E You're not my type G

 

You know a leopard

Can't change his spots

Well this old beggar 

looks strange not hot

You're not my type

 

I like to write

I don't mean left wing

I don't mean right

E You're not my type G

 

I just think you should choose

To get on your bike

You're not my type

 

I wouldn't ride you

It's not my like

So just walk in my shoes

You're not my type

gardening lines 2

 Can you disencumber your cucumber?

Or disentangle your runner beans?

Or extricate your carrots

from their unpleasant scene

Disencucumber me means

Just removing my cucumber from your vines

For I got it stuck there when I crossed some lines

Forgive me, I didn't realize I confused your bed with mine

At least we can say the grapes had a good crop

And we did enjoy the wine

I shouldn't think to tangle up

Again in your runner beans

But they do keep running on and on

If you know what I mean?

I should like to disembarrass myself

from your brussel sprouts

But they keep looking at me

And beyond that I have no doubt

I could never leave the allotment

That lies down next to thine

But I'll probably

Be put right myself

Because I seemed to have crossed the line

Owen Parfitt of Shepton Mallet

 Owen where you going to?

Owen, Owen where you going?

Owen, Owen where you know it's snowing too

Oh and the wind is blowing strong

Owen where you going to?

For it's here you do belong

Oh Owen where you going to?

You've been gone so long

I wish that I was knowing too

Where it is you've gone

I haven't seen you in many moons

And the blue one's coming on

I need you in my life Owen

I need you to be strong

So Owen where you going to?

Oh Owen now where you gone?

Owen where you going to

And Owen where you gone?

You had a great adventure didn't you

When you were so young

Many battles you fought in

And many women's hearts you won

Now Owen where you going to

Oh Owen where you gone?

Your body it is broken too

I can't believe it's gone

The loving and the fighting

In the corners have undone

All that mother gave you

That nature that stood strong

Oh Owen where you going to?

Owen where you gone?

Listen to the heart beat of the Sheepey call

Listen to the fast feet run along the prison wall

The padding of the white sheep

Across the green grass fall

Owen why'd you fall asleep

Before you could count 'em all?

Sometimes in my dreams of you

You return back home

But in them you're a younger man

Without a broken bone

If I could mend your broken heart

I'd fix it in a blink

Bring back the twinkle in your eye

That shone when you'd wink

But I am no magician still

I'm just a woman in a window sill

Asking Owen where you going

Owen what was your will?

Gardening tips number five

 Give a man a hoe

An his weeds won't grow

Give a man the heave-ho

And either the weed is so big that

He needs help pulling it out

Or you are firing him

Little Prick of Love

 

C G F

C G F

Am C G F

C G F                              

Oh C little prick of F love I can feel C yer

Oh C little prick of F love nice to meet C yer

I've Em got a Am little prick of love And it's trying to F greet yer G

                                                    

Oh Am you don't like G injections F And you're afraid of blood

Well C this is divine G intervention C My little prick of love

 

It'll C only hurt a F little C And yes it will bleed                                 

Em But just like a Am needle F It is going to G succeed      

At Am combating G your love sickness F You know you suffer a disease

Dm You can't love C another F Without starting to seize

F   Em-F                         

So C let me F give you  C My little injection

I'm Em just like Am a doctor F You need G examination                                          

Am And it could add C years to your life  F Or it could set you free

Dm My little prick C of love will F look after you, you’ll see

C   G F

C G F

Am C G F

C G F                             

If C I were a F snail  It would be C minute

So Em just think you're lucky AM And don't F get cute G                   

If Am you want to get C ahead You know you have to F push                           

Dm And my little prick of C love Is like a F thorn on a sloe bush                                               

Am Sometimes the sloe gin G comes so thick it's a sin  

Dm Sometimes the bush is F so hard to get in                                              

Am But with a little back and forth F A little pull and shove                   

G That's how you'll feel my F Little prick of love

G  F G F                         

C Oh little prick of F love I can feel C yer

Oh little prick of F love Now we’re togeth G er                                            

Am We’ve got a little prick of C love And it's now and forev F er        

Our Am little prick of G love ties us togeth F er

C G F

Am  G F

Am C G F

Am C G F

The Ballad of Pirate William Watts

 

I was born C in the town Shepton Mallet

Appren F tice to a pipe maker G man

In C Oakhill where I found my Am vocation

I Dm wandered G around that sweet C town

 

Then a C sudden disaster hit the nation

The sun F was hidden by G a hand

I C lost my job and turned to (Am) stealin

Trans(Dm) ported to (G) Van Diemen’s (C)land

 

Chorus

Caged (Am) canaries sing of freedom

A bird in the (Dm)  bush is worth two in the (G) hand

On a (Am) ship we were (F) condemned men

(C)  Down in Van(G)  Diemen’s (C) land

 

In that (C) hell hole I found Ester

Trans(F) ported for ten years(G) long

For(C) stealin a loaf for her (Am)family

On (Dm) prison island (G) we got(C) along

 

(C) Living was rough, dying easy

We (F) never had enough cash in (G)hand

So I (C) made and sold bootleg (Am)whisky

So (Dm) we might (G) escape Van Diemen’s(C) land

 

Chorus

Caged (Am) canaries sing of freedom

A (Dm) bird in the bush is worth two in the (G) hand

On the(Am) ship we were (F) condemned men

(C) Down in Van(G) Diemen’s (C) land

 

(C) Lashed by the law when they caught me

(F) Two hundred or more I could not (G) stand

(C) I swore to friends and (Am) family

(Dm) That one day I’d (G) escape Van Diemen’s(C) land

 

(C) Next time I bootlegged I was running

From town (F) to town and formed a (G) gang

(C)  But the lawmen who caught me were (Am) cunning

And the(Dm)  judge told me(G)  I would(C)  hang

 

Chorus

Caged(Am) canaries sing of freedom

A bird in the bush(Dm) is worth two in the (G) hand

On a(Am) ship we were condemned (F) men

Down (C) in Van(G) Diemen’s (C) land

 

 Part 2

On a (C) brig to Macquarie Harbour

Death (F) sentence for us they(G) say

At anchor (C) the crew went (Am) a fishing

And we (Dm) cons (G) mutinied (C) away

 

(C) Now we were free canaries

(F)  Pirates bound for New Zea(G) land

(C) Lost our way we met with (Am) Samurai

(Dm) Picture me pipe(G) man in(C) Japan

 

Chorus

Caged(Am) canaries sing of freedom

A bird in the bush(Dm) is worth two in the (G) hand

On a(Am) ship we were condemned (F) men

Down (C) in Van(G) Diemen’s (C) land

 

(C) we knew our British hunters

We(F)   scuppered the ship off (G) Canton

And (C) pretended to be (Am) survivors

Of another (Dm) wreck but (G) that crew came (C) along

 

(C) Caught again we were arrested

Put back (F)   on a ship for(G) England

Oh (C) but my trial went (Am) unattested

They hung (Dm) me as the (G) last pirate (C) man

 

(C) My name is William Watts the pirate

The last(F) man for piracy to(G) hang

For (C) stealing a pigeon I was (Am) sent to prison

That (Dm) place called (G) Van Diemen’s (C) land

Chorus:

Caged(Am) canaries sing of freedom

A bird in (Dm) the bush is worth two in the (G) hand

On a(Dm) ship we were (F) condemned men

Down (C) in Van(G) Diemen’s (C) land

On failure and success

I could have succeeded in an exam

I could have lengthened my life span

But you know would I still be who I am

Or would I have compromised?

For life is full of truths and lies

What we tell ourselves

Comes as no surprise

But what others see of the true self

Belies our projected hologram

Our public persona, 

If it's accepted,

 is mona 

Lisa smile of conceit

Or self satisfied

Competitive edge

To match esteem in others' eyes

Yet what is it this public self

That must be held upon

Such a high shelf

And where or how to measure

The other in a soulful equilibrium plasma

Some gell of unconscious desires

That we all swim around

Like creatures in soup

Flies stuck perhaps

Fallen from skies

Or else amphibious lizards

Rising out of the goop

And how do you keep it all together?

Dry spell

 It's a dry spell

And the heat is in my mind

They're clearing out the drains

I'm falling far behind

It's a dry spell

And I'm shooting out my brains

The apples are falling off

The tree limbs

It's a dry spell

And we're waiting for the rains

The well has run dry

The reservoirs are drained

It's a dry spell

And we're waiting for the rain

The brocoli can't grow

No carrots on the trains

The ships masts sway

But there's no wind again

As we're waiting for the rain

It's dry spell in my mind

Gotta asking yourself

If it's you or him

Because the man in the mirror is always

Gonna win

Rambler's refrain

 Repeat after me:

I will not be cowed by the cows

I refuse to be bullied by the bulls

I won't be lambasted by the lambs

Nor stampeded by the stags

All these farm yard animal antics

Frozen in the field

Frightened by Frisians

Ghouled by the goose

Nor duped by the ducks

I will neither be hounded by hounds

Or alarmed by the llamas

I will be strong and centred and sound

I will stand my ground

In the face of shadowy cows

In the herring howls of horns

In the screeching jowls of gulls

In girlish growls of fowls

In foolish brows of owls

Or the horrid hoots of crows

The chalkish cheers of sheep

The balkish bawls and bleats

Of the unknown darkness sheets 

Please Pan to fall asleep

And ignore our rambling feet

love another day

 The summer will be over soon

And I will want my rest

And you my love will own the moon

And take my very best

If you want to walk the room

And come out at the end

Then find me here another June

And you'll call me friend

I never meant to hurt you

Nor spoil what we had

But it has been so untrue

This dream turned out bad

I miss you and want you too

It's all that I can say

I never meant to hurt you

Just to love another day

Thank you

E  Am E Am Dm7 Am7 Em E7 repeat, G D7 G D begin again

 Thank you

I want to say thank you

Thank you for being in my life

Thank you, thank you

Thank you for showing me

Thank you for showing me

That you like me too

That you like me too

Thank you, thank you

Thank you for not cutting like a knife

Thank you, thank you

We all are slipping in the stream

we're all swimming in this life's dream

Dm7                       Am7

And who knows if it's forever

   E                  Am

Thank you, Thank you

Dm7                    Am7

who knows if it's forever

For it's all unseen

Thank you, thank you

For it's all unseen

Thank you, thank you

Thank you for the friend that you've been

Thank you, thank you

Transposed

Bb   Dm   Bb   Dm   Gm7   Dm7   Bbm   Bb7   (repeat)

C#   A#7   C#   A#   (begin again)

Bb

Gm7

Bbm

Bb7

C#

A#7/Bb7

A#

Mexico City

 I'm thinking of going to Mexico city

It's a long, long way away

I'm thinking of going to Mexico city

To find out if I'm made of clay

I hear the bandidos and the casinos

Are rolling around every day

Trying to find my way to Mexico city

Where the piñatas are hit in play 

Thinking of going to Mexico city

Where the drugs barons say hey

Thinking of going to Mexico city

Just on a short holiday

Thinking of going to Mexico city

Where the fishes all leap on the plate

Thinking of going to Mexico city

Where pinatas hang on trees of bay

Thinking of going to Mexico city

We can be on our way

With a muletto, singing falsetto

And a sister who wants me to pray

Thinking of going to Mexico city

Through the canyons of the Pecos Valley

I had a love there, she was a dove dear

But now she has flown far away

The story of Owen Parfitt

 Owen, where you goin, where you goin Owen?

I'm going down to the Sheppey to wash my soul clean

I've been living the high life, but now I feel low and mean

I need to get goin before I am seen, 

Oh my sister, my sister

Now I'm feeling green

Owen where you going?

Owen, what have I done

I only tried to love you better

than anyone, 

I only wrote you a letter

Like a mother to a son

Owen where you going

Now the day is done

I'm going on out to the wind and rain

I'm going on out and won't be back again

Now my limbs they are weary and

My thoughts they are numb

Now I'm going, I'm going, 

going, now I'm gone

Owen yes your life is yours

You don't owe it to no one

But what would our father want from us?

To love each other and ourselves

Owen now you're going, 

going, going gone

It seems the hardest task of all

Dear sister to forgive myself

For what I've done

Now I must get going

Yes I'm going, going

and now I'm gone

Wilderness/Call me home

 I've got a place for us underneath the stars

But I can't hold your hand anymore

Life and death are one, near or far

We hold the keys to the door

When you were out in the wilderness

Did you see God?

did you know what he was thinking of

Did you meet the Devil

Or an Angel of love?

Oh call me home from the Wilderness

Call me home

The wild called me for a while

The thrill, the will to survive, the threat

But in all that adventure I managed to forget

All those who loved me dearly

I managed to neglect my family

And that is the deeper wilderness

It is the lost life

The life without love

So I'm asking you to call me home

But your voice is lost in the wind

I can't remember to forget you

And you've already forgotten me

In the forest of memory

Where the twisted trees

Have blocked out the sunlight

Do you remember swimming

Swimming across the bay with me?

I thought I couldn't keep going

But with you by my side 

we swam across the sea

The green gathering

 I met one woman from Frome called Lauren

And another Italian quite foreign

I met Gill, but no Phil and Su, what a thrill

It was as if I had come across uncommon

Down below I hear Howard a singing

His pipes are like a blackbird's winging

He seems quite possessed, with himself I confess

And his powers of his solo voice winning

Ah to be out in the world

Oh well, a festival, it is quite absurd

Just a microcosm of Greens

Who have too much or too lean

And I think I'm a spy in between

I met Evi from Brighton Sprung

She or he looked incredibly young

Sprightly and virile, like a quill on a dril-i-l

She wrote bass lines as well as he sung

It's hard when you're of cross gender

To feel the right sex you engender

To act like a man when you'd rather just ham

Is probably why Howard's a singer

I do say you shall reap what you sow

But I am a busy-body-so-and-so

So it's hardly surprising that my star is rising

Just as the last lost its glow

Oh to be an artist, go figure

Just how much will you earn in the rigour

Of life's diamond press

When your coal is depressed

We all need to carry on and dig

The dancing was sweet as a trigger

In a lush garden all full of vigour

We should try to be kind

To those and keep in mind

That everyone has a side he is in

It's hard but we all must stand strong

For our ways will pass onto the young

And if you need to go hither, it's best you don't dither

But to commit to the only and one