Say what you have to say
I'm not standing in your way
Time has changed us 
Still you want to stay?

You’re not OK and I know it
You are fooling no-one
You try so hard to hide it
From yourself more than from me

Once
Maybe twice
We can pick up all the pieces 
but it comes at a price
Do we dare walk away?
We're so addicted to the games we play
Every single day

What do I need to do
To get through to you
The next move is yours
I’ve given you my truth

I’m not OK and you know it
I’m so afraid to show it
I try so hard to hide it
From myself more than from you

Once
Maybe twice
We can pick up all the pieces 
but it comes at a price
Do we dare walk away?
We're so addicted to the games we play
Every single day

I still believe 
If we can start over 
We can make it through 
Put the past behind us 
And the fear won’t find us
If we start anew

We're not OK but we know it
and we're not afraid to show it
We're done trying to hide it
We're not holding back

Once
Maybe twice
We can pick up all the pieces 
but it comes at a price
Do we dare walk away?
We're so addicted to the games we play
Every single day

Do we dare walk away?
We're so addicted to the games we play
Every single day

Pick Up The Pieces

The street lies dark
and sergeant O'Neil
is on night patrol
both hands on the wheel
The drunks and the thieves
He knows them by name
and it weighs on his heart
to see what they became

Every night is the same
Nothing ever changes
but the season

Big dreams
laid to rest
in dark places
Big dreams
trapped in
windowless spaces
Big dreams
Smiles gone
from the faces
of those
who stayed behind

Father Mulholland
looks at the crowd
Five lonely souls
all with heads bowed
His sermons once flowed
with drive and conviction
now all he can muster
is drab repetition

Every Sunday is the same
Nothing ever changes
but the season

Big dreams
laid to rest
in dark places
Big dreams
trapped in
windowless spaces
Big dreams
Smiles gone
from the faces
of those
who stayed behind

The excitement of youth
The thrill of the stranger
The great unknown
The sweet edge of danger
They fade over time
To tired resignation
To stay was a choice
is their pale justification

Big dreams
laid to rest
in dark places
Big dreams
trapped in
windowless spaces
Big dreams
Smiles gone
from the faces
of those
who stayed behind

Sally O’Brien
pulls one more beer
As it fills it reminds her
Of malt soaked tears
The drunks tell her stories
She's heard them all before
Their whole lives determined
By where they come from

Every Friday night is the same
Nothing ever changes
but the season

Big dreams
laid to rest
in dark places
Big dreams
trapped in
windowless spaces
Big dreams
Smiles gone
from the faces
of those
who stayed behind

Big Dreams

I lived on the East side
in a flat on the seventh floor
but I grew up on the curbside
outside the record store
Bob, me and Andrew 
we were teenage Steve McQueens
In late December 68
when Bullit hit the screens
Winter was cold
but we were cooler
The streets a kingdom
without a ruler

Could've been better
Could've been worse
in our little universe

Andrews dad, he was a jerk
but he owned the record store
The Who, Byrds, and Zepplin
Beatles, Kinks, and more
Music was our lifeline 
It fueled all of our dreams
together with the images
on the silver screen
The days were long
The nights flew by 
A joint or two
brought the stars alive 

Could've been better
Could've been worse
in our little universe
But I dreamt that

A black Dodge Charger
Would take me away
Out of the darkness
and into the day
The guys in a Mustang
Hot on my tail 
Roaring like rebels
as our radios blared.

Bob went to Nam in 69 
and never made it back
And Andrew got a scholarship
playing quarterback
That left me and Terence
not quite the cream of the crop
He left to join the Black Panthers 
and was gunned down by a cop

Winter was cold
my heart was colder
One year had passed
but I felt much older 

Could've been better
but not much worse 
in my little universe
and I dreamt that

A black Dodge Charger
Would take me away
Out of the darkness
and into the day
The guys in a Mustang
Hot on my tail 
Roaring like rebels
As our radios blared.

Then winter turned to spring
and Sue swept into town
A tall, redheaded whirlwind
turned my world upside down
She took my breath away
together with my heart and soul
Not a single reason left to stay
I'd follow her wherever she goes

A convertible Beetle 
finally took me away
Out of the darkness
and into the day
Sue in the driver's seat
Wind in her hair
We both roared like rebels
As the radio blared.

A Black Dodge Charger

The van broke down
just 5 miles from O'Hare
Not sure what we were doing
Had no tickets anyway
As the sun set in the West
We walked East
Planes roaring overhead

We ran as fast as we could run
Escape our only goal
From small town suffocation
And our designated roles
BBQs on Saturdays
Cold Millers with the guys
The vanishing horizon
Matched the dulling in our eyes

Not quite a decision
That either of us made
But a moment of clarity
And what it meant to stay
It never matters
Which road we take
As long as right beside me
I have Karla with a K

We ran as fast as we could run
Escape our only goal
From small town suffocation
And our designated roles
BBQs on Saturdays
Cold Millers with the guys
The vanishing horizon
Matched the dulling in our eyes

The excitement and the newness
As we move from town to town
As we worked to settle down
Turned piece by little piece
into what we'd sworn not to become
we lived the lives we ran from

We ran as fast as we could run
Escape our only goal
From small town suffocation
And our designated roles
BBQs on Saturdays
Cold Millers with the guys
The vanishing horizon
Matched the dulling in our eyes

The Vanishing Horizon

The time has come
to close our eyes
and open up our hearts
The time has come
To join what was torn apart
To put an end to
The struggles and the fights
To right the wrongs and
Turn darkness into light 

You are my reason 
to stay through the seasons
Right by your side
until the turn of the tide
Yes, you are my reason 
to stay through the seasons
I’ll be by your side
until the turn of the tide

The time has come
to change our ways
and start our life anew
To turn around
and walk away from the past
A time to be brave 
and put all our fears aside
To right the wrongs and
Turn darkness into light 

You are my reason 
to stay through the seasons
Right by your side
until the turn of the tide
Yes, you are my reason 
to stay through the seasons
I’ll be by your side
until the turn of the tide
 
We can do this
I promise
I swear
There’s no need for you to be scared 
We’re strong enough  
To blow all fears away

You are my reason 
to stay through the seasons
Right by your side
until the turn of the tid e
Yes, you are my reason 
to stay through the seasons
I’ll be by your side
until the turn of the tide

Turn Of The Tide

I think of all the time that’s passed me by
While I waited for adventures to arrive
So many chances missed that I’ve lost count
Now the what ifs burn me up and pull me down

When I lay down in the darkness of the night
and I’m staring at the stars up in the sky
In a universe immense, I am so small
I feel meaningless, I am nothing at all

Lift the weight from my shoulders
Roll away this big old stone
Let me sleep a dreamless sleep tonight  
Let me be, leave me alone
Please let numbness fall upon me
Strike me deaf, render me blind
Lift the weight from my shoulders
For just one night 

I look into my father’s heavy eyes
The sparkle gone, a child in adult guise
The years of angry words break me now 
Too late, I tell him how I really feel

Lift the weight from my shoulders
Roll away this big old stone
Let me sleep a dreamless sleep tonight  
Let me be, leave me alone
Please let numbness fall upon me
Strike me deaf, render me blind
Lift the weight from my shoulders
For just one night 

When I lean close to watch my child and hear her breathe
Wonder overwhelms me as she sleeps
Perhaps she’s my redemption, my last chance
To rectify the sins of the past

Lift the weight from my shoulders
Roll away this big old stone
Let me sleep a dreamless sleep tonight  
Let me be, leave me alone
Please let numbness fall upon me
Strike me deaf, render me blind
Lift the weight from my shoulders
For just one night

Lift The Weight

A Brand New Stage

The beach lies empty
the wind's blowing cold
To the west is Utah
To the east is Gold
but I stand here
on Omaha beach

My boots mark the sand
where they landed en masse
Their purpose clear
Our fate in their hands
on that day
on Omaha beach

A white marble cross
"Here Rests In Honored Glory
A Comrade In Arms
Known But To God"
That was all that it said
That was all that they got
A Comrade In Arms
Known But To God
Known But To God

So many lost
on that fateful day
Some were just boys
scared but so brave
as they paved the way
on Omaha beach

The landings served
to turn the tide
I bow to the men
who gave their lives
so I can stand
on Omaha beach

A white marble cross
"Here Rests In Honored Glory
A Comrade In Arms
Known But To God"
That was all that it said
That was all that they got
A Comrade In Arms
Known But To God
Known But To God

Was their sacrifice worth it?
So many men died
Or did we squander the freedom
that cost them their lives?
Do we honour them now
for the lives that they saved?
Or does the world that we’ve built
make them turn in their graves?

A white marble cross
"Here Rests In Honored Glory
A Comrade In Arms
Known But To God"
That was all that it said
That was all that they got
A Comrade In Arms
Known But To God
Known But To God

Omaha Beach

A sunny afternoon late in May
Barbeque with the in-laws
I hide myself away 
With a bottle of Tequila
Which I generously pour
As I watch them through the window 
I ask myself, is there nothing more
than this?

My older sister says it's just a stage
That a dark mood comes upon us
when we hit a certain age
I feel there's something missing
but I have not got a clue
where this emptiness is coming from
or what I have to do
to fill the void

And the voices in my head they say
Walk away!
You can't take another day
Pull the trigger
take the plunge 
and walk away! 
Lets put an end to it all
Walk away!
Walk away!
You can end this today
so walk away!

I wish I knew why I feel this way
So numb and indifferent
And so filled with dismay
For every door I open
another one slams shut
and I can't help but wonder
Was there nothing more to life
than this?

And the voices in my head they say
Walk away!
You can't take another day
Pull the trigger
take the plunge 
and walk away! 
Lets put an end to it all
Walk away!
Walk away!
You can end this today
so walk away!

The road ahead looks more and more
like an dead end late at night
the darkness closing in on me
no spirit left to fight

And the voices in my head they say
Walk away!
You can't take another day
Pull the trigger
take the plunge 
and walk away! 
Lets put an end to it all
Walk away!
Walk away!
You can end this today
so walk away!

Walk Away

We watched the blood red sun
set on the Crossroads of America
Karla sang with John Mellencamp
Pink Houses blasting from the radio
We drove past unsung heroes living ordinary lives
Pulling shifts in motels, malls and bars
Working to survive

We passed through
mid-size, midwest cities
where confidence and hope
are things of the past
We passed through
mid-size, midwest cities
Through the land of the weary
and the home of the damned

Tacos kept us fed driving down the I-94
eyes glued to the road
Top down, wind in our hair
Adventures waiting to unfold
With every stop and every stay
Met so many souls along the way
the same old story, long hours
and no decent pay

We passed through
mid-size, midwest cities
where confidence and hope
are things of the past
We passed through
mid-size, midwest cities
Through the land of the weary
and the home of the damned

It broke our hearts to see
what was built over centuries
fall apart
before our eyes

We passed through
mid-size, midwest cities
where confidence and hope
are things of the past
We passed through
mid-size, midwest cities
Through the land of the weary
and the home of the damned

Land Of The Weary

In the heartland where the fields stretch for miles
I'm back in my hometown chasing distant smiles
In the stillness of the streets, a silent refrain,
Echoes of a life now lost, haunting in its strain.
And throughout my journey the wind builds a song
It carries me back, to the place I once belonged

I'm a pilgrim in my hometown, tracing footsteps of the past
I'm a pilgrim in my hometown, chasing shadows I once cast
Through the fields of yesteryears, I will gently find my way
I'm a pilgrim in my hometown, where my dreams were made
	
The old oak on Main Street stands solid and strong
Its roots ever deeper, mine seem to be gone 
I can’t tell what’s different, but nothing’s the same
I’d hoped to feel grounded, but I’m weighed down instead
This journey to source has all been in vain
Just shows what I’ve lost, what I won’t feel again

I'm a pilgrim in my hometown, tracing footsteps of the past
I'm a pilgrim in my hometown, chasing shadows I once cast
Through the fields of yesteryears, I will gently find my way
I'm a pilgrim in my hometown, where my dreams were made
 
A letter unsent, a call never made
There was always tomorrow until it was too late
I want to believe there’s a chance for me still
To turn ember to spark, if there’s a way, there’s a will

I'm a pilgrim in my hometown, tracing footsteps of the past
I'm a pilgrim in my hometown, chasing shadows I once cast
Through the fields of yesteryears, I will gently find my way
I'm a pilgrim in my hometown, where my dreams were made

Fields Of Yesteryears

Waves upon the shore
they take and then they give
In the ebb and flow
we learn how to live
What we think is lost
might return anew
In the cycle of our days 
love will see us through

Everything we love 
will slip into the past
But love will circle back
no shadows ever last
And though we say goodbye 
to all we hold so dear
Love will find its way
wipe away each bitter tear

Through the changing tide
and the passing years 
We collect the fragments 
of laughter and of tears
Every loss we face
leaves an open space
For love to fill again
in a new embrace

Everything we love 
will slip into the past
But love will circle back
no shadows ever last
And though we say goodbye 
to all we hold so dear
Love will find its way
wipe away each bitter tear

We walk through life
with open hearts
though sometimes roads divide
The moments shared
the bonds we build 
remain with us inside
Through the hardest days 
and the longest nights
when hope is in decline
Love will find us all
in mysterious ways	  
to light our lives again

Everything we love 
will slip into the past
But love will circle back
no shadows ever last
And though we say goodbye 
to all we hold so dear
Love will find its way
wipe away each bitter tear

When the road gets rough
and you’ve lost your way
Hold on to the love that’s been
it will come back someday

Love Will Find Its Way

Skyline glows, a distant sound  
the pulse of midnight fun
Music from a rooftop bar 
where dreams have just begun
Laughter spills from open doors
As friends and strangers meet
A lively hum, the city's drum
Beneath our dancing feet

High hopes
countdown to the weekend   
you and I
on a Friday night
High hopes
countdown to the weekend
cold beer
and neon light
High hopes
countdown to the weekend
dancing feet
hearts alight
High hopes
countdown to the weekend
memories made
throughout the night

High heels on cobblestones
I lend a steady hand 
Street's alive with revellers
Every corner hosts a band
Perfume lingers in the air
Your laugh so rich and free
So many new sensations
creating memories

High hopes
countdown to the weekend   
you and I
on a Friday night
High hopes
countdown to the weekend
cold beer
and neon light
High hopes
countdown to the weekend
dancing feet
hearts alight
High hopes
countdown to the weekend
memories made
throughout the night

Beneath the lights that crown our town
We know our dreams won’t let us down
Our restless hearts are drawn away
This urban pulse will lead us on our way

High hopes
countdown to the weekend   
you and I
on a Friday night
High hopes
countdown to the weekend
cold beer
and neon light
High hopes
countdown to the weekend
dancing feet
hearts alight
High hopes
countdown to the weekend
memories made
throughout the night

High Hopes

Young and reckless
We faced the world
sought the thrills
and felt so alive
you and I
Chasing sunsets
our spirits wild
hearts on fire
our dreams unbound
you and I

We lived for the adventure
looked danger in the eye
We were young and felt immortal,
We believed we'd never die.
Then you tripped and lost your balance
and stepped right over the line    
between this world and the next one

Our nights were endless
Under city lights
Wheels spinning fast
With no end in sight
You and I
We took our chances
No fear of falling
Burning bright
We outshone them all
You and I

We lived for the adventure
looked danger in the eye
We were young and felt immortal,
We believed we'd never die.
Then you tripped and lost your balance
and stepped right over the line    
between this world and the next one

But time doesn’t wait
For the fearless kind
The scars remain
No matter how you try
I stood with you on the edge
when you took the dive
The pain that you left 
Is one I cannot hide

We lived for the adventure
looked danger in the eye
We were young and felt immortal,
We believed we'd never die.
Then you tripped and lost your balance
and stepped right over the line    
between this world and the next one

Edge Of Forever

UNTIL IT'S TIME TO PART 

The very moment 
you were born 
You took my breath away 
from that moment 
I've cherished every day    
  
I've tried to stand right by you 
Without getting in your way 
I know I'll have to let you go 
but I yearn for you to stay 
  
Don't walk ahead 
I may not follow 
Don't fall behind 
I may not lead 
Just take me by the hand 
and walk beside me 
I'll guide you 
until it's time to part 
  
Your world's wide open 
skies are blue 
There's nowhere you can’t go 
and there's nothing 
in this world you cannot do 
  
I've taken every action 
with your happiness in mind 
I hope that now with hindsight 
They will stand the test of time 
  
Don't walk ahead 
I may not follow 
Don't fall behind 
I may not lead 
Just take me by the hand 
and walk beside me 
I'll guide you 
until it's time to part 

I've seen you bloom 
Light every room 
As the sands of time 
were slipping through our fingers 
Soon it's time for you 
To walk alone 
Please don't linger
because of me 
  
Don't walk ahead 
I may not follow 
Don't fall behind 
I may not lead 
Just take me by the hand 
and walk beside me 
I'll guide you 
until it's time to part 
  
And when I cannot
walk any further 
please don't you shed 
a single tear 
I'll still be by your side   
as long as you remember 
our time 
before we had to part

Until It's Time To Part

More often than not Shane MacGowan's name sneaks into the reviews of my songs so I figured I may just as well release my inner Shane. :-)

A HUGE Thank You! to @MonnoDB for the fab whistle!

The Curse Of Shane MacGowan

While I was still in junior school
at the tender age of eight
they told me at the talent show
that backstage you must wait	
Then I stepped into the limelight
and I struck that opening chord
but the second I began to sing
the audience all roared

Shane MacGowan!
Shane MacGowan!
He sounds like Shane MacGowan
when he sings
Shane MacGowan!
Shane MacGowan!
He sounds like Shane MacGowan
when he sings

I moved on to a collage
and joined the football team
I played defensive quarter back
my game was tough and mean
when we sang the national anthem
just before the game began
the crowd would hear my raspy voice
and the shit would hit the fan

Shane MacGowan!
Shane MacGowan!
He sounds like MacGowan
when he sings
Shane MacGowan!
Shane MacGowan!
He sounds like Shane MacGowan
when he sings

In this grimy bar in Dublin where
You can still smoke if you like
the beer was thin as water
but they had an open mic
So I had myself a Guinness
and I stepped onto the stage
but as I started singing
this one guy began to rage

Holy Moses!
Holy Moses!
he sounds exactly like me 
when he sings
Holy Moses!
Holy Moses! 
he sounds exactly like me 
when he sings

From the table in the corner
a ragged man appeared
he threw himself around my neck
while bursting into tears	
"I always thought I was alone
but I was clearly wrong
c'mon, lets sing a duet
cause the whiskey won't last long"

Shane MacGowan!
Shane MacGowan!
We sound like Shane MacGowan
when we sing
Shane MacGowan!
Shane MacGowan!
We sound like Shane MacGowan
when we sing

The Curse Of Shane MacGowan

The Prison (The Denial Of Death)
Lyrics: Verlon Gates (hardtwistmusic)
Music: Jambrains

VERSE 1. 
Desperate fear is a prison. And false hope is a cage. 
Fearfully we look away from death at every age. 
Hard to tell the difference between desperate fear and rage. 
With so many frightened actors on a slowly spinning stage.

CHORUS: 
Stone walls do not a prison make. Nor iron bars a cage.
Time is the only prison from which we can’t escape. 
Shackles of the inevitable. Chains we cannot see. 
The hands of time – the end of life, - relentless certainty.

VERSE 2. 
Denial is our sanctuary from death and fear and time. 
We seldom recognize the trap, this irony sublime.
Fear entombs the souls of men. Eternity’s a game.
But in spite of all our fearful struggles, life ends just the same.

CHORUS: 
Stone walls do not a prison make Nor iron bars a cage. 
Death is the only boundary whose bonds we cannot break. 
Shackles of the inevitable...... chains we cannot see. 
The hands of time – the end of life, - relentless certainty.

BRIDGE: 
The denial of death. The death of denial. 
Consumed by fear, no lawyer for the trial. 
Trapped inside our fear of life. Consumed by fear of death. 
Detained inside a life that always finds that final breath.

VERSE 3.
You know the moving finger writes, and having writ, moves on. 
We fear the great inevitable when life is finally gone. 
Fear of death is a prison, and false hope is a cage. 
Death will be the final act and all the world’s a stage.

CHORUS: 
Stone walls do not a prison make Nor iron bars a cage. 
Time is the only prison from which we can’t escape. 
Shackles of the inevitable Chains we cannot see. 
The hands of time – the end of life, - relentless certainty.

The Prison (Redux)

I can still recall the playground
by the Wal-Mart parking lot
a browned-eyed girl with freckles   
Hand in mine in our secret spot
We used to share a Mars bar
when it was all we could afford
This town was all we knew about
the world not yet explored 

Now the ships are sailing
as the tide is turning
but I just can not leave     
not without you   
without you
A Greyhound ticket
in my back pocket
but I just can not leave
not without you
without you

Sitting on the railway bridge
where the trains no longer go
We watched the burning sunset
then jumped into the stream below 
And later by the riverside
our jeans hung up to dry
I kissed you for the first time
beneath the starry sky

Now the ships are sailing
as the tide is turning
but I just can not leave     
not without you   
without you
A Greyhound ticket
in my back pocket
but I just can not leave
not without you
without you

You dropped out of high school
and I barely made it through
Cos who needs books and rulers  
when the world's waiting for you
These days I work construction
and nights you work the bar
but our pockets are still empty
dreams only go so far
  	
Now the ships are sailing
as the tide is turning
but I just can not leave     
not without you   
without you
A Greyhound ticket
in my back pocket
but I just can not leave
not without you
without you

Without You

We took it all for granted
now we'll reap what we have sown
Winter is upon us
chills me to the bone
We thought we had a way out
We thought we could escape
but we were wrong
all along	
Our dream was an illusion
a castle made of sand

There's a fault
in our stars
it drew us close
and tore us apart
Time to say goodbye 
We got lost
on the way
disguised as love
hope lead us astray
Time to say goodbye 
Say goodbye

The door stands there, wide open 
Can’t bring myself to leave
With empty arms not holding you 
My dreams are obsolete 
I thought that we could work it out
that time was on our side
But I was wrong
all along
Our dream was an illusion
a castle made of sand

There's a fault
in our stars
it drew us close
and tore us apart
Time to say goodbye 
We got lost
on the way
disguised as love
hope lead us astray
Time to say goodbye 
Say goodbye

The broken china on the floor
the only witness
to the fight the night before
The slamming of the door
marks the end of the truce
of this never ending war

There's a fault
in our stars
it drew us close
and tore us apart
Time to say goodbye 
We got lost
on the way
disguised as love
hope lead us astray
Time to say goodbye 
Say goodbye

Time To Say Goodbye

Giving up is easy
but hanging on is hard
It takes a lot of courage
to go inch by foot by yard

You said, it won't be easy
you said, it will be tough   
It's true that love may change you
but I doubt that it's...
	
Enough
to keep you by my side
Enough
Enough 
to make you stay

Life is a highway and 
love is a winding road 
I don't fear commitments but
I'll live by no man's code

I said, it won't be easy
I said, it will be tough
It's true that love may change me
but I doubt that it's...

Enough
to keep me by your side
Enough
Enough
to make me stay

How can I know what’s really true?
If my future lies with you? 
Whatever path I choose to take
at least one heart is gonna break

Every breath I'll ever take
Every moment I'm awake
Every endless sleepless night
I will wonder: who was right?

Enough
to keep me by your side
Enough
Enough
to make me stay

Enough

Take it easy
Take it slow
That's what they tell us
But we all know
The clock is ticking
The time’s running out
We’ll raise our voices
So hear us shout

A single tear 
A hand raised high
A painted story
A lonely cry
Hits the target 
The time is right
The world is ready
To take on the fight  

Our house is on fire
burning, burning	
We can’t ignore the flames
Our hearts are on fire 
burning , burning 
Burning for change 

They steal our future
before our eyes
With empty words 
Greed undisguised 
We stand before you
To tell the truth
We need to panic
Or we are doomed
 
A single tear 
A hand raised high
A painted story
A lonely cry
Hits the target 
The time is right
The world is ready
To take on the fight  

Our house is on fire
burning, burning	
We can’t ignore the flames
Our hearts are on fire 
burning , burning 
Burning for change 

Everything 
Everything has to to change
Rules must be rewritten
Nothing can stay the same

Change is coming
Like it or not
Just one future
that’s all we’ve got

Our house is on fire
burning, burning	
We can’t ignore the flames
Our hearts are on fire 
burning , burning 
Burning for change

Burning! Burning!

I saw the struggles
I saw the fights
The heated arguments
Who was wrong and who was right?
Positions were taken
Lines were drawn
Every point was argued
No one ever backed down

Each day you pushed me
to take sides
Was I with you or against you
Was I brave or would I hide?

I tried to walk on water
and I tried to raise the dead
You knew you needed miracles
But you looked to me instead
You tried to make me choose 
I was a child, I was afraid
I couldn’t walk on water
I couldn’t raise the dead

I knew the story  
Heard behind closed doors
the screams and then the silence
like so many nights before
Huddled tight and safe
In the space beside my bed
I blocked out all the shouting
With little arms around my head
 
Each day you pushed me
to take sides
Was I with you or against you
Was I brave or would I hide?

I tried to walk on water
and I tried to raise the dead
You knew you needed miracles
But you looked to me instead
You tried to make me choose 
I was a child, I was afraid
I couldn’t walk on water
I couldn’t raise the dead

They pretended that it was normal
The calm and then the storm
The tears and retributions
The promise of no more 
The desperate “I love you”s
The pleading not to leave
And I clung to what I knew  
If I ignore it, it’s not real


I tried to walk on water
and I tried to raise the dead
You knew you needed miracles
But you looked to me instead
You tried to make me choose 
I was a child, I was afraid
I couldn’t walk on water
I couldn’t raise the dead

Behind Closed Doors

I made it out of Dublin
just before they locked it down
Caught the last flight out
and I slept until touchdown 
A place where men wear funny skirts
and nothing underneath
The heart of Mary's Scotland
became my new retreat 

One and twenty bottles
I bought in Inverness
And when the night is over
there'll be one and twenty less

Drink to absent friends we miss
who won't come through the door
Drink to better days we've had
they won't come back no more
Drink to all we thought we knew
that simply wasn’t true 
Drink to all that should have been
yeah, drink to me and you

MacLeod threw me a party
he was the perfect host
Men in kilts may scare some
What’s beneath them might scare more
But I was not so frightened
'cause of all the Finns I know
Who drink vodka in the Sauna
and then roll naked in the snow

They offered me a single malt
I thought, underwear or not
When in Rome do as the Romans do
I'll drink it like a Scot
Then I remembered words of wisdom 
when I saw water on the side
'The fish they f*** in water'
so I tossed the glass aside.

Drink to absent friends we miss
who won't come through the door
Drink to better days we've had
they won't come back no more
Drink to all we thought we knew
that simply wasn’t true 
Drink to all that should have been
yeah, drink to me and you

They did not take that very well
in fact, they went quite mad
Three or four Scots held me down
and I found myself unclad
Then they tried to throw me out 
naked and exposed
but the bastards had forgotten
that the front door was still closed!

No shirt, no shoes, no socks, no jocks
A doorframe round my neck 
I walked the streets of Inverness
A bruised and battered wreck
I don't mind being naked
I'm a child of 68
but the Scots still had me bottles
and I had to set that straight

One and twenty bottles
I bought in Inverness
And when the night is over
there'll be one and twenty less

Drink to absent friends we miss
who won't come through the door
Drink to better days we've had
they won't come back no more
Drink to all we thought we knew
that simply wasn’t true 
Drink to all that should have been
yeah, drink to me and you

Listen to me people
To this story’s tragic end
When I snuck back in the morning
not one bottle had they left
The bloody Scots had drunk them all
Yeah, that is what I said
And one was still there sleeping
with me Jocks upon his head!

A mass of beer, a sup of wine
O' whiskey, a wee dram
What you drink and when and where
No-one gives a damn.
But one thing that unites us all
underwear or not
The moment we begin to drink
we knock back all we've got!

Drink to absent friends we miss
who won't come through the door
Drink to better days we've had
they won't come back no more
Drink to all we thought we knew
that simply wasn’t true 
Drink to all that should have been
yeah, drink to me and you

One And Twenty Bottles

Swedish multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Johan Alm's solo project, Jambrains, is like a Kinder Surprise: you never know exactly what you are going to get but you know it's going to be tasty and expertly packaged. His music is a fusion of strong melodies and the power of guitars en masse with just a pinch of folk thrown in for good measure.

After paying his dues in numerous bands over the years, 2014 saw the birth of Jambrains as a vehicle for Johan to deliver what he calls "power with melody". "I had so many ideas and was writing so many songs but it was just too difficult to find the time to rehearse them with the band, let alone perform or record them. I had two choices - go solo or go insane", he explains.

At the beginning there was no well-defined Jambrains sound - guitars were always a key ingredient but doing lead vocals was new to Johan and style-wise, the songs were very diverse. Eventually a pattern emerged centred around the power and energy of classic rock with the melodies, harmonies and hooks of pop peppered with the ever-present undertow of folk.

The debut album '900 Days' was released in December 2016 and was well received. "It’s personal and fun, and always accompanied by amazing guitar", one review said.  "I wanted to sort of document the first 900 days of Jambrains, so I selected my 12 favorite songs and remixed/remastered them for the album", says Johan. '900 Days' is a perfect introduction to the evolution of the distinctive sound of Jambrains.

The follow up EP 'Life, Love & Lies' was released in September 2017. "This time I wanted more coherent material with regard to both songwriting and production", says Johan. Where the material for the first album was written and recorded over a period stretching over more than 2 years, 'Life, Love & Lies' was written and recorded over the course of 6 months and as a result, the second Jambrains release does sound tighter and more focused.

The third EP Faded Dreams was release in July 2018 and was well received. Johan is currently finalising the a fourth EP named Lost Horizons scheduled for the third quarter of 2019.

Jambrains

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