Ralph Mctell - Streets Of London The Best Of Ralph Mctell (2006) by Ralph Mctell (보컬) on maniadb.com

Have you seen the old man
In the closed down market
Kicking up the papers with his worn out shoes
In his eyes you see no pride
Hands held loosely at his side
Yesterday's paper, telling yesterday's news
So how can you tell me you're lonely
And say for you that the sun don't shine
Let me take you by the hand
And lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something
To make you change your mind

Have you seen the old girl
Who walks the streets of London
Dirt in her hair and her clothes in rags
She's no time for talking
She just keeps right on walking
Carrying her home in two carrier bags

So how can you tell me you're lonely
And say for you that the sun don't shine
Let me take you by the hand
And lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something
To make you change your mind

In the old night cafe at a quarter past eleven
The same old man sitting there on his own
Looking at the world over the rim of his teacup
Each tea lasts an hour, and he wanders home alone

So how can you tell me that you're lonely
And say for you that the sun don't shine
Let me take you by the hand
And lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something
To make you change your mind

Have you seen the old man
Outside the seaman's mission
Memory fading with the minor ribands that he wears
In our city winter the rain cries little pity
For one more forgotten hero
And a world which doesn't care

So how can you tell me you're lonely
And say for you that the sun don't shine
Let me take you by the hand
And lead you through the streets of

Hey little girl on the bicycle,
Wheels spin like they're riding on air.
Hey little girl on the bicycle,
Wheels flash like the sun in her hair.
And the wheels go round
But the bike has stopped moving
Trees on the river move by her.

Hey little girl on the bicycle,
Sun blaze in her hair like a flame,
And the river's reflecting her bicycle
And the reeds whisper her name,
And the wheels go round
But the bike has stopped moving,
Trees on the river move by her.

Hey little girl on the bicycle
Dressed in white, the trees were in green.
Sparkling cycling bicycle
That moves through the trees like a dream
And the wheels go round
And the trees have stopped moving
Suddenly she is gone.

La, la, la...

I woke up this morning,
Louise had gone
Left me so blue I was
Singing this lonesome song
Louise had gone and left me,
Left me worried and blue
That gal's gone and left me
I don't know what I'm a gonna do.

Won't you give me some air,
She's the best girl I have seen
Treated me like a king,
But she was a doggone queen
Louise has gone and left me,
Left me worried in my mind
Well I don't mind her going
But Louise write me some of your lines.

Footsteps down the stairs and at the door
Pausing in the hall and at the door
'Cos I know Daddy's here
I can tell that he's there.

And that means she'll be glad
Until we're in bed then she's alone
For there are things they have to say
And we are sent away.

Mama, the room is cold and he is scared
I am too, and you're not there.
How could we know you'd only took a walk
To a neighbour for a quiet talk.

Sunshine's dying flicker on grey stone walls
Outside in the hall the old dog growls
And we're in bed playing guessing games
Telling stories, making plans.

Radio, celery and Sunday tea
It is nicer here, just us three
And I know he won't come again
There is no need to explain.

The air was cool
On lily pools
Hazy, lazy
And here and there
He'd stop to stare
Admiring all the flowers (Kew gardens)
Wandering round for hours (Kew gardens)

The sun was warm
across the lawns
Scented, blended
He saw her linger
And With her finger open up a rose (Kew gardens)
Standing on tip toes (Kew gardens)


Suddenly the rain came flurrying
Sending the two of them hurrying
Helter skelter for the shelter
And feeling bolder in the big pagoda
He gently enquired her name
And they waited till the sunshine came. (Kew gardens)

And for a while
The griffin smiled
Kindly, blindly
Till the evening bell
Broke the spell
And sadly they said goodbye (Kew gardens)
And one of the griffins cried
In Kew Gardens

If I take you dancing
Down the streets to watch you laughing
And stop still in the spring night rain
Just to watch you smile again
Understand I hold you hand
A little tight as if by this
I'll stop the night from running
Into morning light too soon.

Ice cream and candy bars,
A Paris moon and Paris stars
Can you count the times
That we heard the chimes of Notre Dame
Across the Seine
To remind us sadly once again,
Time just like the river
Was swiftly passing by.

Just a few reminders
Of the little things that bind us
Do they make you sad
Or make you glad
To think about the times we had
In my dreams you're dancing
In the embers of an evening,
And I'll hold your hand a little tight
Just to stop this special night,
From running into morning light too soon.

Sundays, as a rule,
Us kids went to Sunday School,
And Mrs Adlam said,
Angels stood round our bed.
To keep us safe from dark,
Right through 'til day begun,
And we used to lie awake,
Just to try to see one,
And though we never saw one anywhere,
We heard them softly singing in the air.

Sundays occasionally
We were invited back for tea,
And bread with jam and cream,
Made Sundays seem a dream.
In the dingy mission hall,
Mrs Adlam praying,
And down the street back home,
All our mates were playing,
With Mrs Adlam's angels everywhere,
And we thought we saw a halo in her hair.

Sundays, for sure,
Ain't like that anymore,
Its getting hard for me,
To see her face in front of me.
I wonder if her angels
Have their arms around her curled,
Keeping her safe from life,
And guarding her from the world.
On a summer Sunday evening do I dare,
To hear Mrs Adlam's angels in the air.

Got my girl,
Took a chance,
We went to a midnight dance
But it was too tight,
This rag o' mine.

Too tight now, it's the most
Too tight, nearest past the post
Too tight, too tight, too tight
This rag o' mine.

Too tight, it's the best,
Too tight, better then the rest.
Too tight, too tight, too tight
That rag o'mine.

Too tight now it's the most
Too tight, for us past the post
It was too tight
This rag o'mine.

Too tight, it went to my head
Too tight, I should have stayed in bed
Too tight
That rag o‘ mine.

Too tight, it's the most
Too tight, like dripping on a toast
Too tight, too tight, too tight
That rag o‘ mine.

She comes riding early in the morning
Round about four to seven.
No one's ever out at that hour
With eyes that see
Her touch the morning flowers secretly
And the leaves slow their commotion
And the great trees gently sway
Like an ocean on a still day
And raise in praise their arms to the sun
Who announces the day has begun
At eight frames a second
And
Velvety shadows in misty meadows
Are changing colours so softly
With care the sun
Puts colour in his drawing
And rises to inspect
His masterpiece this morning
So perfect
And as she rides the gold and silver miles
Only the sun is sure
What it is that she smiles for
She leaves with no sign of what she has done
Though her morning rise known by everyone
I'll tell you her name and it's dawn.

Out in the garden, amongst the bushes, Michael is crying.
Caught in a spider's web, its broken wings beating, a butterfly dying.
Oh la, la, la, la, la, la, la,
la, la, la, la, la, la, la
And they in their wisdom say
"Michael's got something wrong, wrong, wrong with his mind".
Well they must be blind, if they can't see what Michael sees.

Michael is silent, talking to no one of things that he sees.
But out in the garden, he talks in soft whispers, like the wind in the leaves.
Oh la, la, la, la, la, la, la,
la, la, la, la, la, la, la.
And they in their wisdom say
"Michael's got something wrong, wrong, wrong with his mind".
They've seen the signs, but they can't see what Michael sees.

And inside the building someone is calling his name through the halls.
But he doesn't answer, though he easily hears each leaf as it falls.
Oh la, la, la, la, la, la, la,
la, la, la, la, la, la, la.
And they in their wisdom say
"Michael's got something wrong, wrong, wrong with his mind".
Well they must be blind, for they can't see what Michael sees.

Michael where are you ?
Michael where are we,
We who see that there's something wrong with your mind?

And inside the garden Michael is smiling, at peace in his world.
At one with the insects, the flowers, and the trees, and the wind and the birds.
Oh la, la, la, la, la, la, la,
la, la, la, la, la, la, la.

Oh Michael sees all
Behind the high walls
Surrounding his kingdom,
Whilst we in our wisdom
Still trapped in the spider's web
Far from the flow and ebb
Of life in the garden
But Michael has pardoned
Us for he sees
That really he's free
And there's nothing to mend
For his wings are not broken

And they in their wisdom say
"Michael's got something wrong, wrong, wrong with his mind".
They've seen the signs, but Michael feels fine inside the garden.

Got my hesitation stockings, hesitation shoes,
Lord almighty got them hesitation blues.
And tell me how long, oh, must I have to wait?
Can I get you now, oh no, must I hesitate.

A nickle is a nickle, and a dime is a dime,
I got a house full of kids, one of them must be mine.
Oh how long, must I have to wait?
Can I get you now, oh no, must I hesitate.

And I'm standing on the corner with a dollar in my hand,
Looking for a woman who's looking for a man
How long, Good God must I wait ?
Can I get you now, oh no, must I hesitate.

Never been to heaven, but I've been told,
Old Saint Peter knows how to jelly-roll,
How long, must I have to wait?
Can I get you now, oh no, must I hesitate.

Hesitation, got my hesitation,
Lord almighty got my hesitation.
How long, must I have to...
Can I... , oh no, must I hesitate.

Standing on the corner with a dollar in my hand,
Looking for a woman who's looking for a man
How long, Good God must I wait?
Can I get you now, oh no, must I hesitate.

Hesitation Blues.

(Ralph McTell)

I'm running up a spiral staircase,
Drilling a hole in the ground.
And the staicase is winning,
And my head is spinning,
And I don't even dare to look round.

I'm running up a spiral staircase
I can't reach the top.
I'm running up a spiral staircase
And I'm too scared to stop.
And there's nothing anybody can do
To stop the staicase, like a giant corkscrew,
From spinning around and around and around and around.

Now in the begining I only saw you
When the staircase hit your vision line.
But now that it's moving around so fast
I can see you all of the time.

I'm running up a spiral staircase
I can't reach the top.
I'm running up a spiral staircase
And I'm too scared to stop.
And there's nothing anybody can do
To stop the staicase, like a giant corkscrew,
From spinning around and around and around and around.

Now in the begining it was moving so slowly
I never noticed it at first.
But now that it's moving round so fast
I think my head is gonna burst.

I'm running up a spiral staircase
I can't reach the top.
I'm running up a spiral staircase
And I'm too scared to stop.
And I believe that I'm gonna shot through
To stop the staicase, like a giant corkscrew,
From spinning around and around and around and around.

Now without a doubt I'm a-wearing out
And I'm really begining to tire.
I know the staircase is steel but it just about feels
As though it's gonna catch on fire.

I'm running up a spiral staircase
I can't reach the top.
I'm running up a spiral staircase
And I'm too scared to stop.
And I believe that I'm gonna shot through
To stop the staicase, like a giant corkscrew,
From spinning around and around and around and around.

The lights have gone dim,
And the people are gone.
And clown goes back into his caravan.
Hangs up his smile
On a hook by the door
And lets his ragged coat slip to the floor.

With the sound of the children's laughter
Still ringing in his ears.
Laughing 'cause they're happy,
They laugh to hide their fears.

Clown loves the children
For, like him, they fear.
The world does not exist tonight,
And only the circus,
Only the circus is real.

As real as the elephants that trumpet in the ring.
Real like the trapeze, see it swing.
Real like the man who eats real fire,
Real like the lady on the high wire.

But the people are gone,
His identity gone.
Clown peeps through he windows of his caravan.
From the trees on the common
The town looks so small.
Clown puts on his coat and goes out the door.

And the distant neon lights
They shine above the town.
"It's almost like a circus" thinks clown.
And half with fear
And half with delight,
Shivering, shaking,
Clown stands laughing,
Clown stands laughing,
Clown is laughing at the night.

How I'd like to run away
Oh how I'd love to go
Then I think maybe I will stay
And just wait for the snow.
To wipe the year from off the page
I'll pretend I did not know
But I remember all the words
And the memory well it won't go
No it won't go

How I'd like to up and fly
Almost anywhere
But I don't have the nerve to try
And you think that I'd never cared
So I'll wait until the snow has gone
Yes I think maybe I'll stay
For I really don't know where I'd run
And running's not that's not my way
No it ain't my way.

How I'd like to run away
Oh how I'd love to go
Then I think maybe I will stay
And just wait for the snow.
To wipe the year from off the page
I'll pretend I did not know
But I remember all the words
And the memory well it won't go
No it won't go.