LEVELLERS MUSIC
See Nothing, Hear Nothing, Do Something 1992
Fifteen Years
I never was a violent man
Said the man in the bar with his head in his hands
He's trying his best to understand the cause of his dismay
But the years of gin have broken him
They've left him cold where he's fitted in
But it's too late now to turn around and find another way
And the laughs in the late night lock-in
Have faded away when he gets in
The girl from fifteen years ago
Has packed and gone away
That's never how it used to be
What happened to all that energy
You took one too many liberties, I'm tired of being afraid
So after the fight she took flight
Hiding swollen eyes and a wounded pride
The best years of her life denied, and sold for liquid shares
Chorus
And the victims of their world, are advertised on posters
Just a beach and a pretty girl, if you just take this potion
Theres another week 'til his cheque comes through
He's got a fiver left now to spend on food
But the doors of the bars are open, and he breaks another rule
Well he sits on a stool that bears his name
Hes got a favorite glass well its called the same
He's never been kept waiting, 'cos he pays a landlord's wage
Chorus
Far From Home
It's warm by the river, the weir keeps us clean
The woodsmoke and cigarettes are all that we need
Marking the dirt with twigs and simple words spoke
Kicking the dust so we can just
Dance the dance that plays with fire
Play guitar and play inspired
You said that you would leave not ever
Underneath the sky forever
It's cool by the sea when the pavement is hot
We take a walk sown there to see what we've got
An old man collecting fifty beautiful words
Cleaning the beach so he can teach us to
Chorus
It's cold by the pane glass on the high street we played
But there's always a penny in the music we made
So far from home with no means of return
Burning bridges, so we always
Chorus
Liberty Song
There's one too many, two too many holes
Getting bigger in the garden wall
And the people looking in are getting busy, getting bad
Trying to suss it all
They're trying to get to me, to take my liberty
Got to go, go on, get out of here, cos
This means nothing to me
The way things were is the way I wanna be
They're sending the elite, complete with guns
To advertise the way to go
Facing through the fa to make it clear
That they're the ones who know
They're trying to get to me, to take my liberty
Dance Before The Storm
These are dangerous times we live in
I heard a man once say
If you're prone to flights of fancy
Your dreams can fly away
See the sights around you
Of breakdown and decay
Wrought by the greed for a better life
For which you have to pay
CHORUS
Will you dance before the storm
and don't look back to where you've been
The horizon's getting further
As the sands of time run thin
Will you dance before the storm
As the machinery breaks down
You watch the sky go black with anger, but no-one makes a sound
From Glasgow town to London
Down the motorways
There's people standing in the rain
Looking for any way
To take them down to where they're bound
It's part of another way
The art of survival
In a modern age
CHORUS
From Albion Hill to the old chain pier
You can hear a person say
'spare some change for all me pains
The world has gone astray
Down the road another flat got burnt
Where a friend of mine once stayed
So another squat in brighton
Needs to hide another head
And if your head spins around - go underground
Away from the games they play
There's people down there are trying to care
And let each one have their say
It's not revolution tactics
It's not cause for anarchy
Just a natural fight for a natural life
Of which systems are afraid
And if it all surrounds you
Seems like there's no escape
And there's people stood in front of you
Saying do it in their way
Turn your eyes towards the tides
See how they never change
The sands of time will break their mimd
Just like riding on a wave
CHORUS
Hard Fight
Pushed from the start
Do it right and maybe you'll take a part
Call a spade a spade
Put on your blinkers maybe then you'll be made
To walk the streets
Head full of false facts you can't get back
But you wake up one day
You wake up one day
Can't see the world the same way
All the lights have changed
Your routine's down the drain
Things will never be the same
Some call it art
But it's hard to start
When you don't know the game
But if feels so good
To be understood
By yourself again
Now you've got to fight
You ain't got no wage so you ain't got no rights
Call a spade a spade
Put on your blinkers maybe then you'll be made
The Last Days Of Winter
I spy with my little eye
The sun shining brightly
The clouds rolling by
The last days of winter
Now seem so far away
And everything looks green
When it used to be grey
And I've watched the change
Like the changing in my mind
And I chased the leaves
Like the words I never find
Like the people I knew
Who I sometimes see today
Some still bright like fire
And some faded away
I turn on the radio
And someone's playing a song
I turn on the news
Hear what's going on
I turn on my back
When I'm full of beer
And I turn off the news
When I don't want to hear
And I've seen a girl who looks so very sad
Nothing left but a memory of all the times she's had
And I've seen a man who looks so sad inside
Nothing left but the memories from which he cannot hide
So I learned to fight
With a Weapon Called The Word
And I learned to rise my voice
So that I'd be heard
And I learned to fight
With a weapon called the word
And I learned to raise my voice
But I've never been heard
World Freak Show
In the past fools would pay
to see the freaks of the day
contradictions of the norm
the bizarre, the wonderful and deformed
no need for the tents
and the cages now
the world comes to my eyes
in front of my TV circus
a freak show in disguise
circles and roundabouts
how much did you know
going round and coming back
the world freak show
swings and revolutions
how much did you know
going round an coming back
world freak show
Another tree is coming down
another harponed whale is drowned
another child's belly needs feeding
on land of the fast food chain is bleeding
and we bought our new green wool
and pulled it over our eyes
as the circus goes on
all around
a freak show in disguise
Outside / Inside
He was on the outside
but it was not his own choice
the city schemes had swallowed his dreams
and they silenced his voice
Get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away.
She was on the inside
looking for a way to be free
she was doing nine to life
working for the company
Get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away.
This is the place the rat the race
this is the place we have no face
Get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away.
(Run, run, run)
There is an end to adversity
an end to the company
a time and a place for you and me
Where I can laugh and you'll be free
and there'll be no more outside or inside
to keep us apart
no more outside or inside
to keep us apart
This is the place the rat the race
this is the place we have no face
This is the place the rat the race
this is the place we have no face
I state my case
Get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away.
Get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away.
Get away
Three Friends
Burning searing sun
soft through the skin
bring your grace down here
tearing past the grey shadows of today
stroke away the fear
cold and steaming moon
call down a tune
lend us your ear
glide by the curves
which your secret serves
but bring not your speer
and life holds no time
by the blink of your eyes as both
you watch your sister planet die
The Boatman
If I could choose the life I please
Then I would be a boatman
On the canals and the rivers free
No hasty words are spoken
My only law is the river breeze
That takes me to the open seas
If I could choose the life I please
Then I would be a boatman
If I could choose the life I please
Then I would be a rover
And if the road was not for me
Then I would choose another
Cross mountains and the valleys deep
Where I would take these weary feet
If I could choose the life I please
Then I would be a rover
But these things they're so hard for me
I cannot choose my own destiny
And all the things that I want to see
Are so unclean
Well I wish I could choose the life I please
But I am not a free man
Others rule my destiny
But my will's never broken
I know someday I will be
Everything that I dreamed I'd be
And when I live the life I please
Then I will be a freeman
I know someday I will be
Everything that I dreamed I'd be
And when I live the life I please
Then I will be a freeman
And when I live the life I please
Then I will be a freeman
The Riverflow
I met you in 82, over a crate of beer and not a few
I cracked a can and so did you, we're going to change the world
The ghetto kings of downside town-the estates and parks of our hallowed ground
Doing anything that we found, and on the river flowed
You'd take a drink from rev. jimmy jones
You'd cross the street on the path the gunman roams
Thrown aside and left to waste, that was you - you knew your place
Wander round, get off your face, and on the river flowed
On and on the river flow - we are the undertow
On and on the river flow - we are the undertow
I don't know how you made it through all the smoke and brew you do
It sure has left its mark on you but you're still with us today
Life goes on and round we go and words can kill these things I know
Sometimes you cut deeply so, but on the river flows
You'd set the table for barber sweeney todd
You'd clip the wings of any rising god
But man can't live on hope alone, it can be cut all that is grown
Broke your spirit but not your bones and on the river flows
Chorus
You're working now - forced to the race
I know it left a bitter taste
But the rising tide had covered your face
Nothing you could do
But I still remember the day you said
That the river flowing through my head
Would take me far or leave me dead
And all you said was true
The Devil Went Down To Georgia
The devil went down to Georgia
He was looking for a soul to steal
And he was in a bind
'Coe he was way behind
And was willin' to make a deal
When he came upon a boy playing on a fiddle
Aand playin' it hot
And the devil jumped up on a hickory stump and said,
"Boy let me tell you what:
I bet you didn't know it but I'm a fiddle player too,
And if you care to take a dare
I'll make a bet with you
Now you play a pretty good fiddle boy
But give the devil his due
I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul
'Cos I think I'm better than you."
The boy said, "My name's Johnny
And it might be a sin
But I'll take your bet, your gonna regret
'Cos I'm the best that's ever been."
Johnny rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard
'Cos hell's broke loose in Georgia
And the devil deals the cards
And if you win you get this shiny fiddle made of gold
But if you lose the devil gets your soul.
The devil opened up his case and he said,
"Well I guess I'll start this show."
And fire flew from his fingertips
As he rosined up his bow
And he pulled the bow across the strings
And it made an evil hiss
Then a band of demons joined in
And it sounded just like this:
When the devil finished Johnny said,
"Well you're pretty good ol' son!
But sit down in that chair right there
And let me show you how it's done!"
Fire on the mountain, run boys run
Devil's in the house of the rising sun
Chickens in the breadpan, picking out dough
Granny does your dog bite?
No, child, no
The devil bowed his head
Because he knew that he'd been beat,
And he laid that golden fiddle
On the ground at Johnny's feet
Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back
If you ever wanna try again.
I done told you once,
You son-of-a-bitch,
I'm the best that's ever been!"
He played:
Fire on the mountain, run boys run
Devil's in the house of the rising sun
Chickens in the breadpan, picking out dough
Granny does your dog bite?
No, child, no
Plastic Jeezus
I don't care if it rains or freezes
As long as i've got my plastic jeezus
Riding on the dashboard of my car
I'm afraid he'll have to go
He clashes with my radio
Plastic jeezus you won't get me far
Plastic jeezus plastic jeezus
Riding on the dashboard of my car
I'm afraid he'll have to go
He clashes with my radio
Plastic jeezus you won't get me far
I don't want kisses and i don't want hugs
Just want lots of sex and drugs
Knowing you wont get me far
Don't like walking don't like strolling
Just like good old rock and rolling
Plastic jeezus you don't get me far
Plastic jeezus plastic jeezus
Riding on the dashboard of my car
I'm afraid he'll have to go
He clashes with my radio
Plastic jeezus you don't get me far