Wednesday, May 05, 2010

There's a blackbird singing. It's the coming of the spring.

Oh lyrics, oh lyrics!
It is always interesting when someone pitches a question about lyrics and this has been some week for that! Of course this is none more welcome than when they are by an artist or act that I really believe should be better known - in this case Emily Barker and The Red Clay Halo.

Blackbird

There's a blackbird singing from a winter tree and his tune is soft and
haunting, it's the coming of the spring
All the leaves are being restored and the vagaries getting bored
there are new dreams on the way.

There's a road that I walked down just the other day
and it forbid me turning around, I admit I lost my way
and then I heard you like a whisper, telling me to keep on straight.
that mistakes are like like dirt and in time they'll wipe away.

There's a clock and many seas that come between you and me
but the hours are weak and the water isn't deep.

There was an arguing ensuing and I was in the wrong
there were words being thrown like bullets from a gun.
And then into the equation shone the light of your good self
everything was redeemed, you put that fight on the shelf.
And now those valley stars shine like a jury up above
and when I don't know where I'm at, at least I know

where I'm from...

[Chorus]
I need you to love me
And help me when I'm losing
And in return I will love you
and help when you don't win.


There's a leaf that is skirting across the pavement grey
you're the soul beneath my shoe and you ride the words I say
and when the blackbird sings he reminds me from his tree
that we always gain more than we lose though at times
it seems the other way.

There's a clock and many seas that come between you and me
but the hours are weak and the water isn't deep.

[Chorus]

If you have any doubt about just how good this is then try and catch them live.

Emily Barker and The Red Clay Halo live at End The Road Festival 2009.

If it comes to casting a vote for those that deserve to be given a chance on the greater stage then I'm not unwilling to nail my flag to a tree. Music certainly is not politics but at their best, in their ability to unite or divide, they aren't that different either.

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