1. |
An Islander's Progress
04:54
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Lyrics:
Over the seas and far away (and far away)
When I was young, I joined the ships leaving from the harbour
“Fair winds and following seas” went cries to each and every boat
We hastened down to Africa, then caught the Trade Winds west
With foul holds full of sad lost souls to toil in lands remote
But I drowned off the Florida coast in a raging hurricane
My body lost forever, but my soul it did remain
Proud Islander I was my friend, one of our doughty sailors
Whose cargo to America brought us wealth and God’s good favors
Proud Islander I was my friend
Though hard these days to comprehend
Proud Islander was I . . . Proud Islander was I
Over the seas and far away (and far away)
When I grew up, I yearned to be a brave strong soldier lad
So, I upped and joined the army, and sailed east to India
When the sepoys rose against us, we strapped them to our cannons
And blew them all to Hell and back in the name of Queen Victoria
But cholera came to claim me in a ravaging blue death
My body gone forever, but my soul it would not rest
Proud Islander I was my friend, proud of our mighty regiments
That did our people all inspire by seizing lands and continents
Proud Islander I was my friend
Though hard these days to comprehend
Proud Islander was I . . . Proud Islander was I
Over the seas and far away (and far away)
When good Queen Liz attained the throne, I joined the colony police
And fought the Mau-Mau brutally, with torture and fell murder
Yet in truth I’ll willingly admit to a conscience slightly stricken
When I forced a poor young Kenyan girl to couple with her father
Years later they avenged her fate, strung me up by a noose
My body left for animals, but my soul it still was loose
Proud Islander I was my friend, proud of our glorious history
That encompassed many centuries, albeit often bloodily
Proud Islander I was my friend
You may find it hard to comprehend,
Proud Islander was I … Proud Islander was I
My friend I’ve lived for centuries, seen the rise and fall of nations
I’ve seen bright mornings shining while a dark night duly lengthens
For all my sins it is my fate to be reborn again
I’ve not atoned! Proud Islander, I still am my friend!
Proud Islander I am my friend
Though I find it hard to comprehend,
I’m never going to die . . . I’m never going to die
I’m never going to die
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2. |
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Lyrics:
Last night I dreamed my brother strode with Jesus by his side
With heavenly strength to move them on, they walked the ocean tide
I cried, “Dear brother, hold your haste, we all must journey home.”
“Jordan calls me,” was all he said, I knew myself alone
I knew myself alone
Hal-le-lu …. Hal-le-lu …. Hal-le-lu …. Hal-le-lu
Last night I dreamed my brother rode in tandem with James Dean
Along the streets and the highways that to this world are unseen
I cried, “Dear brother, promise me, you’ll meet me when I come.”
He smiled his smile, and raised his hand, I felt my world undone
I felt my world undone
Hal-le-lu …. Hal-le-lu …. Hal-le-lu …. Hal-le-lu
Now I’m awakened, oh, let me dream that dream once more
Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu … yah
Now I’m awakened, oh, let me dream that dream once more
Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu … yah
And take me over Jordan, see my brother walk upon its shore
Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu … yah
Yeah, take me over Jordan, for I am tired and so heartsore
Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu, Hal-le-lu … yah
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3. |
Soldiers Welcome!
04:57
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Lyrics
There’s many a squaddie comes visiting
From the barracks up the road
And they all, if they pay, get a welcome
And a rest from a soldier’s load
They’ll be fighting for King and country
And be paid with a grisly end
So, the least we can do is to hold them
To be, for a while, their friend
To be, for a while, to be, for a while
To be, for a while, their friend
Ah me, I was born in a Catholic land
I’ve no love for you Protestant lads!
But I got put in the family way
And reviled as sinful and bad
I’m in England now, a whore for sure
But I dance and I sing and I play
And the squaddies laugh so innocently
As night gives way to the day
As night gives way to
as night gives way to
As night gives way to the day
I fell in love with an Irish boy
No more tender a lad you could meet
He was set to ask me to marry
But was lost in some bloody retreat
I’m carrying his child in my belly
But it’s whoring that brings in the dough
I’m to visit some witch in an alley
To make sure that there’s nothing to show
Make sure that there’s nothing,
Make sure that there’s nothing
Make sure that there’s nothing to show
The doctor says that I got the clap
A soldier, I’ll bet, from the front
The sluts down there do a roaring trade
Death so close, that they bear the brunt
Of virgins wanting a taste of the flesh
‘fore their bodies are ripped to shreds
And if they survive, return with their dose
To pass on in the heat of our beds
Pass on in the heat, pass on in the heat
To pass on in the heat of our beds
Yes, many a squaddie comes visiting
And will do for some time to come
But will there be any lads left alive
To march to the military drum
Yes, soldiers are welcome, one and all
And will be for some time to come
But where are all of the marrying types
To save us from our whoredom
To save us from our, to save us from our …
To save us from our whoredom
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4. |
Lament
03:29
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Lyrics
"Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been'."
All of us, we make mistakes
Act a little too late
I’ve done my fair share of all that and more
Many messages yesterday
Saying you’d passed away
Fired up bittersweet memories that cut me to my core
Way back when we were involved
I hurt your feelings, all unresolved
Next time we met, your voice, it froze my heart
You left me crying at the station
My love in vain, so blue and lonesome
I never thought that’d be the way we’d part
I never saw you again
We never talked through your pain
And the anger it seems you couldn’t put away
Did you ever ask after me?
You know, we kept the same company
Like that threesome with your so-called fiancé/fiancée
But you didn’t stop smoking
And boozing and joking
Put on weight and rolled like a drunken sailor's bum
Okay, I did the same
I’m not trying to pin blame
I just think you marched to the wrong beat of your drum
Seems you wasted away
Quite why, they didn’t say
Lousy habits, bad health? How should I know?
I hadn’t seen you in years
But I’ll surely shed tears
For what was lost and now lies in deep sorrow
And the part of me that'll always be . . . hollow
Quote above by John Greenleaf Whittier: American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States.
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Michael Sellers Mérida, Mexico
Michael Sellers is a guitar playing singer-songwriter from England, now living and recording songs in Merida, Mexico.
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