1. |
Strandloopers
05:12
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STRANDLOOPERS
Oh when we come to a new shoreline we pull the boat high up on land
Then we will hunt and gather firewood. We have no urge to understand.
For we don’t need the shiny things to prove how much we love
If we wanted shiny things we’ve all the stars above.
All of our gods move through the heavens, sometimes we plot their course with stones
There they will watch & keep us safe…’til they turn us back to bones
For we don’t need the shiny things to prove how much we love
If we wanted shiny things we’ve all the stars above
We have got us three wild children, to help us make & help us mend
Through fiery sparks I sense their wonder, they laugh ‘til long days end
For we don’t need the shiny things to prove how much we love
If we wanted shiny things we’ve all the stars above
Oh we have moved through many landscapes and come the day we might well stay
If only winds would cease from blowing and the snows keep well away
For we don’t need the shiny things to prove how much we love
If we wanted shiny things we’ve all the stars above
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2. |
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THE OTTER & THE KINGFISHER
We all made the journey across a rolling sea
Faces turned into the spray, my four good friends and me
We passed the rocks we passed the isles we passed the whirlpools
We never knew for sure if we were wise or simply fools
They told us that a water spirit would help show us the way
We watched the waves but not a single fish we saw that day
Then we travelled ever onwards across a rough terrain
Through mountains and then forests, then mountains once again
We crossed the ridges, we crossed the moors we crossed the valleys deep
We knew not which of our beliefs to lose and which to keep
They told us that a spirit of the air our guide would be
We watched the skies but never any spirit did we see
Just yesterday we found a place which promised to be kind
We followed a slow river just to see what we could find
An otter playing with her young as if in some sweet dream
A kingfisher flew past our heads and pointed us upstream
So now we have found our spirits of the water and the air
And surely for a holy place this is as good as anywhere
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3. |
Apardion
05:46
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APARDION
I am the best of the three young kings
The others know, they know it well
I made my raids on the foreign places
And where I went their men all fell
I sailed the seas and the waves bowed down
The seas all know, they know my power
I found the place between two fine rivers
I burnt their huts, I burnt their tower
I strode the paths of this Apardion
I made it know, made it know my strength
I shook my fist at the cowering people
I strode its shores, I walked its length
I killed the menfolk and most of the women
But some now know, they know me well
I broke their swords, I stole their riches
I only left them their tales to tell
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4. |
After The Fire
05:39
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AFTER THE FIRE
We look to the past in despair
We’ve scattered those days to the breeze
The fire took the little we had for its own
And left nothing for us to repair
Nothing but ashes and sad memories
Our present it is difficult now
We’re living from day to new day
But the hens they still peck and the pigs snuffle on
We need to remind ourselves how
We’re lucky we’re still here to love and to pray
All that was rotten is now gone
The fire took the dirt and disease
Maybe it cleansed us of all of our sins
Maybe we have our new dawn
Here is a chance we must reach out and seize
Now the future is where we belong
And we hope that it shines good and bright
We‘ll go to the forest to chop us the wood
And we’ll build us a house that is strong
Where we’ll kiss all the children of our children goodnight
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5. |
Harlaw
03:18
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6. |
The Aberdeen Minstrels
04:58
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THE ABERDEEN MINSTRELS
It’s gone four o’ clock now, and I have my fiddle in my hand
John has his pipes at his lips now and here come the rest of the band
Each dawn has new stories it can tell
And it pleases us well, to learn them as we follow the bell
We are the Aberdeen Minstrels, and merrily do we go
From door to door … from row to row
We’ll waken up your wife, we’ll waken up the old so and so
Though the paths are all dirty we’ll plod so manfully on
And hope for rain to wipe filth all away & wishing the smell would be gone
Each dawn has new stories it can tell
And it pleases us well, to learn them as we follow the bell
We are the Aberdeen Minstrels, and merrily do we go
From door to door … from row to row
We’ll give the thief a scare, we’ll tell the baker roll out your dough
Sometimes the good folk get angry their language is rough I do fear
But most of the time they are grateful and give us a gift at New Year
Each dawn has new stories it can tell
And it pleases us well, to learn them as we follow the bell
We are the Aberdeen Minstrels, and merrily do we go
From door to door … from row to row
We’ll watch the wee mice run, we’ll see the flapping wings of the crow
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7. |
Jon Justice
05:44
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JON JUSTICE
The Aiberdeen folk a’ ca’ me Jon Justice
But that is really not my given name
I am very good wi’ baith my hands
And that has brocht me lots o’ wealth and fame
If you ask me just exactly what’s my business
I’ll tell ye things wid gar ye shak’ yer heid
O I can set a fire beneath a man
Or strangle women till they’re good and deid
Oh I never lose any sleep
Though I’ve seen them go to hell & heard their children weep
By nicht I read wee bitties o’ the bible
By day I read my Daemonology
They help tae mak mi’ better at my job
So come tae Headin’ Hill and you will see
Katherine Fergus cast her spells for love’s sake
And Margaret Ogg she cast her spells for hate
Colin Massie turned himsel’ intae a hare,
Though his leggies ran he did not escape his fate
Oh I never lose any sleep
Though I’ve seen them go to hell & heard their children weep
Now I can say I’ve had a very good year
With twenty witches gone all thanks tae me
And every one of them deserved to die
Except for maybe one or two or three
Margaret Clarke said prayers to the Devil
I’m told they caused a manny’s sorry death,
But she still swore they were only nursery rhymes
Until the flames they took away her breath
Oh I never lose any sleep
Though I’ve seen them go to hell & heard their children weep
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8. |
The Drummer Loon
07:30
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DRUMMER LOON
Oh I was sat wi’ some ither young quines the spectacle for tae see
Montrose & his men were a’ gaithered there, oot by the aul’ Brig o’ Dee
Then ae grand officer and a wee wee boy cam’ proudly, sae proudly and they made their way so slow
The sky was blue and their flag was white and no fear did either one show
Then efterwards it was telt tae me that oor surrender had been saught
Montrose he was showing some kindness tae us, and no bloody battle would be fought
The wee wee loon was a drummer lad, so little, so little of this life had he seen
But a shot rang oot and he was felled, his future from him was sadly ta’en
Soon efter there came angry battle cries, and horrors upon horrors did we see
And maist o’ oor men were cut intae bits apart from a few that did flee
But the slaughter it didnae stop on the field, onwards, onwards they cam’ intae oor toon
The streets were red wi’ poor folks bleed, they burnt a’ oor wee hoosies doon
Every man caught whether auld or wee was cruelly
hacked til they fell
Their clothes were taken, their bodies piled high
And their women folk were dragged right intae hell
But I am hidden doon in corbie heugh, near the body, a wee body which is hangin’ from a tree
I’ve nowhere to go, no-one left tae love…now there is nothing for me
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9. |
Janet's Gift
04:46
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JANET’S GIFT
When I met her down in Brechin at the fair, Janet was a very pleasing sight
I bought a blanket from her then & there, & I wrapped it round us,
I wrapped it round the both of us that night
At first she was my lover and my toy, then her heart she tethered to my own
I bought the ring that filled her full of joy, that sanctified the seeds,
that sanctified the seeds which we had sown
But the pestilence was breeding in her town and Brechin soon became a place of death
And Aberdeen shut every entrance down, lest plague it take away,
lest plague it take away a single breath
My Janet could not see us torn apart, she crossed the River Dee by dead of night
And soon I held her tired against my heart, and our future seemed,
our future seemed so very, very bright
But then she took a fever in her sleep, never for to make another sound
And plague upon my family did creep…they were blown away,
they were blown away like leaves upon the ground
And death has got us shaking in his sieve, he surely does his worst by everyone
While I steal the seconds I still live I cannot understand,
I cannot understand what love has done
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10. |
Provost Positive
02:37
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PROVOST POSITIVE
They say pride comes before a fall
But we’re all proud of him
He took the blows and stood up tall
He went out on a limb
The Jacobites tried to make him drink
A toast which he quick refused
So they poured their ale on the poor man’s head
He was brave, and he was bruised
He always does his best
He’s a good man through and through
Here comes Provost Positive now
We all love Provost Positive now
And so should you!
And so should you!
We know that he’s not a saint
But we’re happy he is here
His heart is big and never faint
He has no time for fear
King George’s men broke many laws
Oh they did it just for fun
But Provost Positive stood up strong
And jailed them every one
He always does his best
He’s a good man through and through
Here comes Provost Positive now
We all love Provost Positive now
And so should you!
And so should you!
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11. |
Above The Vaults
04:04
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ABOVE THE VAULTS
On the shoulders of Simpson & of Smith you vaulted valleys
You bridged the burns of bleachers, and of dyers
Carriages proudly paraded past the sparkling mica
Carrying men of backbone speaking truths, and the shameless, spineless liars
Oh there were wild times with joyous crowds, most long gone
some amber- stuck in jerky, faded black and white
Others lurking in the atticed Super-8 in colour…see..there’s your sister!
She died alone in bed one freezing winter’s night
Mundane days of office workers converging on their hive
Perhaps some frissons of excitement as some drunken warriors clash
See the lovers holding trembling hands as they smile and walk the mat
Hear the screeching of some tyres before the terminating crash
Stories passed down, like granny fleeing the tram
To shelter with the rest at the welcome Monkey-House
As the Heinkel machine-gunned a path towards its ice-rink end
She carried mother as a baby, all swaddled in her blouse
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12. |
The Torry Ferry
06:22
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THE TORRY FERRY
Just last night I held my loving Annie in my arms
The moon it almost filled the window frame
She was soft and scented, and I partook of her charms
And I thought that every night we’d do the same
But the day arrived with the cruellest thoughts
Its mood grew blacker still
It conjured up a storm so dark and wild
The wind did heathen dances all around the chimney pots
The noise was loud enough to wake the child
But Annie said “Love do not worry
I will soon be back in Torry”
Annie dressed all sober-like, and pinned her mutch on tight
And I got up to fill her creel once more
Though it was a holiday and hardly even light
She must sell her fish on Fittie shore
I waved the ferry off and wrapped the child in blankets three
And wandered off to find some nets to mend
Then I thanked God that I was not upon that angry sea
And I prayed that ere I was the storm would end
But Annie said “Love do not worry
I will soon be back in Torry”
Later on the shout came that the ferry had capsized
Many lives were lost, I feared the worst
Looking back, I know I should have knelt and closed my eyes
Instead I raised my head to shout and curse
So maybe it was all my fault God turned his back on me
And never picked my Annie out to save
Well now I’ve upped my anchor and I’m heading out to sea
In the hope I’ll see her face beneath each wave
For Annie said “Love do not worry
I will soon be back in Torry”
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13. |
Best Left Alone
05:47
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BEST LEFT ALONE
There are some things are best left undisturbed
Like the foot and mouth cows buried at Springhill
Or the sudden urge which should be quickly curbed
To confess your sins when there’s time to kill
So let’s not look too close let’s never poke with a sharpened stick
Leave the urge to dig and dig and let the poor cows rest in Mastrick
There are some things are best just left alone
Like the rustling sounds deep in the woods
Or the broken tin of Argentinian beef
It’s best just to ignore the damaged goods
So let’s not look too close let’s never touch the thing that glows
Buy some fish from the Golden Fry and leave the beef unsliced in William Low’s
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14. |
Gothenburg
04:17
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GOTHENBURG
Me & the lass went tae Mastrick cos my folks had a big screen
Tae watch the michty Real Madrid tak’ on wee Aiberdeen
Weel the whisky it was flowin’ and the fitba’ wisnae bad
And when Eric Black scored an early goal the hale place went half-mad
Then Alex McLeish’s pass back got stuck in a puddle o’ rain
Jim Leighton took their player doon, the referee said a pen!
Efter they scored the penalty it could’ve gone either way
The second half drew to a close, we had extra-time tae play
When Mark McGhee got in a cross, John Hewitt connected richt
A goal! And I jumped up and broke my mither’s livin’-room licht
And at the final whistle we did sing & celebrate
Wi’ some fish & chips and a bosie…..oh Gothenburg was great!
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15. |
Black-Hearted Beauty
05:17
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BLACK-HEARTED BEAUTY
Oh the oil has been good to many
The ones who watched the black gold roll in
But, like haar it made it hard to see
The churches turning into nightclubs
Pilgrims going to shopping centres
To worship i-pad idols fervently
Buy to let by greedy grabbers
With Council housing sold forever
Poor folk find it hard to simply be
The city has the scars to prove
It’s full of hard men who are full of hard hearts
With granite fists they map the money’d route
By scratching backs that are scratching backs
And every car is an Austin-tatious
With personalised number plates to boot
They build the shoddy concrete buildings
That hide away the ancient hearts
But the concrete - it bears a golden fruit!
And the oil has been cruel to many
The ones who lost a child or father
Or a lover gone some decades far too soon
The companies still make their money
With everything going on as normal
This funeral should’ve been a honeymoon
Golden treasure, silver city
Black-hearted beauty you’ll be used
And then discarded some dark afternoon
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Fitlike Records Aberdeen, UK
Fitlike Records like to work under the ethos that if you can do it yourself then do
it.
We are a collective of North-East Scotland artists and musicians with a shared interest in working for each other to achieve something cool, unique, funny, rancid, and/or beautiful. We like beards, bees, beer and guts…oh, and acoustic guitars
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