Roisin's Theme

That's Alright

Let Me Out

I often record myself messing around on the guitar, jamming with myself, making things up, in case any good ideas are thrown up. I was listening back to various of my recordings and came across this rather extended blues jam. Trying to work out what to do with, I decided to leave it as it is, a slightly mad, poor quality, but very fun little thing. 

Highway Song

Forgive The Night

I watched, as I often watch, or read, in despair at the attacks in Paris, and then Mali. These things seem to happen with such regularity that it is often difficult to truly understand, to take it in. Instead we become numb. Death in such numbers, so unexpected, so horrifying, how does one take it in? How do you react to such a vicious act, to such unwarranted hatred? Antoine Leiris lost his wife in Paris. He wrote and recorded a message to his wife’s murderers. It was amazing. Having watched that, I wrote this. It is very rough. It is not a finished thing. It lacks something. But needs time to develop, so I wanted to put it up now, as it is. 
This is for all those who have suffered, who have lost, who have been caught up in a war that is not theirs, who are scared. 
Peace, tonight, be still, shine brightly. 

UNBROKEN

Peace, 
Tonight, 
Be still, 
Shine brightly. 

Hold on, 
My love, 
To this memory 
of us. 

Morning 
will come, 
For you, 
And you must carry on. 

Tonight, 
This night, 
Is ours alone, 
Let go of fright.

Hate, cannot make us hate, 
Unbroken. 
We may fall, 
We stand again, 
Unbroken.

Don’t run,
From fear,
Fear will pass,
I’ll still be here.

Don’t 
forget 
that love surpasses
even death 

Hold,
My hand,
One more time, 
While you still can.

Then say 
goodbye, 
Just like goodnight. 
 
Hate, cannot make us hate, 
Unbroken. 
We may fall, 
We stand again, 
Unbroken.

Those 
who fear to think
Will never break us.

And they who took 
so much from us, 
Can never win 
While we hold love. 

Don’t ever think you’re alone
We are all more than names on bits of stone,
And lives are made to live,
Don’t look back in hatred, 
Go forward, My love, 
Go forward and forgive. 

Peace, 
Tonight, 
Be still, 
Shine brightly. 

Hold on, 
My love, 
To this memory 
of us. 

Morning 
will come, 
For you, 
And you must carry on. 

Hold,
My hand,
One more time, 
While you still can.

Then say 
goodbye, 
Just like goodnight. 

Peace, tonight, Be still, shine brightly.

© Olly Stokoe 2015


Unbroken

Ghost House

The empty wine bottles are still on the floor, 
And the ash tray is spilling out with more, 
And the telephone hasn’t sounded in two days, 
And the house hasn’t been the same since you went away. 

Well I’m living in a ghost house now with the empties and a cigarette,
And the ghosts, they are playing with my brain, 
And your memory it lingers on, in every corner and in every song, 
And these ghosts they are playing with my brain.

Your half empty wine glass on the table, 
Still carries the mark from your lips, 
And those cushions on the sofa,
Where we’d lie and where we’d kiss.

Well I’m living in a ghost house now with the empties and a cigarette,
And the ghosts, they are playing with my brain, 
And your memory it lingers on, in every corner and in every song, 
And these ghosts they are playing with my brain.

Woke up with a martini, 
And I thought of you and me, 
Of how we were so beautiful, 
And how we were so free.
Well it wasn’t meant to end like this,
No it meant to be, 
But for a little time we were so young and free.

Well I’m living in a ghost house now with the empties and a cigarette,
And the ghosts, they are playing with my brain, 
And your memory it lingers on, in every corner and in every song, 
And these ghosts they are playing with my brain.

© Olly Stokoe 2001


Ghost House

I was messing around on a bass, playing with ideas, and strangely ended up recording a U2 cover. Stranger things have probably happened...

Words and Music U2, arrangement and performance, Olly Stokoe. 

With Or Without You

I don’t know
What I need
All my dreams
And a dead eyed queen.

All I loved,
All I had, 
I gave it up, 
For dust and rags. 

Brushed by hell’s fire, 
Running lost and lonely, 
Hold my hands out
For the truth.
On the inside of a 
Lonely railcar running,
Past open lighted, happy rooms. 

Not to leave,
Not to feel, 
Not to cast out, 
Not to heal,
And all my life,
Through old and new, 
Thoughts of you, 
Come shinning through. 

Another night,
Lost and cold, 
It’s not because I mean it, 
It’s not that I don’t feel it. 
Call for me, 
Call for me,
Call for me, 
Call for me. 

I don’t know
What I need
All my dreams
And a dead eyed queen.

All I loved,
All I had, 
I gave it up, 
For dust and rags.

It’s not because I mean it, 
It’s not that I don’t need it:
Call for me, 
Call for me,
Call for me. 

(c) Olly Stokoe, 2016
  


Call For Me

One Minute Of Bird Song

London based songwriter, guitarist, and singer of sorts.