Download an MP3 of this song (Mike plays guitars, cittern, vocals and piano on this one). Also listen to a more recent recording on Soundcloud.
D Dsus2 D
The (G) twilight it seems to come down like a dream to (D) envelop us,
With the (G) night-tide so near and the promise of beer we go (D) in,
And (A7) there on the stools and the benches are sitting our (D) fellow kind,
And (A7) tucked in the corner, the old lonely guy that (D) nobody minds,
And the (G) plumes of smoke they rise and embrace (D) in the air,
And the (G) fog it lays thick up above but no one (D) seems to care,
Nobody ever (A7) seems to care,
Yes, nobody ever (D) seems to care,
Chorus:
And in (G) smokey bars and pubs,
In the dark (A7) corners,
That's where the real life (D) lives,
That's where the battles are (A7) won and lost,
As under the table all hopes are (D) tossed,
D Dsus2 D
The (G) barmaid she stands with her hips in her hands and asks (D) what would I like,
So I (G) point at a pump: I think that today I'll try something (D) mild,
And I (A7) look at her face, the smudged lipstick that says she's seen (D) better days,
But (A7) somehow she paused and got stuck at the stile that is (D) middle age,
And the (G) song lingers on from the death of the morning,
And (D) murmuring, looking into our glasses we (A7) sing,
We all sing (D) along,
Chorus
Middle eight: G-D-A7-D x2
You (G) tell me that you have been ever so sad now for many (D) days,
But I (G) look in your eyes and I see now that sadness has (D) many ways,
And I (A7) touch your face to wipe off the tear that (D) glistens there,
And (A7) holding your hand, I say to you "please don't be (D) sad, my love",
(G) Open your eyes and look at the skies o so (D) blue above!
Can (G) you see the faces and castles of clouds floating (D) merrily by?
O! there's a (A7) space in the heavens, that one day we'll find,
Where (D) nobody cries
And I could (A7) tell you a story of the snake and the tree,
Of the unhappy eyes of the people we see,
But (G) that's just a story, and perhaps it is me that is (D) unhappy,
Perhaps it is me that is (A7) unhappy?
Perhaps it is me that is (D) unhappy?
And in (G) smokey bars and pubs,
In the (A7) dark corners,
That's where the real life (D) lives,
That's where the battles are (A7) won and lost,
As under the table all hopes are (D) tossed,
That's where the (A7) fragments of dreams reside,
That's where the valiant (D) loosers hide,
That's where our memories are (A7) laid to rest,
Those are the places I know the (D) best,
That's where our (A7) love shall make us strong,
And we'll smoke and we'll drink to the end of the song.
Outro: G-D-A7-D x2
* part of the forthcoming Craven "A" Saga.
© 2003 Mike Harris. For rights, I reserve my rights to this work as my own. The recordings of the pieces may be freely downloaded, shared and performed; song long as it is for non-commercial purposes and so long as I am credited as the original author and so long as you are happy to share recordings of your performances and intepretations of the pieces. The lyrics may be copied and reproduced in part or whole, use them as you wish so long as it is for non-commercial purposes.