Episode 4 Singer-Songwriters at the BBC

He's just arrived here to sing at the Royal Festival Hall

and his latest protest is called With God On Our Side.

# Oh, my name, it is nothing

# My age, it means less

# The country I come from

# Is called the Midwest

# I was taught and brought up there

# The laws to abide

# And that land that I live in

# Has God on its side

# Oh, the history books tell it

# They tell it so well

# The cavalries charged

# The Indians fell

# The cavalries charged

# The Indians died

# Oh, the country was young

# With God on its side

# The Spanish American War's had its day

# And the Civil War, too

# Was soon laid away

# And the names of the heroes

# I was made to memorise

# With guns in their hands

# And God on their side. #

APPLAUSE

# It's true that all the men you knew were dealers

# Who said they were through with dealing

# Every time you gave them shelter

# I know that kind of man

# It's hard to hold the hand of anyone

# Who's reaching for the sky just to surrender

# Who is reaching for the sky just to surrender

# And sweeping up the jokers that he left behind

# You'll find he did not leave you very much

# Not even laughter

# Like any dealer, he was watching

# For the card that is so high and wild

# He'll never need to deal another

# He was just some Joseph looking for a manger

# He was just some Joseph looking for a manger

# And then leaning on your windowsill

# He'll say one day you caused his will

# To weaken with your love and warmth and shelter

# And then taking from his wallet an old schedule of trains

# He'll say, "I told you when I came I was a stranger

# "I told you when I came I was a stranger"

# Oh, but now another stranger seems to want you

# To ignore his dreams as though they were the burden of some other

# You've seen that man before His golden arm dispatching cards

# But now it's rusted from the elbow to the finger

# And he wants to trade the game he plays for shelter

# Yes, he wants to trade the game he knows for shelter

# Oh, you hate to watch another tired man

# Lay down his hand like he was giving up

# The holy game of poker

# And while he talks his dreams to sleep

# You notice there's a highway

# That is curling up like smoke above his shoulder

# And suddenly you feel a little older

# Now, you tell him to come in Sit down

# But something makes you turn around

# The door is open You can't close your shelter

# You try the handle of the road

# It opens, do not be afraid

# It's you, my love You who are the stranger

# It is you, my love You who are the stranger

# Well, I've been waiting

# I was sure we'd meet between the trains

# We're waiting for I think it's time to board another

# Please understand I never had a secret chart

# To get me to the heart of this or any other matter

# When he talks like this You don't know what he's after

# When he speaks like this You don't know what he's after

# Let's meet tomorrow If you choose

# Upon the shore Beneath the bridge

# That they are building on some endless river

# Then he leaves the platform for the sleeping car that's warm

# You realise he's only advertising one more shelter

# And it comes to you He never was a stranger

# And you say, "OK, the bridge or someplace later"

# And then leaning on your windowsill

# He'll say one day you caused his will

# To weaken with your love and warmth and shelter

# And then taking from his wallet an old schedule of trains

# He'll say, "I told you when I came I was a stranger

# I told you when I came I was a stranger. #

APPLAUSE

# Looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes

# Travelling the train through clear Moroccan skies

# Ducks and pigs and chickens call

# Animal carpet wall to wall

# American ladies Five foot tall in blue

# Sweeping cobwebs from the edges of my mind

# Had to get away to seek what we could find

# Hope the days that lie ahead bring us back to where they've led

# Listen not to what's been said to you

# Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express

# Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express

# They're taking me to Marrakesh

# All aboard the train

# All aboard the train

# I've been saving all my money just to take you there

# I smell the garden in your hair

# Take the train from Casablanca going south

# Blowing smoke rings from the corners of my mouth

# Coloured cottons hang in the air

# Charming cobras in the square

# Striped djellabas we can wear at home

# Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express

# Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express

# They're taking me to Marrakesh

# Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express

# Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express

# They're taking me to Marrakesh

# All on board the train

# All on board the train

# All on board. #

APPLAUSE

Only now and then do you find a singer

who has a really, truly original style,

so I'm very happy to introduce my next guest on the show.

He not only writes his own songs, but he sings them, as well.

Gilbert O'Sullivan.

APPLAUSE

# It's over now You've had your fun

# Get up them stairs Go on, quickly, don't run

# Take off your shoes The both of yous

# Leave them down outside the door

# Turn the landing light off No, wait, leave it on

# It might make the night that much easier to be gone

# And in the morning who'll be wide awake

# And eating snow flakes

# As opposed to those flakes

-# We will

-We will

-# We will

-We will

# That afternoon, we spent the day

# With Uncle Frank, remember? And his wife, Auntie Mae

# Well, do you know, since then I've received up to four letters

# All of which repeat the same

# They say thrilled to bits Can't believe you came

# We've relived it both Over time and time again

# And if there's ever a chance or even half

# You might be our way

# Would you promise to stay?

# We will

-# We will

-Yeah, yeah, yeah

# It's not easy pretending

# That you cannot hear

# Once you've suffered the affliction within

# It's no use in an ending to proclaim from the start

# That the moral of the story's to begin

# On Sunday next If the weather holds

# We'll have that game But I bagsy being in goal

# Not because I'm good Or because I think I should

# It's just that, well, at my age I think standing still

# Would really suit me best Do we all agree?

# Hands up those who do Hands up those who don't

# I see, well, in that case Will we please be kind enough

# If not on Monday To go to mass on Sunday?

-# We will

-We will

-# We will

-We will, yeah, yeah, yeah

# We will. #

APPLAUSE

# When this old world starts getting me down

# And people are just too much for me to face

# I climb way up to the top of the stairs

# And all my cares just drift right in to space

# On the roof's the only place I know

# Where you just have to wish to make it so

# Oh, let's go up on the roof

# At night, the stars

# Put on a show for free

# And, darling You can share it all with me

# I keep a-telling you

# Right smack dab

# In the middle of town

# I found a paradise that's trouble proof

# So, if this world starts getting you down

# There's room enough for two

# Up on the roof

# Up on the roof

# Everything is all right

# Up on the roof

# Oh, come on, baby

# Come on, come on Come on, now, darling

# Up on the roof

# Oh, everything is all right

# Everything is all right Everything is all right

# Up on the roof. #

APPLAUSE

# Hey, Cracklin' Rosie, get on board

# We're gonna ride till there ain't no more to go

# Taking it slow

# Lord, don't you know

# Have me a time with a poor man's lady

# Hitchin' on a twilight train

# Ain't nothing here that I care to take along

# Maybe a song

# Sing what I want

# Don't need to say please to no man for a happy tune

# Oh, I love my Rosie child

# You've got the way to make me happy

# You and me, we go in style

# Cracklin' Rose You're a store-bought woman

# You make me sing like a guitar hummin'

# Hang on to me, girl Our song keeps runnin' on, yeah

# Play it now, play it now Play it now, my baby

# Cracklin' Rosie, make me smile

# God, if it lasts for an hour Well, that's all right

# Cos we got all night

# To set the world right

# Find us a dream that don't ask no questions, yeah

# Oh, I love my Rosie child

# You got the way to make me happy

# You and me, we go in style

# Cracklin' Rose You're a store-bought woman

# You make me sing like a guitar hummin'

# Hang on to me, girl Our song keeps runnin' on, yeah

# Play it now, play it now Play it now, my baby

# Cracklin' Rosie, make me smile

# God, if it lasts for an hour Well, that's all right

# Cos we got all night

# To set the world right

# Find us a dream that don't ask no questions, ba-ba-ba-ba-ba

# Da-da-da-doo-doh, doo-doo-doh-doh

# Doo-doh-doh

# Ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba, yeah

# Yeah. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# And the days, they flew by

# And the leaves fell from the trees

# And many times you came around Many times you slept with me

# And every time that we made love You wrote it down in your diary

# My lady of ladies

# But I would always say to you Don't ask about tomorrow

# Give what you have Take what you need

# Your time is only now

# Don't try to tie me down to promises

# Live for today Today is all there is

# And freedom seems to be everything to me

# I took you down to a party on the night of the 4th of May

# And a strange and growing restlessness

# Had hung in the air all day

# The need to try and tear down and destroy all that we'd made

# My lady of ladies

# You whispered in my ear and asked me if I fancied her

# You told me that he phoned you when I was in America

# Daring each other just to say, "OK"

# Swap for tonight Didn't I always say

# That freedom seems To be everything to me

# She came, sat down beside me

# And you made an excuse to go downstairs

# And she smiled and made the kind of conversation that you do

# And later on she said, "My last string's gone"

# "Oh I wonder, could you run me home?"

# And I found you in the hallway

# And I told you that was all that I would do

# Just run her home and it's through

# Oh, I thought that you knew

# But I must confess I laid my head on her breast

# And it seemed so hard to pull it away

# Her hand touched my hand

# And her eyes were offering the rest

# If it wasn't for you Oh, I would have stayed

# Came back home through the morning

# Find you lying awake

# I knew at once what you'd done and I heard myself say

# Why did you have to sleep with him?

# Anyone else wouldn't have mattered

# Half as much as him

# I don't want to touch you

# Somehow you feel unclean

# Ah, but I just wish that you were 500 miles away from me

# Don't talk at all Don't start to cry

# Just pick up your things My lady of ladies

# And though I'd always told myself

# That when our time was ended

# I'd walk away with no regrets

# And no attempts to stay

# Somehow it doesn't seem to be that way

# I find I'm needing every word you say

# Cos freedom seems to be everything to me

# You went up to Cambridge

# I just stayed in your brother's room

# And you wrote me a letter and you said in the same afternoon

# You said "I just want to hurt myself"

# I need you so badly now

# And you told me

# "Without you, there seems no horizon at all"

# No place lower to fall

# Just no crack in the wall

# Hey, don't leave me

# Don't leave me

# The shapelessness of the dawn

# Floods above and beneath me

# I just can't go on

# And I had to walk right into the trap

# And I had to say please come back

# Though I knew at once

# My resistance was slipping away

# Hey

# Why did I have to fall for you?

# Anyone else

# Wouldn't have hurt me

# Half

# As much

# As you. #

# Stoned again in New York city

# And I'm drunk again in Rome

# I sang in London town

# Cos London's halfway home

# If I could sing I'd sing a song for you

# If I had wings, I'd surely fly

# If I could take all your pain away

# Believe me now, I would but try

# So I came, at last To your doorstep

# Never knew the time of day

# When I first saw you You were laughing

# You fair took my breath away

# If I could sing I'd sing a song for you... #

If I could sing, I said!

# If I had wings, I'd surely fly

# If I could take all your pain away

# Believe me now I would but try... #

This is where the dancing girls come on.

# Stoned again in New York City

# And I'm drunk again in Rome

# Happy again in London town

# Cos London's halfway home

# If I could sing I'd sing a song for you

# If I had wings, I'd surely fly

# If I could take all your pain away

# Believe me now, I would try

# If I could sing I'd sing a song for you

# If I had wings, I'd surely fly

# If I could take all your pain away

# Believe me now I would be trying. #

# Guess that it was bound to happen

# Was just a matter of time

# But now I've come to my decision

# And it's one of the painful kind

# Cos now it seems that you wanted a martyr

# Just a regular guy wouldn't do

# But, baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you

# I really got to hand it to ya

# Cos, girl, you really tried

# But for every time that we spent laughin'

# There were two times that I cried

# And you were tryin' to make me your martyr

# And that's the one thing I just couldn't do

# And, baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you

# Cos tables are meant for turnin'

# And people are bound to change

# And bridges are meant for burnin'

# When the people and memories they join aren't the same

# So I hope that you can find another

# Who can take what I could not

# He'll have to be a super guy

# Or maybe a super god

# Cos I never was much of a martyr before

# And I ain't 'bout to start nothin' new

# And, baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you

# Cos tables are meant for turnin'

# And people are bound to change

# And bridges are meant for burnin'

# When the people and memories they join aren't the same

# So I hope that you can find another

# Who can take what I could not

# He'll have to be a super guy

# Or maybe a super god

# Cos I never was much of a martyr before

# And I ain't 'bout to start nothin' new

# And, baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you. #

# We started well

# I looked at you, you looked at me

# And we fell

# Into the dream It wasn't hard for me

# To do You were lovely and I

# Hardly even knew

# I was laughing all over my face

# Cos you were laughing and you brightened the place

# Oh

# Now here we are

# We've come this far

# Another year

# Has gone

# And here's another one

# What are we going to do?

# Will it be something new?

# Will it be good?

# Will it be good for me and you?

# This is just what love should be

# And I know that on this anniversary

# I can't imagine how I lived without you

# I think I shared the life that lonely people do

# Oh

# And now we share

# Each other

# Another year

# Has gone

# And here's another one

# What are we going to do?

# Will it be something new?

# Will it be good

# Will it be good for me and you?

# Ha-ah-ah-ah

# Ha-ah-ah-ah. #

# I don't want to ride the milk train any more

# I'll go to bed at nine and waken with the dawn

# And lunch at half past noon and dinner prompt at five

# The comfort of a few old friends long past their prime

# Pass the tea and sympathy for the good old days long gone

# Let's drink a toast to those who most believe in what they've won

# It's a long, long time till morning

# Plays wasted on the dawn

# I'll not write another line

# For my true love is gone

# When the guests have gone I'll tidy up the rooms

# I'll turn the covers down and gazing at the moon

# I'll pray to go quite mad and live in long ago

# When you and I were one so very long ago

# Pass the tea and sympathy for the good old days long gone

# Let's drink a toast to those who most believe in what they've won

# It's a long, long time till morning

# Plays wasted on the dawn

# I'll not write another line

# For my true love is gone

# And when I have no dreams to give you any more

# I'll light a blazing fire and wait within the door

# And throw my life away "I wonder why?" they all will say

# And now I lay me down to sleep Forever and a day

# Pass the tea and sympathy for the good old days are dead

# Let's drink a toast to those who best

# Survived the life they've led

# It's a long, long time till morning

# So build your fires high

# Now I lay me down to sleep

# Forever by your side. #

This is a song that's about, uh, good vibrations and lovely days.

And it's called A Lovely Day For You.

# It's on a bright spring mornin'

# There's not a cloud in the sky

# And it's got me out here walkin' and wavin' to the ladies

# As they stroll by

# And I ain't forgot for a moment

# All the things I need to do

# But when I see that old sun shinin'

# I feel like I can make it, too

# Yes, and all I really want to say

# Is that the problems come and go

# But the sunshine seems to stay

# And just look around I think we've found

# A lovely day

# The flowers woke up bloomin'

# And put on a colour show just for me... #

Appreciate it, too.

# The shadows dark and gloomy

# I told them all to keep the hell away from me

# Because I don't feel like believin'

# Everything I do gon' turn out wrong

# When the vibrations I'm receiving

# Say "Hold on, brother Just you be strong"

# Yes, and all I really want to say

# Is that the problems come and go

# But the sunshine seems to stay Hey

# Just look around I think we've found

# A lovely day... #

Brian Jackson on piano.

# Sometimes it rains

# And I feel kinda strange

# Because it seems like my problems begin

# Without the sunshine on which I depend

# And all that make me feel like I need to hear the sun say

# Hey, just look around I think we've found

# A lovely day

# I think we've found a lovely day

# I think we've found a lovely, lovely

# Don't it feel like a lovely day? #

# Wear my heart on my sleeve I'm not afraid

# To say what I mean Mean what I say

# I set myself up Let myself down

# I may be a fool to spread it around

# But I just wanna let you know

# Sometimes I find it so hard not to show

# So I sigh and I let my feelings go

# I wear my heart on my sleeve Don't count the cost

# If I can't live in love Then surely I've lost

# You tend to get burned Tend to get bruised

# But it's my life whatever I choose

# Oh, I just wanna let you know

# Sometimes I I find it so hard not to show

# So I sigh Baby, you're not alone

# Wear your heart on your sleeve

# Wear your heart on your sleeve

# Wear your heart on your sleeve

# Wear your heart on your sleeve

# Oh, I just wanna let you know

# Sometimes I, I find it so hard not to show

# So don't cry

# Baby, you're not alone

# I wear my heart on my sleeve

# I wear my heart on my sleeve

# I wear my heart on my sleeve

# I wear my heart on my sleeve

# I wear my heart on my sleeve

# I wear my heart on my sleeve

# Just wear your heart on your sleeve

# Wear your heart on your sleeve

# Wear your heart on your sleeve. #

# One of those days in England that you said could never end

# As I was spaced out Livin' every chance

# One of those days in England We've been saving up to spend

# Buying rides on Mother Nature's funny belly dance

# My love, it seems so long away since when we both together lay

# And yet it's only yesterday Dreamin' of tomorrow

# My love

# There's no today

# One of those days in England with the country goin' broke

# And Sunday's joint is cooking in my tree

# One of those days in England chompin' baked beans in my coat

# Please tell me when it matters, love

# I might just wanna get out of bed to see

# But until then, my darlin' Let's get down and make some fun

# There's really nothin' better we can do

# One of those days in England and our love has just begun

# And half the fun in fallin' is you don't care where it's to

# My love, it seems so long away since when we both together lay

# And yet it's only yesterday Dreamin' of tomorrow

# My love, there's no today

# My love, my love

# Gonna make my love

# My love, my love

# My love, my love

# Gonna make my love today

# My love

# Gonna make my love

# My love, my love

# My love

# One of those days in England

# One of those days in England Yeah. #

# Down in Jamaica, they got lots of pretty women

# Steal your money Then they break your heart

# Lonesome Sue She's in love with Old Sam

# Take him from the fire into the frying pan

# On and on He just keeps on trying

# And he smiles when he feels like crying

# On and on, on and on

# On and on

# Mm-mm-mm

# Poor old Jim He sits alone in the moonlight

# Saw his woman kiss another man So he

# Takes a ladder Steals the stars from the sky

# Puts on Sinatra and starts to cry

# On and on, he just keeps on trying

# And he smiles when he feels like crying

# On and on, on and on

# On and on

# When the first time is the last time

# It can make you feel so bad

# If you know it, show it

# Hold on tight

# Don't let her say goodnight

# Got the sun on my shoulders and my toes in the sand

# My woman's left me for some other man

# Oh, but I don't care I just dream and stay tan

# Toss up my heart to see where it lands

# On and on, I just keep on trying

# And I smile when I feel like dying

# On and on, on and on

# On and on

# On and on, on and on

# On and on

# On and on, on and on

# On and on

# Oooh. #

She's unique, she's incredible, she's charming - she's Kate Bush!

# Emma's come down

# She's stopped the light shining out of her eyes

# Emma's been run out on

# She's breaking down in so many places

# Stuck in low gear because of her fears

# Of the skidding wheels The skid of her wheels she feels

# Skidding wheels The skid of her wheels she feels

# Spinning wheels Wheel-skidding feeling

# Her heart is there

# But they've greased the road

# Her heart is out there

# But she's no control

# Oh, come on You've got to use your flow

# You know what it's like and you know you want to go

# Don't drive too slowly

# Don't put your blues where your shoes should be

# Don't push your foot on the heartbrake

# She's losing that inner flame

# It was burning bright but she's losing the fight fast

# She's only herself to blame

# Well, take care of yourself and remember Georgie

# But she's so OD'd on weeping She can hardly see

# That she's dropping beads Red, red glass is bleeding

# Dropping beads Red, red glass is bleeding

# Dropping beads Red, red on the parquet

# Her heart is there

# But they've greased the road

# Her heart is out there

# But she's no control

# Oh, come on you've got to use your flow

# You know what it's like and you know you want to go

# Don't drive too slowly

# Don't put your blues where your shoes should be

# Don't push your foot on the heartbrake

# Oh, come on! You've got to use your flow

# You know what it's like and you know you want to go

# Don't drive too slowly

# Don't put your blues where your shoes should be

# Don't push your foot on the heartbrake. #

APPLAUSE