Oh baby let me take you
To that screen-saver dawn
To Hallmark scenes 
On a snowy winter’s morn
You can’t do this on your own
You can’t do this on your own
Oh baby let me take you.

Oh baby let me take you
Out to the windy cliff
Where amateur artists paint seascapes
We’ll watch the seagulls drift
You can’t do this on your own
You can’t do this on your own
Oh baby let me take you.

Oh baby let me take you
To the bucolic country fair
Sack races and coconut shies
Bluegrass music in the air
Oh baby let me take you
To Huckleberry Finn paddle steamers
To the heel and toe gingham dances
To the writers and the dreamers
You can’t do this on your own
You can’t do this on your own
Oh baby let me take you.

Let Me Take You

Treat your woman well; whisper Shakespeare and Shelly in her ears
Bath her feet, keep her safe, give her shelter in the lean years.
Play the wizard, the alchemist, the lover, the hero the clown
Bring her five white horses and a jewelled crown.

Fill her bowl with ambrosia; keep the marriage bed clean and straight
Fight off the johnny-come-lately's and pay all the freight
Allusions and rumours may rise with venom out of the ground
Bring her four bolts of Indian silk and a jewelled crown.

Make a talisman of Zanzibar ivory for her to keep
Watch her breathing softly in your bed as she lays there asleep
Shout no regretful words, cast her no angry frown
Bring her three Fabergé eggs and a jewelled crown.

A jewelled crown.

Trees may bow and leaves may fall when your woman rebels
Wild boar and brown bear may stand on hind legs when your woman yells
No insect will buzz, no fish will splash, no bird will make a sound
Bring her two Persian kittens. 

In troubled times grasp the nettle. Take the bull by the horns
Give her your one last long dollar   
But never bring her a crown of thorns.

A Jewelled Crown

Younger years, so in command
Immortal and invincible
Steadfast and staunch; a new vessel launched
Crewed with pride and principle
Me in my best shirt, you in your short skirt
That first date; us both having a ball
Little did we know that time would show
That love makes fools of us all.

Chapters dissolve as pages turn
Always needing a new sensation
That flickering glance; another new romance
The irresistible temptation
I guess we all make mistakes but that’s all it takes
That clandestine meeting in the mall
Lust has no conscience; your values turn to nonsense 
When love makes fools of us all.

Now I sit and grow old so gracefully
Just hoping for a peaceful end
All aspirations and ambitions long gone
And gone all old lovers and friends
The slow clock ticks every box in my lounge-room
Photos and memories on my wall
But before I go to hell, I remember so well
How love made fools of us all.

Fools Of Us All

Hey Maggie come on over, I used to call you Margaret
We can have a few drinks, a little chat
Maybe share the odd funny cigarette
Hey Maggie come on over, I used to call you Margaret
We can play kings and queens I’ll be Louis XVI
You can be Marie Antoinette
Got a couple of movies got some old CD’s
Got some vintage Gladys Knight
But Maggie, hell I’m missing you tonight

Hey Maggie come on over, I used to call you Margaret
I still remember you practicing your ballet 
Watching every point and every pirouette
Hey Maggie come on over, I remember when we met
I still got your name and number scribbled quickly
On that restaurant’s white serviette
And I still recall you lean against the wall
That morning that we had our last fight
But Maggie, hell I’m missing you tonight

Hey Maggie come on over
No need to play hard to get
Hey Maggie come on over
And I’ll be always in your debt

Hey Maggie come on over, I’ll even call you Margaret
I’ll do anything you want, be your slave
Be your puppet be your crazy dancing marionette
You can stay for as long as you like
Just a couple of hours or till the morning light
But Maggie, hell I’m missing you tonight

Hey Maggie

Put me on this road of twists and turns
Something in my heart still burns
Where love begins and friendship ends
Not quite lovers but more than friends

Put me on this road before I curse
I swear I couldn’t feel no worse
No room here I’ve had to bail
Quiet as mist on a widow’s veil

God knows how we got along
I was weak when I should have been strong
Now I sing a different song
To the girl from Dandenong

Her clothes so bright her tan so bronze
Her hair so fair her legs so long
Yet everything felt so wrong
With the girl from Dandenong.

Put me on this road to another deal
Another spinning hamster wheel
All I need is what I have
Pocket of change and her photograph

Heart on fire yet frozen tongue
Heading north; almost gone
Knowing I can never belong
With the girl from Dandenong

Don’t look back there’s nothing to see
I hear her calling back to me

Girl From Dandenong

Over many years I have enjoyed a career in gigging, teaching, studio session playing and arranging/composing. These days I spend my time in my own home recording studio where I create music of various genres, including original songs, orchestral works and solo guitar compositions.

Ray Brookes

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