Green Grow the Rushes Oh

GREEN GROW THE RUSHES OH
GREEN GROW THE RUSHES OH
GREEN GROW THE RUSHES OH
RUSH ALL OVER ME

I went down to the border in spring
To see what pretty girls I might find
I looked here, I looked there
I looked almost everywhere
Perhaps I was just wasting my time

I jumped from train to train
Trying to find that girl
I looked under rocks and stones
I looked inside telephones
But I never found those charming eyes

I met a traveler on the road
He said 'There's someone after you
Look where the meadow is green
Trace the tracks where you have been
All you need is time and it's waiting'

I went to the river to wash my hair
Maybe find someone lying there
My hope was nearly gone
But the river went flowing on
And I called this out into the air

I went down to the sea
Just to see what might be
Anyone would do by now
Then not much to my surprise
A hundred hags stared me in the eyes

Well the clouds roll by
And my mind rolls up
Waiting is such a dull old game
And then I started to dream
All I saw were those rushes green

Now I'm a hundred and four
Won't grow old any more
But I found my green~eyed maid
She followed the tracks I had made
We met down by the rushes green

Refugees

Fifteen gone, fifteen to come
We're just fugatives on the run
The sun is setting and we are on the hill
Look down, see the others being killed

They caught them down in the valley
Reined them in, coralled them tight
Rain was falling, forever was calling
We struggle on through the night

Now some wore rope and some wore chain
But they treat you just the same
Living in fear, there is nowhere home
Except running, running, running all alone

REFUGEES, REFUGEES
RUNNING FROM WHOEVER
REFUGEES, REFUGEES
SOMEONE HELP US PLEASE
RUNNING TO FOREVER

Human Beings

Stagecoach robbery, highway crime
Masked man with a flintlock, but the coach ain't on time
Redskin warrior, Indian Man
Bows and arrows, but the paleface got their land

Sharp suited man, cadillac he drive
Getting harder every minute, with that woman on his arm
Coal black miner, working in the hole
Such a long time down there he feels like a mole

Beneath the wave are divers, fishing for pearls
Above and around them, the mighty ocean swirls
Government official, with a briefcase full of facts
Got a head full of spreadsheets, and income tax

Man in a restuarant, woman in the street
Girl on a bicycle, boy caught in the heat
Queen and courtiers, jester for a King
Each to their own, and their own thing

WE'VE BEEN ON THE MOUNTAIN
WE'VE BEEN IN THE HALL
WE'VE BEEN IN MANY TIMES
MANY PORTS OF CALL
WE'VE BEEN IN THE SKIES
WE'VE BEEN IN THE WARS
WE'VE BEEN SO ALONE
WE'VE FORGOTTEN WE ARE ALL

HUMAN BEINGS

You Took What You Wanted From Me

YOU TOOK WHAT YOU WANTED FROM ME
YOU TOOK WHAT YOU WANTED NOW LET ME BE
YOU TOOK WHAT YOU WANTED FROM ME
PLEASE GO NOW AND LET ME BE

It's like I'm stuck in a swirling place
Whisps of sand all round my face
I shout this through the hourglass
Let me get out now, oh let it pass
It's only a measure of our love
That we don't see clearly yet
I know you are aware of how I feel
And that what you give is what you get


It's like I'm balanced on a razor's edge
I can't look down I got to keep my head
Don't want to fall down on either side
'Cos if I slip I'll loose more than my mind
Look into the mirror babe
Look me into my eyes
Look forward to the future now
Look up and out into the skies


Girl you cling so close to me
But you don't love me at all
You took alot I guess I did too
So now's the time for something new
I guess it's like I'm trying to be hard
But I hope you follow what I say
Cruel to be kind my love
We have to go our separate ways

Herb Spiral

Herb spiral looks like the coil of a snail
Or a fat snake curled upon it's tail
Made from stones by the garden wall
With soil, then herbs, we filled it all
Like a sea shell, like a fern
Listen and some herbs we'll learn
What a lot of lovely herbs
Are growing on the herb spiral

There is a pond at the bottom
Then an earth path spirals up and round
Water Cress, Sweet Flag and Bogbean
Are there in the wetness found
Peppermint and Penny Royal
Lady's Mantle are in the soil
Chervil, Chives and Camomile
Marjorum it's such a joy

I am a tiny caterpillar munching on a flower
I crawl along the edge of a leaf
In the hedge by that spiral tower
I eat all day I fill my tum
I munch more every hour
One day soon I will make my cacoon
Then fly into my power

Herbs have uses did you know
They can be medicinal
They also taste good in a stew
Herbs are really good for you
Carraway and Tarragon, Lovage, Rue and Marigold
Cumin, Borage, Parsley, Dill, Mellisa and Nasturtium

I am a little butterfly flying by the herb spiral
looking down I think I'll try to sit down on it's top a while
I fly up, I fly down, I flutter by I flit around
What a lot of lovely herbs are growing on the herb spiral

Yes, what a lot of herbs there are
Growing on the herb spiral
Did you know there are many more
Growing in the whole wide world
Basil, Yarrow, Lavender, Sorrel, Coriander
Thyme and Sage and Rosemary
All crowned with a tall fine Fennel

Herb spiral looks like the coil of a snail
Or a fat snake curled upon it's tail
Made from stones by the garden wall
With soil, then herbs, we filled it all
Like a sea shell, like a fern
Thank you, now some herbs we've learnt
What a lot of lovely herbs
Are growing on the herb spiral

Gin Still Jim

Oh what a holler oh what a strife
They're kicking down my farm door
They're coming for my life
Execute me they would for stillin' shaky gin
But if they knew the half of it they'd make me shaky King

Five thirty AM on a cold December day
In their stupid uniforms the tax men came my way
My dogs were a~howling just like they're supposed to
We're making out the back way straight to Timbucktoo

Ain't no man allowed to make good in his own time
I ain't making shandy beer or drinking pussy wine
Gin in my still Sir and it will give you the most
But when you see those excise men just make like a ghost

Then I thought I'd lead them fools all in a merry dance
So I lit off in a boat that set me down in France
Jumped ship back to England on the returning tide
Them excise men is searching but all on the wrong side

I ain't paying no gin tax to give no government no hand
To fund some war overseas. Who fights. The poor man
Gin for your soul my friend, juniper makes no smoke
See them excise men run around they just don't get the joke

So I skipped it up to Scotland and found a monastry
On a holy Island, man would you believe
Them monks is stillin' something holy Benedictine
And if you come and try some then you'll know what I mean

LORD THE MOON WAS SHINING
BUT NO MOON WAS IN THE SKY
THEM EXCISE MEN IS IN THE MUD ~ GOT LOST IN FRANCE ~ ALL WENT TO HELL
AND WE WAS HIGH AND DRY

The Corn, the Fork and the Spoon

Thirty ships bound for the Kingdom
Graciously bestowed
With gifts and presents from the suitors
It's their love they want to show
Carpets and precious scents
Spices rare, fruits succulent
Many coloured jewels and beads
All this for her

She was called Emma the Fair
Beautiful was she
Golden hair fell in many locks
And round her neck were pearls
The suitors came from oversea
They came from over land
But her father bid her not the love
That she wanted so much

The man that princess Emma loved
Was called Justin Dare
He wooed her with a flute of wood
When he didn't know she was there
She was walking in the woods one day
And heard the shepherd's pipe
And when the two saw each other
There was a flash of light

As he was just a shepherd poor
How could this love be
The princess cried many nights
Because of her cruel destiny
Her father had seen her in Justin's embrace
And threw the man in jail
He did not think it fit that Emma wed
Someone of no avail

To Emma side came the friendly monk
Nigel by name
He comforted her with kindly talk
But in his head he knows
The suitors will soon be here
And for all the words he has to say
Emma may soon be married off
And her nightmares live by day

I shall work out some plan
He says scratching his head
You and Justin shall be wed
And live to produce an heir
'It shall be done' he says to himself
As he thinks later alone
'But quite how I do not know'
Then the walls quake and groan

Out steps a figure small and strange
From the breathing wall
'I am Genkrill, gnome of night
I appear when starlight fails
I have listened to this plight
Of Emma, Justin and the princes
For your friendship you the princess show
I deign to help you out'

'I have an ear of corn' he says
'I have a fork and spoon
When the suitors show their wares
Justin will show these'
'Shh' says the gnome conspiringly
I know what you're thinking
That Justin is in that deep dungeon
But just leave that to me

Genkrill shows Nigel the magic corn,
Magic fork and spoon
Bows low and vanishes
It's all happened too soon
Nigel takes a sip of water
Sits down and rubs his eyes
Looks down to the courtyard
What should his eyes spy

Justin is walking proud and tall
Genkrill is also there
As are many courtiers riding horses fair
So handsome and debonaire
He joins the suitors at the end of the line
Nigel jumps for joy
It all seems somehow beyond hope
But magic is in the air

In the Throne Room a long line
Of suitors in costly array
Is boring the Queen into the ground
Making Emma terrified
They are either overfed and ugly
Or thin, cruel eyed and evil 
Their gifts make the King's eyes light up
But make the princess quail

One by one they roll by
The pile of presents grows
And who will gain the ladies hand
No one really knows
Last of all comes Justin
Emma is startled quite
The King recalls him not at all
Then Justin speaks forthright

'I bring these gifts simple and true
The corn, the fork and spoon
To express my love for the princess here
I wish to wed her soon'
Justin bows most graciously
The queen wakes up and stares
'Who is that man' she asks the King
'Haven't I seen him somewhere'

Nigel, watching from behind
Holds his breath here
Will Genkrill's plan all come undone
This is what he fears
But no, the Queen is fully charmed
And lo! Something more
The corn fallen from Justin's hand
Is growing on the floor

It grows and grows and spreads about
'Till a foot high, then ten feet and more
And round about, it has spread outside
It's broken through the doors
'What! What!' says the King
'Pray, stop this awful growth
If you can ~ The princess's hand
Shall be yours in truth I troth'

'A~ha' says Justin Dare
'I have a fork and spoon
If I give them to the poor
They'll know what to do
Use their scythes to cut this corn
And eat it, as my tool's purpose can
You do not feed your people well
Yet I feed every man

Soon the Kingdom was eating
As it never had done before
And empty tums were filled with food
And needed nothing more
The King he then bowed his head
And said 'I have done wrong
I realise I am a mean old man
And far too headstrong'

The gnome then gestures to Justin
And Justin made a bow
'This cutlery is magical'
He said, 'And here's how
The fork will talk and grant good harvest
When the spoon is polished with good deeds and truth'
To the King he gave the fork   
To the Queen he gave the spoon

'I have seen you before' then mused the Queen
As she looked in Justin's eyes
We put you in our prison
I don't remember why
Then Genkrill sprung up front to proclaim
'The King has consented
Emma and Justin are to be wed
By the moon and stars it meant is'

The two were wed beneath those stars
And the King had changed
His people were fed by the magic corn
The fork and spoon prevailed
Nigel kind continued his work
Grew in wisdom to be old
Genkrill vanished into the wall
And so their story is told