Category: songs

Pete Sutherland 2003?

 

Written for Keith Murphy & Becky Tracy’s son, whose name was changed by Pete for the song to maintain his semi-anonymity.

Oh me name is Paddy Murphy and I’m but three years of age I’ll tell you folks I’m passin’ through me toilet training stage Me dad says, Dear, whene’er ye hear the call from down below Set sail for the nearest bathroom and sink the cheerio Chorus Sink the cheerio, me boys Sink the cheerio Set sail for the nearest bathroom and sink the cheerio Now the thing they call the cheerio, I’ve eaten ’em by the score But to toss one in the toilet it grieves me heart full sore But target practice bein’ me trade, me hunger I’ll lay low And train me guns upon it and sink the cheerio Well when first I went to pee, me boys, the place was quite a wreck And many’s the time me poor old Mam would have to swab the deck Indeed ’twas she did first decree the way that things should go And bade me stand upon me stool and sink the cheerio Now the sinkin’ of the cheerio is no an easy task A bit of oat designed to float, so stubbornly does it bask Like an arrow through a bullseye ye must direct your flow Takes much coordination to sink the cheerio Well when first unto the cereal aisle me folks and I did stray I stepped up to a grocery boy and to him I did say Avast, me gallant grocery boy, I’ll bet ye didn’t know Ye now behold the sailor bold that sank the cheerio! So come all me jolly playmates and listen unto me Be proud of your pea-shooters* as ever a lad should be For someday when we’re big boys, to some tavern we will go Fill up the bowl again, me boys, and sink the cheerio!

 

 

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Chorus: Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to? (x3) All on that day Run to the rock, rock he was a melting (x3) All on that day Run to the sea, sea it was a boiling Run to the sun, sun, he was a-freezing Run to the moon, moon she was a-bleeding Run to the Lord, Lordy won’t you hide me? Oh sinner man, should have been a-praying Run to the devil, devil says come right in

 

 

Peggy Seeger 1968

 2011?

First recorded on Seeger’s “Angry Muse” album from 1968 with Ewan MacColl, again with new lyrics by Seeger on her final “Teleology” album at the age of 90.

When the system leaves you out in the cold (sit down, sit down) When you’ve lost your job and your life’s on hold (sit down, sit down) When your pension’s gone and your wages cut (sit down, sit down) And the bankers tell you they’re hard up (Sit down, sit down) Chorus: Sit down, just take a seat Sit down and rest your feet Sit down on the concrete Sit down, sit down! When the rich get richer and the poor stay poor? When there’s always cash for another war? When the NHS is up for sale? And the government’s spouting fairy tales? When public services get the axe? And corporations pay no tax? It’s a bank job, there is no doubt? They buy us up to sell us out? You’ll find us here, you’ll find us there? You’ll find us sitting down everywhere? Don’t get drunk, don’t get high? Get together and occupy?

 

 

Alex Sturbaum 2024

 

The Edwardsville, IL Amazon warehouse collapsed December 2021.

Alex Sturbaum: https://countercurrentmusic.bandcamp.com/track/six-workers

https://countercurrentmusic.bandcamp.com/track/six-workers

They were stuck inside a warehouse on a cold midwinter’s eve There were twister warnings screaming but they weren’t allowed to leave The bosses had their quotas set by Bezos from on high And bosses never give a damn if workers live or die There were husbands, wives, and children waiting out the storm at home But the workers couldn’t call them ’cause the bosses took their phones So it wasn’t ’til the morning that the dreadful news come down A storm rose in its fury and it tore the warehouse down Chorus: Six workers dead in Illinois and it just goes to show The boss will either kill you fast or he will kill you slow So join the union while you can before the chance is gone If we don’t stand together then they’ll crush us one by one Word came to Jeff soon after but he didn’t say a word He was busy playing spaceman, didn’t want to be disturbed His company was quicker and they said they’d think and pray They gave the town a mill and hoped that it would go away It took Jeff about five minutes time to get that million back And other warehouse workers now are taking up the slack So Amazon is doing fine, it seems they always will It doesn’t seem to matter just how many folks they kill You can sit and wait forever for the bosses to decide That your life is worth more to them than the precious bottom line You can hope that voting does the trick, hell it may yet somehow But Congress’ wheels grind slowly and we need a change right now Well the bosses they will threaten and they’ll bluster and they’ll lie They’ll tell you how much worse it is for folks who organize But we could get our dignity and freedom if we dare And they wouldn’t try and bust the unions if they weren’t scared

 

 

Merle Travis 1946

 

Eric Burdon: Eric Burdon – Sixteen Tons – Joe Versus the Volcano Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6m1qgnUw74

Chorus: You load sixteen tons and what do get? You get another day older and deeper in debt. Saint Peter don’t you call me cause I can’t go, I owe my soul to the company store. Now some people say a man’s made out of mud, But a poor man’s made outta muscle and blood. Muscle and blood, skin and bones; A mind that’s a-weak and a back that’s strong. Well, I was born one morning, When the sun didn’t shine, I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine. Loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal, And the straw boss hollered, “Well, bless my soul.” This song was originally posted on protestsonglyrics.net Well, I was born one morning, it was drizzling rain. Fighting and trouble is my middle name. I was raised in the bottoms by a mama hound; I’m mean as a dog but I’m as gentle as a lamb. WeIl, if you see me a-comin’ you better step aside. A lotta men didn’t and a lotta men died. I got a fist of iron, and a fist of steel. If the right one don’t get you, then the left one will.

 

 

Rudyard Kipling 1906

Peter Bellamy 

Roberts & Barrand: https://johnroberts1.bandcamp.com/track/a-smugglers-song

https://johnroberts1.bandcamp.com/track/a-smugglers-song

If you wake at midnight, and hear a horse’s feet, Don’t go drawing back the blind, or looking in the street, Them that asks no questions they isn’t told a lie. Watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by! Five-and-twenty ponies, trotting through the dark- With brandy for the Parson and ‘baccy for the Clerk. Laces for a lady and letters for a spy, And watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by! Running round the woodlump if you chance to find Little barrels, roped and tarred, all full of brandy-wine; Don’t you shout to come and look, nor use ’em for your play; Put the brushwood back again,-and they’ll be gone next day! If you see the stable-door setting open wide; If you see a tired horse lying down inside; If your mother mends a coat cut about and tore; If the lining’s wet and warm-don’t you ask no more! If you meet King George’s men, dressed in blue and red, You be careful what you say, and mindful what is said. If they call you “pretty maid”, and chuck you ‘neath the chin, Don’t you tell where no one is, nor yet where no one’s been! Knocks and footsteps round the house-whistles after dark- You’ve no call for running out until the house-dogs bark. Trusty’s here, and Pincher’s here, and see how dumb they lie- They don’t fret to follow when the Gentlemen go by! If you do as you’ve been told, likely there’s a chance You’ll be give a dainty doll, all the way from France, With a cap of Valenciennes, and a velvet hood- A present from the Gentlemen, along o’ being good! Five-and-twenty ponies, trotting through the dark- Brandy for the Parson, ‘baccy for the Clerk. Them that asks no questions isn’t told a lie- So watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by!

 

 

trad 

 

For some reason this song is in my head to the tune of Pleasant and Delightful, but most of the versions on Mainly Norfolk are to a different tune, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRrrI2NpudE . Here is Steve Levine leading it to the Pleasant and Delightful tune: The Soldier and the Sailor (The Soldier’s Prayer)- sung by Steven L Steven says he was encouraged to sing to this tune by a Bernard Collard, but that video went viral and the new setting became popular.

A soldier and a sailor were walking one day Said the soldier to the sailor, “Come let us pray, And if we have one prayer, we may as well have ten”. “Let’s have a bloody litany”, said the sailor, “Amen”. “Now what shall we pray for, let’s pray for some beer, Some glorious, beautiful, wonderful beer. And if we have one pint, me might as well have ten”. “Let’s have a bloody brewery”, said the sailor, “Amen”. “Now who shall we pray for let’s pray for the Queen. Glory, O Glory, long may she reign And if she has one child, may she also have ten”. “May she have a bloody regiment”, said the sailor, “Amen”. “Now what shall we pray for, let’s pray for our peace. From Cape Town to Belfast, from Glasgow to Greece And if we have one year, may we also have ten”. “May there never be another war”, said the sailor, “Amen”

 

 

Ray Hearne 2009

 

Ray Hearne at Roy Bailey tribute: https://towerseyfestival.bandcamp.com/track/song-for-david

https://towerseyfestival.bandcamp.com/track/song-for-david

There was a lad, a ranting lad. Galavanting Galahad. Run around about town lad, Daily duffel-coated. Chorus: Summer sings me songs, he said Autumn is the cruellest season Winter has its reason Spring might bring love David. Theres a juke box jungle in my head Music gets you girls, I read DJ’s think I’m sick he said Dylan’s most devoted. It’s a DIY world by your choice Poor folk still pay highest price Too many hearts cold as ice Too few even notice The emptiness of endlessness The endlessness of emptiness They just don’t like my face I guess Poetry is hopeless. Well you can’t do right for doing wrong Some folks try too hard too long Why don’t you stick that in your song Once I dreamed I’d write songs

 

 

Peggy Seeger 1969

 

Peggy Seeger & Ewan McCall: https://peggyseeger.bandcamp.com/track/song-of-choice

https://peggyseeger.bandcamp.com/track/song-of-choice

Early every year the seeds are growing Unseen, unheard they lie beneath the ground Would you know before their leaves are showing That with weeds all your garden will abound? Chorus: If you close your eyes, stop your ears Shut your mouth then how can you know ? For seeds you cannot hear may not be there Seeds you cannot see may never grow In January you’ve still got the choice You can cut the weeds before they start to bud If you leave them to grow high they’ll silence your voice And in December you may pay with your blood So close your eyes, stop your ears, Shut your mouth and take it slow Let others take the lead and you bring up the rear And later you can say you didn’t know Every day another vulture takes flight There’s another danger born every morning In the darkness of your blindness the beast will learn to bite How can you fight if you can’t recognise a warning? Today you may earn a living wage Tomorrow you may be on the dole Though there’s millions going hungry you needn’t disengage For it’s them, not you, that’s fallen in the hole It’s alright for you if you run with the pack It’s alright if you agree with all they do If fascism is slowly climbing back It’s not here yet so what’s it got to do with you? The weeds are all around us and they’re growing It’ll soon be too late for the knife If you leave them on the wind that around the world is blowing You may pay for your silence with your life So close your eyes, stop your ears, Shut your mouth and never dare And if it happens here they’ll never come for you Because they’ll know you really didn’t careÿÿ

 

 

Stan Rogers 1978

 

Stan Rogers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9wt-Uz40kc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9wt-Uz40kc

I took up my pen tonight. I couldn’t seem to write It’s like I got religion and then I lost the light An old woman once told me she’d always felt that way She said “Taken from the mold when it can still run A candle might not keep you from the cold But buy another candle, son, it’s not too much to pay For one more try.” And I had to smile Before I walked away Coffeehouses bother me. I cannot tell you why But, it never seems “hello” sounds as sweet as “goodbye” And the waitresses in passing they remember all your names They say “Look around and try to meet a single eye” And “empty cups will mock me if I stay, but Buy another coffee, Stan, it’s not too much to pay And we will try to raise your smile Before you walk away” Tonight in a room full of candles Another cup of ashes drains away And at times it gets so hard to handle Knowing one more song has swiftly taken wing And I’m left alone to hear the song a lonely candle sings The priest, I found, was nervous. He cleared his throat a lot But, framed in stained glass windows, his eyes were lost in thought And I said “Father, can you tell me, is some happiness my right?” He said “Rather seek you joy, the blessings of your God And happiness from worship in his sight And buy another candle son, before you start to pray And don’t forget to cross your breast Before you walk away” Tonight, in a room full of candles Another cup of madness drains away And at times it gets so hard to handle Knowing one more simple song has swiftly taken wing And I’m left alone to hear thhe song a lonely candle sings One too many cigarettes, slowly burning down And the final cup of coffee was cold and full of grounds And maybe one last pipeful might send the words around Still, underneath my hand this night has slipped away And it leaves me as empty as this page One more candle flickers out, the night is turning grey And I just can’t watch the dying flame I have to walk away Tonight I have burned all my candles Leaving only ashes in their wake And at times, I get so hard to handle ‘Cause simple songs leave me behind, they all have taken wing And I’m left alone to hear the song a lonely candle sings