Songs with Nadia

This is a cover of an old Al Stewart song, which I have liked for a long time. 
I am joined by the brilliant Mr Böhme https://soundcloud.com/georg-boehme on soprano sax, casting his magic again!

My Enemies Have Sweet Voices

By Alistair Ian Stewart / Pete Morgan

Was in a bar called Paradise
When the fiddler from the band
Asked me "Why do you stand there crying?"
I answered him: "Musician, this may come as a surprise
I was trying to split the difference
And it split before my eyes
And my enemies have sweet voices
Their tones are soft and kind
When I hear my heart rejoices
I do not seem to mind"

I was playing Brag in Bedlam
And the doctor would not deal
Asking me: "Why do you kneel down there bleeding?"
I answered him "Physician,
I think you would have cried
I was falling back on failure
The failure stepped aside
And my enemies have sweet voices
Their tones are soft and kind
When I hear my heart rejoices
I do not seem to mind"

I was blind side to the gutter
And Merlin happened by
Asking me "why do you lie down there bleeding?"
I answered him "Magician, as a matter of a fact
I was jumping to conclusions
And one of them jumped back
And my enemies have sweet voices
Their tones are soft and kind
When I hear my heart rejoices
I do not seem to mind"

My Enemies Have Sweet Voices - with Georg Böhme (cover of a song by Al Stewart / Pete Morgan)

Wonderful music and cover art by BoxTox https://soundcloud.com/user-247600493, story, narration and sound effects by myself.

This is a second instalment in the story of Veronique and Jeremiah from 'Jeremiah and the Moon'. This chapter precedes the last episode.
I intend to work on further episodes in the story, each preceding the last and going backwards in time. BoxTox has very kindly agreed to allow me to tell the story over his beautiful music. 
It may take some months to develop and I will post them here as I produce them. The continuing story https://soundcloud.com/garddwrporffor/sets/jeremiah-and-the-moon

Silver Lake

The silver lake sent light 
to splash upon their skin
who knows where we end up
when we first begin

Veronique and Dominique held warm hands in the dark
the liquid coolness moved around their bodies 
Two fragile creatures, building their own "ark"
Two creatures blessed by unawareness

The circling arms of lovers, enveloping charms
Draw expanding lines upon the silver
Silence, oh so deep and still with languid lapping sounds
Evanescent ripples in the mirror


Dominique rose up and slipped into the depths
All evidence of movement slowly faded
Veronique swam quietly awaiting her return......

Such simple ways in which our lives are shaded....

Silver Lake (music BoxTox, narrative Garddwr Porffor)

This is the 3rd instalment in the story of Veronique, Dominique and Jeremiah. Again it precedes the last instalment, going backwards in time. The developing playlist is here soundcloud.com/garddwrporffor/sets/jeremiah-and-the-moon
Thanks again to the wonderful BoxTox @user-247600493, for allowing me to add to his beautiful music and for allowing me to use his lovely artwork! This is based upon his 'The One I Love'  https://soundcloud.com/user-247600493/the-one-i-love , please go and listen to it and his other wonderful music : )
The music is all BoxTox, I have added the story, some strings and sound effects.

The Picnic

Three of them, in a row they sat
One large, one small, one large
Close together and looking out
At the blue sky's endless arc

Below the castle walls they were
At the foot of the hill
In summer flowers the three were dressed
For the picnic at the mill

Veronique and Dominique, and little Jeremiah
having fun in the sunlight
Eating sweet treats in the afternoon
and escaping for the night

As the sun went down a band struck up
Inspiring our trio to tango
Gracefully moving to join the dance
With the small one in their arms

Round and round the three pirouette
Dipping and turning and reeling
freedom with the ones you love
Oh, the wonderful feeling....

Time paused it's progress through it's endless span
For the gentle escapees
Two hearts plus one in this sumptuous sum
is so much more than three

We are all just individuals
till love adds us all up
In it's mystical miraculous way
They will always remember that day

The Picnic (Music by BoxTox, story by Garddwr Porffor)

Cooler (Guitar instrumental)

Our Story

Oh my love
When I see the stars up in the sky
Or touch the earth
Gravity exists for just you and I
And the world spins 
On it's axis
The seasons change across the sky
And though we are small
Amongst it all
Our love can still signify

And no one but we
Can know what it means
Though small in the universal glory
This is our story

It wasn't made for us
But we are here
To witness this time in passing
You and I can celebrate
This beauty, this beauty surpassing

Our Story

Fripping About (Guitar instrumental)

A little fun and twiddling in a particular style.
I am joined for a little vocalisation in the second part by my friend Nadia Selvaggi https://soundcloud.com/nadiaselvaggi . I have grossly underused her talent here, she was only acting on orders : )

(A)musing (incl The Sids Of Knightonia)

Peace

Ambiguous

I wrote the lyric for this song after a family blackberrying expedition a few years ago. My old friend Gareth and I put some chords to it and recorded it. Lizzy Taypen said that she liked it a lot, so I took the opportunity to rope her in to sing with us. I mixed her vocal in and produced another version. https://soundcloud.com/garddwrporffor/blackberrying-harmonies-with-lizzie-mix-2
I listened to it again and thought that Lizzies vocal was very special and that I had missed the best version. So I mixed a version with only Lizzie singing and a more gentle support track. I thought that it was beautiful, it is the track  here.
Her page https://soundcloud.com/taylor-pentland

Blackberrying

When the sun light falls in a steeply slanted angle
And the colours of the world fade to muted reds and golds
The living soil still holds it’s warmth and waning sweetness
As another summer gently slips from our aging fingers hold
We can still find simple joy in the things we did as children
Finding fruit among the bushes along the margins of our roads
with our adult children now
as we enjoy this timeless pleasure
Of finding fruits just hanging ripe and ready in the hedgerow
And taking them back home with us like edible treasure hoards

Folk don’t seem to bother now, to take the time to pick them
Still they grow and glow like jewels amongst natures topiary
A present from an old imagined ancient world of wonder
As sweet fruit drops into our hands from the realm of the fairyies
We stretch to reach the fullest ones, beyond reach in the branches
the nettles tingle our arms and legs if we fail to be wary
Then we carry home our bounty, taking great care not to spill them
and turn them into memories that we had very nearly lost
a refreshment for our hearts from our purple blackberries

Blackberrying feat Lizzie Taypen

Another song with the amazing Nadia Selvaggi https://soundcloud.com/nadiaselvaggi
We have a lot of fun with these songs and we hope you enjoy them too : )
Instrumental Composition, Bass, Guitar, Keyboard & Mix by Garddwr Porffor
Lyrics, Vocal Composition by Nadia Selvaggi

Coney Island Day
by Nadia Selvaggi

Let's get away!
The city's heat is driving us insane
The Grand Street hydrant has run dry
The air conditioner doesn't run on high
The Q train's only half an hour away

Ah, Coney Island day!

Feel the cool breeze in the sky,
a hundred feet up on high
The Wonder Wheel and Cyclone
are guaranteed to electrify

Where umbrellas dot the shoreline,
the sun burns under rainbow skies,
and kites swirl like ribbons in the sky,
just like my spirit does today

Let's take a holiday!

At Surf & Stillwell down the boardwalk,
we'll eat a Famous Nathan's hotdog,
play a game of volleyball,
ride in a bumper car and stay late,
and watch the fireworks display

We'll stroll down Riegelmann Boardwalk,
and take the rides at Luna Park,
eat candy apples and popcorn,
Totonno's pizza coal fired
on a mid summer day

We'll take a little holiday,
west of Ocean Parkway
Feel our troubles fade away
in Brooklyn's little hideaway

Ah, Coney Island Day!

Coney Island Day with Nadia Selvaggi

Some familiar ideas in a different context

Hey You

Some fun in an 80's style with vocal pyrotechnics from Nadia. Sometimes there has to be more than 1 mix : )
Original mix here https://soundcloud.com/nadiaselvaggi/player-by-garddwr-porffor-nadia-selvaggi

Instrumental composition, bass, guitar, keyboards, drum track and mix by Garddwr Porffor
Vocals, vocal composition, lyrics by Nadia Selvaggi

More of Nadia's amazing vocals here https://soundcloud.com/nadiaselvaggi

Player (with Nadia Selvaggi - Alternative Mix)

An important year for democracy! 
Some fun with my new analogue synth, my old P bass and Strat.
Lots of work in this one. Some stolen ideas and some new ones....

Democracy

A song in an older style with the brilliant Nadia : )
Instrumental composition, guitar, bass by Garddwr Porffor: @garddwrporffor
Vocals, Vocal Composition, Lyrics: Nadia Selvaggi

More of Nadia's beautiful singing and music https://soundcloud.com/nadiaselvaggi

The Order Of Things (with Nadia Selvaggi)

Sweet Guitar

Dreaming

Too Sad To Be True

Guitar & Mix by the brilliant Garddwr Porffor: https://soundcloud.com/garddwrporffor
Vocals, Lyrics: Nadia Selvaggi

Evergreen

Ye sons of the dawn
all clad in proper clothes
Ye are the brightest and the best of us,
or so we're told

Morning trumpets blow
for the chosen in the know,
and graven images carved in stone

English evergreen
dominates the canopy
Please don't swallow me
Evergreen

Creeping over men and walls
Binding, choking all,
when night falls

Burying the past
and the future you forecast
Brotherhood of Death,
and of Skull and Bone
clinging steadfast

English evergreen
dominates the canopy
Please don't swallow me
Evergreen

Evergreen by Garddwr Porffor & Nadia Selvaggi

Vocals and lyrics by the wonderful Nadia Selvaggi https://soundcloud.com/nadiaselvaggi
The rest by me

Evergreen

Ye sons of the dawn
all clad in proper clothes
Ye are the brightest and the best of us,
or so we're told

Morning trumpets blow
for the chosen in the know,
and graven images carved in stone

English evergreen
dominates the canopy
Please don't swallow me
Evergreen

Creeping over men and walls
Binding, choking all,
when night falls

Burying the past
and the future you forecast
Brotherhood of Death,
and of Skull and Bone
clinging steadfast

English evergreen
dominates the canopy
Please don't swallow me
Evergreen

Evergreen (with Nadia -synth mix)

Just one step further and Amenhotep will save me, or will he yet 
The guardians are grounded, and sleep in the silence of the potion to forget
we all forget 
All the hounds howling in the distance, a dread quartet
Unlock the espagnolette 

Moving windward through the suburbs
Wild flight is my name, the interdictal bane
My weapons here are useless, in this consequence of rumours
As a conjurers legerdemain

With wild crowds throwing missiles, to bring down the government
Tendentious armies take positions in our now encumbered state
Sending messages to morons, 
In the endless dead debate

Amenhotep Will Save Me

Electrified guitar & mix by the wonderful Garddwr Porffor: https://soundcloud.com/garddwrporffor
Vocals, lyrics by Nadia Selvaggi

Her Soul In Shadow Rose by Garddwr Porffor & Nadia Selvaggi

Oh Yeah!

Some fun with my Peavey bass.
When I pick up my guitar I often ramble freely to improvise and work out what I have done later. Because bass is usually a support instrument, I rarely play in the same way. Before I begin to improvise, I usually have established the key, mode, tempo, rhythm, dynamic shape, etc. So this is a free bass impro working the other way round, with the harmonic structure found after playing the notes that sound good : )

The Other Way Around (bass instrumental)

There Is Too Much Drama, I'm Off To Bed

A song in an old tradition, with the wonderful Nadia Selvaggi. 
I recommend that you go and listen to her lovely music https://soundcloud.com/nadiaselvaggi

Oh, where is my love

Oh, where is my love
Oh, where has he gone
He has gone to the war
With fathers and sons
To fight for our right
to live a peaceful life
To safeguard the future 
of daughters and wives
To fight those other men
With rockets and knives

They were once our neighbours
Our cousins and our friends
We would live together
Brothers without end
How could they turn against us
What twisted reason wends
To create this wicked violence
To hell we will descend

Oh where is my loved one
I have heard not a word since he left our home
I fear I have lost him 
I have heard not a word
Please return to me my darling with the swiftness of a bird
Please fly to me my darling with the swiftness of a bird

They were once our neighbours (etc as above)


Oh, where is my love
Oh, where has he gone
He has gone to the war
With fathers and sons
To fight for our right
to live a peaceful life
To fight those other men
Who have daughters and wives

Oh, Where Is My Love (with Nadia)

Or was it? : )
For the avoidance of doubt, this is imagination and not autobiographical, honest : )

It Was Me 

It was all my fault, if you want someone to blame
It was me, your honour, when you're allocating shame
It was me, wot done it and I just could not outrun it
It was me, it was me, caught out in the game 
I was done just dead to rights, there's no point in trying to fight it
It was me, it was me

No need to plead your innocence,
Keep your conscience clean it makes no sense
To take the blame upon yourself
Let my admission be your main defence

It was me, I made it all go wrong
I'm afraid I was just too headstrong
It was me, you knew it all along  
This is where the guilt rightly belongs
It was me, I am just the wrong sort
The type with which you should not consort
It was me, it was me, I let you tag along
But now my liberty has been withdrawn
I'll face the firing sqaud at dawn
It was me, it was me

It Was Me

An atheists prayer for this beautiful, troubled world

I believe in love
Not love from a god above
It's in us all
even before we crawl
It's in our hearts
It's in our brains
It's in our arms
It's in our veins
I believe in love

I Believe In Love

I have been intending to do a tune with my tin whistle for ages, so here it is......

The Wild Whistler

The Land of Frowns

I told the man he'd have to go
You are not welcome here you know
You do not speak as others do
Our people are afraid of you

So would you help a man when he's really down
and lost within this land of frowns

Land of Frowns

So I wrapped myself in things I'd found
and laid myself out on the ground
and the devil comes in many ways
he came to me that day

Far away I was a young man

Oh, my home, I had to go

I'm a stranger in this foreign town
Stranger in this land of frowns
Oh, land of frowns

So I told the man he'd have to go
You are not welcome here you know

Land of frowns......

The Land Of Frowns

A tune from several acoustic guitars, a bass and vibes

blue

One Acoustic guitar, some Celli and Vibes. 
This track was originally called 'So, misogyny, racism and corruption are OK after all' after the orange nutter was re-elected in a democracy.
Robert Llewellyn pointed out that this was a waste of a lovely track. 
I was watching the latest Professor Brian Cox BBC documentary programme 2 'Dark Planets' in his series 'Solar System' and I changed the title to celebrate the amazing reality of our universe and our staggeringly brilliant scientific ability to perceive it. The best in humanity is inspiring.

Dark Planets (Instrumental)

Inspired by a recent visit to the beautiful Westonbirt Arbouretum.

Part of Everything

We had some fun didn't we
And when it is done and we are all beneath the trees

The sunlight will shine
And the rain will fall
and we'll still be a part
of everything after all

We were small and simple
We were tall and dimpled
We were mixed and mingled
We were love's true symbol

Part of Everything

All music, songs and lyrics are original, unless noted.
Collaborations welcome, if you think you can add something to any of my songs, want to sing them, etc, please drop me a note
I advise playing on a good Hi-Fi or at least good headphones, otherwise you will miss all the good stuff going on in the lower frequencies. You don't want to only hear half of the music : )

Garddwr Porffor

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