All songs:

Alfredo De Pietra: guitars, guitar synth
James Higgins: vocals

Alf with James Higgins

Music: Alfredo De Pietra
Lyrics & Vocals: James Higgins

To Go That Extra Mile

i've been getting myself sidetracked
by the little things in life
making mountains out of molehills
tossing turning through the night

i got an itch that just needs scratching
all my bugs i have to bare
i keep getting tunnel vision
and think no one really cares

but i'm thankful i have friends
who help me keep my feet on the ground
and who offer me advice
that is both wise and profound

but when i'm left to my own thoughts
i keep waking sleeping dogs
rubbing salt into my old wounds
always making matters worse


i am sorry i was short with you
i've got too much on my mind
trying to get from a to z
when i don't have the time

i need to have a break from work
and spend more time with you
take the dog out for a walk
and run the kids to school

well you know i could start a fight
in an empty room
and baby baby baby baby
so could you

but you can make me laugh
and you can make me smile
you give me the strength
to go that extra mile

To Go That Extra Mile

Arrangement, guitars etc: Alfredo De Pietra
Vocals: James Higgins

Guitar tuning: DGDGGD

Dominion of the Sword (trad. new words Martin Carthy)

Lay by your pleading, law lies a-bleeding
Burn all your studies down, and throw away your reading
Small power the word has, and can afford us
Not half so much privilege as the sword does

It'll the foster the master, plaster disaster
This'll make a servant quickly greater than the master
Ventures, enters, seeks and it centres
Ever the upper hand, never a dissenter

Kruger, Krugerrand-a, whither do you wander?
Gone to the suborning of Hastings Banda
Kruger, Krugerrand-a, tear you all asunder
Beira to Luanda, Gabarone to Nyanga

Talks of small things, it sets up all things
This'll master money, though money masters all things
It is not season to talk of reason
Never call it loyal when the sword says treason

Balm for the worrier, the whaler, the furrier
This'll get the measure of a Rainbow Warrior
Incognito, come and sink a Rainbow
President will never know, I should bloody coco

Subtle deceiver, turns calm to fever
See the pilgrim flay the unbeliever
It'll make a lay man, preach and to pray man
It'll make a Lord of him that was but a drayman

Conquers the crown too, grave and the gown too
Set you up a province, but it'll pull it down too
No gospel can guide it, no law decide it
In church or state, till the sword sanctified it

Take books, rent 'em, who can invent 'em?
When that the sword says there'll be no argumentum
Blood that is spilt, sir, has gained all the guilt, sir
Thus have you seen me run my sword up to the hilt, sir

***

Il dominio della spada (traduzione in italiano by Kay McCarthy)

Accantonate le vostre suppliche, la legge giace insanguinata
Bruciate gli studi e gettate via le letture,
Poco potere ha la parola, e non può offrire
Neanche la metà di quanto può la spada 

La spada sostiene il padrone, argina il disastro
Rende improvvisamente il servo più grande del signore
Si avventura, entra, cerca e centra
Sempre la mano forte, mai un dissenziente

La spada parla di cose minute, decide tutto
Padroneggia sul denaro, anche se il denaro padroneggia su tutto
Non è la stagione della ragione
Non chiamarla mai “leale” quando la spada dice “tradimento”.

Calma del guerriero, del baleniere, del mercante di pellame
La spada è il destino della Rainbow Warrior
In incognito, venite ad affondare la Rainbow,
Non lo verrà mai a sapere il presidente, ve lo giuro perbacco!

Ingannatrice sottile, trasforma la calma in febbre
Guardate mentre il pellegrino flagella il miscredente
Farà sì che il laico predichi, che preghi
Farà dell’umile bracciante un signore 

Vince la corona, batte la tomba e la toga
Istituisce la provincia, ma la abbatte anche
Nessun vangelo la può indirizzare, nessuna legge può governarla
Presso la chiesa, presso lo stato, fino a quando la spada non l’avrà santificata

Prendete i libri, strappateli; chi li sa inventare?
Quando la spada dice di no non ci sono argomenti
Il sangue versato, signore mio, ha guadagnato tutta la colpa, signore
Così avrete visto la mia spada infilzarsi fino all’impugnatura.

Dominion Of The Sword (Martin Carthy cover)

Arranged and played by Alfredo De Pietra (bass & drums Band-in-a-Box)
James Higgins: vocals

Whiskey In The Jar

James Higgins: vocals

Ride On - Jimmy MacCarthy

True, you ride the finest horse I've ever seen
Standing sixteen, one or two, with eyes wild and green
You ride the horse so well, hands light to the touch
I could never go with you no matter how I wanted to

Ride on, see you
I could never go with you
No matter how I wanted to

Ride on, see you
I could never go with you
No matter how I wanted to

When you ride into the night without a trace behind
Run your claw along my gut, one last time
I turn to face an empty space where you used to lie
And look for a spark that lights the night through a teardrop in my eye

Ride on, see you
I could never go with you
No matter how I wanted to

Ride on, see you
I could never go with you
No matter how I wanted to

Ride On  (Jimmy MacCarthy cover)

vocals: James Higgins

Green Fields Of France (Eric Bogle)

Oh how do you do, young Willy McBride
Do you mind if I sit here down beside your graveside
And rest for a while 'neath the warm summer sun
I've been walking all day, and I'm nearly done
And I see by your gravestone you were only nineteen
When you joined the great fallen in 1916
Well I hope you died quick
And I hope you died clean
Oh Willy McBride, was is it slow and obscene

Did they beat the drums slowly?
Did they play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down?
Did the band play the Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind
In some loyal heart is your memory enshrined
And though you died back in 1916
To that loyal heart you're forever nineteen
Or are you a stranger without even a name
Forever enshrined behind some old glass pane
In an old photograph torn, tattered, and stained
And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame

Did they beat the drums slowly?
Did they play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down?
Did the band play the Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

The sun shining down on these green fields of France
The warm wind blows gently and the red poppies dance
The trenches have vanished long under the plow
No gas, no barbed wire, no guns firing now
But here in this graveyard that's still no man's land
The countless white crosses in mute witness stand
To man's blind indifference to his fellow man
And a whole generation were butchered and damned

Did they beat the drums slowly?
Did they play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down?
Did the band play the Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

And I can't help but wonder oh Willy McBride
Do all those who lie here know why they died?
Did you really believe them when they told you the cause?
Did you really believe that this war would end wars?
Well the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame
The killing and dying it was all done in vain
Oh Willy McBride it all happened again
And again, and again, and again, and again

Did they beat the drums slowly?
Did they play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down?
Did the band play the Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

Green Fields Of France (Eric Bogle cover)

vocals: James Higgins

Waltzing Matilda (Eric Bogle)

Now when I was a young man I carried me pack
And I lived the free life of the rover.
From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback,
Well, I waltzed my Matilda all over.

Then in 1915, my country said, "Son,
It's time you stop ramblin', there's work to be done."
So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun,
And they marched me away to the war.
And the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
As the ship pulled away from the quay,
And amidst all the cheers, the flag waving, and tears,
We sailed off for Gallipoli.

And how well I remember that terrible day,
How our blood stained the sand and the water;
And of how in that hell that they call Suvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter.
Johnny Turk, he was waitin', he primed himself well;
He showered us with bullets, and he rained us with shell --
And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell,
Nearly blew us right back to Australia.
But the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
When we stopped to bury our slain,
Well, we buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs,
Then we started all over again.

And those that were left, well, we tried to survive
In that mad world of blood, death and fire.
And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive
Though around me the corpses piled higher.
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head,
And when I woke up in me hospital bed
And saw what it had done, well, I wished I was dead --
Never knew there was worse things than dying.
For I'll go no more "Waltzing Matilda,"
All around the green bush far and free --
To hump tents and pegs, a man needs both legs,
No more "Waltzing Matilda" for me.

So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed,
And they shipped us back home to Australia.
The armless, the legless, the blind, the insane,
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla.
And as our ship sailed into Circular Quay,
I looked at the place where me legs used to be,
And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me,
To grieve, to mourn and to pity.
But the band played "Waltzing Matilda,"
As they carried us down the gangway,
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared,
Then they turned all their faces away.

And so now every April, I sit on my porch
And I watch the parade pass before me.
And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march,
Reviving old dreams of past glory,
And the old men march slowly, all bones stiff and sore,
They're tired old heroes from a forgotten war
And the young people ask "What are they marching for?"
And I ask meself the same question.
But the band plays "Waltzing Matilda,"
And the old men still answer the call,
But as year follows year, more old men disappear
Someday, no one will march there at all.

Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda.
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
And their ghosts may be heard as they march by the billabong,
Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?

The Band played Waltzing Matilda (Eric Bogle cover)

Alfredo De Pietra: guitars, arrangement
James Higgins: vocals

Crazy Love (Van Morrison cover)

Directly From My Heart To You (Little Richard)

Hard Times Come Again No More (Stephen Foster, 1854)

(Vocals: James Higgins)

Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears,
While we all sup sorrow with the poor;
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears;
Oh Hard times come again no more.

Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,
Hard Times, hard times, come again no more
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;
Oh hard times come again no more.

While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay,
There are frail forms fainting at the door;
Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say
Oh hard times come again no more.

Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,
Hard Times, hard times, come again no more
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;
Oh hard times come again no more.

There's a pale drooping maiden who toils her life away,
With a worn heart whose better days are o'er:
Though her voice would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day,
Oh hard times come again no more.

Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave,
Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore
Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave
Oh hard times come again no more.

Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,
Hard Times, hard times, come again no more
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;
Oh hard times come again no more.

Hard Times Come Again No More

from "The Falcon and the Snowman" OST

vocals: James Higgins

This Is Not America  (Pat Metheny/David Bowie cover)

Lay Lady Lay (Bob Dylan cover)

Alfredo De Pietra: guitars
James Higgins: vocals

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (lyrics by Roger Waters)

Remember when you were young
You shone like the sun
Shine on you crazy diamond
Now there's a look in your eyes
Like black holes in the sky
Shine on you crazy diamond
You were caught in the crossfire
Of childhood and stardom
Blown on the steel breeze
Come on you target for faraway laughter
Come on you stranger
You legend
You martyr
And shine

You reached for the secret too soon
You cried for the moon
Shine on you crazy diamond
Threatened by shadows at night
And exposed in the light
Shine on you crazy diamond
Well, you wore out your welcome
With random precision
Rode on the steel breeze
Come on you raver
You seer of visions
Come on you painter
You piper
You prisoner
And shine

Nobody knows where you are
How near or how far
Shine on you crazy diamond
Pile on many more years
And I'll be joining you there
Shine on you crazy diamond
And we'll bask in the shadow
Of yesterday's triumph
Sail on the steel breeze
Come on you boy child
You winner and loser
Come on you miner for truth and delusion
And shine

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pink Floyd cover)

vocals: James Higgins
guitar & other stuff: Alfredo De Pietra

Fairytale of New York (The Pogues cover)

guitars & arrangement: Alfredo De Pietra
vocals: James Higgins

Railroad Worksong

Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
Working on a railroad good buddy for a dollar a day
Got to get my money gotta get my pay

Take this hammer take it to the captain
Take this hammer take it to the captain
Take this hammer good buddy take it to the captain
Tell him I'm gone tell him I'm gone

If he asks you was I running
If he asks you was I running
If he asks you good buddy was I running
Tell him I was flying tell him I was flying

If he asks you was I laughing
If he asks you was I laughing
If he asks you good buddy was I laughing
Tell him I was crying tell him I was crying

This old hammer rings like silver
This old hammer rings like silver
This old hammer good buddy rings like silver
Shine like gold buddy and it shine like gold

Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
Working on a railroad good buddy for a dollar a day
Got to get my money gotta get my pay
Got to get my money gotta get my pay
Got to get my money gotta get my pay

Railroad Worksong (Notting Hillbillies cover)

Alfredo De Pietra: guitar
James Higgins: vocals

May You Never

May you never lay your head down without a hand to hold
May you never make your bed out in the cold
Verse 1
Your just like a great strong brother of mine and you know that I love you true
You never talk dirty behind my back and I know there are those that do
Won't you please, won't you please, won't you bear in mind
Love is a lesson to learn in our time
Won't you please won't please won't you bear in mind for me
May you never lay your head down without a hand to hold
May you never make your bed out in the cold
Verse 2
And your just like a good warm sister me and you know that I love you true
You hold no blade to stab me in the back and I know that some do
Won't you please won't you please won't you bear in mind
Life is a lesson to learn in our time
Won't you please won't you please won't you bear it mind for me
May you never lay your head down without a hand to hold
May you never make your bed out in the cold
Repeat verse 1
May you never lose your temper if you get hit in a bar room fight
May you never lose your woman over night
May you never lay your head down without a hand to hold
May you never make your bed out in the cold
May you never lose your temper if you get hit in a bar room fight
May you never lose your woman over night x3

May You Never (John Martyn cover)

Alfredo De Pietra: guitars
James Higgins: vocals

Lucky Man

He had white horses
And ladies by the score
All dressed in satin
And waiting by the door

Ooooh, what a lucky man he was
Ooooh, what a lucky man he was

White lace and feathers
They made up his bed
A gold covered mattress
On which he was laid

Ooooh, what a lucky man he was
Ooooh, what a lucky man he was

He went to fight wars
For his country and his king
Of his honor and his glory
The people would sing

Ooooh, what a lucky man he was
Ooooh, what a lucky man he was

A bullet had found him
His blood ran as he cried
No money could save him
So he laid down and he died

Ooooh, what a lucky man he was
Ooooh, what a lucky man he was

Lucky Man (E.L.P. cover)

Alfredo De Pietra: guitar
James Higgins: vocals

If you don't know me by now

If you don't know me by now
You will never never never know me

All the things that we've been through
You should understand me like I understand you
Now girl I know the difference between right and wrong
I ain't gonna do nothing to break up our happy home
Oh don't get so excited when I come home a little late at night
Cos we only act like children when we argue fuss and fight

If you don't know me by now (If you don't know me)
You will never never never know me (No you won't)
If you don't know me by now
You will never never never know me

We've all got our own funny moods
I've got mine, woman you've got yours too
Just trust in me like I trust in you
As long as we've been together it should be so easy to do
Just get yourself together or we might as well say goodbye
What good is a love affair when you can't see eye to eye, oh

If you don't know me by now (If you don't know me)
You will never never never know me (No you won't)
If you don't know me by now (You will never never never know me)
You will never never never know me (ooh)

If You Don't Know Me By Now (Harold Melvin cover)

Alfredo De Pietra: guitar
James Higgins: vocals

Jamaica Farewell
by Erving Burgess

Down the way where the nights are gay
And the sun shines daily on the mountain top
I took a trip on a sailing ship
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop

CHORUS:
But I'm sad to say, I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down, my head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town

Sounds of laughter everywhere
And the dancing girls swaying to and fro
I must declare that my heart is there
Though I've been from Maine to Mexico

CHORUS

Down at the market you can hear
Ladies cry out while on their head they bear
Ackie rice and salt fish is nice
And the rum is good any time of year

CHORUS
CHORUS

Jamaica Farewell (Harry Belafonte cover)

Alfredo De Pietra: guitars
James Higgins: vocals

Same Old Blues

Have you heard that rumor that's goin' around
You got a man, way across town
It's the same old story, tell me where does it end
Yes I heard the news, it's the same old blues again

When I wrote you a letter, you must have read it wrong
I stood at your doorway but you were gone
I took a lot of time 'n let your telephone ring
It's the same old blues, it's the same old blues again

When you gave me the business, you know I didn't mind
'cause I got a lot of patience 'n I got a lot of time
It's the same old story, tell me where does it end
It's the same old blues, it's the same old blues again

Gonna find me a mountain, gonna hide it out
Ain't talkin' to you 'n I ain't comin' out
Yes I heard the rumor, tell me where does it end
It's the same old blues, it's the same old blues again

Oooooh, oh baby baby
What you make me do
I don't know where I am
It's the same old blues, same old blues again
Whoooooooah, oh oh oh . . .

Same old blues (Captain Beefheart cover)

Alfredo De Pietra: guitars
James Higgins: vocals

Lord Franklin

It was homeward bound one night on the deep
Swinging in my hammock I fell asleep
I dreamed a dream and I thought it true
Concerning Franklin and his gallant crew

With one hundred seamen he sailed away
To the frozen ocean in the month of May
To seek a passage around the pole
Where we poor seamen do sometimes go

Through cruel hardships they mainly strove
Their ship on mountains of ice was drove
Only the Eskimo with his skin canoe
Was the only one that ever came through

In Baffin's Bay where the whale fish blow
The fate of Franklin no man may know
The fate of Franklin no tongue can tell
Lord Franklin along with his sailors do dwell

And now my burden it gives me pain
For my long lost Franklin I'd cross the main
Ten thousand pounds I would freely give
To say on earth that my Franklin do live

Lord Franklin

Born in 1955 in Potenza, Italy, lives in Palermo, Sicily, since 1972.
General practitioner (family doctor), amateur guitar player and home recordist.

Thanks for listening!