LYRICS

‘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