1. |
Champion
01:37
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I am an old-timer, I travel the road
I sit in me wagon and lumber me load
Me hotel is the jungle, a camp me abode
And I'm well known to Blondie and Mary
Me liquor is diesel oil laced with strong tea
And the old highway code was me first ABC
And I cut me eye teeth on an old AEC
And I'm champion at keeping them rolling
I've sat in the cabin and boiled in the sun
Been snowed up on Shap on the Manchester run
I've crawled through the fog with me twenty-two ton
Of fish that was stinking like blazes
From London to Glasgow to the Newcastle quay
From Liverpool, Preston and Bristol City
The polons on the road give the thumb sign to me
But I'm champion at keeping them rolling
You may sing of your soldiers and sailors so bold
But there's many and many a hero untold
Who sits at the wheel in the heat and the cold
Day after day without sleeping
So watch out for cops and slow down at the bend
Check all your gauges and watch your big end
And zing with your lights when you pass an old friend
You'll be champion at keeping them rolling
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2. |
Common Ground
03:25
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On common ground the poisoned seed, was sown in my country
They fenced me in and took away, the things that belonged to me
With a chill in my heart I knew
They did it to me, they’ll do it to you
So child you must fight, fight.
The softest hands have sealed the fate, the roughest ones would never make
A promise on the ground we stand, a bloody line in the sand
The pen and the sword be damned
What a piece of work is a man
So child you must fight, fight.
They made us eat the tainted crop, we had a taste and couldn’t stop
So sick with hate for what they’d done, too late for me your time has come
The pen and the sword be damned
What a piece of work is a man
So child you must fight, fight.
On common ground the poisoned seed, was sown in my country
They fenced me in and took away, the things that belonged to me
With a chill in my heart I knew
They did it to me, they’ll do it to you
So child you must fight, fight.
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3. |
Seven Gypsies
04:10
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There were seven of the gypsies and all in a row
And none of them lame nor lazy-O,
And they sang so sweet and so complete
That they stole the heart of the lady-O.
And they sang sweet and they sang shrill
That fast her tears began to flow,
And she lay down her silken gown,
Her golden rings and all her show.
She plucked off all her highheeled shoes,
All made of Spanish leather-O,
And she would in the street in her bare bare feet
To run away with seven of the gypsies-O.
They rode north and they rode south,
And they rode it late and early-O
Until they come to the river side
And oh but she was weary-O.
Says, Last night I rode by the river side
With me servants all around me-O,
And tonight I must go with me bare bare feet
All along with seven of the gypsies-O.
It was late last night when the lord come home
And his servants they stood ready-O.
And the one took his boots and the other took his horse,
But away was his own dear lady-O.
And when he come to the servants' door
Enquiring for his lady-O,
The one she sighed and the other one cried,
She's away with seven of the gypsies-O.
For I met with a boy and a bonny, bonny boy,
And they were strange stories he told me-O,
Of the moon that rose by the river side
For to pack with seven of the gypsies-O.
Go saddle to me my bonny, bonny mare,
For the brown's not so speedy-O.
And I will ride for to seek my bride
Who's run away with seven of the gypsies-O.
Oh he rode north and he rode south,
And he rode it late and early-O
Until he come to the river side
And it was there that he spied his lady-O.
What makes you leave all your house and your land,
All your gold and your treasure for to go?
And what makes you leave your new-wedded lord
To run away with seven of the gypsies-O?
What care I for me house and me land?
What care I for me treasure-O?
And what care I for me new-wedded lord,
For I'm away with seven of the gypsies-O.
Last night you slept in a goosefeather bed
With the sheet turned down so bravely-O.
And tonight you will sleep in the cold barren shed
All along with seven of the gypsies-O.
What care I for me goosefeather bed
With the sheet turned down so bravely-O?
For tonight I will sleep in the cold barren shed
All along with seven of the gypsies-O.
There were seven 0f the gypsies and all in a row
And none of them lame nor lazy-O,
And they sang so sweet and so complete
That they stole the heart of the lady-O.
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4. |
My Barra
03:18
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I’m sourcing for the sale, oh
I take up my barrow a-lightly-o
I travel alone, oh
And you’ll do well by me I know
I’m waiting for the sale, six months late
Take a pretty little ticket at the gate
And when the sun arises, I’ll be there
With my breakfast and my tea I got down there
Oh, they saw me there
Straight as a sail, I’ve got my way
And always be sure that you’ll come by me
For the ones that you left there were meant there for me
I’m here with my barrow-o
Looking to buy your wares
You’ll want to sell me it all
And then a tidy little bargain for we both
I’ll shake your hand, oh
Then stab you in the back and off I go
I look like the others in the cold
But a wolf in sheeps clothing I am
I’m always polite wherever I go
Straight as a sail I’ll get my way
And always be sure that you’ll come by me
For the ones that you left there were meant there for me
Take a pretty little ticket and in you go
When you get in you will find that you want for it all
How much, then what is it, they cry
And I move amongst them all quiet like
I know the way wherever you go
I’ll follow and find you for your curios
I won’t be the one to pay silly-o
But agree you’ll have a bargain and I’ll have my fill
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5. |
The Blacksmith
03:28
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A blacksmith courted me, nine months or better
He fairly won my heart, wrote me a letter
With his hammer in his hand, he looked quite clever
And if I were with my love, I would live forever
But where is my love gone, with his cheeks like roses
And his good black billycock on, all crowned with primroses
I'm afraid the scorching sun, will shine and burn his beauty
And if I was with my love, I'd do my duty
Strange news has come to town, strange news is carried
Strange news flies up and down, that my love he's married
I wish them both much joy though they can't hear me
And may God reward them well for the slighting of me
Don't you remember when you lay beside me
And you said you'd marry me and not deny me
If I said I'd marry you, it was only for to try you
But bring your witness love, and I'll not deny you
Oh witness have I none, save God almighty
And may he reward you well, for the slighting of me
Her lips grew pale and wan, it made her poor heart tremble
To think she loved a one and he proved deceitful
A blacksmith courted me, nine months or better
He fairly won my heart, wrote me a letter
With his hammer in his hand, he looked quite clever
And if I were with my love, I would live forever
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6. |
Jail Song
01:57
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“Step in young man, I know your face
It's nothing in your favour
A little time I'll give to you
Six months at hard labour”
With me whip the day, whip for the day
whip for the day-o
At six o'clock our turnkey comes
With a bunch of keys all in his hand
"Come, come, my lads, step up and grind
Tread the wheel till breakfast time"
At eight o'clock our skilly comes in
Sometimes thick and sometimes thin
But devil a word we must not say
Or it's bread and water all next day
At nine o'clock the jangle rings
All on the trap boys, we must spring
"Come, come, my lads, step up in time
The wheel to tread and the corn to grind"
Now Saturday's come, I'm sorry to say
Sunday is our starvation day
Our hobnailed boots and tin mugs too
Will on shine nor will they do
Now six long months are over and past
I will return to my bonnie lass
I'll leave the turnkeys all behind
The wheel to tread and the corn to grind
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7. |
Hard Times
04:18
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Come all of you tradesmen that travel alone
Prey will you tell me where the work has all gone
Long time I been travelling and I cannot find none
Chorus (after each verse):
And it’s, oh the hard times of old England
In old England very hard times
Provisions you buy at the shops, it is true
But if you've no money, there's none there for you
So what are poor men and their families to do
If you go to the shop and you ask for a job
They answer you back with a shake and nod
Ain't that enough to make someone turn out and rob
You’ll see the poor tradesmen out walking the street
From morning till night for employment to seek
And scarcely they’ve got any shoes to their feet
Our soldiers and sailors have just come from war
They're fighting for Queen and for country once more
Home to be starved, better stayed where they were
And now to conclude and to finish my song
I’m hoping these hard times will not be here long
And soon I'll have occasion to alter my song
Final Chorus:
Singing, Oh the good times of old England
In old England very good times
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8. |
Me N Becky
02:34
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Me and Becky took a walk down the retail park
There was something going on
When the sun went down the shutters went up
Everybody was helping, helping themselves
Strangest shopping I’d ever seen
No-one got a receipt
Becky said we could do the same
No-one there would get the blame
Oh me and Becky took a load
Took what ever we could hold
Then we went back and sat on the wall
So we got a TV, but it was too heavy
So we put it in a skip and we got it next day
I couldn’t sleep I was so wired
My Blackberry was going all night
When finally I got me head down
My conscience spoke to me
Oh you and Becky took a load
You took whatever you could hold
What about the little man
Wrekking his shop you helped burn down
Man I felt so sorry
Some people lost their homes
We thought we’d get away with it
But they caught our faces anyway
Now I’m sitting in my prison cell
Worried about my little girl
Will they give her back to me
Will she know her mummy
Becky says she’s doing fine
But she ain’t the one sat here doing time
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9. |
Bows of London
02:23
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-There were two little sisters a-walking alone
Hey hey the grinding
Two little sisters a-walking alone
By the bonny bonny bows of London
And the eldest pushed her sister in
Hey hey the grinding
Pushed her sister into the stream
By the bonny bonny bows of London
Oh she pushed her in and she watched her drown
Hey hey the grinding
Watched her body floating down
By the bonny bonny bows of London
Oh she floated up and she floated down
Hey hey the grinding
Floats till she come to the miller's dam
By the bonny bonny bows of London
And out and come the miller's son
Hey hey the grinding
Father dear here swims a swan
By the bonny bonny bows of London
Oh they laid her out on the bank to die
Hey hey the grinding
Fool with a fiddle come a-riding by
By the bonny bonny bows of London
And he took some strands of her long yellow hair
Hey hey the grinding
Made some strings from this yellow hair
By the bonny bonny bows of London
And he made fiddle pegs from her long fingerbone
Hey hey the grinding
Made fiddle pegs from her long fingerbone
By the bonny bonny bows of London
And he made a fiddle out of her breastbone
Hey hey the grinding
Sound would pierce the heart of a stone
By the bonny bonny bows of London
But the only tune that the fiddle would play
Was oh the bows of London
The only tune the fiddle would play
Was the bonny bonny bows of London
And he laid this fiddle all down on a stone
Hey hey the grinding
Played so loud it played all alone
By the bonny bonny bows of London
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10. |
Bedlam
03:13
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For to see Mad Tom of Bedlam,
Ten thousand miles I've traveled.
Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes,
For to save her shoes from gravel
I went down to Satan's kitchen
To break my fast one morning
And there I got souls piping hot
All on the spit a-turning.
Still I sing bonny boys, bonny mad boys
Bedlam boys are bonny
For they all go bare & they live by the air
And they want no drink or money
There I took a cauldron
Where boiled ten thousand harlots
Though full of flame I drank the same
To the health of all such varlets.
My staff has murdered giants
My bag a long knife carries
To cut mince pies from children's thighs
For which to feed the fairies.
CH
No gypsy, slut or doxy
Shall win my mad Tom from me
I'll weep all night, with stars I'll fight
The fray shall well become me.
Of thirty bare years have I
Twice twenty been enraged,
And of forty been three times fifteen
In durance soundly caged.
CH
The moon's my constant Mistrisse,
And the lowly owl my morrowe,
The flaming Drake and the Nightcrow make
Me music to my sorrow.
I know more than Apollo,
For oft, when he lies sleeping
I see the stars at bloody wars
In the wounded welkin weeping,
CH
With a host of furious fancies
Whereof I am commander,
With a burning spear and a horse of air,
To the wilderness I wander.
By a knight of ghostes and shadowes
I summon'd am to tourney
Ten leagues beyond the wild world's end.
Methinks it is no journey.
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11. |
Hasp
04:52
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A yellow braid around my neck
That shows them all that I’m to be led
They keep me here until I’m done
A grassy circle churned with mud
Into the field they make me run
With all the chains around my feet
No way to rest in the hot sun
A silver hasp to keep me in
So now my coat’s no longer pale
But has the marks from time hard won
My stable’s roofed only by the air
And never warms me in the cold
The trap is heavy that I pull
Into the noise of four wheeled men
I pass the others on their grass islands
We’re bred for work that’s never done
The silver hasp has worn me down
And as I circle on and round
It wears in turn until then
A hollow sound is all there’s left
I pick a time after I’ve been fed
Into the night I run and run
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12. |
By Of River
02:31
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A scaffold tall, all built of gold
The flags will fly, children be told
And in your name they’ll march for days
Then before the others you’ll kneel
We come from here, from here are we
Are of the earth, and earth is we
Lie you there, ready for your end
And by of river go we
We come to pass a burning pyre
Laid to rest on a bed of flame
Path is long but we are not
And of valley go we.
A blackened spot on broken ground
In the dust, return to there
End of days, for one for all
And by of river go we.
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13. |
Who Knows
04:39
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14. |
By Of River (Reprise)
03:26
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Stick In The Wheel London, UK
Stick In The Wheel’s work is rooted in traditional music and song, informed by the modern electronic music that grew out of
their hybrid East London heritage.
“SITW grab hold of folk music with both hands, dragging it through the 21st century city with no fear they might somehow break it.” THE QUIETUS
“The most important band in the current British folk scene” ELE-KING MAGAZINE, JAPAN
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