Iggy's The Passenger reimagined as a Christmas lullaby.

The Passenger (Iggy Pop/Bowie Cover)

Indifference 23

A kind of humanist hymn, about recognising the little positives and pleasures in life and celebrating them. Written shortly after reading Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, of which there are echoes in the lyric and theme. Out on general release 16.05.2025.

Fly like a bird on the wings of emotion forever
Stretching the world to its limits an infinite pleasure
For life is so beautiful
And love is so true
Cry like a child in the night for the darkness to wither
See with the eyes of the blind man whose sight is delivered
Time on our side
Hope in our eyes
We can endure
We can build we can cure
We can love for a while 
Forever or more
Treasure each moment
The memories in store for us
Moments in time and in space that the world cannot measure
Drink from the fountain of truth taste the eternal treasure
For life is so beautiful
And love is so true
That I'll take them to the full
And share them with you

Flatter to Deceive

Treasure

Buy on Bandcamp

A song written in 1985 about the woes of the world. Quite jolly, though, in its own way, I have always liked this one and have done my best to make the production sound polished.

So many lost souls wandering in this world
Falling from agony to ecstasy unable to defer
So many empty lives waiting to be filled
When every moment is eternity time is to be killed
And I can only take so much
Of living for myself and no-one else
So I reach out to touch
So many strangers trying to befriend
Fumbling in the dark to make a mark
To trust and to depend
So many children whose innocence is bruised
With a mortgaged pride they're pushed aside
Broken and abused
And I can only take so much
Of watching people reach into themselves
Unable to touch
You'd better turn away,
I'm sorry
You won't know what to say
You'd better turn away
Too late to realise
Don't worry
You'd better close your eyes
Only fools would be so wise

To Touch

All I Want for Christmas Is an Irish Passport 2024

80s Disco collaboration between Bentcousin and Terry Naylor

It's My Life  by Bentcousin & Terry Naylor

Written in 1984, with Paul Young in mind as a performer, this has always been a favourite of mine, but a tough one to record a good version of. This is about the best (so far).

It doesn't have to be this way
That's what makes it so much worse
I've said all I have to say
There's nothing to reverse
But it ain't easy to be strong
When you believed that you were right 
And all the time you were wrong

If only I'd known before what I know now
I wouldn't have been so sure about the way it had to be
But now I see
If only

So I thought I knew freedom
Held it gift-wrapped in my hands
For everyone to understand
But I built my own prison
Though I've realised too late
Now there's no way to escape
I've burnt my bridges
Made up my mind
When I thought I could see everything
How could I have been so blind

Thought I'd got the picture
But I only saw a part
Now it's too late to contemplate
A sudden change of heart

If only, if only I could have seen
If only, if only I'd known what might have been

If Only

IF ONLY

One of my 1970s songs with echoes of Laurel Canyon. The production and arrangement is my take on the sound of Jimmy Webb writing for Glen Campbell, David Gates or Bacharach and David covered by The Carpenters, that sweeping American orchestral sound, with the big vibe Gretsch. Most of it was written in '78-'79. I added the middle eight recently, when I realised that it had stuck around in my head, unbidden and unnurtured for over forty years. The song itself is probably influenced most by Donny Osmond, of whom I was a huge fan in the early '70s. To be specific, I think it's like something that could have been on his Alone Together or A Time for Us albums.

There's gonna be a sometime
When you're gonna need me
There's gonna be a sometime
When you want me there
There's gonna be a time sometime soon
When you need love to share
There's gonna be a sometime
When you care
Remember girl all of the times
I needed your loving
There never really seemed enough time
For us to find
I wonder what tomorrow brings
Now I won't look behind
Maybe tomorrow will be sometime
When you're mine
Why should yesterday hold so much sway
When tomorrow comes
Let's be the ones
Who don't delay
To find our way
There's gonna be a time
Sometime soon
When you need love to share
There's gonna be a sometime
When you care

There's Gonna Be a Sometime

A song about disillusionment in the face of all the current unpleasantness.

Once I though that hate could be erased
The world transformed into a better place
Free from scheming
Free from keeping score
But I'm not dreaming anymore
Once I thought I could let freedom ring
Truth and justice over everything
Heartfelt healing
Making life secure
But I'm not dreaming anymore
I'm not dreaming of a promised land
Where hope and history walk hand in hand
Love redeeming
Giving life new meaning
No I'm not dreaming 
I'm not dreaming anymore

I'm Not Dreaming Anymore

Blue is the night when you walk from my door
Golden the dawn you come back for more
Vermillion sunsets cerulean days
Indigo girls cut right through the haze
Of a thousand shades
Show me the colour of love's blinding light
Turning each skyscape into a starry night
Tone down the heartache
And build the intensity till everything glows
Vivid as La Vie en Rose
With brushstrokes from heaven above
Show me the colour of love
Tainted hearts frozen in time
Painted from memory in lemon and lime
Blue as midnight when you walk from my door
Golden the dawn, you want more?
Temeraire sunsets the Factory days
Vincents whole world with the night ablaze
Through that piercing gaze
Show me the colour of love
Let it bleed out from the canvas
The rain, steam and speed assaulting my senses
The pride and the passion, the glory and shame
Too much to hang in one frame
A crucified world from above
Show me the colour of love

THE COLOUR OF LOVE

She sits alone staring at the ceiling
Wondering what went wrong
Devoid of all feeling
Takes a moment to think
He's only a phonically away
She stands on the brink
But knows in her heart they're worlds apart
He takes cold showers 
And tries hard not to notice time go by
But the hours take their time to die
Inside his head he wanders back to yesterday
Speaks words left unsaid
Too late to start they're worlds apart
And it's nobody's fault
But they both need someone to blame
While they believe it all can never be the same
They stand alone and stare through separate windows
At a love they have known
Everywhere the wind blows
And they shiver inside
They both know what they long to say 
Is swallowed by pride
Two broken hearts two worlds apart
They're worlds apart

Worlds Apart

I want to walk along a beach
With no-one there
Don't want to talk
I wanna breathe pure clean air
Give me a day I can remember
Nothing to do
Nowhere that I have to be
An uncaged bird learning to fly
High and free
And I will be for the rest of my life
After the sound and the fury
There's a raging calm
Hope that I did some good
Or at least no harm
Please God no harm
I wannt to walk along a beach
That goes nowhere
Don't wanna talk
I want to breathe pure clean air
Everyday for the rest of my life

THE REST OF MY LIFE

The Rest of My Life

Folky, acoustic guitar driven metaphysical piece.
Open up your eyes and see
Your first sight of the dawn
You're alive and you've survived
The pain and strain of being born

Welcome to this brave new world
For better or for worse
Weak or strong, this life's a song
We sing out to the universe

What will be your melody
A river deep mountain high
Close harmony or wild and free
Harsh or gentle as the sky

Make your choice and find your voice
With no need to rehearse
Away and help your own sweet self
Sing your hymn to the universe
Sing your hymn to the universe

HYMN TO THE UNIVERSE

Hymn to the Universe

This song was written in full in the early 1980s, but it's probably more relevant today than ever.

Accommodation, that's what I need
Accommodation, that's what I need
Give me accommodation
Don't sit around and watch me bleed
I've searched through the suburbs and the centre of the town
Good accommodation is nowhere to be found
I've been to the east and I've been to the west
But there's no accommodation to offer me any rest
I've been to the north and I've been to the south
From e every vacant flat let to luxurious penthouse
I've studied architecture, marvelled at its flaws
Out from the street it's incomplete, but I can't find the cause
Accommodation, that's what I need
Accommodation, that's what I need
Give me accommodation, don't sit around and watch me bleed
Accommodation I see it all around
Surrounding me in its sea and I'm about to drown
This situation could not get any worse
There's water water everywhere and I'm dying of thirst
Accommodation that's what I need
Accommodation that's what I need
Give me accommodation, give a space to breathe

FLATTER TO DECEIVE

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation

September and the rain
Softly falling again
Relieve the heat and dust
Of that dry August
And when it all gets too much
We'll sit back and watch trees
Bend into the breeze
The bough will never break
Oh please for a life of ease
I want to be with you 
Every step that you take
My homecoming queen
Of heart to hearth comfort
Picture the scene
We are exactly where we want to be
Lost in a dream
Where we ignore the catcalls
Endure the pratfalls
Facing each other 
As we turn our backs on it all
Hold my hand
Gently does it to me
Understand 
You are all you have to be
Birds fly through the crimson sky
In search of a new home
Don't try to find a reason why
Just know what you know
Flow how you flow
Be true to yourself
And then everything else will follow
Tread softly on my soul
Gently does it to me
Baby steps to make you whole
Gently does it, you'll see

GENTLY DOES IT

Gently Does It

Sick of the sound of Three Lions, I wrote and recorded this jolly anthemic tune over a couple of days, then forgot about it. UNTIL NOW! I like catchy tunes, its original file name was Oi Cheeky! and I think it's bit of Hold Me Close type singalong tune. The original demo is on SC. since then, I've worked on the harmonies, arrangement, mix and mastering. I think that this is probably as good as it gets (for now) so it's out on other platforms too.


Wipe all your tears away
Cos that was yesterday 
Tomorrow come what may
Won't be the same
The future's unwritten
We can make it what we want it to be
Rewrite the history
No tears no shame
And you can't go wrong
When you know where you come from
If your dreams come true it's down to you
There's no hand of destiny
So bring it on
Sing out loud and sing out strong
Tonight we're gonna hear a brand new song
The places that I go
The people that I know
All smile and say hello how are you today
The shoes that I've been in
Chucked in a wheelie bin
Some you lose and some you win
Ain't that always the way
And you can't go wrong
If you know where you come from
When your dreams come true it's down to you
There's no hand of destiny
So bring it on
Play it loud and proud and strong
Tonight we're gonna sing a brand new song
And if the words don't come out right
And if the tune's a little light
Maybe next time we can shine
Keep calm and carry on
You don't stay new for all that long
You can't go wrong
When you know where you come from
If your dreams come true it's all down to you
There's no hand of destiny
So bring it on
Sing out loud and sing out strong
Tonight we're gonna sing a brand new song

BRAND NEW SONG

Brand New Song

Ex Terra Lucem

Barefoot in the Woods

Stadium rock sized ballad, written and recorded inn 2025, digitally released 17.10.2025.
When your head is in the clouds
Your feet on shifting sands
Your long cherished dreams
Lie in pieces in your hands
And you can't find the flow
To where you want to be
I want you to know
That you can feed on me
I will be there
I'll be your friend
I'll heal your hurt
Make do and mend
Your broken heart
Your weary soul
Don't fall apart
I'll make you whole
When ambition turns to rust
Hope and heart corrode
A handful of dust
Becomes a heavy load
When your exit strategy
Takes you to a dead-end street
You can feed on me
I'll make you complete
Your open wounds
I'll stitch and seal
Your childhood dreams
I will fulfil
This veil of tears
This reverie
Will disappear
You can feed on me
Crushed by the weight of your own mythology
Trying to find a state of mind to set your body free
I will be there
Through to the end
I'll heal your hurt
Make do and mend
Your aching heart
Your breaking soul
Don't fall apart
I will make you whole

SLAVE TO THE ALORITHM

Feed On Me

When I'm tied to the mast
And the ship's sinking fast
At the height of the storm
Bring the calm
Be my shelter

My dementor-gripped soul
Spirals out of control
Lift me up
Make me whole
Be my shelter

Maybe I can find a new beginning
In the ruins of the old
In a place where losing turns to winning
I'd bet a rainbow load of gold

My meandering mind
Helter-skelters to find
Some way out of this bind
Be my shelter

Maybe I can carve a new tomorrow
From the bark of yesterday
Find a form of words that don't ring hollow
To say what I long to say

Through the darkness till dawn
Give me love make me warm
Keep me safe from all harm
Be my shelter

BE MY SHELTER

Acoustic version of the epic stadium ballad. Out on all platforms 14/11/2025

When I'm tied to the mast
And the ship's sinking fast
At the height of the storm
Bring the calm
Be my shelter

My dementor-gripped soul
Spirals out of control
Lift me up
Make me whole
Be my shelter

Maybe I can find a new beginning
In the ruins of the old
In a place where losing turns to winning
I'd bet a rainbow load of gold

My meandering mind
Helter-skelters to find
Some way out of this bind
Be my shelter

Maybe I can carve a new tomorrow
From the bark of yesterday
Find a form of words that don't ring hollow
To say what I long to say

Through the darkness till dawn
Give me love make me warm
Keep me safe from all harm
Be my shelter

BE MY SHELTER (acoustic)

EDM version of the epic stadium ballad.When I'm tied to the mast
And the ship's sinking fast
At the height of the storm
Bring the calm
Be my shelter

My dementor-gripped soul
Spirals out of control
Lift me up
Make me whole
Be my shelter

Maybe I can find a new beginning
In the ruins of the old
In a place where losing turns to winning
I'd bet a rainbow load of gold

My meandering mind
Helter-skelters to find
Some way out of this bind
Be my shelter

Maybe I can carve a new tomorrow
From the bark of yesterday
Find a form of words that don't ring hollow
To say what I long to say

Through the darkness till dawn
Give me love make me warm
Keep me safe from all harm
Be my shelter

BE MY SHELTER (disco)

BE MY SHELTER (Disco)

My love is strong
As the ground we stand upon
May last as long
As the moon, the stars and sun
But if you have to be away from me
It doesn't m mean a thing
I have no hold, I'll let you go
I cannot catch the wind

How I run
Chasing after all your love
when it's done
And what I give is not enough
When the candle's flame flickers fades
And darkness is within
One the brightness dies, beauty jades
I won't try to catch the wind

Blowing free around me
What a sad, sad song it sings
Never dare to ever care
Or chase and catch the wind

For the world
will turn and we will change
What we know
Will one day feel so strange
So when you have to make
Your journey to yourself I will give in
I will not take, I will not break
Or chase and catch the wind

Catch the Wind (mistral mix)

Wintry waltz, with a mystical, magical feel.

ANGEL OF LIGHT

A song set in New York in early December 1980.

Butterfly wings beat out the rhythm of your heart
Tsunami waves swell and the hurricane winds start
A stranger steps into the light
You sign your name you say goodnight
The Hudson wind begins to bite
You head on inside
A red sky dawn lights up the day
You carry on go your own way
You live it like you just don't care
On borrowed time so unaware
No astrological design
No tarot cards set out the time
If you're so cosmic can't you read the signs
The stranger steps out of the dark
You signed your name now cross your heat
The gunshots echo in the park
The birds fly away
The concierge he calls it in
The New York cops they're on the scene
The passers by all stop and stare
Then resume their lives so unaware
You live the dream and it can take you oh so far
Step out of your limousine get into another car

UNAWARE

Unaware

A song set in Liverpool in early December 1980.

I wrote this song on December 9th 1980. Having been awakened early by my Dad, who told me the grim news, I went into university in Liverpool, but didn't attend any of the lectures, I just walked around the city, taking in some of the landmarks. It was a very grey, damp morning and people were stunned. I went into a bookshop and bought The Man Who Gave The Beatles Away by Allan Williams, which I believe Lennon had read and liked, as it captured the mood of the very early days. I went home and listened to the maudlin news bulletins, which featured input from people who seemed to me to be very marginally tangential to Lennon's life and wondered what he would have though about what they were saying about  him. Then I wrote this song about the day and the bleak mood, which I think it captures.

As cold December drizzle stings my eyes
The ground is damp with tears from a full sky
They're crying in the city
The streets well up with tears
Weeping for the wasted early years

As broken glass echoes around the world
All the lonely people stood and stared
Frigid frozen glances rigid in despair
Walking round not going anywhere

And all the frozen people made me laugh
Racing round to write your epitaph
With anecdotal ditties they tried their best to paint
A picture that was witty, cruel but quaint

In my head I heard four voices scream
For fathers and the children of a dream
In sadness and in silence pick up an old guitar
And mourn the sudden violence of your epitaph

Epitaph

A traditional Christmas Carol in a classical style.

One cold night there came an angel
Seek he said and you shall find
For this night is born a saviour
To you and all mankind
See that star of heaven's glory
Let it guide you through the night
Till You find a newborn baby
The purest source of light
Gloria in excess deo
Peace on earth good will to all men
Let's put aside our differences
And begin again
So I walked o'er field and mountain
To Bethlehem where I beheld
In a manger in a stable
Jeaus Christ Emmanuel

One Cold Night

Christmas pop song, Springsteen, Spector, Wizard influence. Out on all platforms 19.11.2025.

Weatherman says that snow'll be fallin'
NORAD's tracking Santa on his sleigh
Hope he makes it in time for Christmas Day
Cos we've been waiting all year long
For this magic time to come
I hope it brings you all that you want
And we could make it better by spending it together
I'll be coming home to you darling
From more than half a world away
Hope I get there in time for Christmas Day
And if you feel unsatisfied
Waiting for the moment to arrive
Make a little room to spare inside
fit in one more present and I could be in heaven
I'll be coming home to you darlin'
I love you more than any words can say
Hope I make it in time for Christmas Day

IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS DAY

A Christmas song very much in the style of The Jim Reeves Christmas Album.

They're hanging up their stockings by the fireplace
Santa's hitching Rudolph to his sleigh
But it's a lonely cold and dark
Frosty winter in my heart
Since the moment that you took your love away
Red stockings may be hanging from the bedposts
Crystal decorations trim that tree
They'll be singing Silent Night
'Neath that cold blue neon light
It won't be Christmas until you come home to me
The carollers are singing Come Ye Faithful
Snowflakes drifting gently on the breeze
But baby I won't go underneath that mistletoe
It won't be Christmas until you come home to me

It Won't Be Christmas (Until You come Home to Me)

It Won't Be Christmas (Until You Come Home to Me)

Christmas pop song with a whistleable tune.

This time of year nobody likes to be alone
You spend your time trying to find someone
To take the edge off all the loneliness and hurt
To find some happiness to share
So if you'd catch me
I'll be falling with the snow
If your heart starts to melt
We could set this world aglow
When the lights shine bright
And the stars look down
Then I know I'll never want you more
Than I want you now
When it's cold at night
And I hold you near
Then I know this Christmas love 
Will never disappear
A season of giving 
And good living for everyone
Get the elf off the shelf
Be good to yourself
And everything else will surely come

CHRISTMAS LOVE

Christmas Love

A DIFFERENT LIGHT

A Different Light

Cover of the Dire Straits classic, with a laid back poppy feel.

Romeo and Juliet Dire Straits Cover

Welcome to my Soundcloud Page. I am a songwriter based in St Helens, a town in the Northwest of the UK.
You will find songs in a singer-songwriterly vein, written and recorded by me, taking in a range of musical genres,  alt/indie rock songs recorded by The (Now Legendary) Maybees in the 1990s, some classical sounding music by The Lucem Symphonia, as well as banging EDM/electronic tunes by Casaubon and a few mixes of a collaboration with Bentcousin,. Unknown Unknown is another alias I have used for one release and Firenze Anemones is a new project. Most recently, I have collaborated with Massachusetts composer Betsy Breitborde on The Ghosts of Christmas Past.
Whether it's plainly a demo or a painstakingly mastered recording, I hope you enjoy what you hear. Please leave comments and don't be afraid to get in touch, I am always interested in getting feedback and connecting with other lovers of music. If you want to download anything, many of the finished recordings are available on Bandcamp and an increasing number are on all of the usual digital platforms. If you use other platforms, you can find music from me (and some others) there under the names:
Terry Naylor
Casaubon
The Lucem Symphonia
Firenze Anemones
Unknown Unknown
Bentcousin Terry
Atlantic Zipwire


Happy listening!

Terry Naylor

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