Richard Thompson Album

Gentle ladies, gentleman
Waiting ‘till the dance begins
Carefully we come to speak
A word for all to hear
If you listen, if you should
We won’t be misunderstood
But don’t expect the words to ring
Too sweetly on the ear

Live in fear, live in fear
Live in fear

In the gutter, in the street
Off his head or off his feet
Listen to the scratchy voices
Eating at your nerves
Pencils ready, paper dry
Shoot the girls and make ‘em cry
Run for cover, things are bad
But now they’re getting worse

Live in fear, live in fear
Live in fear, live in fear

Is it painful, is it right?
Does it keep you warm at night?
Fool your friends and fool yourself
The choice is crystal clear
If you break it on your knee
Better men might disagree
Do you laugh or do you stick
Your finger in your ear?

Live in fear, live in fear
Live in fear, live in fear

Everybody came to nobody's wedding
Everybody knew it was bound to be a hoot
What can you do when nothing else is cooking?
You make your own amusement, bring a pile of loot
(Chorus)
There was Alice, the butcher, ?tidy and gone?
We couldn't see where they were heading
With sixteen days and sixteen nights
And it weren't even nobody's wedding
"What a great reception," all the people cried
"Who stole the groom and who stole the bride?
How did the countess slide underneath the door?
Why is the wild boy chopping up the floor?"
(Chorus)
I didn't hear the sound of the tin cans rattle
I didn't hear a tear drop, I didn't hear a prattle
I didn't hear the words of the Bible being read
When it's nobody's wedding, nobody's wed
(Chorus)

1. Was there ever a winter so cold and so sad
The river too weary to flood
The storm and the wind cut through to my skin
But she cut through to my blood

2. I wasn't looking for trouble to tangle my line
But trouble came looking for me
I knew I was treading on treacherous ground
I was sinking too fast to run free

Refrain:
With her scheming, idle ways
She left me for naught
The storm and the wind cut through to my skin
But she cut through to my blood

3.

(Chorus)
Here she comes and there she goes
Nothing on her fingers, nothing on her toes
Why she comes, nobody knows
Here comes Shaky Nancy
Don't be believing she melts in your hand
Runs with the tide and she shifts with the sand
Sends you a message and turns to stone
She's a hard girl, Nancy
One cold morning, ice on the sea
Shaky Nancy, won't you lean on me?
Must mean something, how can you lose?
There's nothing choosy or chancy
(Chorus)
Nancy went walking, she's gone for the day
When she comes back, she's been two years away
But still tears in her eyes
Who'll say a prayer for Nancy?
(Chorus)
Just throw me a bottle, call me a bore
And you throw what's left of me into the hall
I'll take a sleep, I'll take a sleep
And I'll dream sweet dreams of Nancy
(Chorus)

Well, the angels came to see me today
Said "We've taken your racehorse away"
And I believe it was that bookmaker from . . .
I believe that he put one in a pail
Oh, the finest in the field only measure to our shoulders
They only ever see our heels
And I believe every sporting man will cry
I believe they'll see everything come passing by
She won the Lanark Silver Bell
And she stole every heart away
She stood her stand at sixteen hands
And I'll ride her easy
But they've taken, taken my racehorse away
There's a racecourse in the sky
And that's where all the racing horses must go by and by
And I believe every steward, lord and groom
I believe that they're calling her home
She would look me in the eye
And that was all she had to say
She stood her stand at sixteen hands
And I'll ride her easy
But they've taken, taken my racehorse away
They've taken my racehorse away
They've taken my racehorse away
They've taken my racehorse away
They've taken my racehorse away
Taken my racehorse away

She womanly lay like the lay of the land
The land around Wheely Down
And every curve was a high, high hill
To hang above the town
>From Holland they came to make their maps
And they had made her well
For the rivers danced all across the green
And the pine woods sweet did smell
As far as ever a man can see
It yields him more and more
And every house he washes it white
And he covers it all with straw
Except for the fool who makes him home
Upon a flooded ground
And still on the tide his glass to the eyes
That stare out of Wheely Down
All things must change within the earth
They move in and they lay
Ah, the ones will rot the miller's wheel
And the rats will eat the grain
And the armies of deliverance
Are run into the ground
And the kestrel turns in the empty skies
And high over Wheely Down

The time has come for action
Leave your satisfaction
Can't you hear St. George's tune
St. George's tune is calling on you
Freedom was your mother
Fight for one another
Leave the factory, leave the forge
Dance to the new St. George

Don't believe pretenders
Who say they would defend us
While they flash their teeth and wave
The other hand is being paid
They choke the air and bleed us
These noble men who lead us
Leave the factory, leave the forge
Dance to the new St. George

The fish and foul are ailing
The farmer's life is failing
Where are all the backroom boys
The backroom boys can't save us now
We're poisoned by the greedy
Who plunder on the needy
Leave the factory, leave the forge
Dance to the new St. George

It's a grey, grey morning, the rain it do fall
I'm feeling hungry and low
My bed's so empty, I wish I could call
On the painted ladies I know
When you've got no credit, don't hold no sway
With the painted ladies I know
It's a "Thank you for calling, we'll see you someday"
The painted ladies I know
Leave at home what you value enough
And laugh your senses away
When you want to love everyone, how can you love
The painted ladies all say
"Us film stars and beauties will please you tonight
If you go to bed with a book"
But they can't hold a candle to something that trembles
If you need to do more than look
They come from rich fathers and twinkle their eyes
And you're begging them please not to go
And you're starved for some loving, they can make you feel special
The painted ladies I know
If you're seeking fortune, if you're seeking fame
And you're looking yourself in the eye
And God help the children, playing their game
The end of the game is goodbye
They pass through your vision like thoughts in a dream
Your good times are slipping away
It's time to move on or go down with the ship
The painted ladies all say

I know you're the wayward kind
The way you always drag behind
Show me a horse and I'll feed it hay
Show me the cart and I'll throw it away
Prettiest face I've ever seen
It looked like something in a magazine
To a blind man it's plain to see
That I need you and you need me
I've got cold feet, it's a-crazy chasin'
Things get serious, time is a-wastin'
I cross my fingers but they don't seem to meet
There's no need to tell me that I've got cold feet, ah ha ha
Took me home to tell your dad
That you were the best girl I've ever had
I stayed for dinner, I couldn't refuse
I spilt the tea and I ?ate? the news
Ah, you must think you're really neat
Got me tied down to my seat
I can't move, it's hard to think
Cramp in my eyes and I can't blink
Well, I've got cold feet, it's a-crazy chasin'
Things get serious, time is a-wastin'
I cross my fingers but they don't seem to meet
There's no need to tell me that I've got cold feet, ah ha ha
Ah ha ha ha

Mary and Joseph were watching their ?bother?
Lovers with a different past, like the one that loves ?a rose?
Mary is in stitches, she's tied down on the bed
While Joseph plays a ukelele standing on his head
Sad is the hour that saw them divided
People with a common blood, parted in the name of God
The father and the mother of the royal king on earth
He'll only come when hearts are joined and peace rings in his berth

I'm Darby the tinker and my brother is Tam
We go where the work is, my boys, and we work where we can
With the mending and fixing, it's together we stay
Intending our fortunes to try on the old changing way
We come to your cities and we call on your wives
We'll fix up your kettles, please dear missus, we'll sharpen your knives
And we always agreed that together we'd stay
Intending our fortunes to try on the old changing way
At times they grew scanty and the money grew thin
We worked for a song but the money it didn't come in
Now brothers are kindred but hard times betray
And so we stumbled apart on the old changing way
We never agreed to divide our tin
And when you're out of love with your brother, your hard times begin
For the spikes and the brothels, they're shameful to see
But don't you travel alone, boys, this warning you take from me
You must share with your nearest till the end of your days
Or else it's forever you're on the old changing way

It's been raining for a long time and I can't seem to stand
She left about an hour ago and so did the band
I'm sitting at the bar, my face in the jar
And something tells me I'm twisted
Ah ha, sitting at the bar with my face in the jar
And something tells me I'm twisted
People are looking hazy and people are looking dim
I'd go for help if I could find the way I came in
I feel in clover, it's time to keel over
Something tells me I'm twisted
Ah ha, sitting at the bar with my face in the jar
And something tells me I'm twisted
Here's the one to lay out the charlies in the trough
This one's got your name on it written in the froth
Joining the dregs, I'm running out of legs
And something tells me I'm twisted
Ah ha, I'm sitting at the bar with my face in the jar
Something tells me I'm twisted
Ah ha, sitting at the bar with my face in the jar
Something tells me I'm twisted