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If We Turn Away

by Suthering

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1.
Black Bull of Norroway Full of fear, full of woe Moving on, through shadow and snow Oh listen my heartbeat, echoes and falls Moving on, through shadow and snow I said bring me a prince who will dance in white linen robes Fresh faced and brave he’s holding his courage aloft His strong armour will fall fall down Oh where is my prince all I see is shadow and snow For hours I watched unrested and alone Not a word, not a shuffle, my body still as stone Ah the sky is a tapestry Ah turning red to white to blue In the thrill of a battle won, I moved my body and you Were lost to me, in the shadow and snow Refrain: (Ya da da da ya da da ya da da ya da da, Ya da da da ya da da ya da da dum) – x 2 (Ya dee da dee ya da da ya da da Ya dee da dee ya da da dum) X 2 Oh here in my world made of glass no foothold to find A mountain of ice stands between us, for pity I cried Oh bring me some shoes made of steel oh lord let me climb Seven long years I gave up to leave this world behind And that glass valley did fall fall down And here I stand in the shadow and snow Only then did I see, my one and own true love Held enchanted and bound, by the witch from whom I run Ah with the last of my strength I will break him free Ah too far have I come to lose you know With a glorious battle cry I moved my body and you Came back to me from the shadow and snow Refrain (Ya da da da ya da da ya da da ya da da, Ya da da da ya da da ya da da dum) – x 2 (Ya dee da dee ya da da ya da da Ya dee da dee ya da da dum) X 4
2.
This Land 04:28
This Land Oh the air it is still as time, it’s fragile yet gently breathing Still are the waters that run ‘tween you and I And fragile’s this land we made And heavy’s the price if we turn away Oh Mother can’t you hear my voice I’m lost between the tides They’re breaking my body, they’re setting me alight Oh Mother can’t you see the fires, the Southern sky’s alight And fierce are the flames that rise And heavy’s the price for the fires they light Oh Brother won’t you carry me I’m on my knees again They’re fighting each other, tearing paradise apart Oh Sister won’t you shield me as they set themselves on fire And fierce are the flames that rage And heavy’s the price for the wars they wage Oh from where came these lines? Oh dividing our soil, dividing us all And the ones determined to fight are the ones who will fall If we turn on each other there’s more to be lost than your life Fractured we fall x4 Let us run let us run x 8 And let the ones determined to fight be the ones who stand tall If we turn on each other there’s more to be lost than one life
3.
Kingfisher 04:55
Kingfisher Bright shone the sun on the cold of the canal With a frost that cracked at our feet And the sound of the chorus in the early morning dew Never knowing when we’ll meet again. Oh how the kingfisher swoops, Playing chase with a flash and a dive. We are kindred spirits he and I. Look to the water, Look can you see how the skies are clearer now The fields will start to grow And the bees will have their day. Oh how the heron finds a perch To look out and take it all in We all need to breathe in. Chorus We all need to make a change One that’s rooted in the ground And then spring will come again, Lift us out. Somewhere in silence we can rest, Find the answers that we seek Send the dark clouds away Let spring begin. Send the dark clouds away. Bright shone the sun, The water it warns us. With time standing still, The kingfisher mourns us. One day I came upon a girl, I asked her who she was She said, “I’ve lost my way, And I’m looking for the end” Then she looked around and saw the water stretching on, She said, “I’ll take a look, What could be the harm” Oh how we all wish we had a map, That would take us all to the end. We’ll all wander in the end. Chorus
4.
Mary 04:17
Mary – Julu Irvine Well the sun it rose up on one cold summer morning, to steal the faint heart of our lady of love, and there through the town passed the prince in his finery. Face of the brave, heart of a fool. No maiden treads lightly who carries such burden, the darling bud blossoms that faces the dawn, and there in the street our young Mary stepped out. The bow of the cupid did ring out the day. Now our young prince was pure but his eyes were a roving, and Marys tight corset did lift up his gown. Without thinking twice he jumped down to our Mary, he took both her hands, and stole her heart. Chorus: And the men in the street they cried Mary no Mary no your mother is crying downstairs. And the birds in the sky they sang fly away now mary, your virtue once lost….will never return. Hour after hour our young prince came a courting, with flowers and blossoms and sweetest delights. Trinkets of love, or a false sentiment for twas on Mary’s virtue, our prince had his eye. Now at first it did seem our young prince remained truthful, safely enveloped in sweet Mary’s love, but time it did pass and his eyes began roving, the taste of another, seemed sweeter than wine. Chorus One night, Mary woke, disturbed from her slumber, to find her bed cold where her prince should have been. Fed up with his roving she dressed in his clothing, and ordered the servants, his carriage to prepare. When the prince, he returned, full of drink and quite merry to a cold empty house not a candle alight. She’d robbed him of coin, his horses and household, crying “foolish the man, to cross Mary Rose”! Chorus
5.
Downfalling 04:08
Downfalling My mother’s hair was jet black when I left home, When I returned it was lily-white, For six long years not a penny for my pains, And still this story repeats again. We sailed to France on the Duke of Argyle, We waved goodbye, I’d be gone a long while, And we arrived hungry and tired, But ready to face the coming tide. Chorus: The bombs are falling down The bombs are falling down The bombs are falling down They’re falling Down oh. At home waiting my family my wife, Wondering the fate of their dear soldier’s life, And these words on this matchbox can’t tell of my strife, But I’ll be brave. I’ll be brave. I lay wounded, my friend next to me, He said, “Steve, we’re finished” His head falls to the ground. He never spoke again to me. He never spoke again to anyone. Chorus Down, they’re falling down, they’re falling Down, they’re falling down, they’re falling Down, they’re falling down, they’re falling Down, they’re falling down. My mother’s hair was jet black when I left home, When I returned it was lily-white, For six long years not a penny for my pains, And still this story repeats again.
6.
Gather 05:37
Verse 1 Unbridle your horse let her run free You’re too young to tarry, let her run let her run Wild are the grasses, wild is the wind The wind it brings changes, we’re changing Verse 2 Untether your boats boys let them sail out to sea Unmanned and unchartered, sailing free, sailing Take from us these shackles, burdens and ties The circling wings of a girl, mark the turn of the tid Chorus We’re searching for light, in this long, cold winter Where have the seasons gone? Bring us the spring. The leaves turn to gold and then brown, like they always do But there’s miles and miles of cold winter Deep in the heart of winter We fight for the dawn. Verse 3 Look to the wild lands they call us, return home again, to your sisters now Erase all the lines, they cast in stone We’ll gather in the harvest now, with a breath of Spring we’ll sow Seeds for tomorrow, what will they leave for us tomorrow? Treasures and blooms will be forgotten, and the wildness in me Chorus Verse 4 We’ll sow seeds for tomorrow Oh we will leave for you tomorrow Flowers that bloom again tomorrow Be wild and be free Chorus
7.
Sovay 03:25
Sovay, Sovay all on a day She dressed herself in man's array With a sword and pistol all by her side To meet her true love, to meet her true love, away did ride As she was riding over the plain She met her true love and bid him stand “Your gold and silver, kind Sir,” she said “Or else this moment, or else this moment, your life I'll have” And when she'd robbed him of his store She said, “Kind Sir, there is one thing more A golden ring which I know you have Deliver it, deliver it, your sweet life to save” “Oh that golden ring a token is My life I'll lose, the ring I'll save” Being tender-hearted just like a dove She rode away, she rode away, from her true love Now next morning in the garden green Just like true lovers* they were seen He spied his watch hanging by her clothes Which made him blush, made him blush, like any rose “Oh what makes you blush at so silly a thing I thought to have had your golden ring 'Twas I that robbed you all on the plain So here's your watch, here's your watch and your gold again” “Oh I did intend and it was to know If that you were me true love or no For if you'd have given me that ring she said I'd have pulled the trigger, pulled the trigger and shot you dead
8.
Home 03:52
Home I have wandered a long way from home. I have wandered along the way. There are many, many ways to cross and many ways to fall. I will choose my letters carefully, every T will have a tale to tell. If I turn the wrong way, can I rest gently on your knee? Let’s tread the worn paths down to the sea. Chorus: Oh what is home, when you’re already home? And the birds don’t hum, Like in the garden that you know. Fly swallow down over rivers, Looking for a sign in the land. Following the warmth found in others, Never looking down, Waiting to be found. I have wandered a long way from when, I hid beneath the bed imagined monsters on the wall. When it’s me in the shadows, can you turn the lights on please? Let’s tread the worn paths down to the sea. Chorus I have wandered I have wandered I have wandered I have wandered Chorus
9.
On rides a captain and 300 soldier lads Out of the morning mist and thro' the silent snow Whistling gaily rides the captain at their head Behind him soldier boys sadly weeping go For when you took my gold and swore to follow me You sold away your lives and your liberty No more you'll till the soil, no more you'll work the land No more to the dance you'll go and take girls by the hand O mother weep for your son He is gone to kill and die You'll weep, you'll die by the keen edge of the sword All alone by the muddy Danube shore. He gave the order for the drummers to beat their drums. The smothers of my clothes the life a soldier lives. Unfurl your ragged banners and brace your pale young face You'll all die in the fire there'll be no hiding place O mother hear the drumbeat in the village square O mother that drums for me to go for a soldier there Mothers, sisters, wives, weep for us Marked as Cain we die alone
10.
Boatman 05:57
Boatman- Julu Irvine Hey Mr boatman, won’t you listen for a while? Well my eyes can’t see for crying, is your heart to numb to care? I’m so frightened of the ferryman, I’m too scared to go alone Won’t you sit here for a while, with me? The Boatman settled down upon the dusty shore. He said “girl, you cannot take my boat, you do not have the cause. Well my world ain’t for the living, so while there’s breath still in ya bones, Take these words and journey on, from me.” Chorus: And step lightly my friend, may your words leave no trace, May your footsteps leave no unrest, upon these soils. May your hands always toil, in answer to the call May your heart always carry, you home The girl tarried and the boatman cried. “there’s too many severed souls, looking for a way to the other side and I’m So tired, I can’t describe. Won’t you sit here for a while and talk to me? Can we rest here for a while?” the boatman cried. And oh cried the young girl, “I’ve never felt so alone, But I’m not ready for the reaping, feels like my soul, has been asleep for so long now.” And oh cried the boatman “where did we, go so wrong? Let’s sit here for a while, feels like my soul has been asleep for so long now” “Shall we rest here for a while?” the young girl sighed Chorus The young girl sat down and took his pale hands in her own She said “my dear, worthy boatman, I’m so sad to see you so. When you’ve one foot in the shadows, keep the other on solid ground. And should you fall and lose your way, I’ll carry you. Should you fall and lose your way, I’ll carry you” Chorus

credits

released February 25, 2022

All songs performed and arranged by Julu Irvine and Heg Brignall. Produced by Julu Irvine, Heg Brignall and Lukas Drinkwater. Recorded and mixed by Lukas Drinkwater at Polyphonic Recording www.lukasdrinkwater.com
Mastered by Ian Stephenson at www.simpsonstreetstudios.com

Julu Irvine - flute, guitar, whistle, vocals
Heg Brignall - Piano, vocals
Lukas Drinkwater - double bass. percussion
Aaron Catlow - violin

Black Bull of Norroway, This Land, Mary, Gather and Boatman written by Julu Irvine.
Kingfisher, Downfalling and Home written by Heg Brignall.
Sovay and Blood and Gold both traditional.


Original artwork by Chloe Birnie. Design by Heg Brignall. Photography by Sarah Klein.

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