Get all 12 Andy Roberts releases available on Bandcamp and save 40%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Roll On The Day, Boulevard Days, The Rowan Tree, Unnailed! - The Last Nail, solo acoustic, Sleep, Century - (Tapes Vol 3.), Puddles (Tapes vol 1.), Mazet (tapes vol 2), and 4 more.
Excludes subscriber-only releases.
1. |
The Last Nail
05:20
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Above the stone walled harbour, down the winding hill
That’s where they put the boatshed, and the structure stands there still.
Not much boat building happens now, just repairs and fitting out
and when the wind rattles the boatmasts, you can hear the old boys shout:
"Will yer pass the last nail over we’ll knock it into place,
And with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race."
Our grandfathers put up the boatshed, to build out the fishing fleet,
With fifty boats in the harbour, we had shops all down the main street
Then the steam age brought in the drifters,
so the boatmen became engineers
Now the wind blows straight through the boatshed,
there’ll be no more boat building here
"Will yer pass the last nail over we’ll knock it into place,
And with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race."
With a keen eye for staying in business, we moved over to build leisure craft
And the weekend yachtsmen bought them, no expense spared fore and aft
Then wooden hulls went out of fashion, so the order book emptied last year
Then the banks foreclosed on the boatyard,
and there’ll be no more boatbuilding here
"Will you pass the last nail over and we’ll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race."
Now the Vikings invented the clinker for strength in shallow seas
and the herring boats followed the coastline, til the canning ships found the key
There’s a regatta here every August, and the whole village turns out again
But the Sea Queen’s no competition, and it’s guaranteed to rain
"Will yer pass the last nail over we’ll knock it into place,
And with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race."
Above the stone walled harbour, down the winding hill
that’s where they built the boatyard, and the skeleton stands there still.
No more boat building happens here, not even fitting out
but when the wind rattles the boatmasts, you can still hear the old boys shout:
"Will yer pass the last nail over, we’ll knock it into place,
And with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race."
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2. |
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Lyrics to The Nutmeg Tree
When you told me you were the king of Spain's daughter
I tell you it came as a shock
I thought of all the modest presents I bought you
It must've been hard not to mock
For I am a humble landless peasant, poor as poor can be
who dared to hope that the King of Spain's daughter might deign to marry me
Ah but when I get my land with goats are a cow they'll be milk every day for your tea
With some left over to sell in the market or exchange for a nutmeg tree.
And I'll care for that tree in pots and in tubs
and treat it with sunshine and rain
When it's grown tall and laden with fruit I'll be entitled to ask you again.
When you told me you were the king of Spain's daughter
I tell you it came as a shock
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3. |
The Cajun Cooking Song
02:47
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Cajun Cooking Song
This is a man who knows his onions.
This is a man who likes his food
When I'm cooking those Cajun dinners I'll play the music for the mood
Alons danser pour faire la musique alons danser dans la cuisine.
45 for jambalaya and 15 vegetarians to all served up at 1 o'clock sharp that's another day done that's what we do
When I'm travelling out on the road you'll find me in the kitchen yes that's the place I'll make it my home
this is a man who knows his onions this is a man likes his food when I'm cooking those Cajun dinners I'll play the music for the mood
Not too much chilli, I don't add salt.
Your questions are getting silly now if you don't like chorizo that's not my fault
In the summer time I'll find my kitchen in a big marquee it's in a field you can't beat that outdoor cooking when there is onions to be peeled
This is a man who knows his onions.
This is a man who likes his food
When I'm cooking those Cajun dinners I'll play the music for the mood
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4. |
The Wreckers Prayer
03:14
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“Oh Lord, please don’t let there be shipwrecks,
Let the lighthouse shine out bright and clear.
But if there needs to be an accident at sea,
Please let that ship be wrecked here.
There’s a path all the way from the clifftop
to the rocks and the sea down below
It’s steep and it’s loose and it’s slippery
You gotta mind how you go.
On a moonless night, you need a little light
We don’t want any accidents, you see.
Don’t let there be shipwrecks
Lighthouse shine out bright and clear
If there needs to be a tragedy at sea
then let the cargo be washed ashore here
Oh the living is hard down this way
the soil is all stoney and poor
We don’t have a port, no fish to be caught
There’s just what the tide brings ashore
And the duty free liquor in store.
Next time it happens, don’t let me be late
or allow too much salt water
to infiltrate
Please don’t let there be shipwrecks,
Let the lighthouse shine out bright and clear.
If there needs to be a tragedy at sea,
Let the next one be here.
– Andy Roberts 2003
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5. |
The Biggleswade Stomp
02:35
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The Biggleswade Stomp has no lyrics, it is an instrumental folk dance tune.
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6. |
The Rowan Tree
04:58
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The Rowan Tree - by Andy Roberts
Come hear my story, it's a tale of four witches
but I could have added three more
And heed my advice if you're troubled by witches
Just plant a Rowan tree outside your front door
And the branches sway in the faintest of breezes
the berries are red bright and fair.
And I've not had much trouble with those witchee witches
Not since I planted my Rowan tree there
Well the Witch of the West was cunning and sly
She had me always on the run
And I never knew which way her nose was pointing
Not until after she'd been there and gone.
And the branch tips dance.... planted my Rowan tree there
The Witch of the East was just counting the years
and somehow that three became five.
Then her time was up and she vanished away
Now nobody knows if she's dead or alive.
And the branches sway.... planted my Rowan tree there
The Witch of the South was trouble from the start
Her fancy was playing with fire
The anger rose up as the coals glowed white
and the smoke billowed higher and higher
And the branches sway.... planted my Rowan tree there
The Witch of the North is not like the rest
She uses her powers for good
As the Rowan tree watches and nods in approval
and keeps us both safe from the dark witchee wood
And the branches sway.... planted my Rowan tree there
So that was my story all about my four witches
I could have mentioned three more
Now heed my advice if you're troubled by witches
Go plant a rowan tree outside your front door
And the branch tips dance.... planted my Rowan tree there
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7. |
London Bridge
03:21
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London Bridge - by Andy Roberts
The sun rises through the Twin Towers
as I'm walking from train to train
The wind it is fresh and it smells of the ocean
I'm just crossing the city again with the cormorants underneath London Bridge
The wake from a barge laps the foreshore
there are aeroplane trails in the sky
ahead is the crowd and they're marching straight at me
I'm swimming against the stream like for cormorants underneath London Bridge
There are times I'd like to dive for cover when the life on the surface is hard I'd fold back my wings and plunge down below like the cormorants underneath the London Bridge
They are there every day in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon to fishing and swimming at the flying and diving because that is what cormorant to do
The skyline is constantly changing it's like a building that's never complete
but the battleship has been there forever and if you see Tower Bridge opening that's a treat
There are not and there never have been any bluebirds in Southeast Kent
So if you go wandering over the cliff tops don't go wondering where they went
but it's true yes it's really true
that there's cormorants underneath London Bridge
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8. |
Hell in Herefordshire
03:38
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The wild white rose is cankered along the vale of Lugg;
There is poison in the tankard; there is murder in the mug.
Through all the pleasant valley where stand the pale-faced kine,
Men raise the Devil's chalice and drink this bitter wine.
Unspeakable carouses that shame the summer sky
Take place in little houses that look towards the Wye.
And near the Radnor border and the dark hills of Wales,
Beelzebub is warder, and sorcery prevails.
For, spite of Church and chapel, ungodly folk there be
Who pluck the cider apple from the cider apple tree,
And squeeze it in their presses until the juice runs out,
At various addresses that no-one knows about.
And, maddened by the orgies of that ungodly brew,
They slit each others' gorges from one a.m. till two,
Till Ledbury is in shambles, and in the dirt and mud
Where Leominster sits and gambles, the dice are stained with blood.
But still, if strength suffices, before the day is done,
I'll go and share the vices of Clungunford and Clun
But watch the red sun sinking across the March again,
And join the secret drinking of outlaws at Presteigne.
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9. |
Truro Agricultural Show
03:30
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Good people all who hear my voice, you now have reason to rejoice;
For off to Truro you may go, to see the Agricultural Show;
But don't go kissing the girls you know, at Truro Agericultural Show.
A motley crew you will see there, fat farmers and their wives so rare
Their bounc'n daughters neat & clean, wi' a porkpie hat &a crinoline
So don't go kissing the girls you know at Truro Agericultural Show.
From Newlyn east and Saint Columb too, there's Humpback'd Jim
and Carroty Joe; and a special train upon the rail,
to bring all the thieves from Bodmin Gaol.
So don't go kissing the girls you know at Truro Agericultural Show.
They've got a band from Plymouth down, the best that ever was in the town;
And all the gentry will be there -'tis most as pretty as Whitsun Fair!
But don't go kissing the girls you know at Truro Agericultural Show.
There's horses, ponies, cows and calves, for Truro don't do things by halves - there be Devon bulls, sheep, pigs, and geese;
You can see it all for a shilling a piece!
But don't go kissing the girls you know, at Truro Agericultural Show!
There's things up there that'll make you laugh,
there's a two-legg'd cow and a nine-legg'd calf;
A billiy-goat that comes from Wales, with 16 eyes & 17 tails.
So don't go kissing the girls you know, at Truro Agericultural Show!
Now all around I hear you say, "we'll see that show this very day..
So off we go, all in a row, to Truro Agericultural Show!"
And don't go kissing the girls you know, at Truro Agericultural Show
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10. |
Mondura Dam
03:36
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Here are the lyrics, just as I scribbled them down on a scrap of paper inside the tent:
Mondura Dam
"When you dam a river, the valley forms a lake
The trees stand out like boat masts,
How much water does it take
to feed a small town?
"If you feed the magpies, they won't leave you alone
Let's go find some firewood, tonight we'll be alone
under the starshine
" Mondura Dam, that's where I am, with my fire and my pan
, I'm up on Mondura Dam
"Pelicans are fishing, cruising up and down
When you stock a lake with fish then all the birds will come around
It's easy living
"As long as we have water, there's no need to move on
When we've finished cooking, we'll throw all the firewood on
and watch it flare up
"When you dam a river, the valley forms a lake
You may lose some woodland , but the natural park it makes
is here for everyone"
Andy Roberts c 2000
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11. |
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I'd sooner go hedging than build a stone wall All pick up and place it and hope it don't fall
When the east wind blows bitter and keen through the trees I'd sooner lay blackthorn than dry wall and freeze
I'd sooner go hedging, the best thing I know For anger and anguish and woman made woe
No matter how hurt or insulted I feel A tussle with blackthorn will help it to heal
I'd sooner go hedging than read in a book For more you get thinking the darker things look
Since study and weeping are hard on the eyes I'd sooner lay blackthorn than learn from be wise
I'd sooner go hedging than seek all my days For wealth or position or other men's praise
Plain billhook and axe are the tools of my trade Six shillings a chain is the rate I am paid
I'd sooner go hedging than lie in my bed For a woman grows sourer the longer we'm wed
But much as I grieve for our loving when young I'd sooner lay blackthorn than suffer her tongue
I'd sooner go hedging but come next spring I'll be up and be gone like a bird on the wing
And all I shall miss when I reach my new home Will be hedges to slash at and blackthorn in bloom
I'd sooner drink blackthorn when it brings forth its sloe Its rheumy red liquor's the best that I know
Well it slips down your throat and it makes you feel good You may drink all your fine wines but you know that I would
sooner DRINK blackthorn
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12. |
Captain Coulston
04:04
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Come and join with Captain Coulston, that hero stout and bold
Who fought his way all on the sea and never was controlled
For six long weeks in summer gales we sailed upon the sea
All bound for New York City, that city fair to see.
The captain and his lady they came on deck each day
To help us with our merriment, going to Amerikay
The merriment being over, we're going to bed one night
The captain he came upon deck to see if all was right.
He said: 'My boys, do not go down you need not think on sleep'
'For in a few hours more we shall be slumbering in the deep'
'For a pirate ship is coming down upon the western sea'
'To rob us of our property going to Amerikay'.
The pirate ship came up to us and ordered us to stand
'Your gold and precious loading, this moment I demand'
'Your gold and precious cargo, resign to me this day'
'Or not a soul you'll ever bring unto Amerikay'.
The battle it commenced, brave boys, and blood in streams did flow
While undaunted did our passengers, the pirate overthrow
The cries of women and children lying in the hull below
While the captain and his passengers the pirate did overthrow.
The pirate ship surrendered just by the break of day
And we brought her as a bounty unto Amerikay.
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13. |
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Going up Camborne Hill, coming down
Going up Camborne Hill, coming down
The horses stood still;
The wheels went around;
Going up Camborne Hill coming down
White stockings, white stockings she wore
White stockings, white stockings she wore
White stockings she wore:
The same as before;
Going up Camborne Hill coming down
I knowed her old father old man
I knowed her old father old man
I knowed her old man:
He played in the band;
Going up Camborne Hill coming down
He heaved in the coal the steam
He heaved in the coal in the steam
He heaved in the coal:
The steam hit the beam
Going up Camborne Hill coming down
Going up Camborne Hill, coming down
Going up Camborne Hill, coming down
The horses stood still;
The wheels went around;
Going up Camborne Hill coming down
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Andy Roberts England, UK
Original and unique songs through the decades
in the classic
"contemporary folk" solo
acoustic
singer songwriter style.
Influences: Roy Harper, Mike Chapman, Loudon Wainwright, Beefheart
... more
Andy Roberts recommends:
Just great guitar playing
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