Today we are mostly musing on hocus pocus and adding a little cereal box religion to taste.

In the never ending universe
Nothing there at all
Unaware yet dreaming
You'll hear me call

Though you don't remember
You've been here before
Time without a number
Rooms without a door

Take this gift and treasure it
A blend of pleasure and pain
You'll have no way to measure it
Before you're coming round again

Crying as you enter
I whisper in your ear
Live long and prosper
On this new frontier

As your light is fading
Life is on the wane
Have no fear of darkness
You'll be coming round again

Take this gift and treasure it
A blend of pleasure and pain
You'll have no way to measure it
Before you're coming round again

The Doorman

They wake you up,then lay you down
The part in between
Is just waiting around

The TV plays the same old shows
Groundhog day
From beginning to close

When your time is over And your picture's on that door
They won't need locks to keep you there
In room 54

The window shows the world outside
A million miles away 
From your bedside

When your time is over And your picture's on that door
They won't need locks to keep you there
In room 54

Your life's been lived and your time is done
The last great battle
Just can't be won

When your time is over And your picture's on that door
They won't need locks to keep you there
In room 54

Room 54

Play it loud.

I tried to look
But it hurts my eyes
Is this the truth I see
Or only lies

I can't see you
I can't fell you now
I can't hear you
I can't feel you now

Shadows

Shadows

SSMNF

The world is forever scrabbling for our attention,a constant jabbering commotion drowning out other things of importance.

Take time out to listen,to be at peace and to charge the batteries.

What are you afraid of,when you hide behind the noise
Fill your head with clamour,so you never hear the voice

I like the peace and quiet
I love a mind at rest
Well,don't be afraid to try it
Chilled out,laid back and unstressed

Alone with your thoughts may give you cause for doubt
So turn up the volume,drown everything out

I like the peace and quiet
I love a mind at rest
Well,don't be afraid to try it
Chilled out,laid back and unstressed

Still

Many thanks to Andy Cruse (Kafla) for adding his great vocals to the track. You can hear more of Andy's music here.. https://soundcloud.com/andrewcruse/tracks

Here's to you my comrades
Who've been and passed
Here's to you my friends
I raise my glass.

The times we shared
Those times are gone
Our lives are joined forever
We share a bond

We had our fun
And now it's time to pay
All the things we've said and done
Are washed away

Ah,the young will live forever
All of a single mind
Always rushing forward
Never need to look behind

We had our fun
And now it's time to pay
All the things we've said and done
Are washed away

Single Minds. feat Kafla on vocals

It's a one shot dearly precious thing
To be alive.


So glad to be here
Whole and sound
So glad I can be
Still around

I don't need your church or creed
To get me by
I don't need no alcohol or pills
To get me high

I don't need to fight with you
I don't need a gun
I'm doing what I was born to do
I'm having fun

I'm high on life

I don't need negativity
Don't drag me down
I'm the king of my own life
Don't steal my crown

Eyes wide open,high on life
That's when I thrive
It's a one shot dearly precious thing
To be alive

So glad to be here
Whole and sound
So glad I can be
Still around

I'm high on life

High On Life

You're led by the nose
And I think you suppose
It's the road to the promised land
Through the highs and the lows
You know how it goes
It's too late when you understand

It's too late when you understand
They've been playing underhand

It's Too Late

You always meant to
Put things right
You always meant to
Make amends
Twas your intent
Someday it's right
No argument
We'll still be friends

Now we've gone too far down that road
We've lost sight of the way
Erosion wears down the biggest stone
Leaves little left to say

I alway meant to
Do what's right
To be the one
To count on
Lose the need for
Fight or flight
Opportunity's gone

I Always Meant to

A cover of the Nine inch nails song,one which always resonates with me. It's one I wish I had written.

Hurt

The eternal quest for inspiration,starring the inevitable setbacks. 

Searching for inspiration
Sweating blood and tears
Sometimes all information
Just disappears

Easy times in days of youth
I knew the way
Time to face the hard truth
I've nothing left to say

It's all gone away

Nothing left to say

Running down a dead end street
Chasing the muse
Finding more chaff than wheat
Nothing to use

Nothing left but tired old tat
Done the same old way
Pick the lyrics from a hat
No one listens,anyway

It's all gone away

Nothing left to say

Chasing The Muse

No title for this one yet,so all suggestions welcome.

Careless and immortal
Time goes drifting by
Turning full circle
No time to say goodbye

I foolishly imagined
We'd go on and on
I never knew what we had
'Til it was gone

Behold the gift of hindsight
If only we had known
Contempt for our birthright
Trouble is homegrown

I foolishly imagined
We'd go on and on
I never knew what we had
'Til it was gone

Project 27.05.23

Nothing to Say at All

Something a little different for me. I don't offer many covers.
I used to gig with Martin and Fiona,we had some great times and played well together.
A while back we recorded this Randy Newman song,just because it's a lovely piece. Hope you enjoy.

Feels Like Home

Well,FMOB if it's not a brand new song! It may not be the best choon ever,but at least it smells fresher for now! 

Hard times have befallen you 
I see what you have done
Your reputation follows you
You shit on everyone

You led me on a merry dance
I fell too hard,too fast
I didn't stand the slightest chance
Was never gonna last

Correct me if I'm wrong,if you dare
I've known this all along
I'm trying hard to care

You set me up to take a fall
You never blinked an eye
You led me on,you took it all
Left me wondering why

Hard times have befallen you 
I see what you have done
Your reputation follows you
You shit on everyone

Tryin' Hard to Care

Cold house and no one in
Even though you're here
Joined as one,living alone
Is something to fear

Your words don't mean a lot
When your actions show the lie
You show what you are not
So I'm wishing you goodbye

Remember what we used to be
So close,so tight
Hard to imagine where we are
It don't seem right

So I'm wishing you goodbye

Wishing You Goodbye

Falling down

You lead a merry dance
Spin me round and round
'Til we all fall down
Falling down

And when I try to follow
I'm always falling down
My feet can't match the music
I feel like I'm a clown

Sometimes I catch your rhythm
I feel on solid ground
Then we all fall down
Falling down

You march to a different drummer
You hear a different sound
So we all fall down
Falling down

And when I try to follow
I'm always falling down
My feet can't match the music
I feel like I'm a clown

Out of Step

I'm all out of luck
With counting sheep
Try as I might
I just can't sleep

It's 4am by my bedside clock
And I'm lying here awake
The radio hums with DJ talk
It's hours before daybreak

I'm all out of luck
With counting sheep
Try as I might
I just can't sleep

I've tried a lot of sleeping pills
The doctor said to take
Drown it all with alcohol and still
I'm here awake

I've tried so hard to drift away
But I never get too far My restless mind just won't obey
I give up and play guitar

I'm all out of luck
With counting sheep
Try as I might
I just can't sleep

I'm all out of luck
With counting sheep
Try as I might
I just can't sleep

I Just Can't Sleep

Sorry folks,I posted this public accidentally because I hadn't finished tweaking. The track my change a bit in the coming days!

I see you coming after me
Always playing dirty
Your single mission in this life
Is to try to hurt me

You make me really want to hate you all the way
In my head under my skin
Everything you say

Too hot to handle but I can't let go
I'm afraid what you may be
I'm a rabbit in the headlights you know
You'll be the death of me

You make me really want to hate you all the way
In my head under my skin
Everything you say

Fire in your eyes no disguise
Going for my throat
You'll never be satisfied
Til you take everything I own

Everything You Say

For those of you not familiar with the management abuse which took the lives of Badfinger's Pete Ham and Tom Evans. They died without seeing any of the benefits from their million selling songs.

"I will not be allowed to love and trust everybody". "This is better".
(Pete Ham's suicide note)



Everything falls into place
The future is secure
The golden boys,the chosen ones
The sellout world tour

Did you get what you deserved baby blue
Day after day
A world without you

Million selling records
Validation from the best
Just four boys from Wales
No one would have guessed

Legal fights and corruption
Greedy businessmen
The took your money took your soul
Again and again

That avaricious businessman 
He bled you dry
All the starry promises
Were nothing but a lie

Six long years 
And nothing to show
A rope a note in a garage
It was time to go

Did you get what you deserved baby blue
Day after day
A world without you

Pete & Tom

A song mourning the loss of Summer/youth/vitality

Autumn leaves are falling down
Heavy hangs my heart
Darkness closing all around
Slowly life departs

Cold and the dark leach the sunshine away
Colours fade and dim,turning to grey

Time is paused and life's on hold
Each day a waiting game
All the new is now the old
Different now the same

Cold and the dark leach the sunshine away
Colours fade and dim,turning to grey

Fading to Grey

Lyrics based on those written by a child in an institution run by abusive clerics.

Just a child scared and small
No one to turn to no one at all
No one to hold me to dry my tears
No one to hug me to ease my fears

Sisters of no mercy
Twisted and cruel
Sisters of heresy
Masquerading as school
Hell is awaiting
A special place for you

Hoping and praying it's just a dream
When I hear the other children scream
Out of sight is out of mind
The world moves on
We are left behind

Nothing left to help or save
A final unmarked lonely grave
Someday when you've nowhere left to run
When the world finds out 
Just what you have done

Sisters of no mercy
Twisted and cruel
Sisters of heresy
Masquerading as school
Hell is awaiting
A special place for you

Sisters of no Mercy

I woke from sleep in a cold hard sweat
She was standing by my bed
You know where I am if you need me,she said
Her touch was as cold as the dead

A scream arose in my throat
Yet was stifled and undeclared
Do I dream or wake as I sit on the bed?
Am I ready or unprepared?

The telephone rang,time to arise
Appointments need to be kept
Eight hours in bed and my body still said
It feels like I haven't slept


When I cut you down from the dance of life
You felt chilled right through
I knew from that moment on
You had killed me too

She said,all you see
Is not what you see
You must leave it all behind
The cloak and the veil of everyday life
Is only in your mind

Voodoo Blooz

Jodie answered the phone
But no one said hello
Hey,hey,is anyone there?

In some ways she was glad
The phone rang when she was sad
Hey,hey,is anyone there?

She sits by the fire burning low
With memories from long ago
Hey,hey is anyone there?

This Monday passed on a week
Where she hasn't heard anyone speak
Hey,hey,is anyone there?

Jodie was found in her chair
Two years dead,no one cared
Hey,hey,is anyone there?

People come,people go
No one sheds a tear
People come,people go
Were we ever here?

Jodie

In my teens I loved Focus songs such as Hocus Pocus and Sylvia,they epitomised melodic rock guitar of the era. My love affair has been with the Telecaster,so this is my ham fisted tribute to Jan and the rock instrumental.

If Jan Akkerman Played A Telecaster

Featuring the piano talents of Paul,who happily played keys on this track for no money at all. 😃 You can find the incomparable Paul here at https://soundcloud.com/paulcanuck/tracks

As for the song? I don't think I need explain this one....

If you look into my eyes
You'll see an empty space
I hold my secrets deep inside
You won't read them on my face

Don't ask me questions
You know it's for the best
I'm keeping all my playing cards
Close,to my chest

I must be quiet and never cry
No one must ever know
The police would come and take him
I'd have nowhere to go

Today has been a good one
He hasn't hit me much
Oh,my little brother,he's the one
To get the personal touch.

Secrets... feat Paul on piano.

Sometimes we get s fixated by things going on in our personal lives,that we lose perspective and we sweat the 'small stuff'. Kinda like walking with our heads down and not seeing what's all around. This is a reminder to myself as well as anyone else who tends to indulge too much in the regarding of the belly button fluff of life!

Heads up y'all!

Walking with your head down
Looking at the ground
Life in tunnel vision
Blinkered,tightly bound

Living in a bubble
Insular and bound
While avoiding trouble
You miss what's all around

Rolled up in cotton wool
Safe from all harm
A life of only half full
But free from alarm

Look up
There's a whole universe
Listen up
There's so much to be heard

Ever wary,taking care
Avoiding risk or chance
Treading water,going nowhere
Maintain a careful stance

Look up
There's a whole universe
Listen up
There's so much to be heard

Look Up

Dear soundcloud friends,

I'm not in a good place at the moment,my father is very ill and the last few weeks have been traumatic. Life is on hold and so is the creation of music.

I'm sorry I have not had the opportunity to listen to your great new music,but hopefully at some time in the future,I will.

I wrote this track about a year ago,but for me it captures my feelings for the moment. Take care you all.

Davy.

I'm not doing any music these days,so I thought I'd post one I did years ago. It's a cover of a Paul Ads song I've always loved.

Paul Adamson is a damn fine songwriter and I hardly ever record covers of other folk's work,but this one resonated deeply with me and still does after repeated listens.
I didn't lean too heavy on the production on this,because I wanted to allow the song to shine. I hope you enjoy and bring a few listens to Paul's cloud.

Words and music by PaulAds. Song covered by Davy Vance

Paul's music can be found here. @thefuneralcrasher

So Haunt Me - a song by PaulAds (The Funeral Crasher)

Ah,the times were good
We had a ball
We didn't make much money
Sometimes none at all

We played our songs
Believed the part
All that we played and sang
Came from the heart

Remember when the fire burned bright
Playing those songs every night

Ah time moves fast
But we move slow
Nothing ever lasts
We weren't to know

Burned out and faded
The passion gone
Going through the motions
For every well known song

Remember when the fire burned bright
Playing those songs every night

Remember when the fire burned bright
Playing those songs every night

No Principles-The Storyteller

The mighty baritone rides again. 😎


I never wanted to push the boat out
Give you pie in the sky
I didn't promise I'd be perfect
I'm not that guy

I'd rather be cool than a danger
Risking all I see
Better a fool than an angel
Is all I want to be

I didn't promise I'd be good
Not guilty of that crime
I do things I shouldn't do
Happens all the time

Please be good to me
Don't get on my back
I'm weak and I'm a fool
Cut me some slack

I'd rather be cool than a danger
Risking all I see
Better a fool than an angel
Is all I want to be

Better A Fool

There are times when we must step back and recognise certain events are beyond our control or influence. Rather than waste energy railing against this unalterable fact,we must learn to accept what we cannot change and find new ways of adapting. Although I say this,I struggle too. I'm a slow learner.
Some slide action to be played appropriately loud!


Don't be angry with the sun that sets
Or the wind and rain that blow
Nothing's gained by fretting
What you can't control

Don't get tight with things not right
Just let it all unfold
You can make it better
Just by letting go

Life is tough and treats you rough
If you swim against the tide
You can make it better
Let it all just slide

Let It Go

Second album of 10 songs 'Looking Up',available from bandcamp,Spotify and the rest.

https://vancemagill.bandcamp.com/album/look-up

First album of songs. 'Flying Solo'.
https://vancemagill.bandcamp.com/album/flying-solo

And on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/album/4BOvUv16dOl6cgcWANX1Dz
This is my first solo venture. It's an album of ten songs and it can be downloaded  from bandcamp free,or for whatever you deem it worth. I'd be happy if you just take a copy and listen to my musical ramblings. 
Thanks to all who take the time.  :)

Follow on Spotify  https://open.spotify.com/album/4BOvUv16dOl6cgcWANX1Dz
A while back I viewed s/c as merely a hosting platform for posting on forums,but then I realised there was access to so many wonderful compositions by other folk,it then became my prime source of listening to music.
This little corner of the internet is actually a thriving musical community where nobodies such as myself can share songs with the great and the good.
All that just has to be positive and welcome.
Thanks to all who listen and comment,be assured I will return the favour,as I love finding new artists. Please don't follow me if you are going to unfollow,I only wish to listen and share music,I am not a follower collector.


Songs are a mix of solo work with all instruments played by myself,plus my own world weary vocals! I tend to favour my home made Telecasters and a Strat,though the odd acoustic makes an appearance. I use Logic Pro X and am a recent convert to DAW.

I play and write for the joy of expression and always with the hope my songs may be a positive force to anyone who takes time to listen. I'm an old boy now,so I harbour no dreams of success in the conventional sense,having the odd comment is just fine for me. Thanks to all who bother.

 Also earlier songs from a project in 2015, with Fiona and Martin Magill,Vocals and keys. Martin is a very talented working keyboard player,but sadly Fiona no longer sings. Our loss.
Lastly there are tracks from late 80s/early 90s from SOS,a band I was in back then.

Davy Vance

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