Brother, I’m sorry that it hurt you
Sister I know it made you cry
I know you deserved better
And no-one knows the reason why
But when he made his choice
Our father could never lie
Like it or not he picked me up
From the place I had fallen by
And told me, with a hard stare
I was the chosen one
I am the favourite son
Rock and sand all around
Sun burning up the sky
No shade to cool down
Vultures circle high
Thirst tears at my soul
Skin on fire in this hell
Adrift in a raging sea
Waves break all around
Angry waters close on me
Far from a rocky shore
Crying out for help
No-one to hear my call
BRIDGE
Close to death but I don’t care
I done wrong that I can swear
Broke the rules and smashed some hearts
But that’s all over now
I have been forgiven
By those I have done wrong
More important, most of all
I know you’re watching proud
Unclimbed rock around me
Fingers numb from cold
Cliff rises high above me
There is no way out
No way down this mountain
No-one to hear my prayer
CHORUS
Found a road to take me home
To those I love the most
Put aside a wild life
With a reason to survive
On the side of angels
The greatest prize there is
Feeling like I’ve won
Knowing I’m your favourite son
Knowing I’m your favourite son
Tricked up with your dragon tattoo
I’ll take a bet trouble never had trouble findin’ you
Violet eyes and red lips did it for me
Helped on by a tequila slammer or three
Woke up to sunlight through the blinds
Thought you soft beside me was a good find
Slow smile and a lazy drawl
Never thought falling would feel like that at all
Long kiss and I was hypnotised
Didn’t take long till I realised
Beauty is sometimes just skin deep
And sometimes the price is steep
CHORUS
You took a chainsaw to my heart
You ripped my soul apart
You left my life bleeding
When you practiced your black art
By the time I looked around
At the pieces on the ground
You left me there to die
No tears left to cry
Don’t need to know voodoo
The devil don’t look far to find the devil in you
Started out thinking you were pure
But you turned out to be a witch for sure
Sure thing you’re good at what you do
I’d still take the same ride even if I knew
When I woke up in an empty bed
Found out just where finding you led
Broke and broken shattered dreams
Reality this time is what it seems
Nothing except a deep well of pain
Must be crazy but I’d do it again
ext trackHere we are back with the written word. Videos take a lot of time to make – if you’re me they do, at least. And it’s good to mix it all up. You never know what’s going to happen next. I never know what’s going to happen next. So let’s move on to the next track.
PICTURE
‘Picture’ was written in early 2018 and we’ve been playing it in our gigs for the past few years. It didn’t have the easiest of development paths if I’m honest. It is actually very simple to play, but we couldn’t seem to get our usual energy into the song. It took ages to get the tempo right, then Razz was unhappy with the way I sang it. As usual, he was right. He wanted more edge. It comes across as a sunny, happy song but I need to explain the context.
I went back to the early 19th century for inspiration with ‘Picture’. It’s about “History’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and her insanity came a distant second compared to her lover, Lord Byron. She called him ‘mad, bad and dangerous to know’ which is the starting point for the lyrics. The opening lines are “We knew each other a long time ago; When I was crazy and dangerous to know.” I can’t find the picture of her beside a shining sea as per the lyrics but as I’m writing about a poet, allow me some licence.
PICTURE* We knew each other A long time ago When I was crazy And dangerous to know You were so fresh Just out of school With ruby lips You shone like a jewel Then you went east And I went north I was still crazy And the world was too slow You flew back home To a crescent beach A world away And out of reach CHORUS And then I saw a picture Of you beside a silver sea And a tide of memory Came flooding back to me Nights that never ended Days of magic light Made me long for a tomorrow Where things could turn out right Those years between us Seems an hour ago Now I have that picture And somehow I just know There’s a way back somehow For me to come to you Till then I have a dream And this is what I’ll do
Seems an hour ago Now I have that pictur And somehow I just know There’s a way back somehow For me to come to you Till then I have a dream And this is what I’ll
LAVENDER HILL
ADVENTURES IN MUSIC 