Showing posts with label Have A Plan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Have A Plan. Show all posts

Thursday, September 02, 2010

River Clyde - 6 Day Riot - lyric

River Clyde
The streets of the Gorbals run thick with the tales
Three ladies that hing have seen all that's to be
But the men folk still stride out tall and proud
To the gates of the yard and its whistling call
The riveters are meeting already
With news of the slimming and fears of the cuts
And the only possession I own of some value
Is the labour I am and the labour I love
Oh my pride lies washed up by the Quayside
Will there be one more ride down the River Clyde
Still each morning I walk from our room
To stand in line ticket and name
But friends are sent home now time and again
Left with ghosts and whispers and all they became
Threats and disputes ring from the wireless
And what of those men that take longer than most
As we gather together in crowds at John Brown's
We listen to Reid stood shoulder to shoulder
One more wave to old good friends
As they take their last ride down the River Clyde
Brothers be proud we are respected men
We will fight for our basic rights to work these yards again
Brothers be proud, brothers be proud
We will march heads held high through these yards again
The papers claim victory in our struggle
A triumph for Glasgow, a show of our strength
So why do I find myself on my way here
To tell you my dear the news we both dread


I don't know what I'll tell the kids
As I take my last ride down the River Clyde


Here I am drinking to forget
Here I am desperate to remember
Here I am in Brewers Fayre
Wondering how did I ever get here
How did I ever


This is particularly apposite as Trade Union leader Jimmy Reid, mentioned in the lyric, passed away on August 11, 2010.  Folie à Deux is a very fine album and this is one of the most impressive, and not least for its historical narrative, tracks on it.


To put that verse in perspective here is an image of 'shoulder to shoulder'...


Jimmy Reid addressing 'Upper Clyde Shipbuilders' workers in 1971.

Though industrial relations were generally poor in the UK at that time this episode was rather different.  The workers were not on strike at all; this was a work-in and a disciplined one too.  This is what he said and also what took place:

"We are not going to strike. We are not even having a sit-in strike. Nobody and nothing will come in and nothing will go out without our permission. And there will be no hooliganism, there will be no vandalism, there will be no bevvying [the consumption of alcohol] because the world is watching us, and it is our responsibility to conduct ourselves with responsibility, and with dignity, and with maturity."

When it comes to narrative songs this is probably about as good as it gets in my recent experience.   In a faintly similar vein, both shipbuilding and protest, is 'Marshall Riley's Army' from the 1978 album 'Back and Fourth' by Lindisfarne. It concerns the Jarrow March (sometimes known at the Jarrow Crusade) in October 1936. If you want the lyric to that then just ask.


For more posts related to '6 Day Riot' see here:


Lyric for Folie à Deux, from the album of the same name:
http://rpgreenhalgh.blogspot.com/2010/07/folie-deux-6-day-riot-lyrics.html


Lyrics for all tracks on the album '6 Day Riot Have a Plan':
http://rpgreenhalgh.blogspot.com/2010/02/higher-powers-6-day-riot-album-lyrics.html

Friday, February 05, 2010

Higher Powers - 6 Day Riot - the album lyrics

It is mostly done and, given the new-found popularity of 'Every Third Sunday', I thought it a shame not to share all the lyrics for 6 Day Riot - Have A Plan.


Run For Your Life
And morning comes with a meltdown, this town is needing a shakedown, we've
been burning bridges for hours: guided by higher powers. And rising up from the
edges this land is covered with faces we've been praying for someone to lead us, the
end of those who deceive us. Ooh if I was you I'd run for your life. Her face is in every
paper and may we never forget her... A nation cries together, hoping to remember.
Look back at roads we have taken, as sleeping giants awaken, counting days till
tomorrow we'll beg steal and borrow. It's not the time to stand in line if you wanna
change this. They'll make the world you measure by if you let them take you. And hand
you to the darker side where everything's about you, it's not the time to stand in line
someone has to change this.

O Those Kids
O those kids, those kids won't bat an eyelid if we don't change a
thing. I risked my mind, I risked my mind and sanity to give you
what you need. I'm drowning. I'm leaving this life we made.
I'm drowning, my last thought's of all the money we'll make.
We'll make. O my dear, now don't you fear, just another day
and we'll be done. O my dear now don't you fear, just another day
and the money's coming quick and fast. We'll spend! We'll spend!
We'll spend! O those kids...

Be With Me
I look inside your mind and hide beneath this bed, the sheets are cold tonight the
shapes all blur to life. As I pray for you and watch you as you sleep, as I wait
my turn I hope that you will be with me, we'll find what only the wise men seek.
They hang around in pairs with boards that hold your name, a tick or two for you
could mean another day. As I hold my breath and wait to hear some word, as I beg
for rest I hope that you will be with me, we'll find what only the wise men seek and
though it's hard to tell what only wise men seek. We took a risk our way;
we fought to know, we took a risk our way; open and closed. Come on and tell us,
come on and show us.

Every Third Sunday
If you take this wrong then time will stop, wasted spaces move back
up; many days have rolled into one. Daily meals to calm your eyes,
wisdom seldom realized I could try to reason one more time.
But by the by, by the by, how fear has multiplied wild and lost within
your state of mind. My oh my, my oh my, how tears have multiplied
drowned and lost within your state of mind. To the edge and round the
bend, stubborn till the bitter end hold on tight before this whole
town blows. Get up get up and face the day don't let those hours slip away,
chasing time and talking hate again. I'm drowned and lost within your
state of mind.

Rise Above
Rise above, rise above, rise above all the lies and hatred and new-fangled love,
could you find a way to turn this all around? Wide awake, wide awake, wide awake
as the morning turns another page and the anger lies sleeping one more day.
But oh to be like you, a stranger to all we knew, to hold yourself above what
might be true. Walk away, walk away, walk away turn your back on all that we
once made let the mountain rise upon this land. I don't know, I don't know,
I don't know you could count the lives that have been lost but still your mind
rests firmly on your own. But oh to be like you, a stranger to all we know,
to hold yourself above what might be true.

So You're A Writer
So you're a writer but can you hear this? You've been chasing circles all across
those pages. Another landslide and they're all cheering, got your people outside
every doorway listening. Bring it back to mine, slip back into line, it's harder to
deny so bring it back. You'd take my own mind to hide your old lies and try to save
face if only just to rise above us. So lie in wait there and toast your genius, raise your
glass high while everthing around you crumbles. Bring it back to mine, slip back
into line, it's harder to deny, it's harder when you go sailing past this place take that
trip back round. All a game planned in your mind take that trip back round. These
last days have multiplied the thoughts you hoped to hide as you go sailing past your
soul take that trip back round.

Breakdown
Never thought, never thought to wonder if you heard all that I said, if my house isn't
there any longer then I guess I've burnt that bridge. How.m I ever gonna fight this breakdown
if I'm dead from the waist down? If I thought I could take this over then I might earn
my name, as I lie and wait, lie and wait for answer lie and wait, lie and wait in vain.
How'm I ever gonna fight this breakdown if I'm dead from the waist down. Undo my mind
rewind our time. On the face in the face of all this, like you, like me, like he, it's all I thought
I ever wanted all I thought I'd ever be. How'm I ever gonna fight this breakdown if I'm
dead from the waist down. Undo my mind, rewind our time. Every word that I encounter
holds an old part of me. all the books I've ever opened lie floating on the sea, and my clothes
don't even matter if I have nothing more, could you stay a little longer, help take away
the noise. How'm I ever gonna fight this breakdown if I'm dead from the waist down,
undo my mind, rewind our time.

Go! Canada
Oh we sailed for days to find this view before us, there lies the land an inch or two
below us. Take a look around you'll see the flags are raised again, and rising from
the earth the theatre beckons us along. Way beneath the swell they laugh at our
misfortune. All that holds our wealth lies washed up in Dalston. We fought our
way through broken years to conquer, there lies the land an inch or two below us.
Wave across the rolls at red and white united, may we return another day to find this.
Oh we're losing you, drink to forget what is right. Oh saluting you, drink just to sleep
through the night.

Rise Again
Chasing the circles and fighting the cause it's now that we have come for.
it's now that we needed. Inside your pocket, lined with our gold you hide your
intentions and hold our restless souls. But oh we will rise once more, ignore
those fearful men. I'll try to regain my strength for now I can breathe again.
Lost in the moment still biding our time we swim for this promise and hold
the dark line, now with momentum we run with the waves we're dying to meet
you, we're dying to know your name. To know your name...

Long Slow March
In this place not a face that I can trust, not a scene to be believed it's changing...
From each door to the boot of my car they follow every move I'm making.
Like age they'll take my mind, like years they'll take my sight, a long slow march
through the night, a long slow march tonight. To the next I hear each word I
breathe a stranger to deceive, I'm on you. Here you stand a brother in each sense
but eyes that I can't place: do I know you? Like age they'll take my mind, like years
they'll take my sight, a long slow march through the night, a long slow march tonight.

Previous posts on this topic:
Every Third Sunday - 6 Day Riot

While you're at it why not also check out this CD from 2004...

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Every Third Sunday - 6 Day Riot Have A Plan

To whosoever asked for the lyric to this song just now, here it is:


Every Third Sunday:

If you take this wrong then time will stop, wasted spaces move back
up; many days have rolled into one. Daily meals to calm your eyes,
wisdom seldom realised I could try to reason one more time.
But by the by, by the by, how fear has multiplied wild and lost within
your state of mind. My oh my, my oh my, how tears have multiplied
drowned and lost within your state of mind. To the edge and round the
bend, stubborn till the bitter end hold on tight before this whole
town blows. Get up get up and face the day don't let those hours slip away,
chasing time and talking hate again. I'm drowned and lost within your
state of mind.


The almost (!?) complete lyrics to the album 'Have A Plan' are now here: