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From the album Revolution Calls
Revolution Calls
Julie Matthews
All the young people standing in line
God it’s a shameful sign of the times
Doing the food bank hustle, Doing the barefoot shuffle
Doing the food bank hustle, Doing the barefoot shuffle
They’ve got you where they want you, down on your knees
Shoot you in the arm with their social disease
Doing the scare em all hustle
Doing the working class shuffle
Doing the scare em all hustle
Doing the working class shuffle
But there’s not enough of them to keep us all down
Rise up, rise up, revolution calls
Hold your hands out and lower your eyes
Take what they give you and be satisfied
Doing the benefits hustle, doing the dole queue shuffle
Doing the benefits hustle, doing the dole queue shuffle
But there’s not enough of them to keep us all down
Not enough of them to keep us all down
Not enough of them to keep us all down
Rise up, rise up, revolution calls
Oh oh oh......
Revolution calls, Revolution calls
Oh oh oh......
Long Lost Friend
Chris While
You were loved
You lived in a house that was nestled in fields
That stretched over farmlands and down to the coastline
You were happy
You lived with your parents who loved one another
One little sister and a good looking brother called George
And we cycled through farm roads with the wind in our hair
Singing so loud cause we just didn't care who could hear us
They should stand up and cheer us
If I close my eyes I'm right back there
I can feel my heart bursting with love and my lungs fill with air
I hear your voice as we walk on by
With our heads full of dreams, still dreaming it seems
But where are you now, long lost friend
I was loved
I lived on a street of identical houses
That sprawled through the suburbs and down to the town
I was happy
I lived with my parents that loved everybody
Two older brothers and a good looking sister called Sue
And I came to your house and we danced to the radio
Dancing outside, cares cast aside, let them see us
They'd be lucky to be us
If I close my eyes....
December came you lost your smile saw you drying your eyes
You wouldn't say why, then......
You were gone
You left the house that we filled with our dreams
And moved out to somewhere, but nobody told me
No way to find you
You left with your mother who stopped loving your dad
She fell for another and took you away from me
Summers and winters without you
Left me in dreams, dancing alone, hot tears stinging
But girl I'm still singing
If I close my eyes....
Landfill
Julie Matthews
What are we doing with all of this stuff
Mountains of trinkets that keep piling up
It’s never the right thing or ever enough, it’s landfill
And when will it stop this insatiable need
It’s spreading and growing as fast as a weed
When all that it’s destined to do is to feed the landfill
How long can we keep digging down?
Filling holes in with a cellophane skin
That’s not going anywhere ever, oh....
Beautiful, perfect planet, giver of life but can it, hold on
Hold on in spite of us, in spite of us all because
We will be landfill
We use it and throw it and then walk away
Don’t look beyond what we’re doing today
But somebody sometime is going to pay for this landfill
But we cannot plead ignorance, we can’t ignore
The sight of whale that has washed on the shore
With a belly of polythene choking it’s core with this landfill
How far can we keep pushing her
Over the edge, beyond the brink
Passing the point of recovering
Beautiful, perfect planet...
Two Halves Together
Chris While
Robert was a quiet and a thoughtful kind of man
Gifted with his hands, building his own world
Too shy to say a first hello or ask her for a dance
He wouldn’t stand a chance, not with that girl
Two halves together
Mary unafraid runs through life in giant leaps
Watch her as she sweeps across the floor
She tries to catch the eye of the handsome dark haired boy
She’s been working on a ploy, to raise the score
Two halves together, joined forever
Sometimes the answer’s there when you don’t know it
Just waiting for the universe to share
And you open up your eyes the truth is staring at you
Just hanging there to catch you unaware
Two halves together……
So they danced and fell in love and Robert asked to share her life
Didn’t want to spend another night without her
So in front of everybody two halves became a whole
The completion of his soul, he’d never doubt her
Two halves together
Mary helped him raise a perfect house with bricks and wood
In a suburban neighbourhood, their family grew
And a story grew from every wall and window in this place
A perfect space that everybody knew
Two halves together, joined forever
Then the years roll by and children fly and leave this happy home
And they dream of moving out towards the sea
But they couldn’t leave the house filled with its precious memories
So they’d have to find a different way to be, two halves together……
So they found a perfect piece of land with views out to the sea
In a quiet seaside town beyond the bay
And Robert soon decided that the house would be divided
And reunited just a hundred miles away
So in Roberts’s skilful hands the house now sits down by the sands
The veranda facing to the ocean blue
And Mary welcomes travellers with sustenance and smiles
And Robert shares a story of two
Hearts together, joined forever..
Coming Out
Julie Matthews
Every last bit of the spit in her mouth has gone dry
Her knuckles are white from holding on tight
coz it feels like falling, Over the edge into the unknown
They’re standing right there but she still feels alone
Coz everything changes from this moment on
Coming out
She’s practised the words, she’s only heard in her head
She can’t meet their eyes, she tries
But then she just feels like running
Away from the truth and it all laid bare
Away from this room to anywhere
God only knows how she thought she could dare
Chorus
Coming out, showing the shape of her heart
Into the light from the dark
Coming out, saying the words out loud
Standing up, standing proud, Coming out
A whisper at first, the worst is the lump in her throat
Her voice starts to shake, break
And then all the floodgates open
Then what’s on the inside starts coming out
Courage takes hold and it’s not running out
Brave is the heart that can silence the doubt
This House Upon The Hill
Chris While
Another beautiful morning
Who could ever want more
Eggs are frying in the kitchen
Postman's knocking at the door
The sky is full of snow now
You can tell because It's cold and still
We're as happy as we've ever been
In the house upon the hill
The dog is wagging a welcome
The neighbour is singing a song
Birds are singing in the branches
"Wake up before the morning’s gone"
We gather warm around the table
With good coffee and good will
Cause we're as happy as we've ever been
In this house upon the hill.
And the house has eyes on the hills and the fields
And an ear to the wind outside
And that feeling that comes over you
When you're home by own fireside
They say its only brick and wood
Sitting on old landfill
We're as happy as we've ever been
In this house upon the hill
We've been on the road for weeks now
We love singing those songs
And the smiling faces cheer us
As the miles they roll along
But now we're be drawing closer
And we start to feel that thrill
That's made us happy as we've ever been
In this house upon the hill
Then everyone gathers in the kitchen
And we open a bottle of wine
We laugh and talk about the times we had
While we slowly unwind
And then we climb the stairs in the early hours
And we will dream until
We wake up as happy as we've ever been
In this house upon the hill.
Black Dog
Julie Matthews
Black Dog
The whole wide world has gone to hell
The water's run dry in the wishing well
There's a mad man living in an ivory house
With poison spilling from his mouth
Thank god for you, you and your big heart pull me through
You and your big heart make me laugh, keep me sane
Pull me back again
From the black dog
You take the black dog for a walk
So he might sleep and might not bark
And when he's snapping at my heels
You take him out running across the fields
And I worry more than I should and I take it all to heart
And I think myself in circles and I pull myself apart
But in the middle of the hurricane, the middle of this storm
You're the eye of calm
When I can't see beyond the dark
You reach inside my aching heart
When the night's as wide as a big black hole
You shed a little light into my soul
Reaching For The Stars Above
Chris While
Wish you could see yourself as everybody sees you
A beautiful face of the one they love
You would be amazed, nothing could faze you
You’d be reaching for the stars above
Wish you could hear your voice like everybody hears it
And feel the effect of the sound you make
You’d be singing night and day, sing your life away
You’d be reaching for the stars above
And your spirit it would soar like an eagle
Your light already bright would be aglow
Forget about the past, you’ll be flying at last
Flying on the wings of love
You’d be reaching for the stars above
Wish you could feel what it’s like to be wrapped in your arms
In the safest place I’ve ever known
You would never feel alone lost or unknown
You’d be reaching for the stars above
And your spirit....
Then clearly you will see a place where you will be
What you want to be
No room for any doubt just throw it all out
And you will see what we all see
Wish you could feel the change when you walk in a room
And the darkest corner fills with light
You’d never leave that place you filled with such grace
You’d be reaching for the stars above
And your spirit....
Shake The Money Tree
Julie Matthews
What kind of fool believes
The words of two-faced liars and thieves
Smoke and mirrors, slight of hand
But who cleans up the mess when the shit hits the fan
Snakes and hyenas are running the zoo
They don’t care for me and they don’t care for you
They say they have your back but laugh when it’s turned
But how do we cross this river
When the bridges have burned
Shake the money tree
Shake that monkey business to the ground
Shake the money tree
Shake that monkey business, let me be a witness
Shake that monkey business free
Shake the money tree
What kind of evil mastermind
Could render half the people blind
Break a promise, move the lines
Time after time after time
They pocket the profits on our misery
The poor are getting poorer with austerity
The fat cats get fatter and look the other way
Vilify those who stand in their way
Shake the money tree
Break these chains (they’re holding down)
Shake them free (keeping you bound)
(They are few) Together we are many, when we
Shake the money tree
Seven Seconds
Julie Matthews
Seven Seconds
Every morning for seven seconds
I forget the world has changed
Everything is as it was, before this avalanche of pain
Before the loss, before the grief
When words of comfort bring you no relief
You hold on tight when mercy beckons
If only for these seven seconds
Every morning for seven seconds, ignorance is bliss
Keep your eyes closed, think of something
Anything but this
To keep the tide from crashing down
To keep your head up when you think you’ll drown
So hold on tight when mercy beckons
If only for these seven seconds
Every morning, seven seconds might turn into ten
Then ten becomes an hour someday, healing from within
But in this moment, lying here
This solace is about to disappear
So I hold on tight when mercy beckons
If only for these seven seconds
Stardust
Julie Matthews
Underneath this canopy of stars
I’m joining dots and following their course
A billion years ago that Star was born
Her light is strong but she’s already gone
Gone to stardust, back to the infinite light
Gone to Stardust, back to the one
To carry on
Looking up we only see the brightest
Vega, Rigel, Sirius, Polaris
And in between we only see the darkness
But through this lens the sight will leave you breathless
All this stardust, all of this infinite light
All this stardust, that’s part of the one
That carries on and on and on and on and on…........
We are only one light in the endless
Suspended in this canopy of stars
No matter what the universe may send us
We’ll always be what we already are
Stardust, we are the infinite light
stardust, part of the one
We are Stardust, we are the infinite light
Only stardust, part of the one
That carries on and on and on and on.....
From the album Shoulder to Shoulder
The Skin That I'm In
Matthews & While
Everybody's chasing something
Everybody just wants more
Most of the time we don't know what we're looking for
Some of them dig for diamonds
Some of them dive for pearls
Others they look to stars for other worlds
I've been chasing rainbows, I've been running on sand
Spinning around in circles, chasing who I am
I got so close to the river, afraid of jumping in
Maybe it's time to begin, sink or swim
And start loving the skin that I'm in
Everybody keeps complaining
That nothing ever goes their way
Even when it does we chose to look the other way
Everyone else's grass is greener
Everyone else's job pays more
But it's easy to forget what you got when you're keeping score
I've been chasing rainbows...
When will it ever be, ever be enough for me
When will I ever see, what they see in me
This beautiful skin, that I'm in
I've been chasing rainbows...
Slim To Nil
Chris While
You live by river and I live in the hills
Two Hundred miles, it's very far
You fall asleep to sirens while I'm dreaming in the still
But still I feel how near you are
You talk in terms of deadlines and if you might have a window of time
While I gaze through mine
Maybe it's invisible but there's a thread that keeps our hearts entwined
On paper on a scale of one to ten
The odd may taper but we're not listening
Though the chances of us making it this far, they are
Slim to nil
Better minds than mine have written millions of lines
Still they don't know just why we fall
Universal rules are not applicable to fools
Rushing in to answer the call
The the maverick awakens and blows away the logic he finds,
every time
Maybe there's a supernatural glue that holds your heart so close to mine
to mine
On paper...
All my vanities in vain I love that that you love that in me
All your sanity insane you love that that I love that in you
Love that in you love that
On paper...
Here It Comes Again
Julie Matthews
Here it comes again, here it comes, here it comes
Here it comes again, here it comes, here it comes
Here it comes again, here it comes again
We’re closing up the circle here
We’re putting all the pieces together
It’s been a long time coming but we’re
Gonna be better than ever, ’cause
Here it comes again
It never really went away
We were out there shining our own light
One breath, a heartbeat away
Strike a light, light it up, light it up
Here it comes again,
You can’t stop or hold off this undeniable pull of this force
The dam breaks the flood gates
And this river will follow its course
It comes round, it comes down
To this undeniable pull of the heart
And we’re here, it’s so clear
We’re better together than ever apart
Here it comes again../
And here I go again
Ordinary Day
Julie Matthews
Just an ordinary day in an ordinary town
A little overcast and grey with a chance of rain
Just the same as any other day in any other town
It’s cruelly strange how nothing has changed
Just the usual routine, nothing ceased, nothing altered
Or faltered so it seemed to the world out there, unaware
Life goes on and on just as it’s always done
But over there is an empty chair
The clocks should stop, the sun bow down
The moon fall from, from her starry crown
For if the world won’t change, if it just carries on
How will it know you were here and now you’re gone?
Breathing in and breathing out
How does the heart keep beating?
And carry on without any hope it can love again
It’s wired to endure, empty or replete
And though nothing remains, nothing has changed
The least I could expect that mirrors how I’m feeling
A mark of some respect
That would show the cost of what was lost
At least a star should fall and never burn again
At least not as clear as when you were here
The clocks should stop
Pride
Julie Matthews
She is not a stranger, she could be your daughter
Though her life’s in danger, she won’t die in shame
Denying who she is, denying who she loves
Denying how she lives, imagine a life like this
Will you stand shoulder to shoulder?
Will you do what must be done?
For your sisters and brothers, your daughters and your sons
Will you raise the rainbow banner
Even though they’re not your colours?
Will you fly that flag with pride?
He said he was a Christian, until the church denied him
Saying God would not abide him or any of his kind
But if there is a god then wouldn’t he love all men?
Wouldn’t he enfold them and not turn them away?
Will you stand...
Today I saw something I never dreamed that I would see
A million rainbow profile pictures colouring my screen
Like a million voices raised up in solidarity
Saying you are not alone, we are not alone
Will you stand...
Pinjarra Dreams
Chris While
They woke us up at dawn, said to put our best clothes on
And we climbed aboard a bus bound for the sea
Smiling faces I recall, children’s laughter that was all
As we stood in line waiting on the quay
The ship was like a building, at least ten storeys high
And two streets long as far as I could see
And when I looked around, my sister’s hand I found
And I saw that there were hundreds just like me
Now I wish I had a boat, I would row it back to England
And if I had a friend, he’d row my boat with me
But the hope I hold at night is gone by morning light
In Pinjarra dreams, Pinjarra dreams, Pinjarra dreams
As we sailed out on that day, watching England fade away
I could feel my happy heart turning to stone
Nobody said goodbye, no-one would tell me why
My family would leave us here alone
Then a stranger came to say that they had passed away
And now you’re going to Australia, where the sky is always blue
A better life for you in Pinjarra, there’s a new home for you there
Now I wish I had a boat...
Now I labour on the land, I’m just an unpaid hired hand
And the burning sun it shines from morn till night
No mother’s loving arms, no father’s tender charms
With years to grow before the end’s in sight
They took my sister away when we landed on that day
And I’ll find her when I’m old enough to go
But she won’t remember me and our journey on the sea
And who we were and the life we used to know
Now I wish I had a boat...
Tree Of Life
Matthews and While
It’s how the wind blows as the crow flies
It’s how the seed grows and the bloom dies
It’s birth to death and the endless strife
The roots and the veins in the tree of life
The roots and the veins in the tree of life
The pull and the pain just to be born
And taking those first steps on your own
Finding your words finding your voice
Taking your chances and making a choice
This is the tree of life
It’s how the wind...
The aching of your bones as they grow each day
You try to figure out how to do it your way
You can’t keep still, you won’t slow down
Bruising your knees on shaky ground
This is the tree of life
It’s how the wind...
The joy and the pain when you lose your heart
Then it’s the end of the world when it falls apart
You cry into your pillow till you’re all cried out
That’s what falling in love is about
This is the tree of life
It’s how the wind...
The story unfolds through every age
The telling and the turning of every page
The joy and the wonder, the pull and the pain
Till our roots return to the earth again
This is the tree of life
Nothing Yanks My Chain (Like You Do)
Chris While and Charlie Dore
There’s something wrong I can’t explain
I ain’t sick and I feel no pain
Feels like a stone in my shoe
Like an eyelash sticking in my eye
Won’t come out and I don’t know why
But nothing yanks my chain like you do
In a room of takers you take the cake
I keep making the mistake
Oh oh oh I’m the back of the queue
You never buy a ticket and you still win
I got the bubble but you got the pin
And nothing yanks my chain like you do
There’s a ridge and a wrinkle in my sheet
And a gap where the mattress
And the headboard don’t meet
And the pillows slip right through
There’s a hole in the curtain
Where the sun pokes through
And a pigeon on the roof going coo coo coo
But nothing yanks my chain like you do
There’s radiators and there’s drains
You’re the second but I still remain
Oh oh oh you’re draining me too
Toleration is a curse
Now I hate myself and that’s even worse
And nothing yanks my chain like you do
You played me like monopoly
And you go straight to jail
But you always know, I’ll pay your bail
So I helped myself to a little self help
’Cause if you won’t change
I’m gonna help myself
Gonna cure myself of you
Then you come around here
With your devilish charm
Turn my head and you twist my arm
And nothing yanks my chain like you do
I’ll repeat myself for what it’s worth
If I’d have wanted a child I’d have given birth
Oh oh oh gas and air ’cause of you
But I gotta be truthful, gotta be clear
I’m not a victim I’m a volunteer
And nothing yanks my chain
No one gives me pain
Nothing yanks my chain like you do
Are We Human?
Julie Matthews
Build a wall, make it high
Only a desperate fool would try
To get in, keep them out, turn your back
We are an island
Use their numbers not their names
Make it easier to explain
It’s a pity, it’s a shame but all the same
We are an island
Are we human? Are we flesh and blood and bone?
Where compassion has a home
Have a heart, are we human?
Are we human? Then where is our humanity?
Are we all too blind to see they are human?
Are we?
Block the tunnel, guard the beach
Keep our shorelines out of reach
Turn back the boats, don’t throw ropes
Throw them out, we are an island
Let the tabloids spin us lies
Until we’re all desensitised
People running for their lives is not our problem
We are an island
Are we human?...
Let's be human
Leap Of Faith
Chris While and Charlie Dore
The lights go on in the harbour as the sun slips away from the day
Only seven days to go before Christmas and snow’s on the way
The heat of the day reaches 40 on the other side of the world
Looking for a perfect gift to buy a stranger
From her lost little girl
And blood is thicker than water
And it’s water that’s kept them apart
But the ties between mother and daughter
Tie two halves of one beating heart
But the years in between they don’t matter
And distance won’t stand in the way
When that heart takes a run at forever in a leap of faith
Now everything’s ready, she feels joy, she feels fearful
Would anybody but her flesh and blood forgive her
It’s been twenty five years
The plane lifts up from the runway
Her mind is a blur
And now she’s got a family for Christmas
Waiting for her
Searching the crowd all the faces, embraces
A voice calls her name through the sound
Arms fold around her, mother and daughter
Finally found
And blood is thicker than water...
My Salty Dog And Me
Julie Matthews
I’m going to take my old boy on a sailing boat
Take him out to sea
I’m going to teach him all about the sailor’s life
My salty dog and me
And he’ll take the rudder and I’ll hoist the sails
Keeping company with the fishes and whales
Out in the middle of the deep blue sea
My salty dog and me
Lying underneath the moon and stars
Peaceful as can be
I’m playing sad songs on my old guitar
His head upon my knee
He’s looking up with those beautiful eyes
He sees my breaking heart right through my disguise
But there’s no place on earth that we’d rather be
My salty dog and me
When we find safe harbour
When we reach that distant shore
When we leave behind salt water
We will go to sea no more
Out in the middle of the deep blue sea
My salty dog and me
From the album Who We Are
If This Were Your Last Day
Julie Matthews
She says I'm running out of time to do this
All the things on my bucket list
The clock's ticking and I can't stop thinking
Of all the chances that I might have missed
I should have, I could have, If only, oh lets
Cut a hole in the deep deep pocket
Where we keep our sad and sorry regrets
She's always waiting for a break in the weather
A silver lining in a stormy sky
But even when the stars line up together
She can't remember how to read the signs
These useless, excuses, they're veiled in a thin disguise
We should cut a hole in the deep deep pocket
Where we keep our, reasons and whys
Oh watching the big hand turning
You could be all the way round the world, back again
Catching stars not counting them
Oh watching the hourglass empty
You settle for less than plenty
But would you do it another way
If this were your last day?
We're all guilty of procrastination
We'll put it off for another day
That song, that book you've been writing
You say you'll get to it along the way
But you're finding, your timing, has slipped behind it seems
We should cut a hole in the deep deep pocket
Where we keep our ifs and might have beens
Oh watching the big hand turning...
Gone Girl Gone
Matthews/While
She took a slow boat to the island, out of the tourist season
She didn't leave a number, she didn't give a reason
She left a note pinned on the door, left for anyone
Gone girl gone
She took a room up on Elizabeth street with a view out on the ocean
The tide rolled in and out again in a never ending motion
In her heart she knew that it was over and done
Gone girl gone
No word of explanation, no forwarding address
No sign or salutation, no-one would have guessed she'd be
Gone girl gone, moving on
Close the door and never look behind you
No anchored town can hold her down
If you try she will run and be gone, gone girl gone
She dresses for the weather and walks along the sand
And closes her fist around the pebble in her hand
Throws it to the water, it sinks and then it's gone
Gone girl gone
Somewhere in a distant bar a band has started playing
She stretches out her open arms, she's circling and swaying
It reminds her of somebody, somebody long gone
Gone girl gone
No word of explanation, no forwarding address
No sign or salutation, no-one would have guessed she'd be
Gone girl gone...
She takes a long look in the mirror, thinks she sees a smile
Its hard to recognise what's been missing for a while
Shes ready to be going, its time for moving on
Gone girl gone
Gone girl gone...
Get Through This Somehow
Chris While
Lately I've been scared the phone ringing
And the threat of more bad news it might be bringing
And my ragged heart is drumming
Cause It knows what might be coming
Gotta a find a way to get through this somehow
Cause you let me down and now you've gone and found me
And I just got used life without you around me
And now the old familiar fear is creeping up so near
Gotta find a way to get through this somehow
Gotta plant my feet into the floor, can't run from this anymore
It's only in my mind that there's a fight
I've spent far too long god knows hiding in the shadows
Now it's time to turn put my face into the light
Cause I really hate the way that I'm responding
But it wasn't me who went and broke the bond and now
After all this time, I'm protecting all that's mine
Gotta find a way to get through this somehow
I've been on an island, surrounded by quick sand
Need to build myself a bridge inside my mind
Now there's an angel on my shoulder who makes me feel bolder
So I'll cross that bridge and who knows what I'll find
Need to take a deep breath and then one deeper
Want to break through this shell that's been my keeper
Want to face this head on, been carrying it too long
Gotta find a way to get through this somehow
I'm gonna find a way to get through this now
I Don’t Know
Matthews/While
Last light bleeding from the sky
My life has left me wondering why
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, anything anymore
And it's not for want of trying, and it's not through lack of faith
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know
My heads been buried in the sand
Can't look for fear of what I'll find
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, anything anymore
My eyes and ears are covered, this blindfold has to go
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know
The older I get, the less I know
The more I ask, the less the answers show
Maybe I'm asking the wrong questions
Banging on the wrong door
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, anymore
Plain truth looks pretty dressed in lies
Seen through paparazzi eyes
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, anything anymore
Just one honest answer is worth it's weight in gold
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know
The older I get...
Last light bleeding from the sky
My life has left me wondering why
I don't Know, I don't Know, I don't Know, anything anymore
But I've got to keep on trying, I can't hide anymore
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, anymore
Anything anymore, anything anymore
Dancing Under the Gallows
Julie Matthews
If I'd lived the life you've led, I'd be proud to meet my maker
'Cause I'd have listened more than I had said, and given more than taken
Taken all the rough with all the smooth
Without the need to plead or prove
If I'd lived the life you've led I'd be, a million miles from me
If I'd walked the roads you have, endured the loss you suffered
Would I still compassion have, when not one ounce was offered
And every time they broke me down, would I rise again and stand my ground
If I'd walked the roads you have I'd be, a million miles from me
Dancing under the gallows
Where there's music, the spirit follows
Dancing under the gallows
This is the heart's defence
When the music plays we dance
If I'd seen the things you saw, enough to shame the heavens
Could I bear the burdens that you bore, enough to keep on living
Living without bitterness or hate, with beauty in the music that make
If I'd seen the things you saw I'd be, a million miles from me
Dancing under the gallows...
Heaven is changing
Chris While
The news filtered slowly like ink from a pen
And the chapel bell that constantly rang
With fear and dread they closed and locked their happy homes
With a sign on the door they had to hang
Then the itching and the sneezing
And the silent tearful eyes
And knowing there was nothing they could do
But wait for the sleeping, the sleep that never ends
And pray to god the rumours weren't true
I watch from the distance safely from the side
Walk down as near as I can dare
Hearing the weeping carried in the wind
But couldn't see that anything was there
Then I saw something from the corner of my eye
A bundle underneath the Hawthorne tree
A baby was crying with hands as cold as stone
I swept her up and took her home with me
Heaven is changing, Eden is gone
Laughter has left for evermore
But I'll keep the baby safe in my arms
If god keeps the devil from the door
I searched her small body for cruel tell tale signs
Relieved to find nothing there at all
Just wailing and hungry with her fists all balled up tight
And a note in a desperate mother's scrawl
Take care of my darling till the fever passes through
I've seven other children lying here
And I'll stand by the boundary every single day
But be careful not to bring her too near
Cause Heaven is changing...
It was a bright and sunny morning
We took our daily walk
Waited for hours by the well
I knew it was over, oh she'd never miss a day
My tears on her baby's face fell
She'd struggled through the worst of it
And they'd perished one by one
Mother father children one and all
And just one full moon after the fever was all gone
And just one tiny child survived them all
Cause Heaven is changing...
Drop Hammer
Chris While
There's a pounding in the city
And a beating in the air
And a foundry making cold steel
You can hear it everywhere
Hear the drop hammer
Hear the drop hammer
Hear the drop hammer
All day and all of the night
The men have all gone marching
And we'll see them who knows when?
So the women here will keep the factories running until then
Hear the drop hammer...
There's me and my three sisters
And seven cousins too
And my old mother will mind the kids while we our duty do
Hear the drop hammer...
We sing while we are working
That Tipperary song
Depending on each other till the working day is done
Hear the drop hammer...
It's the sound of the heart of Sheffield
It's the arm that's never still
And I bet my heart will stop before that hammer ever will
There's a pounding in the city
Nd a beating in the air
And a foundry making cold steel, You can hear it everywhere
Hear the drop hammer...
White Feather
Julie Matthews
Our eyes met across a crowded London street
She was like a vision after everything I’d seen
And the people parted, like it was meant to be
As she opened up her fingers and held them out to me
I’d never seen her face or looked into her eyes
But the thing there in her fingers wasn’t hard to recognise
It was a white feather and suddenly I knew
The eyes only see what the heart tells us to
White feather, your blood runs yellow
Why should another man die in your place?
Like my brother, my father, my lover
Go on and take this, white feather of shame
She never looked beyond the civi clothes I wore
At the shrapnel in my shoulder and the bullet wounds I bore
Or that my heart was on some muddy, bloody battlefield in france
I didn’t get to tell her this, I never had the chance
White feather, your blood runs yellow
Why should another man die in your place?
Like my brother, my father, my lover
Go on and take this, white feather of shame
I watched her walk away, changing her direction
With a pocketful of feathers and a mind of misconceptions
I dropped and watched the feather fall, floating to my feet
With a dozen judging pairs of eyes around me on that street
White feather, your blood runs yellow
Why should another man die in your place?
Like my brother, my father, my lover
Go on and take this, white feather of shame
Mad Men
Matthews & While
It's the glue that seals the heavens
A shadow from the sun
It's a precious thing we're given, soon gone
It's the debris in the orbit, Circling in space
Used and discarded, comic waste
It's the breaking in the dark skies
too much water in the ground
It's the frozen eastern seaboard, ice-bound
It's the burning in the desert, the river beds all dry
No harvest, no clouds in the sky
The winds of change now are blowing in
Fire and rain will be following
They tried to tell you, you weren't listening
You called them mad men, mad men! mad men
It's the melting of the ice caps
And the cooling of the core
It's the drilling where we've never drilled before
It's the stripping of the forest, the earth can barely breath
It's choking on the footprints that we leave
The winds of change now are blowing in...
That's Not Who We Are
While & Matthews
Can we take a moment now
Forget about the past
The cloud that's lifting will allow
This day to clear at last
Words were spoken, Left us broken
Burning the bridges between us to keep us apart
Can we just forget what we've become
Cause that's not who we are
I wear my pride like a crown of thorns
Your silence is your shield
I push too hard, you step away
Our differences revealed
Separated, unrelated
How did we ever allow it to go so far
Can we just forget what we've become
Cause that's not who we are
What could we possibly gain
From both of us walking away
Can we take a moment here
Find some hope somehow
Cast our swords and shields to ground
Make our truces now
Peace descending, no pretending
Time to recover our senses and heal this scar
Oh let's forget what we've become
Cause that's not who we are
From the album Infinite Sky
This Beautiful Life
Julie Matthews
Up on a hill, under a tree
There is a rock where I can sit and see the world, or my corner of it
Some days are grey, some days are blue
Some days the rain clouds open up and soak me through
But either way, I love it
‘Cause one thing’s certain I have learned
Bad weather rolls in and out and fortunes turn
It’s a beautiful life if you live it
Hold onto your nerve and roll with it
Throw back your head and laugh at yourself taking it oh so seriously
‘Cause hard times are gonna get better
And bad luck won’t last forever
You’ve gotta keep the faith, you’ve gotta shine a light
On this beautiful life
Look at your head, always hung low, chin on your chest
How could you ever hope to know, which way you’re going
You say “what’s the point, the future looks bleak”
But you never look beyond the far end of the week
And your cracks are showing
If you could only keep your eyes on
All the possibilities past your horizon
It’s a beautiful life if you live it...
Half a World Away
Chris While
There's a barely discernible breeze in the suburbs tonight
The sun’s disappeared and the edge of the world's looking bright
But even the moon and the stars here won't please me today
‘Cause I'm missing you now and you're half a world away
Rosellas are whirling and calling in the sky round the house
Everyone else is asleep and as quiet as a mouse
The coffee smells good in the bright morning warmth of the day
And I'm missing you now and you're half a world away
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy you're living your dreams
And everyone says that it won't be as long as it seems
But it's not just a journey by road I can do in a day
And I'm missing you now and you're half a world away
Into the city and the sun is so high in the sky
The traffic moves slowly, as slowly as time passing by
I see people happy, that feeling just won't come my way
‘Cause I'm missing you now and you're half a world away
If I spoke to you now I know that I won't feel so sad
But this is the longest silence that we've ever had
And it won't be too long before I hear your loving voice say
That I missing you now and you're half a world away
Tonight there'll be music and laughter and I'll be okay
But tomorrow I’ll miss you you're half a world away.
Inconvenient Hero
Julie Matthews
He walked into the smoke, up the stairs and into the flames
As the world held a breath and then forever changed
Not knowing what was waiting or then what would remain
After the planes
While the world was crashing down, he was climbing higher
From the ash on the ground, to the fury of the fire
No other call of duty, would ever be the same
After the planes
Four hundred brothers lost and gone, we should honour every one
And those who god knows how survived, now you can't look them in the eye
You lied and he's the living proof
An inconvenient hero, an unforgiving truth
He walked into the dust, they led him to believe
The worst of it was past, the air was safe to breathe
And he went without question to seek what could be saved
After the planes
Four hundred brothers lost and gone……
As the world began to heal, he was falling apart
With no hope of relief or government support
But they cannot hide the truth now or cover up their shame
After the planes
Four hundred brothers lost and gone...
South America (Come Home Soon)
Chris While
You're going away love and I have to stay love
You'll be flying to some foreign land
You'll be walking on mountains
Where the air is so thin
You'll be swimming in waters
Where cruel waves rush in
So take care love, over there love
Where the coffee grows over Blue Mountains
And the vast green savannas are wide
Where the eagle flies through Peruvian skies
And music and laughter collide
You'll be drinking the golden Tequila
And you’ll sleep by the light of the moon
In South America, South America, South America
Come home soon
You're going away love and I have to stay love
You'll be walking on some distant shore
You'll be speaking the tongue of that old Spanish town
And the Mexican sun will turn your skin brown
And I'll be here love, here dreaming of
Where the coffee grows over Blue Mountains…
You're going away love, I have to stay love
You'll be sleeping in some far off land
You'll be dreaming of home and the welcoming smiles
And the end of your journey of ten thousand miles
Then you'll be here love, still dreaming of
Where the coffee grows over Blue Mountains…
Gravity
Julie Matthews
We were like planets spinning circles round each other
Constantly orbiting the truth of the matter
So much push and pull and keeping our distance
Until the heart gives up all hope of resistance
Like Gravity
There’s no denying your hold on me
‘Cause I’ve fallen for you and it’s now I see
You can’t fight the laws of gravity
Where’s it written you’re forbidden to my heart
The fates would draw us in then split us apart
But like a boomerang thrown and sliced into the wind
Somehow I always found my way back here again
Like Gravity…
So let them take good aim and shoot the star we wish on
You can’t stop a comet on a path and a mission
And under cloud cover the heavens look so bare
And though we don’t see them all the stars are always there
Like Gravity…
Nie Wieder (Never Again)
Julie Matthews
In Germany when I was young, life was good and I belonged
That didn’t last for long Nie Wieder
I had a gift for jumping high, the Jewish girl that touched the sky
But Jewish girls aren’t meant to fly Nie Wieder
Never will I speak my Mother’s tongue again, Nie Wieder
My parents sent me overseas for schooling in a place of peace
Where prejudice and fear would cease Nie Wieder
But threats of repercussions made, my family I now must save
So I returned to jump again Nie Wieder
Never will I speak my Mother’s tongue again, Nie Wieder
The token Jew within the team so all the watching world could see
The rumours, lies of Germany Nie Wieder
And as the fuehrer’s games grew nigh
Though no-one else could jump as high
They pulled me out and told a lie Nie Wieder
Never will I speak my Mother’s tongue again, Nie Wieder
With just four dollars to my name I fled my homeland and its shame
And vowed I’d not come back again Nie Wieder
A lifetime all but came and went, a generation now repents
The shame and the embarrassment and so the invitation’s sent
A stadium named after me, my name in books of history
But nothing cleans the memory Nie Wieder
Shaky Town
Matthews & While
Shaky town, Shaky town, what went up all came down
Landmarks gone, lost my way, cones and hard hats here to stay
Hope I never hear that sound, thunder under shaky town
Shaky town, Shaky town, broken dreams, fractured ground
People packed, moved away, others say they’re here to stay
Hope they never hear that sound, thunder under shaky town
Rise up, like a phoenix rise up
Rise up, like a phoenix rise up
Shaky town, Shaky town, debris lying all around
Demolition every day, wait for fear to fade away
Hope we never hear that sound, thunder under shaky town
Rise up, like a phoenix rise up
Rise up, like a phoenix rise up
Shaky town, Shaky town, see you soon, shaky town
Hold your nerve, stand your ground, better days are coming round
Hope you never hear that sound, thunder under shaky town
Hope you never hear that sound, thunder under shaky town
Come on Over
Chris While
When your heart's feeling cold as stone
And you’re tired of being on your own
Don't even pick up the phone, just come on over
I don't know where it's coming from
But I know there's something going on
It's worse when everyone's gone, so come on over
I still recall when your heart was warm
Before you conjured up this storm
Now your resolve's growing thin and worn
So let it all go
I understand what you're going through
But you're not hurting anyone but you
You don't believe me but you know it's true, so come on over
You turned your face into a mask
You won't talk, and I won't ask
So break your silence at last
And let it all go
So I'm asking you one more time
You won't ever have to cross that line
I'll be your friend if you’ll be mine, and come on over
I'll be your friend if you’ll be mine, just come on over
I Apologise
Julie Matthews
For the words that I said, and those that I didn’t, I apologise
For the things that I showed and those I kept hidden, I apologise
But what’s the use saying it over again
When hearts end up broken and armoured with blame
And I’m human, flawed and I’m damaged
It’s written like proof in my eyes
‘Cause I hurt you and all that I managed
Were two words that sounded like lies
I apologise
I pushed you away, I put up a wall and I apologise
What made sense to me made no sense at all, I apologise
But time won’t afford us the gift to return
To piece back together the bridges we burned
And I’m human…
I know I can’t mend all the damage I’ve done, but I apologise
I pulled at the threads ‘til the seams came undone and I apologise
There’s only cold comfort in our fleeting truces
I hold up my hands with these worthless excuses
I’m human…
Broken Crash Barrier
Chris While
The road was clear nothing coming my way
It was pleasing, all the trees in a row
The sun was low and far away
It was soothing, I was moving so slow
Then I saw the flames, I heard the cry
And I saw her face as I drove by
Well I should have known, yes I should have known
When I saw that broken crash barrier
Then I saw the car, half submerged
Somebody was screaming, squealing brakes, I jumped out
The lights went out as the waters surged
Daylight fading, I waded out
Then I saw her face through the glass
I tried the door and I smelled the gas
Well I should have known, yesI should have known
When I saw that broken crash barrier
By now the sky was inky black
Up to my waist, no turning back
I saw her hands pressed to the glass
And I felt the door move at last
Then they pulled me out, back to the shore
Water was crashing, blue lights flashing around
I pleaded please, go back for more
But he didn't hear me, I heard him say I was drowned
She'll never know how much I tried
To save her life, how we both died
Well I should have known, yes I should have known
Well I should have known
Well I should have known, yes I should have known
When I saw that broken crash barrier
Hope Springs
Julie Matthews
The darker the night, the brighter the star
The further away, the closer you are
When your well of faith runs dry, no comfort it brings
While the stars stud the sky, hope springs
The harder the climb, the sweeter the view
Each step that I’m taking, I’m taking with you
I carry you with me, you’re in the wonder of all things
With every heartbeat you give me a sign that hope springs
And the heart can detect it, in the smallest of things
And when you least expect it to
Hope springs
Till every last drop of the ocean runs dry
While there’s a beautiful sun and moon in a glorious sky
While the mystery of love still unfolds and gives our heart wings
Hope springs, hope springs
From the album Hitting the Ground Running
Carved in Stone
Julie Matthews
There’s a name on a stone on the side of a mountain
A reminder of a life long gone
And the date there is faded, like time isn’t counting
Could be a day, a year or a century gone
Ah – ooh – I want to leave a mark before I’m gone
Ah – ooh – Before my name is carved in stone
Did she look out like I do on this Andalusia Blue?
Did she long to spread her wings and fly away?
Or was it just enough to know, if she wanted she could go
And knowing made it easier to stay
Ah – ooh...
From this mountain (The wind will carry me and take me where I will)
Across the ocean (I want to drink it in until I’ve had my fill)
To the great unknown (And leave a mark upon your heart)
Carved in Stone
The heat of the day is all but passed away
While I’ve been passing time with one unknown
There’ll be many travellers who, wonder like I do
About the name without a date here carved in stone
Ah – ooh...
From this mountain (The wind will carry me and take me where I will)
Across the ocean (I want to drink it in until I’ve had my fill)
To the great unknown (And leave a mark upon your heart)
To where ever I’m blown (I want to leave a leave a mark upon your heart)
All the way back home (I want to leave a leave a mark upon your heart)
Carved in Stone
The Coldest Winds Do Blow
Chris While
Oh the world is black and cold today
No hope for sunny skies
And the wild geese flying o’er my roof
Can’t wait to say goodbye
But I wish that I could take to flight
For its south that I would go
Into my lovers arms again
For the coldest winds do blow
Oh I have a loving family
And friends so fair and kind
And a thousand words that I could write
To occupy my mind
But I wish that I could take to flight...
Fly away, fly away, fly away
Into my lover’s arms
Oh the winter’s breath has cooled the sun
Turned colour into grey
And the shadows they grow longer
As the night steals from the day
But I wish that I could take to flight...
And If I could walk three hundred miles
I’d tie my boots today
But I must bide until the spring
Then I’ll be on my way
But now I wish that I could take to flight...
Fly away, fly away, fly away
Into my lover’s arms x 2
Rock Of Gelt
Julie Matthews/Ruth Notman
These hands were meant for nobler things
These swords now sheathed have conquered kings
Now see how much our empire’s grown
These hands weren’t meant for carving stone
These leather sandals marched to war
The gods have smiled on us so far
And it’s for Rome I did it all
These hands weren’t meant for building walls
On this stone this Rock of Gelt
I’ll leave a mark of how I felt
It’s not pride its duty keeps me here
Building the Empire’s last frontier
The winter bites in these hard hills
But we follow where our Emperor wills
My hands are bloody carving stone
My heart is heavy for my home
My heart is heavy for my wife
Three years without her by my side
They say our sacrifice is small
To build a roman emperor’s wall
On this stone this Rock of Gelt...
We’re not over yet
Julie Matthews
Finally, I am over you.
I tell myself, believe it’s true.
You broke your promise, my heart too
But now I’m over you
Then you walk into the room.
A face to chase away the gloom
Then it’s clear for all to see
It’s you, that’s over me
They say you found another one
You’re stepping out, she’s on your arm
Full of beauty, wit and charm
You told our friends that she’s the one
Do you wonder what it means?
It’s me that lingers in your dreams
But keep that under lock and key
For now you’re over me
No one loves you like I do
Or knows the very heart of you
A gambling man might place a bet
That we’re not over yet
Are we over yet?
The Darkside Wood
Chris While
Well the day was hot and the sky was blue
I whisper of Rory in the trees
The hard red earth was blistered dry
And a strong wind vanishing the breeze
No promise of rain for a year or more
The air was hotter than blood
As I made my way to meet my girl
Walking in the Darkside wood
We were walking in the Darkside wood
Now we both slept for an hour or more
Until we heard the fire bells chime
The distant sky was turning red
We knew we didn’t have much time
Then a gust of wind blew the black smoke in
We ran as fast as he could
Then I felt the flames licking at my heels
Burning in the dark side wood
We were burning in the dark side wood
Well we ran so fast, but the raging fire
Was coming like an express train
She said let’s go to the Wilson dam
Because we’ll never outrun these flames
So we threw the blanket over us
And pushed our feet in the mud
Then I felt the water turning hot
Hiding in the Darkside wood
we were hiding in the Darkside wood
Well it grew so hot and it grew so loud
Sounded like a big Jet plane
And she clung so tight and said to me
"Will I ever see my mother again?"
Then I took her hand and I said "don’t cry
let this be understood
You’ll be in your family is loving arms"
Hoping in the Darkside wood
we were hoping in the dark side wood
My breath grew thin as the fire raged
Burning in my chest
But I knew that we’d be safe at last
As the blaze began to rest
But she went heavy in my arms a
And fell from where she stood
And I was sure my own true love was dead
Drowning in the Darkside wood
She was drowning in the dark side wood
Well I shook her once, and I shook her twice
But still I couldn’t hear her breathe.
And I screamed into the black and sky
"Don’t take her away from me"
Then she looked at me through clear blue eyes
I’d never seen her look so good
And I carried my love to her mothers arms
Running from the dark side wood
We were running from the Darkside wood
Hitting the Ground Running
Matthews/While
He says, “She’s too young to know”
She says, “You’ve got to let her go”
They say, “Don’t listen to the other”
He says, “It’s a crazy world”
She says, “She’s not a little girl”
Pulled between the father and the mother
He says, “Its gone bad before”
She says, “I want her out the door”
They say, “I know better than you”
He says, “They’re just teenage years”
She says, “It’ll end in tears”
Caught between the devil and the deep blue
(What about me) Have you no belief in the things that I can do?
(What about me) Have you never thought I just want to be me not you?
I will show you, you won’t see me coming
I’ll be, hitting the ground running
He says, “You’ve got a lot to learn”
She says, “Your head’s been turned”
They think I need an education
So I’m barrelling down this mountain side
Caught between their great divide
Drowning in a sea of expectation
(What about me)...
He says, “She’s too young to know”
She says, “You’ve got to let her go”
He says, “It’s a crazy world”
She says, “She’s not a little girl”
He says, “Its gone bad before”
She says, “I want her out the door”
He says, “They’re just teenage years”
She says, “It’ll end in tears”
Hitting the ground running, hitting the ground running
FROM THE ALBUM TOGETHER ALONE
TOGETHER ALONE
Four floors, four doors, 60 steps connect them all
That's me, on level three
Together alone, this is home
Two floors down, she lives on the ground
Men come and go without a sound
Throughout the night, times are tight
Together alone, this is home
Every storey tells a different story
Hearts and stone, together alone
Stairs and halls, dividing walls
Hearts and stone, bricks and bones
Together alone
On the floor below me, lives Mr Lonely
Well he never smiles, he never talks to me
Every night though he plays piano
Together alone, this is home.
Under this one roof we're all together alone
Yeah under this one sky we're all together alone
Together...
Well the pair above, they're in love
They fit together hand in glove
Still as strong 50 years along
Together alone, this is home
Under this one roof
We're all together alone
Yeah under this one sky,
We're all together alone,
Hearts and stone
Bricks and bone
Together alone
Four floors, four doors
60 steps connect them all
WELCOME TO YOUR LIFE
Welcome to your Life
The moon is hanging in the sky
The wind’s a whispered lullaby
We’re all waiting on your first cry
Welcome to your life
I wonder what you’re born to do
And what this journey holds for you
May the road ahead be true
Welcome to your life
Welcome to this precious day
The steps you’ll take along the way
The love you’ll give and the love you’ll take
Welcome to your life
And what will be the mark you leave?
The goals you’ll set and then achieve
The wondrous tapestry your weave
Welcome to your life
Welcome to this…
Before the moon bows to the Sun
Come and join us little one
Your big adventure’s just begun
Welcome to your life
Welcome to this…
TAKE THESE BONES
Take these Bones
I’ve kept this silence fifty years
About the pain and the shame and the blood and tears
But when the silence broke it cracked like thunder
Now the weight of the world is gonna pull you under
Take these bones, bury them deep
Lest they come back to haunt you
Take these bones, bury them deep
They’re gonna come back and haunt you
I’m the last of the bones they kept in the cupboard
The layer of dust thick on the cover
Of this book of secrets, ledger of lies
They want to bury it with me when I die
Take these bones…
A comfort woman from a comfort station
Two hundred thousand shames of a nation
And we won’t be hushed or denied
You can run from the truth but you can’t hide
‘Cause there’s a million sisters and daughters in line
Waiting to raise this voice of mine
And when the last of the comfort women are gone
These sisters and daughters will rattle my bones
These sisters and daughters will rattle my bones
Take these bones…
HEALED
I came in like a ship wreck, blew in on a storm front
I washed up on your shoreline, like debris on the sand
I told you I was broken, that all hope was forsaken
When I held out for nothing, you hold out your hand
And I healed
You covered the hole in my heart and I healed
Through the rainy season, you held me like a baby
And I was like a shadow, hiding from the light
But you never stopped, believing, your faith was like a mountain
Big enough for both of us, you said to me that night
And I healed…
I healed from the inside out, little by little the sorrow heals
And a heart that was a hopeless cause
Feels and heals
Fragile steps we’ve taken on the hard road to redemption
And when my hand was shaking, you never let it go
A weaker one would falter and choose an easier path
And if that thought came to you, you never let it show
And I healed...
A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE
LITTLE MAN JAKE
BLUE OLD SATURDAY NIGHT
SINGLE ACT OF KINDNESS
OLD MOROCCO
SHAME
THE SUM OF WHAT I AM
WHAT GOES AROUND