Roy Harper - Another Day (1970) from Flat Baroque and Berserk
Still going at 84, on his “farewell” tour he performed this tune, one of his most affecting songs. Covered by This Mortal Coil.
Not knowing what on earth there was to know
– Another Day –
The kettle's on
The sun has gone
Another day
She offers me
Tibetan tea
On a flower tray
She's at the door
She wants to score
She dearly needs to say
I loved you a long time ago
Where the wind's own forget-me-nots blow
But I just couldn't let myself go
Not knowing what on earth there was to know
But I wish that I had
'Cos I'm feeling so sad
That I never had one of your children
And across the room
Inside a tomb
A chance is waxed and wanes
The night is young
Why are we so hung up
In each others chains?
I must take her
And I must make her
While the dove domains
And feel the juice run as she flies
Run my wings under her sighs
As the flames of eternity rise
To lick us with the first-born lash of dawn
Oh really my dear
I can't see what we fear
Sat here with ourselves in-between us
And at the door
We can't say more
Than just another day
And without a sound
I turn around
And I walk away
After playing the Tim Bickley original of The Song To The Siren the other day really in response to my love of the 'This Mortal Coil' version I had contact from my dear ‘cousin’ Geoff who asked me if I had heard this version . . . . . I had but it gave me cause to send him the breathtaking TMC version sung by
such fun!
These are for Geoff Swapp . . . . . . .
THIS MORTAL COIL
Robin Guthrie on guitar and the astonishing vocals of Elisabeth Fraser (from Cocteau Twins) first released on a single then included on This Mortal Coil's debut album, It'll End In Tears:
http://4ad.com/releases/40
Also . . . . not to forget our beloved Sinead O’Connor (we miss her . . . .)
Sinead O'Connor - Song To The Siren
(I will give Robert Plant’s perfectly acceptable go at it but the unforgivable and execrable version must be the dreadful Bryan Ferry cover . . . . . . truly awful as he plainly cannot really sing so you need to some sizeable ego to think you can pull it off.
Long afloat on shipless oceans
I did all my best to smile
'Til your singing eyes and fingers
Drew me loving to your isle
And you sang
Sail to me, sail to me
Let me enfold you
Here I am, here I am
Waiting to hold you
Did I dream you dreamed about me ?
Were you hare when I was fox ?
Now my foolish boat is leaning
Broken lovelorn on your rocks
For you sing
'Touch me not, touch me not
Come back tomorrow
Oh my heart, oh my heart
Shies from the sorrow'
I am puzzled as the oyster
I am troubled as the tide
Should I stand amid your breakers ?
Or should I lie with death my bride ?
Hear me sing
'Swim to me, swim to me
Let me enfold you
Here I am, here I am
Waiting to hold you'
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
SONG TO THE SIREN
the author . . . . . the Cocteau Twins Sinead O'Connor This Mortal Coil
featuring the guitar of Robin Guthrie and impeccable peerless voice of Elizabeth Fraser The version by This Mortal Coil was used in the David Lynch film Lost Highway [1997] although not included on the soundtrack album for contractual reasons. Peter Jackson also used in the Lovely Bones in 2009. In October 2018 the This Mortal Coil version of the song appeared in the BBC drama Wanderlust (S1: E6) Lyrics Song To The Siren
Long afloat on shipless oceans
I did all my best to smile
'Til your singing eyes and fingers
Drew me loving to your isle
And you sang
Sail to me Sail to me
Let me enfold you
Here I am Here I am
Waiting to hold you
Did I dream you dreamed about me?
Were you hare when I was fox?
Now my foolish boat is leaning
Broken lovelorn on your rocks,
For you sing,
"Touch me not, touch me not,
come back tomorrow:
O my heart, O my heart shies from the sorrow"
I am puzzled as the newborn child
I am as troubled as the tide.
Should I stand amid the breakers?
Or should I lie with
Death my bride?
Hear me sing,
"Swim to me, Swim to me,
Let me enfold you:
Here I am, Here I am,
Waiting to hold you
Lyrics by Larry Beckett (1967) Original Music by Tim Buckley (1970)
Larry Beckett wrote the lyrics to Song to the Siren as part of his ongoing collaboration and friendship with Tim Buckley throughout their high school years
Further today the wonderful TV series 'Wanderlust' with the extraordinarily gifted Zawe Ashton, the ever watchable Stephen Mackintosh and the stellar Toni Collette (bravely and beautifully appearing nude in last night's final episode) and an under used William Ash and a favourite character actor Robin Weaver but a fine clever casting and no mistake especially the central youngsters who played the couple's children embarking upon their own journeys. It used some wonderful soundtrack music throughout and came to an end with pathos and sadness which left us all (well you - ED) wanting more.
Last night's episode (6th) including these two breathtaking pieces of music
introducing me to 'Weyes Blood' and revisiting a favourite Tim Buckley song transformed and re-invented by The Cocteau Twins/This Mortal Coil 4AD collective ensemble of artists including Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie (first visited filmically in Lost Highway by David Lynch in 1997)
if you listen to any two things today make it these . . . .
This Mortal Coil – Song To The Siren
Weyes Blood – Everybody’s Talkin’ (Fred Neil)
*that's a joke because people think it's about sex and it really isn't. It's about relationships . . . . . .