This land is now my own / I rule it with an iron rod.
This beaten land I own / I am the future, I am God. 

With iron and fire and sweat and fear I will make new Eden here.

AFRICA

Streets full of houses bolted, barred, blinds drawn tight, no lights, no cars,
No room to let, I’m home again. 
Home for heroes after war / to see what they were fighting for

HOME FOR HEROES

And if I were to die / Would it make you cry?
I guess I’d make you notice me / But the  price seems a little high.

A BOY LIKE ME

You can scream, you can holler
Measure all your friends in cents and dollars
You can write your fame up in the stars above
But it won’t raise you the price of love

THE PRICE OF LOVE

Written way before the Capitol riots, it somehow seems to fit. Original and darker version of lyrics on “The Light”.

“ ... and down at the town hall the doors opened wide
And we took our flags and banners and we marched inside …”

FIRST LIGHT

Soho in London on a Spring morning.

“Cool kid Kizzy own the street 
Stepping out so hot so neat
Drinks her morning coffee at noon
Kaz is on the corner trying to get a deal
Wants to make a million, settle for a meal. 
He swipe and swipe and look up the road …. “

SOHO SPRING

“Flick off your hat, kick off your shoes,
Twirl on the pavement and dance away your blues”

DANCE AWAY YOUR BLUES

A fairground at fifteen

“You touched my heart 
I stroked your hair
It was a candyfloss affair”

IN DARK WE TRUST

“Out in the fields the ripening corn
Waits for the hands of the boys who have gone.
Somewhere out of sight the wagons will come
Stealing at night to bring the harvest home.”

HARVEST HOME

The Light

I howl at my TV, I scream at my phone
It’s wall to wall horror and  lifestyle homes. 
As the polar ice melts and the endgame begins
We’ll have perfect hair and beautiful skin.

And the light turned on, the light turned on.
The people spoke and the light turned on.
It all made sense and came together as one.
You see it so clear when the light turns on. 

Politicians squabble with their noses in the trough
Who gets a turn, they can never get enough.
Sharp tie, empty suit, nothing to say.
Talking up hate till the crack of doomsday.

And the light turned on, the light turned on ...

So we sent out a call in the deepening dark
Meet us by the river in the people’s park.
From the hills and the cities the people came,
With flags and tattered banners and their hearts in flame.

And the light turned on, the light turned on ...

You can be old and young or black or white,
Each of us a fire that will burn out the night. 
The dawn is here, there’s only fear to fear.
Shout it out loud for the world to hear.

And the light turned on, the light turned on
The people spoke and the light turned on.
It all made sense and came together as one.
You see it so clear when the light turns on.

The Light

Angel at your door

“Another night with a lonely heart / A website date, a drink and talk...”

“The website’s full of cheats and liars / Geeks and freaks with weird desires ...”

Same old dance

One more, one more, always one more - just attend to your appetite.

Appetite

Do you think it sounds like angels / Or just the haunting cry of a frightened kid?

“Here in space where there is perfect light and lone delight / But I wonder who I am...”

Here in space

Songwriter, singer and guitarist -  probably in that order. Somewhere between Nick Cave and Scott Walker, I am advised by a good friend. Or was it Nick Lowe and Scott of the Antarctic? Well, whatever. Motown Chartbusters Volume 3 would be my desert island album.

I have a huge stockpile of songs current and old, and am working my way through recording them. I love it.  Everything from a stadium anthem (so useful) to protest songs to love songs and stuff. I aspire to write great songs.  My definition of great ... ask me an easier one!

Paul Blackmore

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