No ruinous feud
 
Explorer
By Mike Heron
 
Mike: guitar, vocals
Robin: oboe
Susie Watson Taylor: flute
Gerard Dott: clarinet
Stan Lee: bass
B.J.. Wilson: drums
 
I can no longer hear you call 'cross the airwaves
Fog on the line has shaken my will not to yield
The one left here, my command all gone down
I'm caught, caught, where the cold dark fingers trace
Where the men who failed, they lie and kiss the dark earth's face
I am lost, lost, by the storm clouds am tossed
Now here comes the snow deep
And I will take a sleep, sweet Margaret my dear
Tell me
It was long and a strong and sweet year indeed
To get lost in
 
I've seen the survivors when they come home from the icefields
The lace and the ladies' flush and a pearl on the eye
Fine bone china and the log fire spark high
But I'm back in the wasteland low, where the ripe seed never gets blown
What chance I'll see te sun on the lea, hear the cornfield moan
I am lost, lost, by the storm clouds am tossed
Now here comes the snow deep
And I will take sleep, sweet Margaret my dear
Tell me
It was a long and a strong and a sweet year indeed
To get lost in
 
No one to hear me when I cry
No one to hold me when I sigh
No one to watch me when I die
How will I live again
 
 
Down Before Cathay
By Malcolm Lemaistre
 
LeMaistre: vocals
Mike: guitar and backing vocals
Robin: guitar and backing vocals
Stan Schnier: bass
Alan Eden: drums
 
Through red forests that lean against the hills
I wandered with my heart in my hand
My cloak wound down to the shores of Cathay
Where the gold lay scattered on the sand
Night was young back before the dawn
Casting kisses at the day
Shipping the sea bestriding the earth
Down before Cathay.
 
The admirable deeds of Khubla Khan
we admired from the deck
Of our cedarwood ship
Observing the domes that prance from Mandalay
Where the dogs they sleep all the day
We gazed upon the Towers of Tyre
That rose coarse and spicey in the air
But we sailed up the coast to sidon
Where the gazes are so rare
Where the gazes are so rare
 
The ship shone its lamp across the silent air
That swirled before Cathay
And there on the sand that courts the amber sea
Our fair bodies we cast away
Night was young back before the dawn
Casting kisses at the day
Sipping the sea bestriing the earth
Down before Cathay.
 
 
Saturday Maybe
By Robin Williamson
 
Mike: string arrangement
Robin: guitar, vocals
Alan Eden: drums
 
factory chimney cough yellow smoke
trucks and trains go rumbling
throw down your key from your window high
your man's out drinking
neighbours thinking evil
lead by the the lights of your electric fire
your grey slips falls around your feet
and across the sheet your nut brown curls go tumbling
 
we don't have long before he comes home from the bar
I'll be gone a week of sundays
meet me by the bronze horse or the clock tower
try to come Friday, Saturday maybe
don't cry now you'll freak the baby
 
 
Old Buccaneer
By Robin Williamson
 
Saxes arranged by Gerard Dott
Robin: vocals
Mike: organ
LeMaistre: backing vocals
Stan Schnier: backing vocals
Jack Ingram: backing vocals
Gerard Dott: soprano sax
Alan Eden: drums
 
sissie wouldn't believe when I told her the old man was gone
the one who lived all alone in the shack on the shore
that's so hard to find, so har to go past
he used to light our cigarettes and never tell anyone
he had blue tattoos and he'd tell us tall stories from the bottom of a rum glass
he's got things to see on the spanish main he's gone away for awhile
he's gone skullduggering on the spanish main he's gone away far away
 
thought I heard sails creaking as the stars paled
anchor chains clinking as the night failed way out on the bay
 
no one else knows how he crowed when they crowned him king of the cannibal isles
or how he'd really feel blind drunk at the wheel through a high hurricane
he could dupe the devil at dice and charm charmers whit his beguiling smile
how he fell in love in Lima and a schemer stole his pearly girl and broke his heart again
now all the foes he killed call him in to fight with their beckoning bones
and all the gold he stole sparkles in the morning light
his sweet ladies are all alone
 
sissie dear let's not go near the church today
the big bells tolling the hearse goes rolling the holy joes pray
as they lay him away
 
lived one too many winters cold cold weather
had to sail down to the south sea waters warm
his old bones there
let an old man go through
let an old man go through
 
 
At the Lighthouse Dance
By Malcolm LeMaistre
 
LeMaistre: vocals
Mike: guitar
Gerard Dott: organ
Stan Schnier: bass
Jack Ingram: drums
 
Waiting for the queen to come
Waiting for her to show up
While out on the rocks all the ships
Were sinking we laughed as the dance began
Oh how we danced
At the lighthouse dance
 
Stepped outside took a look
Shook the sweat felt madly sad
I was dreaming of angels
I saw the ships sinking
But one pulled in
I asked the sea captain tell me where you've been
He turned his gaze into the days and he showed me this movie
 
Oh do you dance you serenader
Oh do you die you masquerader
Oh do you land you space invader
 
I could see the dance
Through the cracked window pane
Alice smiled at me I felt quite lame
The dance group played I can't recall their name
They played quite well but all their numbers sounded the same
Oh how we danced
At the lighthouse dance
We danced, I grooved, I sighed, I cried
 
 
Circus Girl
By Robin Williamson
 
Arranged by Robin Williamson and Gerard Dott
Robin: vocals
Gerard Dott: piano
 
circus girl, how could you love me
you're so far above me
you hang by your knees and your toes
circus girl can you even hear me
down in the crowd
your silver skirt hangs back over your breast
such beautiful legs and you sparkle and flirt
I don't mind lipstick all over my shirt
you fly through the air
you've got princess hair
I'm really impressed
 
circus girl you fly higher than the house of lords
you look serene
circus girl your picture cheers hospital wards
you met the queen
 
the ringmaster's hat is as black as a wellington boot
he's mean he cracks his whip
but if he tries to beat you or even mistreat you
I'll give him some lip
circus girl you ride wild horses running real quick
you smoke long cigars and you don't get sick
you dance on tightropes sleep on knives
if I married you would I want other wives
 
 
Turquoise Blue
By Mike Heron
 
Heron: guitar, vocals
Stan Lee: bass
Janet Williamson: flute
Robin Williamson: flute
Gerard Dott: clarinet
 
On the white sand a footprint
On her back the golden sun
Is playing tunes on this lazy afternoon
It's high summer
The sun's playing tunes
They're so beautiful to see
Only love can sing the harmony
 
Oh my lover
She knows how to give a gift
She knows how to make a cool breeze sigh
Brings the warmth of summer to my bed at night
And she brings the colour of the sky too
Turquoise Blue
 
In the distance the birds sing
In the distance the sweet echoing
Of the flute she's playing
On the hazy air
Over there
Oh shimmering day don't take me away
I'd rather be here than anywhere
 
 
Weather the Storm
By Robin Williamson
 
Saxes arranged by Gerard Dott
Robin: vocal and guitars
Mike: bass
Gerard Dott: organ
LeMaistre: backing vocals
Alan Eden: drums
 
stormy weather in the world since the day I was born
stormy in the schoolhouse
stormy when I left my home
a few more storms won't freeze me
my love will keep me warm
one thing more I know for sure
I swear we're going to weather the storm
 
you, you had your soft brown eyes
pretty as I ever saw
want to see the sunset
I know where in the the shade of the big boys jaw
dance through the summer
dance through the spring
dance through winter and fall
one thing I know for sure
I swear you are the belle of the ball
 
I've been around this whole round world
many strange things I see
I know where I'm going and I know who's going with me
never fear I won't be cold
my love will keep me warm
one thing more I know for sure
I swear we're going to weather the storm
 
 
Little Girl
By Mike Heron
 
Mike: guitar, vocals, bass
Gerard Dott: vibraphone
 
Everybody knows good times
Everybody knows tears that fall
You and me had something higher than just good times
Something else that I just can't find without you
 
Without you got emptiness
Without you I've got an emptiness
That is lower
Than just about anything at all
 
Pick up
Let me pick up
Let me pick up on your lovelight
Please let it shine on me
I want that more
Than just about anything at all
 
Little girl I love you
Spend my walking hours in thoughts or you
You held your love light high
And it shone
And it shone down on me
But you let it fall so low I could not see
 
Without you got emptiness
Without you I've got an emptiness
That is lower
Than just about anything at all
 

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