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Cover: Swoon

 
Swoon


Released in 1984
Sony Music Entertainment EK 39872

   
(03:51)  Donīt Sing
(04:05)  Cue Fanfare
(03:30)  Green Isaac
(03:59)  Here On The Eerie
(04:18)  Cruel
(03:49)  Couldnīt Bear To Be Special
(03:38)  I Never Play Basketball Now
(03:20)  Ghost Town Blues
(03:44)  Elegance
(04:36)  Technique
(01:27)  Green Isaac II

Oh but to shine
like Joan of Arc,
you must be 
prepared to burn.


All songs composed by Paddy McAloon
Design by Matthew Hyphen and Pavlou Goldberg
Produced by David Brewis and Prefab Sprout
Donīt Sing

An outlaw stand in a peasant land, in every face see Judas
The burden of love is so strange
The stubborn beast and the whisky priest are hiding from the captains.
The burden of love is so plain.
Are they happy to see you? No, you always bring trouble.
Cast a shadow on Mexico - denial doesn't change facts.

Like most I'll come when I want things done - please God,
don't let that change.
The anguish of love at long range
Should've been a doctor, oh,
then they can see what they're getting.

Chorus:
Oh no, don't blame Mexico
That's the feast that the whisky priest may yet have to forgo
They ask for more than you bargained for
and then they ask for more.
Oh no, don't blame Mexico
That's the feast that the whisky priest may yet have to forgo
Rob me of color, make the sound duller, but never go away

Through teeth of sharks the Autumn barks,
the Winter squarely bites me.
Don't ever do this again.
Dawn breaks in the Southern states,
and blindfolded he rests:
The burden of love's last request.
That's the feast that the whisky priest may yet have to forgo


Cue Fanfare

Some expressions take me back, like 'Hair of Gold'
and 'Sweet Mary' and 'Running to Me'.
The sweet sweet songs that cloud your eyes - nostalgia supplies.
Loredo hihgstreet buried me - beneath an oak tree.
As This Is To Me: then so to you is something else,
That keeps you up long past your bedtime, tearing hair.

The sweetest moment comes at last - The waitings over,
In shock they stare and cue fanfare.
When Bobby Fischer's plane - plane plane - touches the ground -
Plane plane he'll take those Russian boys and play them out of town.

The sweetest moment comes at least - the waitings over,
in shock they stare and cue fanfare.
When Bobby Fischer's plane - plane plane - touches the ground -
Plane plane he'll take those Russian boys and play them out of town,
Playing for blood as grandmasters should.

Some obsessions take me back, like 'Hair of Gold'
and 'Sweet Mary' and 'Running to me'.
The sweet sweet songs that cloud your eyes - nostalgia supplies.
Loredo hihgstreet buried me - beneath an oak tree.


Green Isaac

Stella Matter, light is failing, making such a fool of thee,
When you'd love to be someone... 
This is the time, I've set aside.
From selling old rope, and telling bad jokes, and cul de sac pride.
I've learnt today, while falling apart, the most eloquent way,
To speak or to pray, is straight from the heart.
Oh but to shine like Joan of Arc, you must be prepared to burn.
Take two kinds of look, and one wedding day, now isn't it clear,
There's nothing they'll hear, that you'd want to say.
Forget the style and choose from twelve notes,
In itself it's ajoy, wether it soothes or annoys,
A song starts in the throat.

And if you've no new clothes to wear, 
Then simply wash and com you hair.
And little green Isaac,
you're gonna walk backwards through the room,
Does that mean I won't see you?
It means you're gonna walk backwards through the room.
And little green Isaac, I hear you're still wet behind the ears,
Isaacs a soft name, it sounds like a pockeful of rain.
Well up that stairway he rose, and down that stairway he goes.
GGGGreen Isaac GGGGreen Isaac GGGGreen Isaac.


Here On The Eerie

It's much more beguiling, than children at play.
The mind meets dilemma, with a heart in decay.
How they reconcile art with... What was I going to say?
I called because you're in a position to help.
With a limited talent, but impossible wealth.
How they reconcile love with...
It sure is a problem . . . But don't go away.
Cool critique of new Gomorrah, or schoolboy crush on Che Guevara,
Face yourself or . . . Give it away.
Hearys grow numb and consience weary, mutiny here on Eerie,
face yourself or . . . Give it away 
Don't start pretending, you've feelings anguish,
If you'd prefer to dance.
Please stop talking, of things you know nothing.
The truth well will make you ill.
So chew on the safest, the blandest of food.
And avoid the specifics, that might ruin the mood.
A universal prescription . . .  continues to elude.
Love becomes you, a happy burden.
But other liver stay neatly curtained.
Recognize that, It won't go away.
Hearts grow numb, and conscience weary, mutiny here on the Eerie.
Face yourself or . . .  give it away.
This star crossed lovers business, astrologeewhizzness,
Go rhyme your runes in June.
Don't turn tearful, or mystical on me, I'm not your seventh son.


Cruel

Cruel is the gospel that sets us all free and takes you away from me
There is no Chicago urban blues 
More heartfelt than my lament for you
I'm a liberal guy: too cool for the macho ache
With a secret tooth for the cherry on the cake
With a pious smile, a smile that changes what I say
While I waste my time in regretting that the days
Went from perfect to just okay.

Chorus:
Lordy, what would I do?
Don't call me possessive (but God if he's smooching with you!)
I's a jealous boy root
The world should be free (but don't you go following suit!)
My heart is aligned
It couldn't be neutral (I couldn't be that way inclined)
It's hard to defend, ba ba ba ba ba ba
these feelings my tuppentup friend
It's cruel, ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba 
It's cruel, ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba 
It's cruel, it's crueler than cruel, but . . . 

Should a love be tender, or bleed out loud?
Or be tougher than tough, and prouder than proud?
If I'm troubled by every folding of your skirt,
Am I guilty of every male-inflicted hurt?
But I don't know how to describe the modern rose
When I can't refer to the shape against her clothes 
With the fever of purple prose.

(Chorus)
My contribution to urban blues


Couldnīt Bear To Be Special

Bo Bo Bee, Bo Bee, Bo 
Bo Bo Bee, Bo Bee, Bo 

I couldn't bear to be special, 
I couldn't bear, couldn't bear. 
I couldn't bear, right ?

So don't look at me and say, that I'm the very one, 
Who makes the cornball things occur, the shiver of the fur.
Don't expect so much of me, I'm just an also-ran, 
There's a mile between the way you see me and the way I am.

So don't stare at me that way, of course it gives me pride, 
But I won't take on the risk, of letting down the sweet sweet side. 

Did you mean to humble me ? 
So you did it unsuspectingly ! 
Oh words are trains, for moving past what 
Really has no name. 

I couldn't bear to be special, 
I couldn't bear, couldn't bear.  

So don't look at me and say, that I'm the very one, 
Who makes the cornball things occur,
the shiver of the fur.  . . . right?

Boo Poo Bah Bah Boo Poo Bah Bah Boo Poo Bah bah


I Never Play Basketball Now

I'm not looking to disturb you, just a little to unnerve you,
I have no thig about games and always looking back.
After that last unholy row - I never, ever play basketball now.
It joins a list of things I'll miss like fencing foils 
And lovely girls I'll never kiss.
Leave it behind on an overcrowded desk where the IN-tray 
Is higher than the OUT ever will be.
Before the tea rooms fill with flirting couples call.
Remember to call. And Flow, it skips like a river 
And it rolls Flow, you'll swear it's a chapel -isn't that so?
Think of all the things that grew up here,
Long before we moved here; all of it good and strong, 
And all of it gone. After that last unholy row 
- I never, erver play, basketball now.
It joins a list of things I'll miss like fencing foils 
And lovely girls I'll never kiss.
You may say I've got plenty, 
But no one knows how long things stay big Roger D.


Ghost Town Blues

Sitting alone when her work is through, 
These days sheīs listless that spring sky is blue.
Her parent try but itīs not much use.
Her boyfriendīs left home, it was late Summertime,
Life was good, they were young, but glory is purbling, 
How could a future like that go wrong ?

I know the Mayor of this hysterical town, 
He worked himself up from the dirt on the ground.
Now everyone asks him questions and so on.
People consider theyīve a right to be told,
He just canīt imagine what it is he should know,
People naturally wonder what its all leading to ...

Oh Anne Garland, you canīt call this heartbeat a man.
Too sad you bet - weīre all caught in historyīs web.
But donīt cry too soon, 
You might as well fall in love with the Moon.

Oh Anne Garland, we win or lose at his hand.
Cars collide and they kill the groom,
Deathīs nearly spruced for his honeymoon.
Find an answer while I leave the room.
Man made the neon and he learned how to fly,
But God made the stars while he fashioned the sky,
Perhaps I should learn to shut my mouth.


Elegance

There are those who own, the world around your own.
And say you want to swan - one to one
- Hey kid they own the pond.
There are those who rest, and those who make the beds,
And should you seek redress - canīt you guess ?
Hey child they own this mess.

So if these stardust memories, fail to please, 
If you confuse this dinner dance with elegance,
If you suffer lack of due respect, 
Take comfort from the guessing game aspect,
That she is least where you expect.

Please be ashamed that youīre afraid,
equating elegance and real estate.
When all the bullion in the world,
cannot transform whatīs simply second rate.
But will yea no come asess me - Boastfully.
Iīll not be bought by your silver plated come to me.
So donīt you do come try me.

Because these stardust memories, fail to please.
Theyīre not alike this dinner dance, this elegance
- and if you want to swan - one to one
- Kid you donīt need the pond.
There are those whose time, is due for steep decline.
If you canīt find the spot, 
Where their time stops,
Just ask who built the clocks.


Technique

12345/12345 .... 12345/12345
Her husband works in Jodrell Bank, heīs home late in the morning,
Had he been a lawyer, he wouldnīt work for pennies.
In the morning I go walking, it helps the hurting soften,
Iīve seen a lot of places, īcos I miss her very often.
But I could never work there, what a shame that Iīm not cleer.
Itīs for men with horn rimmed glasses,
and for distinguished A Level passes.
What chance so long ago, I buried something I should know.
What chance so long ago, I buried something I should know.

Verse and chapter they unfurl, - and sprinkle it upon the world.
Technique ! Their eyes donīt fill with wonder when you speak.
Without recourse to lying distortion or cheating.
Technique ! Their eyes donīt fill with wonder when you speak,
And I loathe the stilted way you made me speak.


Green Isaac II

Itīs hard to act so simply, itīs easy to make noise.
I workship the silence that sings like a bird. 
I long for the Moon as it looks from the earth:
But to have and to hold it Iīd only suggest: - SUGGEST .....
You take one step, Green Isaac, One step away; 
Stella Matter, light is failing, making such a fool of thee,
when youīd love to be someone.