www.chrisbradleymusic.com

Debut Album 'Voices' / Chris Bradley – Singer/Songwriter & Composer

TRACK TITLE SONG DESCRIPTION LYRICS SOUNDCLOUD
Voices A complex and progressive folk-rock song, dynamic and intense.
To My Ears A folk-rock love song that centres around a rolling, hypnotic lyric until the chorus erupts into memorable and joyous melody.
Cambridge County A blend of classic English folk and Americana. Good old unrequited love is back again with sophistication and zeal.
Bring Your Trouble to the Mountain Evokes the vast serenity and calm of nature through beautiful but unorthodox melody.
Desperate Man Is classic rock. Big, heavy, ominous but slightly mocking its subject.
Treehouse Speaks of an imagined place of solitude, of enjoying the safety of being alone.
When You Punished Me Has an almost religious tone. Solo voice and guitar, inspired by the medieval troubadours, it is a fearless examination of loves destructive tendencies.
To Your Darkness Is hard acoustic rock, that drops a line into the abyss and waits for the clutching grasp of someone in their hour of need. A helping hand is here!
Hide & Seek Is a broody and building electric rocker about a perpetually illusive love affair.
Another Man's Wife Is a jumpy English folk song that warns of the dangers of adultery. Non-autobiographical, of course!
Down I Go Is a pop at the song-writers habit of unjustifiable self-pity. 'I'll never let myself see how far down I go'. .
Wishing Well Is the perfect ode to a karmic death by ambition, the self-destruction of following a dream to all ends and all costs.

www.chrisbradleymusic.com


2nd Album 'At the Outpost' / Chris Bradley – Singer/Songwriter & Composer

TRACK TITLE SONG DESCRIPTION LYRICS SOUNDCLOUD
The Man I Love A bereavement song for the loss of a father. Warm, soulful and optimistic. Very minimal in instrumentation
Beggar to Fall A country rock tale of a bitter woman who refuses to accept that she loves her man and would rather sabotage the chance of happiness and enjoy the misery than risk feeling true happiness.
Golden Girl A pure and innocent disco-folk song..
Bored Little Rosie A shuffling art-rocker with a driving and groovy feel. Introspective and searching lyrics.
Running Song A steely dan-esque number. Intricate in design with Motown chords, it tells of a loveable rogue with a wondering heart.
Hand-me-down A gliding country folk song with meandering piano lines and a hint of Mozart in the melody.
The Beatles Poppy 12 bar blues number about playing in cheap bars for crap money. ‘They pay the monkeys, we play the beatles for you!’
Not What it Was Heavy rocking and psychedelic in parts, big chorus, uncompromising and intense. Love is not what it was- lyrically describes the breakdown of a family unit.
Your Close Friend A 1920’s preacher’s rant. A stark, percussive arrangement designed as a warning- keep an eye on your close friend!
Goddess of Love Frenetic rock number. A lovelorn request for help from Aphrodite herself!
Waltzing Spiraling folk guitars with soaring melodies on birth, death and the great beyond.
At the Outpost Final song and round up of the central ideas of introspection and inner space.

www.chrisbradleymusic.com

 

 

 

 

Tracks from the debut album ‘Voices’

Voices
To my ears
Cambridge County
Bring your trouble to the mountain
Desperate Man

Treehouse
When you punished me
To your darkness
Hide and seek
Another man's wife

Down I go
Wishing Well

Tracks from the 2nd album 'At the Outpost'

Bored Little Rosie
Waltzing
Not what it was
Hand me down
Goddess of Love
Running Song

 

Voices
 
Wait in line, wait for a sign, wait all the time
Then all my life changed in a way
I can't say,
Wait in line, wait for a sign, wait all the time
Then all my life changed in a way

And I'm running aground
And I wait for the sign and I wait for the sound
Wait for the words and the words are found in the
 
Voices, voices in my head
I still remember when I said 

I hear you but I don't fear you
I hear you but I don't fear you
 
Verse 1 repeats....
 
Voices, voices in my head
I told them I don't know I said

So nearly, so nearly
 
And I wait for the sign and I wait for the sound
Wait for the words and the words are found in the
 
Voices, voices in my head
I still remember when I said 

I hear you but I don't fear you
I hear you but I don't fear you
 
(Would be nice if we)
We'll live together in the way we know

 

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Top

To my ears
 
I see my lady's back, I see she's coming up the track
I'll have to turn my back
You catch a glimpse of her, you'll wanna see every inch of her
And feel your stomach stir

In an old fashioned way, the way they always seemed to say
Back in the old days
She led me far away, head in the clouds, feet in the clay
And led me far away, I had no say

I tried to keep my cool, stand my ground and play the fool
She took me back to school
But there's a magic here, makes you brave and makes you fear
I didn't really want her near...but she cut through

To my ears, to my ears, to my ears
She was music to my ears
Hard for a stone but as soft as a snow made out of tears
To my ears, to my ears, to my ears
She was music to my ears
Gone are the days when our love was a lost and distant hum
As she cut through

Through the fortress wall, I heard a cry, I heard a call
Bouncing off the walls...to my ears
She's trying everything, every trick in the book she'd bring
I guess she's doing her thing
And its flattering

But there was one a day when I was chasing her this way
That only drove her far away
But now my lady's back, I see she's coming up the track
For me, prepared to kiss...and she said this-

To my ears, to my ears, to my ears
She was music to my ears
Gone are the days when our love was a lost and distant hum
To my ears, to my ears, to my ears
She was music to my ears
And now is the time if you let me be yours you will be mine
As she cut through....

GUITAR SOLO

To my ears, to my ears, to my ears
She was music to my ears
Lost and forlorn, bitten lips burst apart upon a throne
As she cut through...

 

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Top

Cambridge County

I gotta girl in Cambridge County
Tryna' (trying to) figure out if she loves me
And I hide my tears and I planned all year
I would take the train down England way
Spend the best part of my day
Tryna' think of something clever to say
If she walks away, she walks away

I gotta girl in Cambridge County
Trying to figure out if she loves me
That she would not say
So I start to think that something's a rye
Usually she's not so shy
Never been a girl to run and hide
But she was that night, she was that night

That we played our game, that we played our game
That we played our game, just the same old game

Next day in Cambridge County
Tryna' figure out if she loves me
She made it so clear, couldn't hide my tears
So I took the train back home to Skye
Looked myself hard in the eye
Promised I would never travel to be
Back in Cambridge County, Cambridge County

Where we played our game, Where we played our game
Where we played our game, just the same old game

 

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Bring your trouble to the mountain

Weather round here rules this region
Don't get caught too far from home at night
Birds of prey rule these nights
You don't have the answer to their prayers or cries

Weather round here rules this region
Don't go too far from a source of heat
Hungry bears rule these nights
You may be the answer to their appetite

As soon as you realise, you can

Bring it, bring it, bring it
Ah your trouble to the mountain
Bring it, bring it, bring it
Ah your trouble to the mountain

We can tell them to go, to play in the meadows
With the echoes, far below

Weather round here rules this region
Don't go too far from your car
Howling winds rule these nights
You don't have the answer to their prayers or cries

Its maybe time you realised, you can

Bring it, bring it, bring it
Ah your trouble to the mountain
Bring it, bring it, bring it
Ah your trouble to the mountain

We can shout them away, to play in the meadows
With the echoes, far away

 

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Top

Desperate Man

Try to say the right thing when I can
But I sound like a desperate man
Try to lend a gentle helping hand
She called me a desperate man
I'm a vanguard, I treat her right
But I sound like a desperate type
Went to talk to her, she saw my face
Inside its a desperate place

Let the man burn, its getting worse
I'm a man with a desperate curse
Don't you come too close until I'm sure
You're the girl with the desperate cure
I've been sleeping rough, under the stars
And playing the down town bars
Can't blame myself, I blame you
Its a thing that the desperate do

I'm afraid everything's gonna turn to black...

But I'll fly away, fly away one day
In your eyes I see a place for me
But I'll fly away, fly away one day
In your eyes I see a place for me

Oo a desperate breed on another plain
She was a different strain
And the real me she'll never know
'Cause I gave a desperate show
How are points cross and we still miss
That was a desperate kiss
As the crow flies, its getting dark
For the man with the desperate heart

I'm afraid everything's gonna turn to black...

But I'll fly away, fly away one day
In your eyes I see a place for me
But I'll fly away, fly away one day
In your eyes I see a place for me

GUITAR SOLO

Yeah, I'm afraid everything's gonna turn to black...

But I'll fly away, fly away one day
In your eyes I see a place for me
But I'll fly away, fly away one day
In your eyes I see... sanctuary

 

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Top

Treehouse

In my treehouse sits a fire burning beside me
You can go there if I'm absent, watch my old TV
Through the window blows air,
Drafts- I couldn't care
In my treehouse, burning softly
And there no-one there

In my treehouse you can find me any time of year
In my treehouse you won't see me- I can disappear
Through the window blows rain
That won't give me grief
My pain is nothing
If my treehouse always stays the same

Some years later, someone evil played a nasty joke on me
When I came home to my treehouse it was filled with smoke
Now my hideaway is black
Can I ever get her... back to normal?
Nothing formal, just a place to go

 

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Top

When you punished me

Take me where the river is cold
And tie me down to the stories of old
That can only be told in an honest voice
With an honest face, in a quiet place

Take me where the river is strong
And cast me in, I'll be carried along
Dinny (means don't-Scots colloquialism) fear for my life
I am still as strong as I needed to be
When you punished me

Mercy in the day time, mercy in the night
Mercy when I hear your voice
Puts me in a mood and I don't have a choice
Mercy in the day time, mercy in the night
Mercy when I hear your voice
Inside my head...

Repeats...

 

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Top

To your darkness

To your darkness, to your darkness
Would you let me in?
To your darkness, to your darkness
Would you let me sing?
In a world of confusion we flow

Through your darkness, through your darkness
Hand in hand we go
With your darkness, with your darkness
Deeper we will row
In a cave of illusion we flow

On your darkness, on your darkness
I will spend my time
In your darkness, in your darkness
What is yours is mine
We may find out the meaning of this

And from the first kiss I will...

Throw you all the love I have to give,
I have to give, I have to
Show you all the love I have to give
I have to give

Then take me on a journey to the centre of the earth
I ask you, may we find the origin
The place where you began

From your darkness, from your darkness
We will not return
From your darkness, from your darkness
After we have learned
I know its not my business to pry
It either that or see you cry...

I'll throw you all the love I have to give,
I have to give, I have to
Show you all the love I have to give
I have to give

Then take me on a journey to the centre of the earth
I ask you, may we find the origin
The place where you began

 

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Top

Hide and seek

A few things left still matter to me
I wanna find that girl and set her free
Now I can't just assume I can take her hand
But I hope that she might join my band

Then I'll take her far, take her away
We're gonna feel that road everyday
Upon a silver stage we will fly
I wanna watch her grow and let her go

Then I'll move on and live in hope
I wanna try and grow up, yeah that old joke
But I can learn my trade, learn it good
I wanna make myself understood
Its why I put myself through this mill
Its why I ride my bike through these hills

I know you live round here, and somewhere near
Is where you kissed me first and made me thirsty
For the softest touch, it means that much
I gotta stand and shout and work this out
Until it makes some sense
I won't rest until the pain dies down
And I'll leave town to try to find myself
Find that space where I can watch the world
And not see your face in every single place

There's still an angry boy in this man
With an angry fist in his hand
But of no hardship can he speak
Until he plays that game hide and seek

I gotta tell you now its no good
I gotta silver spoon with too much food
Its why I'm put myself through this mill
Its why I ride my bike through these hills

And if you ever been young you'll know what I mean
And if you've ever played love, you've played Hide and seek
Now we'll never stop playing, never stop playing
Now we'll never stop playing, never stop playing
Hide and seek
Hide and seek

Now I just don't see, why you confide in me
And then you run, run and hide
To find the darkest place you can go
I'm gonna find you soon and lick your wounds

Cause there's one more thing must be done
For you to tell me why you're on the run
Cause I could be there too and make it fun
Now tell me where you are and what you've done
Because your secrets safe, safe with me
I wanna keep you safe but not from me

And if you ever been young you'll know what I mean
And if you've ever played love, you've played Hide and seek
Now we'll never stop playing, never stop playing
Now we'll never stop playing, never stop playing
Hide and seek
Hide and seek

 

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Top

Another man's wife

I risk my life giving this advice-
Never sleep with another man's wife
Obviously many of you see
It ain't worth the trouble and strife
You- want more, want less?
Want peace?- Confess
For your crime and forgive me mine
If you sleep with another man's wife

Scarcely seems anything that beams
Like the eyes of another man's wife
The grass is green but the blades are sharp
If you steal from another man's heart
You- want more, want less?
Want peace?- Confess
Clear your mind of the previous time
If you sleep with another man's wife

Leave home again,
At the next place you can start again- don't

Wreck homes for fun
For the rest of your life you run- don't!

I wanna risk my life giving this advice
Never sleep with another man's wife
You- want more, want less?
Want peace?- Confess
Lose your life and it might seem nice
If you sleep with another man's wife

With another man's wife
With another man's wife....

 

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Top

Down I go

You don't have the right to play the same old song to me
Cause I don't play the game where I pretend that I've more pain
Ah, clever boy, clever boy you can play the victim when you want
To see how far...

Down I go, down I go,
I'll never let myself see how far
Down I go

And maybe one day I'll be half the man you are
And if I keep on diggin I could find that I got scared
We'll open it up wide and get inside and see how far-

Down I go, down I go,
I'll never let myself see how far
Down I go, down I go
I'll never let myself see how far
Down I g
o

Who gave you this fear to prove yourself to all your peers
I'm a clever boy, clever boy I can play the victim when I want
To see how far...

Down I go, down I go,
I'll never let myself see how far
Down I go

And maybe one day I'll be half the man you are
And if I keep on diggin I could find that I got scared
We'll open it up wide and get inside and see how far-

Down I go, down I go,
I'll never let myself see how far
Down I go, down I go
I'll never let myself see how far
Down I go

 

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Top

Wishing Well

Its the same old thing with me
Thats the way its s'pposed to be
Stand by that wishing well
I'm gonna give it hell

Like the same old thing with you
Can't stop if you want to
Time spent by the wishing hole
Is gonna take its toll

Take time, take it on the chin
Take in on and take it in
Take it down that wishing well
To the gates of hell

Does the strangest thing to you
Do things that you wouldn't do
Far from that wishing well
Where the real you fell

And where I can hear a distant choir of family and friends...

Try to tell me what to do
Try to steer me clear of you
Turn back from the wishing well
You can hear the yell

But the well won't let me be
I want it like it wants me
Chosen by a wishing well
With a dream to tell

I want life to be a story, fit to entertain

So I'm dammed if my dreams are dead,
Dammed if I can't get them off my head
Chosen by a wishing well
With a dream to tell

Its the same old thing with me
Thats the way its s'pposed to be
Blame that old wishing well
If you must tell

Every road I've ever taken drew me ever near...

Down here only room for one
Nowhere for the fool to run
Fell down that wishing well
Not a soul to tell
Fell down that wishing well
Not a soul to tell

 

Tracks from the 2nd album 'At the Outpost'

Top

The man I love

To the man I love
To the man I love
The maker can be heartless
Left a statue in the darkness

Of the man I love
Of the man I love
History has spoken
And my deepest fears awoken

For the man I love
For the man I love
Winter was the season
He left without a reason

And the walls came down
And the walls came down
And now I'm seeing clearly
How I loved him dearly

But the time has come
But the time has come
To use the strength he gave me
To bring me back to safety

And I'll do you proud
I will do you proud
And I will have the glory
Continuing the story
Of the man I love
Of the man I love

 

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Top

Beggar to Fall

Well maybe she's a beggar to fall
I know that type, I don't know her at all
Maybe she's a beggar to fail
She gets caught so she can go to jail
On a course to self destruct
Trying to prove to me that she don't care

Maybe she's a beggar to blow
She made love so she could let you go
Maybe she's a beggar to cry
Shows her pain that you could ask her why
She gave an inch and let you in
Tried to help but you can't seem to win

And mine is the tightrope
Mine is the cross to bear
And mine is the burden
Of knowing she loves me
But she don't care

Well maybe she's a beggar lose
A simple choice but she could never choose
Maybe she's a beggar to die
A lonely girl, just as lonely as I
But the offer is always there, if you ever get bored
Of pretending you don't care

That mine is the tightrope
Mine is the cross to bear
And mine is the burden
Of knowing she loves me
But she don't care

 

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Top

Golden Girl

Loads of love is all I want
And all I ever get
Loads of love is all I want
And one is all i get now

Don't know what I did to deserve it
Don't know if I care
Don't know if I know of another man
Happier than me now anywhere

Loads of life is all I want
And one free from regret
Loads of life is all I want
And one is all i get now

Don't know what I did to deserve it
Don't see how i could
Don't know if i know of another girl in the world
Make me feel this good

And I thank that girl, the golden girl
I thank that golden girl

 

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Top

Bored Little Rosie

Are you bored little rosie?
Bored like a nun?
And don't you think I don't know that you can run
I've seen everything you do
And everything you've done

Sweet child, I'm a man that likes to talk
So put me out of my misery
'Cause I'm bored little rosie

What you for little rosie?
Thinking like a clock?
And do you really need to know?
And would the answer make it stop?

Sweet child, through a labyrinth I chase
And through smoke and mirrors I see
That you're bored little rosie

What you for little rosie?
Are you bored little rosie?

For we can roll in the hay
Down by the pond we can stroll
And we can row, row, row your boat with a romance
Its a steam engine flying cross the plain
If we can pick up the trail there's a chance...
Break out of jail, its a dance

A tap dance on a tin roof in the snow with me
When you're bored little rosie
When you're bored little rosie
Stunned and in a trance
And don't you think I don't know that you can dance
I've seen everything you do and you can even do romance....

 

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Top

Running Song

I was a lovable rogue
And a miserable loner
They're one and the same thing anyway

But its like they say
When a man can't stay
Then the man can't stay

All the women who loved me would say...

I'm running away
Running away
I'll never belong
But there's nothing wrong, I'm just running along

I'm spinning the globe
The planets a treadmill
Hit the stampede and keep up your speed

But its like they say
When a man must pay
Then the man must pay

All the people after me would say...

I'm running away
Running away
I'll never belong
But there's nothing wrong, its just a running song

All the women who loved me would say...

While they were running away
Running away
They never belong
They kept running and running along

 

 

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Top

Hand me down

Hand me down
Always be another guy in this town
Hanging round
For the death of my love
To the girl I found this year
Ever with the one so dear

She made me wait
Long enough to make me think I'm not that great
Not that great at love

So hand me down
Always be another guy in this town
Hanging round
For the death of my love
To the girl I found this time
Never with the one so fine

Top

-----


The Beatles

We got the bodies moving and a shakin'
Thats what they like to do, sometimes when you
Heard too much heart ache and breakin from him
Forget the words and, I let the malady win

We got the girlies movin and a' shakin'
Thats what we like to do sometimes when they
Done too much hustlin and a bustlin today
We only play cause, it keeps the doctor away

We got the dance floor movin and a shakin
Thats what its there to do, sometimes when I'm
Having fun I'm never one for thinking it through
They pay the monkeys, we play the beatles for you

Now what ya doin when the bar's closing?
You're welcome back to mine
We got some beer and my baby always carries some wine
Flat number 8/10 round on maritime

We get the party movin and a shakin
Thats what we like to do
But we'll be back here soon without further ado
They pay the monkeys, we play the beatles to you

They pay the monkeys, we play the beatles to you
They pay the monkeys, we do the beatles for you
They pay the monkeys, we play the beatles to you
They pay the monkeys, we do the beatles for you

 

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Top

Not what it was

Locked in my head- 'least there I'll be safe
Things have been said- fear has found my face

There may be more people in my place
I hope we meet, then we can embrace

For if you look you will find
Things have been falling behind

And my...

Love is not what it was
Love is not what it was

No sentences, though this is a crime
Words from the mouth, never from the mind
This could be worse but I can't see how
Selfishness is blinding me somehow

If you have been through this too
Can you show me what to do

And my...

Love is not what it was
Love is not what it was

 

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Top

Hand me down

Hand me down
Always be another guy in this town
Hanging round
For the death of my love
To the girl I found this year
Ever with the one so dear

She made me wait
Long enough to make me think I'm not that great
Not that great at love

So hand me down
Always be another guy in this town
Hanging round
For the death of my love
To the girl I found this time
Never with the one so fine

Top

-----

 

Your Close Friend

Your close friend
Your close friend
Your enemy cannot harm you
Watch out for your close friend

The soldiers came for jesus
But they could not get to him
They made a plot with judas
To betray him with a kiss

Your close friend
Your close friend
Your enemy cannot harm you
Watch out for your close friend

They tried to give him money
For the garden made a start
But he would not bring him in the light
So they waited til it got dark

Your close friend
Your close friend
Your enemy cannot harm you
Watch out for your close friend

Christ sat down at the table
Told the boys to watch and see
The hand that will betray me
Now poppin in the dish with me

Your close friend
Your close friend
Your enemy cannot harm you
Watch out for your close friend

Hey people I wanna tell you
What your close friend will do
He'll wait to get your secrets...
Then he dig a pit for you

Ah, Your close friend
Your close friend
Your enemy cannot harm you
Watch out for your close friend

And when he get your secrets
He'll laugh and tell a lie
But he won't say nothin about it
Until you make him mad

Your enemy know nothing about you
He got no way to get in
The way your heart is messed up
By your bosom friend..Ah

Your close friend
Your close friend
Your enemy cannot harm you
Watch out for your close friend

Your close friend
Your close friend
Your enemy cannot harm you
Watch out for your close friend

 

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Top

Goddess of Love

I want a word with the goddess of love
Ask her why is she never around?
I want a word with the goddess of love
Ask her why is she letting me down?

I could tell you nothing 'bout the pain I'm in
I would be complaining if I knew where to begin

I'll take a job in the heavens above
Cause I want a word with the goddess of love
I'll flick a smile at the goddess of grace
Ask her when is she showing her face?

I could tell you nothing 'bout the pain I'm in
I would be complaining if I knew where to begin

Goodness and grace
Let me shoot off like a little black star into space
I'm just a little black star now
In the hands of the goddess of grace

Sweetness and light
Let me shoot off like a little black dove in the night
I'm just a little black dove now
In the hands of the goddess of love

I could tell you nothing 'bout the pain I'm in
I would be complaining if I knew where to begin

Been on the search in the heavens above
Cause I want a word with the goddess of love


  

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Top

Waltzing

I'm supposed to take another deep breath and swim
Without a safety net or safety pin
I feel I could fall into dream
And let only your hand shake me
And let only your words wake me

For I am lost and I am found
I'm the sky and I'm the ground
I think I've understood it pretty well
I am near and I am far
And I am healed and I am scarred
I am passing through an ancient hall
And they're all...

Waltzing in the night, black dance by candle light
And they'll see each other's face by the light from outer-space
When we go waltzing to the moon, high tide its the high noon
And the earth will spin a tune, weave a song in the sand dunes
When we go waltzing in the dark, cold hands on cold hearts
Save your best steps for the hall
We'll be waltzing 'til we fall

I'm supposed to find another way out of this mess
I'll do my worst, I said I'll do my best
Don't know why I'm so aware
Aware that the world could break me
But I'll never let it wake me

For I am lost and I am found
I'm the sky and I'm the ground
I think I've understood it pretty well
I am near and I am far
And I am healed and I am scarred
I am passing through an ancient hall
And they're all...

Waltzing in the night, black dance by candle light
And they'll see each others face by the light from outer-space
When we go waltzing to the moon, high tide its the high noon
And the earth will spin a tune, weave a song in the sand dunes
When we go waltzing in the dark, cold hands on cold hearts
Save your best steps for the hall
We'll be waltzing 'til we fall

 

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Top

At The Outpost

You got to go down, down, down
Til your thinking is done

You got to go on, on, on
And get it all wrong
Til your thinking is done

I got to go down, down, down,
And bring it back round
Til my thinking is done