a palace where we used to live
from 'the ragpickers's dream'

This empty kitchen's where
I'd while away the hours
Just next to my old chair
You'd usually have some flowers
The shelves of books
Even the picture hooks
Everything is gone
But my heart is hanging on

If this old neighbourhood
Survived us both alright
Don't know that it withstood
All the things that took our light
You on the stair
I can see you there
Everything is gone
But my heart is hanging on

Once there was a little girl
Used to wonder what she would be
Went out into the big wide world
Now she's just a memory
There used to be a little school here
Where I learned to write my name
But time has been a little cruel here
Time has no shame

It's just a place where
We used to live
It's just a place where
We used to live

Now in another town
You lead another life
And now upstairs and down
You're someone else's wife
Here in the dust
There's not a trace of us
Everything is gone
But my heart is hanging on

It's just a place where
We used to live
It's just a place where
We used to live

pale imitation
from 'down the road wherever'

Once I went back and I stayed on the street
Where I used to live
Got up in the morning
Put on my boots and I crossed the road
Stood in front of our house
And went back to my tricycle times

At the end of the terrace I looked up the alley
And there he was
A little blonde boy
With a stick in his hands looking straight at me
And if he wasn’t me
Then my god, he was just like I used to be

We stared at each other
But he stared me down and I looked away
After a moment
When I turned again he was gone

I don’t think I ever became half the man
That I used to be
The warrior captain
The bold pirate king of the sea
Nobody does me like I do
Or that’s what they say to me
But I’m a pale imitation
I’ve been keeping my secret safe with me

piper to the end
from 'get lucky'

When I leave this world behind me
to another I will go
And if there are no pipes in heaven
I’ll be going down below
If friends in time be severed
someday we will meet again
I’ll return to leave you never
be a piper to the end

This has been a day to die for
Now the day is almost done
Up above, a quiet seabird
turns to face the setting sun
Now the evening dove is calling
and all the hills are burning red
And before the night comes falling
clouds are lined with golden thread

We watched the fires together
shared our quarters for a while
walked the dusty roads together
came so many miles

This has been a day to die on
Now the day is almost done
Here the pipes will lay beside me
silent with the battle drum
If friends in time be severed
someday we will meet again
I’ll return to leave you never
be a piper to the end

Holy smokes
You're looking like a million bucks
Holy smokes
You're looking like a million bucks
Chasing after you baby
Looking for playtime deluxe

Holy smokes
Got me stuck on you
Holy smokes
You got me stuck on you
Thousand miles away from me
How could I not be blue

Holy smokes
With the trucks and the buses and the trucks
Yes I've been out on the road babe
Till then the buses and the trucks
When I get home
Got to be the playtime deluxe

'cos you 're a full time angel
I'm just a part time saint
You're a time angel baby
I'm a part time saint
You might think I'm fooling
Baby I swear I ain't

Holy smokes
You're like a million bucks
Holy smokes
Like a million bucks
Thinking about you baby
Thinking about the playtime deluxe

One thing was leading to the next
I bit off more than I could chew
I had the power to sign the cheques
It wasn't difficult to do
I couldn't stay and face the music
So many reasons why
I won't be sending postcards
From Paraguay

I robbed a bank full of dinero
A great big mountain of dough
So it was goodbye companero
And cheerio
I couldn't stay and face the music
So many reasons why
I won't be sending postcards
From Paraguay

I never meant to be a cheater
But there was blood on the wall
I had to steal from Peter
To pay what I owed to Paul
I couldn't stay and face the music
So many reasons why
I won't be sending postcards
From Paraguay

We only knew each other by letter
I went to meet her off the train
When the smoke had cleared and the dust was still

She was standing there and speaking my name
I guarantee she looked like an angel
I couldn't think of what I should say
But when Adam saw Eve in the garden
I believe he felt the selfsame way

I handed her up on the wagon
And I loaded up her trunk behind
She was sitting up there with the gold in her hair
And I tried to get a hold of my mind

Do you think that you could love me Mary
Do you think we got a chance of a life
Do you think that you could love me Mary
Now you are to be my wife

We finally headed out of the station
And we drove up the home trail
And when we came on the farm she laid a hand on my arm
I thought my resolution would fail
And I froze as she stepped in the doorway
Stood there as still as could be
I said I know it ain't much, it needs a woman's touch
Lord she turned around and looked at me

Do you think that you could love me Mary
Do you think we got a chance of a life
Do you think that you could love me Mary
Now you are to be my wife

We had a prairie wedding
There was a preacher and a neighbor or two
I gave my golden thing a gold wedding ring
And the both of us said I do
When the sun's going down on the prairie
And the gold in her hair is aflame
I say do you really love me Mary
And I hold her and I whisper her name

Do you think that you could love me Mary
Do you think we got a chance of a life
Do you think that you could love me Mary
Now you are to be my wife

Remember your skinny young folkster
With his guitar and his greasy cap
Do will still want your ageing hipster
With his records and his trilby hat?

Angel heart, it's time to let go
It's so much harder to live in this town
Fact of it is I'm forty-two years old
And the venues are closing down
Folk rock's just beat up old names
I've been holding out as long as I can
It's a new tech crowd, it's a property game
And I'd need to be a richer man

Ah, but you have a precious voice from heaven
A once in a blue moon ecstasy
You could sing the phone book
If there was still a phone book
You could sing the phone book
It would sound beautiful to me

Nowadays when I get up and sing
They'll be talking like I'm not even there
Now it appears I'm maybe not their thing
That's okay though it's not that I don't care
With all the rest of the semi-fixed abodes
With their colours and their songs and their soul
I'd be long gone down the road
If not for you, girl and rent control

Ah, but you have a precious voice from heaven
A once in a blue moon ecstasy
You could sing the phone book
If there was still a phone book
You could sing the phone book
It would sound beautiful to me

The cool kids who make your town
Gotta help them stick around
You wanna keep your city hip
Or all the kids will desert the ship

Yon's my privateer
See how trim she lies
To every man a lucky hand
And every man a prize
I live to ride the ocean
The mighty world around
To take a little plunder
And to hear the cannon sound
To lay with pretty women
To drink Madiera wine
To hear the rollers thunder
On a shore that isn't mine

Privateering we will go
Privateering, yo ho hoho
Privateering we will go
Yo ho ho, yo ho ho

The people on your man o' war
Are treated worse than scum
I'm no flogging captain
And by God I've sailed with some
Come with me to Barbary
We'll ply there up and down
Not quite exactly
In the service of the Crown
To lay with pretty women
To drink Madiera wine
To hear the rollers thunder
On a shore that isn't mine

Privateering we will go
Privateering, yo ho hoho
Privateering we will go
Yo ho ho, yo ho ho

Look'ee there's my privateer
She's small but she can sting
Licensed to take prizes
With a letter from the King
I love the streets and taverns
Of a pretty foreign town
Tip my hat to the dark-eyed ladies
As we sally up and down
To lay with pretty women
To drink Madiera wine
To hear the rollers thunder
On a shore that isn't mine

Privateering we will go
Privateering, yo ho hoho
Privateering we will go
Yo ho ho, yo ho ho

Britannia needs her privateers
Each time she goes to war
Death to all her enemies
Though prizes matter more
Come with me to Barbary
We'll ply there up and down
Not quite exactly
In the service of the Crown
To lay with pretty women
To drink Madiera wine
To hear the rollers thunder
On a shore that isn't mine

Privateering we will go
Privateering, yo ho hoho
Privateering we will go
Yo ho ho, yo ho ho

I'm here to talk about the state of desire
Only thing I think about is fuel for fire
You're only ruining me by calling me names
All you're doing is fighting the flames
'Cos I'm a Pyroman I'll burn downtown I'm a Pyroman
Hose me down!

Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever gonna learn
The only thing im thinking about is something to burn
Any other witness means nothing to me
Dont give it up till I'm free and released
I'm a Pyroman I'll burn downtown I'm a Pyroman
Hose me down!

I'm a dog, I'm a dog, in these days
Walking down the street if anybody plays
It all burns for all that is worth it all burns
Well it's the greatest show on earth
And I'm a Pyroman I'll burn downtown I'm a Pyroman
Hose me down!

Its my life (blood?) mister
Speak and drink to me
I'll come and take it mister
From across the sea
'Cos there is one thing mister
One thing I have learned
The rules go out the window when crude is concerned
'Cos its my secret/sacred? plan yeah
I'll burn downtown I'm a Pyroman
Hose me down! hose me down!

I've been under the motor, she's losing oil
Been running on lies and alcohol
I'm gone, boys, I'm gone
Soon as we're done pulling down the ride
Soon as we're done pulling down the ride

I ain't standing you no more rounds
No more stuffing your pockets with pounds
I'm gone, boys, I'm gone
Soon as we're done pulling down the ride
Soon as we're done pulling down the ride

Well fixed the fuses, now the brakes won't budge
It's late, I'm tired, I'm as sober as a judge
And I'm gone, boys, I'm gone
Soon as we're done pulling down the ride
Soon as we're done pulling down the ride

I'm tired of looking in the mirror
Seeing those cars behind
Yeah and all these towns
Are nothing but a hard old grind

Well, if you thought I'd never leave
I won't worry and I won't grieve
I'm gone, boys, I'm gone
Soon as we're done pulling down the ride
Soon as we're done pulling down the ride

They're driving long nails into coffins
You've been having sleepless nights
You've gone as quiet as a church mouse
and checking on your rights
The boss has hung you out to dry
And it looks as though
they'll punish the monkey
and let the organ grinder go

You've been talking to a lawyer
Are you going to to pretend
that you and your employer
are still the best of friends?
Somebody#s going to take the fall
There's your quid pro quo
They'll punish the monkey
and let the organ grinder go

Here comes a policeman
He won't be sidetracked
He's asking about a smoking gun
He's after the facts

It's a quiet life from here on in
You've dropped your poison cup
The telephone is ringing
But you're not picking up
Time's up, Sir Lord Flunkey
And everybody knows
they'll punish the monkey
and let the organ grinder go