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I went for a run this evening
The fog was thick and the snow was melting
My feet were wet and almost freezing
Although I could feel the temperature rising
Its gonna be a full moon tonight
So I'm hoping the clouds obscure it
Or else you're gonna get a fright
And so am I, I feel sure of it
But I got lost half way around
And I'd heard the legend of the hound
And in the bushes I heard a cracking sound
So I dove to the floor and stayed close to the ground
It was a false alarm but I still felt the chill
So I rushed up to the top of Shotover hill
And I'm still not whether the legend's real
But I'll keep on running still
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2. |
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down in a cave in vietnam
i stood awestruck before the crystal shining bright
with a hat to protect me from harm
i pointed the torch and gazed into the light
but i was plunged into darkness
and no longer felt safe
so i attached myself to the harness
and started emerging emerging from the cave
near an english seaside town
we scrabbled about on a beach
and made our way a little too far around
and found a cave once thought out of reach
but the tide came in quickly
so with the remnants of driftwood we made
a raft and then paddled off swiftly
and off we went emerging from the cave
back east on a grecian isle
we made our home near the sea
i built a house and we lived in style
and the mediterranean air felt good to me
but you'd heard a strange rumour in the town
heard down where the locals bathe
that a giant had been seen walking around
and voices were emerging from the cave
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3. |
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let me know where I stand
let me watch the snow fall
let me watch the cars slide by
let me wait down in the hall
let me get my belongings
let me walk through the snow
let me sort out my passport
let me go let me go
let me cover up my footprints
let me remove the GPS
let me work out the directions
let me have a second guess
let me down easily
let me down slow
let me ride out the last few miles
let me go let me go
let me clear the driveway
let me put up a shelf
let me stare at the icicles
let me think about the south
let me take more of this than I can bare
let me just go with the flow
let me close the bank accounts
let me go let me go
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4. |
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inched my way down to magdalen bridge
to escape from my buzzing fridge
inched my way down the road
i was carrying such a heavy load
i stand under it
i understand it
i stand under it
i understand it
inched my way up st clements
hummed to myself oranges and lemons
kept clear of st giles
stayed away from their frozen smiles
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5. |
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the views here are incredible
horizons wider than the world
stretching as far as the eye can see
but its cold cold cold
the food here is delicious
but supplies are running low
i built a fire last night
and watched the glow glow glow
the progress here is steady
and the huskies are doing well
but when the wind slams the shelter
it rings out like a bell bell bell
the blizzard is thickening
and the wind chill fierce
so i'm signing off this letter now
with a kiss kiss kiss
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6. |
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last night i dreamt that somebody loved me
and i grabbed hold of the sword hanging above me
i wielded it and took a strike at a tree
felt bad for a moment then i felt free
christchurch opened up its arms
christchurch opened up its arms
christchurch opened up its arms
and i fell into it
but no harm was done
no harm
last night i dreamt you loved me madly
but i was restless and i slept badly
held the sword high and plunged it back into the stone
felt cold and tired but i was no longer alone
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7. |
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sitting out in the garden
hearing the wind rip through the trees
trying not to lose my concentration
watching the fires blaze in the east
thinking of you 3000 miles away
trying to stay strong
seeing a bird up in the treetops
remembering an ancient song
walking into the kitchen
pouring myself a glass of milk
looking out through the window
comparing the sky to a sheet of silk
reading an old postcard
liking your handwriting
dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's
wondering how to go on fighting
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8. |
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i made my way to the front gate
hung around there for a while
played with the opening contraption for a bit
my face broke into a smile
i scanned the sky for symbols
then surveyed the garden for signs
looked back towards my bedroom window
made sure i'd closed the blinds
i walked back towards the front door
pushed it in i'd left the latch key on
threw the door wide open and in i went
away from the prying gaze of the sun
the message of this song is pure and simple
the message of this song is bold and strong
if you want to go outside just go outside
and start doing what needs to be done
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9. |
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killed two birds with one stone
sky as black as coal moon as white as bone
locked the car keys in the car
made a wish when i saw the north star
take me to the bridge
take me to the bridge
take me to the bridge
took all of my things out of my coat
felt something rising at the back of my throat
left all of my things on a garden wall
walked away from it walked away from them all
take me to the bridge
take me to the bridge
take me to the bridge
pulled my hood over my head
heard a siren blazing saw lights flashing red
walked back to my flat on my own
sky as black as coal moon as white as bone
take me to the bridge
take me to the bridge
take me to the bridge
take me to the bridge
take me to the bridge
take me to the bridge
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10. |
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1, 2, 3, 4
wipe down the windows fix the doors
5, 6, 7, 8
bring out the silver cutlery and the plates
9, 10, 11, 12
sound the alarm ring the bell
13, 14, 15
i'm coming round this evening
la la la
la la la
16, 17, 18
got a funny feeling in my spleen
19, 20, 21
that you were once here but now you're gone
22, 23, 24
open the windows open the doors
25, 26, 27
i'm coming round at eleven
la la la
la la la
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11. |
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there are people in my house
and they scream when they see my food
but i just lie here quiet as a mouse
some people can be so rude
and i claw at the rug
and i claw at the furniture
i'm oblivious
i'm oblivious
up against the radiator
so i lean up against the radiator
desperately trying to keep warm
and i flash the dead eye at the traitors
for the holiday they're going on
so i sleep a lot its true
but i work hard patrolling the house
i can't complain too much about the food
but sometimes its nice to have a mouse
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12. |
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fashioned a spear from a rock and a stick
made my way up and down the creek
got a feeling today will be the day
that i finally bring home the pay
i will provide for the family
if its the last thing that i do
i will provide for the family
because i care about you
i care about you
stared off into the mexican sky
fished out some dust from my eye
settled in for the night watch again
set my alarm for 5am
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13. |
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leave the house as soon as it gets light
open the letters on the way to work
veto any of their ridiculous suggestions
ever ready to go where trouble lurks
learn the patterns of regular pedestrians
own up when you recognise symmetry
veer away from the gangs of wild wolves
elevate yourself by climbing up a tree
labour slightly as you reach magdalen bridge
over it you go as you reach the other side
vote in favour of keeping on until the end
enter the city carefully try not to collide
lucky stars hold them in your left hand
obviously keep your fist closed tight
voices will seep into your ears
early morning traffic will seep in from the night
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14. |
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i hate the way you have to leave at the end of the evening
i hate the way you have to go outside even though the air is freezing
i hate the way i miss you even though i know i'll see you again
i hate the way i wake up thinking of you at 5am
i hate the way you get sad watching bad things on the news
i hate the way i feel when i win at chess and you lose
i hate the fact that i broke your finest crockery
i hate the empty feeling i get inside when you're gone from me
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15. |
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cut my hair down the road
with some scissors made from solid gold
hung my head lower down
hailed a taxi to take me into town
thursday morning hung in my memory
and i looked all over for a remedy
and i felt bad then i felt fine
on 17th july 2009
stood up on the town hall steps
slowy trying to catch my breath
watched the tourists flooding by
felt the heat burn down on me from the sky
felt beads of sweat rolling down my temple
and i began to shiver i began to tremble
and i fixed my eyes on the oxford council sign
on seventeen dot seven dot oh nine
then i saw you walk by
so i put my hands over my eyes
and i looked through the cracks in my fingers
and you looked towards me and lingered
i blinked again and you were gone
so i turned my gaze towards the sun
i felt sick then i felt fine
on 17th july 2009
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16. |
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our love is like a gate swinging on its hinge
our love is like a spy on the city's fringe
look through the binoculars in its direction
try to quell the inevitable insurrection
speak now or forever hold your peace
speak now or forever hold your peace
our love is like a third five-year plan
its like a universe imploding in the palm of my hand
shall i compare thee to a summer's day
our love is like a jugganaut bursting through the clay
speak now or forever hold your peace
speak now or forever hold your peace
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17. |
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i'm going to the city
where the wind blows like crazy
with a hat upon my head
a scarf around my neck
and a hand upon my heart
i'm going to see some friends
i'm going to make amends
with thanks upon my lips
a prayer inside my head
and a hand upon my heart
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18. |
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this is the last song I will ever write
I hope I get it right
I hope I get right the rhymes
I hope I come up with enough lines
This is the last song I will ever sing
I hope it means something
I hope the rain lasts a little longer
I hope my voice never sounds stronger
I'm breaking up the band
we're going on permanent hiatus
because the magazines
not like the ones in my dreams
never really rated us
this is the last guitar I will ever tune
and as I point the fretboard towards the moon
I will break the strings one by one
and I hope it never sees the rising of the sun
this is the last song I will ever make
and I will hone my art to baking cakes
I hope the brownies I make will be delicious
not like these words all cruel and pernicious
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19. |
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they offered me a million pounds
to come up with some new sounds
i said no
i said go away
they offered me two million more
so i sent them from my door
i said no
i said no way
but now we're on our reunion tour
but now we're on our reunion tour
i brought the band back together
and the songs are sounding better than ever
they offered me rights to the back catalogue
they offered me a pedigree dog
i said no thanks
i said not this time
they offered me riches and wonders
and for a while i pondered
i said no
i said i'm fine
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20. |
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late november i will see you again
hear the crashing waves go back to my old den
watch the ships slowly sinking off the shore
remember how was it before
mid july i will pull myself together
dress myself up nice and complain about the weather
sit on the beach and see something i've never seen
wonder about what might've been
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21. |
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how good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity
it is like precious oil poured on the head
running down on the beard
running down on aaron's beard
down upon the collar of his robes
it is as if the dew of hermon
were falling on mount zion
for there the Lord bestows his blessing
even life for forevermore
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22. |
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park end shines
and i slide down the lines
and i drive into town
you can't keep a good man down
the gears grind
and i constantly change my mind
i settle on an indian restaurant
i like the way they've set the front
and it reminds me of you
and our predicament
4500 miles from you
sitting in an indian restaurant
park end shines
and i skim read the lines
on your latest postcard
and i admire your latest photograph
i like the way you've got your hair
its longer than you had it when i was there
i put it back in the envelope
and figure out how to cope
park end shines
as do the stars through the blinds
so i ask for the bill
and listen out for the bell on the till
neon lights flash red and blue
and i feel a cold chill bursting through
so i head out into the cold air
and shield my eyes from the glare
park end shines
park end shines
park end shines
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23. |
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slammed my thumb in the car door
they wondered what the screaming was for
they came running and wondered what was wrong
so i started singing this song
happy birthday to me
its my birthday today
today is my birthday
dropped my ice cream on the pavement
they wondered what all the crying meant
sometimes adults have no understanding
you've got to take them by the hand and sing
got extremely disappointing presents
learnt several harsh lessons
so i cried and i cried and i cried again
they said they didn't understand but they lied and i sang
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24. |
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rigged up an ingenius device to the motor
rapidly achieved this month's quota
saw something wriggling through the grass
it must have been five or six feet it was vast
don't go to austria
don't go to switzerland
don't go to central europe
just don't go
got the car working a little after six
took it for a spin to get my auto fix
when i saw it i was sure it wasn't a snake
more like a mexican dragon i felt myself shake
drove the car round the alpine roads til ten
saw it coming towards me and i shook again
spun the car round and drove back home
wrote the song down so the truth will be known
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25. |
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i had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee
i had a dream i could be free
i had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee
i had a dream i learnt to breathe
last night the wind came and blew the pylons down
last night the rain came and i tried not to drown
today the sun came and it burned me alive
today the snow came and i could not drive
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26. |
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wish i could make some sense
wish i could dress my words with ornaments
like tanita tikaram does
like tanita tikaram does
wish i could light up a room
wish i could hold back the gloom
like tanita tikaram does
like tanita tikaram does
wish i could sing like pouring wine
wish i could boil away the brine
like tanita tikaram does
like tanita tikaram does
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27. |
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huge black letters
on a green rectangular sign
a neon white light on the outside
bold wide words
speaking out into the night
a neon white light around the perimeter
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28. |
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no one understands me
and no one ever will
looking out the window
elbow resting on the windowsill
go wild
you don't understand me
and i don't either
breathing up against the glass
considering the mouth breather
go wild
think i should sort out the wardrobe
and the forest growing in there
looking out the window
i don't care
go wild
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29. |
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the light clip snapped right off
felt a burning sensation in my chest and then i coughed
gaffa taped it to the handle bar
dearly wished that i hadn't crashed my car
made sure the light was pointing in the right direction
made a few careful corrections
made sure it was looking alright
pushed the on button but there was no light
and the light sprang into life
and the light sprang into life
and the light sprang into life
and so did i
and i felt alright
threw the bike to the floor in a fit of rage
stood with my eyes shut for what seemed like an age
wheeled it out of the underground car park
watched the last embers disappear as the sky turned dark
still no light but i set off anyhow
set off at a speed i thought would allow
set off in my house's general direction
hoped my jacket would catch the car headlight's reflection
sped down high street a little too fast
hoped this journey wouldn't be my last
fixed my gaze firmly on the road ahead
felt for my helmet on my head
sent a prayer up to the heavens above
felt an overwhelming sense of love
all of sudden my light sprang into life
and joy fell upn me like rain from the skies
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30. |
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pushed the door open and in i went
saw the faces of the people i knew
pushed in the door of the tent
the light flashed red, orange, pink and blue
went through the opening slot
looked through the gap in the fabric
felt the fire outside burning red hot
turned sharply around and felt my neck click
the wind rushed against the tent poles
i barely slept all night
the seam split and started forming holes
and i was blinded by the moon shining bright
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31. |
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i am a snake swallowing its own tail
i am a cloud secreting hail
i am a fog of nuclear fission
i am a dog beyond the line of your vision
you're not singing anymore
you've hidden your guitar behind the door
you're not singing anymore
even humming a tune's become a chore
i am an egg breaking out of its shell
i am a tower trying to ring its bell
i am a phonebox with nobody inside
i am the true fact that you lied
you're not singing anymore
your voicebox has gotten sore
you're not singing anymore
you've forgotten what singing's even for
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