Long Ago & Far Away

Life’s a one-way ticket, outbound journey, say goodbye
Pack your things, you’re leaving, some conditions and some terms… may apply
What’s this game we’re playin’, we never did subscribe
You ask yourself from time to time, what it takes us … to survive
I woke up one morning, to greet the day
Found myself, in Act Two of some play
Where they’d cast me as the villain, but I never had my say
That was long ago, and I… was far away

Long ago when photographs were printed black and white
The images we conjured were of darkness… and just a little light
We banished all our negatives, to a shoebox ’neath the bed
A treasure chest of memories, and the light… that they might shed
On the questions that we asked, and the things we tried to say
Why we never showed, for those red-letter days
Or the reasons that we give, for our inefficient ways
They’re all so long ago… but not so far away

I have no ears to listen, I have no eyes to see
I never recognise, what should be clear to me
I might have all the answers
But I never know the question that was asked

Here’s a storm a-coming, there’s much out there to fear
There’s debris flying everywhere, some things will disappear
I batten down the hatches, and hope my head stays clear
But I’m always ill-prepared at… this time of year
If I ever get straight, I’ll be on my way
There’s nothing going on here, that could make me want to stay
I’ve cancelled all my plans for the famous rainy day
I’m gonna cash my cheque and I’ll spend all my pay
You’ll be… long ago, and I’ll be far away

Long ago, far away
Long ago, far away



Bring

Bring all your gifts to the table
Bring your party hats, your deck of cards and your games
Bring all your hang-ups and all your hapless fables
Your charm and skill, your will to thrill and your fame

Bring everything that makes you able
To tell us how you’ve suffered for so long

Bring your mother and your father
Your whole family and all your dearest friends
Bring all your better-known acquaintances
Your china, your childhood and your last romance

Bring everything that makes you able
To tell us how you’ve suffered for so long

Bring your cross, please bring your statue
Your candle, your bell, your book and your healing balm
Bring everything that keeps you stable
Your medication, your crutch, your TV and your dressing gown

Bring everything that makes you able
To tell us how you’ve suffered for so long
Bring everything that keeps you able
To tell us how you’ve suffered for so long


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You’re Never Coming Back

You will never brighten this door again
Walk or glide or dance across this floor again
You’ll never tread this stair
Never check your hair
At that mirror, over there
’Cause I know, you’re never coming back

We will never find the moments that we’ve lost
We won’t reminisce about the bridges never [that we] crossed
You’ll never remain cool
While I play the fool
And nothing could be so cruel
As knowing, you’re never coming back

Father time is pulling on my chain again
And the clocks tick slowly, but the years, hurry ever on

We won’t get to share tender words or simple looks
You will never read the last page of your book
And deep in my heart
I know I must start
To get used to the fact
That you, are never coming back


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Hold Me Down

Once I was, young Tommy Joad, out on the road
Once I mined, a seam of gold, a tale untold
Once I tried, to shelter from, the bitter cold

Hold me down, hold me down

Once I fought, decorated for, exploits in war
Once I saw, an emperor, without his clothes

Hold me down, hold me down, hold me down

Last night was free-falling
That night was me calling
This light will see all
This rope holding on
Thrown to the ground
If I get to the top
I’ll let it go

Once I sold, a precious stone, a flake of snow
Once I had, to move along, I just let it go

Hold me down, hold me down, hold me down

I let it go, I let it go, I let it go


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