Fairport Convention Album

We are a proud land, we stand for freedom
we've got the franchise, on how to lead them
we've got the history, and books to prove it
give us the mountain, and we will move it

we rule the waves, and, the seven seas, we
bring the mighty, to thier knees
we offer hope, and inspiration
a fine example, to lesser nations

we are Britania, jewel in the crown

we brought a system, to the masses
divide a nation, into classes
it's in our breeding, and on our faces,
at least we're all born, knowing our places

we stay within our, social borders
we only take what, our class affords us
it doesn't matter, that it's not even
this is the nature, of the demon

we are Britania, jewel in the crown

[chorous]
we are Britania
we crowned an empire
we came and conqured
we tore thier borders down
we need no conscience
god is on our side
we are Britania
jewel in the crown
[short bridge]

we are your friendly, liberators
we'll free you countries, from your dictators
for a small slice, of your oil wells
we'll send our boys in, with thier bombshells

we are a refuge, for the needy
always caring, never greedy
whatever gesture, could be finer
we've given Hong Kong, back to China

we are Britania, jewel in the crown

[chorous]
jewel in the crown
jewel in the crown
jewel in the crown

Slip Jigs And Reels

He was barely a man in his grandfather's coat
Sewn into the lining a ten shilling note
Goodbye to the family
Farewell to the shore
‘Till I taste good fortune you'll see me no more
Now the boat on the ocean tossed like a cork
Then one fine mornin' they sighted New York
He stood on the gangplank and breathed in the air
A lowland aplenty I've come for my share

And he did like the ladies, their eyes and the fall
of their ankles and dresses down on the dance floor
Rollin' the dice, and spinnin' the wheels
But he took most delight in the slip jigs and reels

There's talk of a pistol, and some say a knife
But all have agreed there was somebody's wife
Dreadful commotion, a terrible fight
He left a man dead and ran into the night
On a train to St Louis, just one jump ahead
He slept one eye open, a sixgun in bed
He dreamt of the mountains and great fields of home
Crossing the plain where the buffalo roam

CHORUS

A bad reputation's a hard thing to bear
Mothers pour scorn, and children they stare
So he found consolation in flash company
Things ain't so bad with a girl on each knee
Oh, they called him The Kid, and by 21
All that he knew was the power of the gun
And by 23, he'd shot 5 men down
that got in his way as he rambled around

CHORUS

Theres bones on the desert and buzzards that fly
In the highest of circles, just wishing he'd die
But in manners of cruelty, it must be said
A landlord will pick your bones before you're dead
It was wild mescaleros I heard someone say
In the deadliest ambush near old Santa Fe
And the young buck was taken, dressed in a coat
And inside the lining a ten shilling note

CHORUS

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As I rode out one summer's day for profit and for pleasure,
I planned to rob the London coach and take it at my leisure.
A brace of pistols duly primed, a saber fit to shave on,
I waited underneath the trees that lined the banks of Avon.

I didn't hear her dainty step as she appeared before me:
A face to charm a singing bird with words that did implore me.
"Can you help me sir?" she said, "I fear the time is near run
For me to cross before the tide swells the banks of Avon."

(chorus)
All you roving fellows listen, while you can,
Of the time that I became a naked highwayman.
All you roving fellows listen, while you can,
Of the time that I became a naked highwayman.

So gallantly I did dismount and walked into the water,
As she told me that she was a wealthy merchant's daughter.
So I thought I'd try my luck and do my best to charm her.
Said I was the only son of a country farmer.

"Your hands they are a smooth as silk, they never touched a plough sir
And I suppose these pistols help you milking of your cows."
She looked at me with mocking eyes as coal-black as a raven
And then she fell into my arms beside the banks of Avon.

(chorus)

Her honeyed lips, I was beguiled, a lamb led to the slaughter,
Eventually I fell asleep in the arms of the merchant's daughter.
When I awoke I was alone, my clothes and pistols taken,
With just the leaves to hide my shame beside the banks of Avon.

In vain I tried to catch a glimpse of the city spires,
Running like a rabbit through the bushes and the briars.
Then I heard the London coach and I was all a-shiver;
A lady's voice was calling out: "Stand-to and deliver!"

(chorus)

"Your money or your life I'll have, it's all the same to me. It's
Hanged for a sheep or murder in the first degree."
She stood there in my overcoat, brandishing my pistols,
And reliever the London coach of the gold of Bristol.

And it's up she's mounted on my horse and rode into the distance
And I went naked to the coach begging for assistance.
No more I'll play the highwaymen, nor more I'll put the mask on,
I'll leave it to the bright-eyed girl who roams the banks of Avon.

(chorus)

As I rode out one summer's day for profit and for pleasure,
I planned to rob the London coach and take it at my leisure.
A brace of pistols duly primed, a saber fit to shave on,
I waited underneath the trees that lined the banks of Avon.

[No lyrics]

[No lyrics]

Lowe

London Danny is a real bad penny
The one man time has told me I should fear
For the girl you left behind, she said she would be mine
So why did you have to come and show your face round here
Chorus
For she always said that time would make it right
But now I always hear her sighing in the night
And don't think I don't know, if you asked her then she'd go
Ah but please now don't you take her from me, London Danny
Well I've learned to listen for your name round town
Whe people talk of your success in city life
But I could never tell if she heard them talk as well
Or rue the day she ever was a poor man's wife
Chorus
For she always said that time would make it right
But now I always hear her sighing in the night
And don't think I don't know, if you asked her then she'd go
Ah but please now don't you take her from me, London Danny
Well me' hands are black while yours are clean and clever
There's ways you know to turn her pretty head
Well its all that I can do when me' working day is through
To let her heart beat me to sleep each night in bed
Chorus
For she always said that time would make it right
But now I always hear her sighing in the night
And don't think I don't know, if you asked her then she'd go
Ah but please now don't you take her from me, London Danny
Well London Danny you're a real bad penny
The one man time has told me I should fear
For the girl you left behind, she said she would be mine
So why did you have to come and show your face round here
Chorus
For she always said that time would make it right
But now I always hear her sighing in the night
And don't think I don't know, if you asked her then she'd go
Ah but please now don't you take her from me, London Danny

[No lyrics]

[No lyrics]

[No lyrics]

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[No lyrics]

Cohen

Ah we're drinking and we're dancing
and the band is really happening
and the Johnny Walker wisdom running high
And my very sweet companion
she's the Angel of Compassion
she's rubbing half the world against her thigh
And every drinker every dancer
lifts a happy face to thank her
the fiddler fiddles something so sublime
all the women tear their blouses off
and the men they dance on the polka-dots
and it's partner found, it's partner lost
and it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops:
it's CLOSING TIME
Yeah the women tear their blouses off
and the men they dance on the polka-dots
and it's partner found, it's partner lost
and it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops:
it's CLOSING TIME

Ah we're lonely, we're romantic
and the cider's laced with acid
and the Holy Spirit's crying, "Where's the beef?"
And the moon is swimming naked
and the summer night is fragrant
with a mighty expectation of relief
So we struggle and we stagger
down the snakes and up the ladder
to the tower where the blessed hours chime
and I swear it happened just like this:
a sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
the Gates of Love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
but CLOSING TIME

I swear it happened just like this:
a sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
the Gates of Love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
CLOSING TIME

I loved you for your beauty
but that doesn't make a fool of me:
you were in it for your beauty too
and I loved you for your body
there's a voice that sounds like God to me
declaring, declaring, declaring that your body's really you
And I loved you when our love was blessed
and I love you now there's nothing left
but sorrow and a sense of overtime
and I missed you since the place got wrecked
And I just don't care what happens next
looks like freedom but it feels like death
it's something in between, I guess
it's CLOSING TIME

Yeah I missed you since the place got wrecked
By the winds of change and the weeds of sex
looks like freedom but it feels like death
it's something in between, I guess
it's CLOSING TIME

Yeah we're drinking and we're dancing
but there's nothing really happening
and the place is dead as Heaven on a Saturday night
And my very close companion
gets me fumbling gets me laughing
she's a hundred but she's wearing
something tight
and I lift my glass to the Awful Truth
which you can't reveal to the Ears of Youth
except to say it isn't worth a dime
And the whole damn place goes crazy twice
and it's once for the devil and once for Christ
but the Boss don't like these dizzy heights
we're busted in the blinding lights,
busted in the blinding lights
of CLOSING TIME

The whole damn place goes crazy twice
and it's once for the devil and once for Christ
but the Boss don't like these dizzy heights
we're busted in the blinding lights,
busted in the blinding lights
of CLOSING TIME

Oh the women tear their blouses off
and the men they dance on the polka-dots
It's CLOSING TIME
And it's partner found, it's partner lost
and it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops
It's CLOSING TIME
I swear it happened just like this:
a sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
It's CLOSING TIME
The Gates of Love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
But CLOSING TIME
I loved you when our love was blessed
I love you now there's nothing left
But CLOSING TIME
I miss you since the place got wrecked
By the winds of change and the weeds of sex.