The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
 
Robin Williamson: lead vocal (on his own compositions), guitar, gimbri, whistle, percussion, pan pipe, piano, oud, mandolin, jew's harp, chahanai, water harp, harmonica
Mike Heron: lead vocal (on his own compostions), sitar, hammond organ, guitar, hammer dulcimer, harpsichord
Dolly Collins: flute organ and piano
David Snell: harp
Licorice: vocal and finger cymbals and added voices on "The Minotaur's Song"
 
 
Koeeoaddi There
By Robin Williamson
 
the natural cards revolve ever changing
seeded elsewhere planted in the garden fair grow trees, grow trees
 
tongues of the sheer wind
setting you foot where the sand is untrodden,
the ocean that only begins
 
listen a woman with a bulldozer built this house now
carving away the mountain whose name is your childhood home
we were trying to buy it buy it buy it
someone was found killed there all bones bones dry bones
 
earth water fire and air
met together in a garden fair
put in a basket bound with skin
if you answer this riddle
you'll never begin
 
born in a house where the doors shut tight
shadowy fingers on the curtains at night
cherry tree blossom head high snow
a busy main road where I wasn't to go
I used to sit on the garden wall
say hello to people going by so tall
hallo to the postman's stubbly skin
hallo to the baker's stubbly grin
mrs thompson gave me a bear
brigitte and some people lived upstairs
 
skating on happy valley pond
various ministers and guards stood around
the ice was nice hallo the invisible brethren
and there was a tent you played cards with the
soldiers in, don't worry we won't send anyone
after you they screamed
but me and licorice saw the last of them one
misty twisty day
across the mournful morning moor motoring away
singing ladybird, ladybird what is your wish
your wish is not granted unless it's a fish
your wish is not granted unless it's a dish
a fish on a dish is that what you wish
 
earth water fire and air
met together in a garden fair
put in a basket bound with skin
if you answer this riddle
you'll never begin
 
 
 
The Minotaur's song
By Robin Williamson
 
Straight from the shoulder
I think like a soldier
I know what's right and what's wrong
He knows what's right and what's wrong.
 
I'm the original discriminating buffalo man
And I'll do what's wrong as long as I can
He'll do what's wrong as long as he can
 
I live in a labyrinth under the sea
Down in the dark as dark as can be
I like the dark as dark as can be
He likes the dark as dark as can be
 
I'll even attack you or eat you whole
Down in the dark my bone mills roll
Porridge for my porridge bowl
Porridge for his porridge bowl
 
I'm strong as the earth from which I'm born
He's strong as the earth from which he's born
I can't dream well because of my horns
He can't dream well because of his horns
 
Moo
 
I'm strong as the earth from which I'm born
He's strong as the earth from which he's born
I can't dream well because of my horns
He can't dream well because of his horns
 
A minotaur gets very sore
His features they are such a bore
His habits are predicta-bull
Aggressively relia-bull, bull, bull
 
I'm strong as the earth from which I'm born
He's strong as the earth from which he's born
I can't dream well because of my horns
He can't dream well because of his horns
 
I'm the original discriminating buffalo man
And I'll do what's wrong as long as I can
He'll do what's wrong as long as he can
 
 
Witches hat
By Robin Williamson
 
certainly the children have seen them
in quiet places where the moss grows green
 
coloured shells jangle together
the wind is cold the year is old the trees whisper together
and bent in the wind they lean
 
next week a monkey is coming to stay
 
if I was a witches hat
sitting on her head like a paraffin stove
I'd fly away and be a bat
across the air I would rove
 
stepping like a tightrope walker
putting one foot after another
wearing black cherries for rings
 
 
A Very Cellular Song
By Mike Heron
 
Winter was cold and the clothing was thin
But the gentle shepherd calls the tune
Oh dear mother what shall I do
First please your eyes and then your ears Jenny
Exchanging love tokens say goodnight
 
Lay down my dear sister
Won't you lay and take your rest
Won't you lay your head upon your saviours breast
And I love you but Jesus loves you the best
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight,
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.
One of these mornings bright and early and fine.
Goodnight, goodnight
Not a cricket not a spirit going to shout me on
Goodnight, goodnight
I go walking in the valley of the shadow of death
Goodnight, goodnight
And his rod and his staff shall comfort me
Goodnight, goodnight
Oh John the wine he saw the sign
Goodnight, goodnight
Oh John say I seen a number of signs
Goodnight, goodnight
Tell A for the ark that wonderful boat
Goodnight, goodnight
You know they built it on the land getting water to float
Goodnight, goodnight
Tell B for the beast at the ending of the wood
Goodnight, goodnight
You know it ate all the children when they wouldn't be good
Goodnight, goodnight
I remember quite well, I remember quite well
Goodnight, goodnight
I was walking in Jerusalem just like John
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.
 
Who would lose and who would bruise
Or who would live quite prettily?
And who would love what comes along
And fill the air with joyous song
 
Who would go and who would come
Or who would simply linger
And who would hide behind your chair
And steal your crystallised ginger
 
Nebulous nearness cry to me
At this timeless moment
Someone dear to me wants me near, makes me high
I can hear vibrations fly
Through mangoes, pomegranates and planes
All the same
When it reaches me and teaches me
To sigh
 
Who would mouse and who would lion
Or who would be the tamer
And who would hear directions clear
From the unameable namer

Who would skip and who would plod
Or who would like quite silly
And who would ride backwards on a giraffe
Stopping every so often to laugh
 
Amoebas are very small
 
Oh ah ee oo there's absolutely no strife
living the timeless life
I don't need a wife
living the timeless life
If I need a friend I just give a wriggle
Split right down the middle
And when I look there's two of me
Both as handsome as can be
Oh here we go slithering, here we go slithering and squelching on
Oh here we go slithering, here we go slithering and squelching on
Oh ah ee oo there's absolutely no strife
living the timeless life
 
Black hair brown hair feather and scale
Seed and stamen and all unnamed lives that live
Turn your quivering nerves in my direction
Turn your quivering nerves in my direction
Feel the energy projection of my cells
Wishes you well.
 
May the long time sun shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light within you
Guide you all the way on.
 
 
Mercy I Cry City
By Mike Heron
 
Since you got me here I see you're trying to steal my soul
You're army's trying so very hard to find for me a goal
But where's your quiet pastures where there's time for me to be
Nothing else but what I am that's what you seem scared to see
You cover up your emptiness with brick and noise and rush
Oh I can see and touch you but you don't owe reality much
 
Have mercy I cry city you're all upon my mind
Sometimes I think you keep forgetting that you don't know me
Mercy I cry city you're all upon my mind
 
Send another carriage chugging down your chokey tube
I hope it makes you happy 'cause it don't do my health much good
You slowly killing fumes now squeeze the lemon in my head
Make me know just what it's like for a sin drenched christian to be dead
Ah show me your glitter and your flashing neon light
You see I think that only the sun knows how to be quietly bright
 
Have mercy I cry city you're all upon my mind
Sometimes I think you keep forgetting that you don't know me
Mercy I cry city you're all upon my mind
 
Hey, city, what you been doing?
All these years what you been doing?
Who would believe that what you been doing
Would make such a ruin of you?
 
 
Waltz of the new moon
By Robin Willamson
 
I hear that the emperor of china used to wear iron shoes with ease
We are the tablecloth and also the table also the fable of the dancing leaves
 
The new moon is rising the axe of the thunder is broken
as never was not since the flood nor yet since the world began
The new moon is shining the angels are washing their windows
Above the years whose jumble sale goes spinning on below
Ask the snail beneath the stone, ask the stone beneath the wall
Are there any stars at all
Like an eagle in the sky tell me if air is strong
 
In the floating pan pipe victories of the golden harvest
Safe in the care of the dear moon
 
The new moon is rising the eyelid of god is approaching
The humane train the skating raining travelling voice of certainty
The new moon is shining the harmonious hand is now holding lord krishna's ring
the eagle's wing the voice of mother everything
Ask the snail beneath the stone, ask the stone beneath the wall
Are there any stars at all
Like an eagle in the sky tell me if air is strong
 
In the floating palaces of the spinning castle
May the fire king's daughter bring water to you
 
 
The Water Song
By Robin Williamson
 
Water water see the water flow
Glancing dancing see the water flow
O wizard of changes water water water
Dark or silvery mother of life
Water water holy mystery heavens daughter
 
God made a song when the world was new
Waters laughter sings it is true
O, wizard of changes, teach me the lesson of flowing
 
 
Three Is a Green Crown
By Robin Williamson
 
 
Not with the lips of skin nor yet with the lips of dark snow
But let the white dove sing
Of the body of life of the lover whose love is complete
Hold hands out to greet ah let not the swan be brought low
 
For all that is moving is moved by her hands
She is mirrored for ever in the life of the lands
In the building of thoughts in the shifting sands
 
Life life remembering
 
Well here you are now o now you are here
Well how has it been so far
The hair and the fur
Lemons, frankinscence, and myrhh
 
For all that is moving is moved by her hands
She is mirrored for ever in the life of the lands
In the building of thoughts in the shifting sands
 
Let the cracked crystal raindrop be merged in the sea
Silent shining thoughtless free
but close your eyes to find the golden flower
And open them to see the sunshine shower
Where the flowers are free and the fishes ask
Ah what can water be
 
She beareth thought she beareth visions
Speaking truth in contradictions
Dreams of pain dreams of laughter
And every action follows after
 
O second self o gate of the soft mystery
I'll love you if you'll love me; o guide me
With the gold of gabriel's wing grant me the tongue
That all the earth does sing
Vibrating light forever one the sun
The book of life is open to us
There'll be no secrets left between us
 
 
Swift as the wind
By Mike Heron
 
For my delight
Swift as the wind flies
His chariot and wings
Shine in the light of a thousand suns
For he comes from the land of no night
He comes from the land of no night
 
There is no land
The night is all around my child
You must stop imagining all this
You must stop imagining all this
For your own good
Why don't you go with the rest and play downstairs
 
Closing my eyes
I see him so clear
The blood on his sword
Flashes so bright as is
Falls to the skulls by his feet
 
But his eyes they know all things
His eyes they know all
 
There is no blood
No-one knows all my child
You must stop imagining all this
You must stop imagining all this
For your own good
Why don't you go with the rest and play downstairs
 
Swift as the wind
Stay if you will now
Seeing you again will be in your castle so fair
But I make take some time on the way
And I may have to spend some time downstairs
 
 
Nightfall
By Robin Williamson
 
Nightfall o river of night flow through me
Washing thoughts of the day on your waters away
For the morrow that dawns never knew me
 
Nightfall nightfall folding her dark locks around you
Her eyes they have found you would show you
This new dream they're holding
 
O sleep o come to me you who are night's daughter
And I'll give you my eyes for the colours that rise
As time's echoes reflect on you water.
 
 

Back