‘Kissed and Cried’ – Beth Malcolm lyrics
FOLK POLICE
He was coorse, he was hertless
But boy, was he bonny
Oh and he was the star o’ the bar in his day
He was coorse, he was hertless
But boy, was he bonny
Oh and he was the star o’ the bar in his day
Hello, I was wondering
Can I wander with you all the way to the bar?
Hello, I was wondering
Can I wander with you, donder with you, all the way to the bar?
And I was reticent, ’cause I’m prejudiced
Against heaven sent folky men
And all your devilment is just my medicine
And you play me like a sweet strathspay
And I’ve been feeling so out of practice
And I heard you practicing before you played your tunes to the bar
And the folk police didn’t like what you did to the old songs
But I adored it
Hello, fit like a day
I’ve been too shy to shy that I mostly came to hear you play
It would seem that we sing in a similar key, drinking Aberfeldy
Til the Ben starts to spin
And I was reticent, ’cause I’m 90 per cent
Through with heaven sent folky men
But all your devilment makes that 10 per cent
Feel like money worth spending
DARWIN
When I’m gone know that I’ve
Kissed and cried over this
When I’m gone there’ll be talk
Teach them why I kissed and cried over this
And I always hoped for the gold and the light
And I’ll travel hopefully for the gold and the light
When I’m gone know that I’ve
Kissed and cried over this
When I’m gone you’ll feel broken
Teach them why I had to break the spell
Break the spell, break the spell
Break the spell, break the spell
I took a world view
I took my world view
I took your world view
And I tore it in two
And I tore it in two
You know I always hoped the gold and light
And I’ll travel hopefully for the gold and light
LEAVIN’ LOCH LEVEN
When yer leavin’ Loch Leven tell me what will ye do?
Like the redpoll she sings, in Spring, I’ll follow the call of the curlew
When erst I spied her from my window, time and tide ago
She was down where the mosses grow and the winds blow
But where will ye go? And what will ye do?
Lass I’ll follow the call of the curlew
And how will ye hide? And where will ye bide?
Lass I’ll learn to fly
Aye, yer gallus my dear but what if ye, what if ye dee?
Well then I’ll die lochanside amoung delphinium
When yer leavin’ Loch Leven, will ye sail by the daylight?
Like the redpoll she sings, in Spring, I’ll follow the call of the curlew by nightfall
When erst I spied her from my window, kissin’ catkins on the willow
Down where the mosses grow, and the winds blow
And I’ll fly South tae Africa, when the winds blow cold in October
And I’ll grow wise with by birds eye, and Perthshire’s far behind
And I will return when my heart starts to yearn for the North
And I’ll scatter new seeds of freedom by the banks of Loch Leven
When yer leavin’ Loch Leven, Mary, will ye think of me?
Aye, I’ll haud ye tae my breast as I crawl in the nest with the curlew
And when first you spy me from the window when time and tide has run
I’ll be down where the mosses grow and the winds blow
But where will ye go? And what will ye do?
Lass, you’ll follow the call of the curlew
And how will ye hide? And where will ye bide?
Lass you’ll learn to fly
Aye, yer gallus my dear but what if ye, what if ye dee?
Well then you’ll die lochanside amoung delphinium
NORTHWARDS
Cam ye northwards, hamewards to me
I’m afraid if you stay away any longer you’ll forget how it feels
Tae be skint and free in Auld Reekie in January
Watching the sun rise up on Newington in January
Cam ye northwards, homewards tae me
If yer comin there’s a train running an I’ll meet ye where the mile meets Newington
Tae be skint and free in Auld Reekie in January
Watching the sun rise up on Newington in january
Now we won’t have a lotta money but we’ll spend oor Saturdays drinking at the Oak
And yer maw’ll be no best pleased that ye’ve given up accountancy for the folk
Aye but once you decide you’re just a P45 from the next Davy Steele
Cam ye Northwards, to edinburgh, and see how you feel
Cam ye northwards, homewards, ‘cause that’s where I’ll be
Haring down College street chasing the revelry of drunken folkies
To be broke and alive in an otherwise broken society
Where power and greed has succeeded all sense of community
Though there’s little scope for promotion but you’ll be brilliant at the tunes
Your retirement plans’ just a flash in the pan but you’ll be bloody brilliant at the tunes
And some day when you dee there’ll be tears in their een
Sayin’ “he was bloody brilliant tunes”
Now we won’t have a lotta money but we’ll spend oor Saturdays drinking at the Oak
And yer maw’ll be no best pleased that ye’ve given up accountancy for the folk
Aye but once you decide you’re just a P45 from revivin’ that ol’ dream
Cam ye Northwards, to edinburgh, and give life a try
GROWING
In this here house, these four walls
Where I’ve come from all I’ve known I have outgrown
In this here house, with four tall steps
As I step inside I say goodbye to the young girl
Oh, I’m growing
Oh, I’m growing
In this here house perhaps I’ll lie with a love
In this here house perhaps I’ll find that I’m carrying life
With a heart wide open I’ll sow seeds for the healing
I’ll shelter my mother and I’ll grow with my brother
And I’ll sing with my old man
Oh, I’m growing
In this here house, golds and evergreens
When morning comes I face the dawn and I ask her all my questions
In this here house, when leaf has turned to tree
Will I awake up alone when I’m fully grown?
Well time and tide will tell
Oh, I’m growing
Oh, I’m growing
Let there be laughter, let there be wine
Let there be heartbreak in time
Let there be laughter, let there be wine
Let there be heartbreak in time
Let there be laughter, let there be wine
Let there be heartbreak in time
CHOOSE MY COMPANY
October knocked you over
In November I can’t remember you being so
You being sober
October knocked you over
In November I, in November I lost you
I lost you to the wolves
And I don’t know if you want me or if you want to run with the wolves
I don’t know if you can love me and simultaneously run with the wolves
If you choose my company, I will bathe you in honey my dear
If you choose my company, I will bathe you in honey my dear
December I remember
Icicles forming on the wall between you and me
January, I miraculously felt the wall melting to water
And your arms were the bridge
February, we stuck two fingers up to the full moon
For the first time, in a long time, I held the old you
In March you marched right out of the woods
You brought no wolves, you brought no wolves with you
Now I know that you want me and you don’t want to run with the wolves
Now I know that you can love me and simultaneously run with the wolves
And you chose my company and you bathed me in honey my dear
And you chose my company and you bathed me in honey my dear
End of the Beginning
On my last morning of twenty-three
Who is the woman that I see?
Is she kinder, stronger, beautifuller?
Well, she’s longer in the tooth
And I know what’s missing
And darling it’s you