Drunken Sailors & Happy Pirates (Lyrics)

01. The Strangest Friend

02. Crow Covered Tree

03. My Name Is Drake

04. No More

05. Lovely Vessel

06. Remember When ?

07. Even You

08. I Have been Away For So Long

09. Rooftop Joe

10. The Last Waltz

11. Devil On My Trail

12. Drunken Sailors & Happy Pirates

Words & Melodies

by

a Jigsaw

Joao Rui, Jorri, Susana Ribeiro

Who played:

Acoustic & Electric Piano, Banjo, Combo Organs, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Drums, Glockenspiel, Vocals, Lap Steel, Ukulele, Violin, Autoharp, Cello, Percussions, Melodica, Hammond, Bass & Upright Bass.

Guests

Lovely Vessel: Tracy Vandal (Vocals) Recorded by a Jigsaw at RUC, Coimbra

The Last Waltz: Gito Lima (Upright Bass) Recorded by Gerrit Haasler at Blackstone Studio, Berlin

Album Design & Artwork 

by 

Luís Belo

www.luisbelo.com

Recorded, Mixed & Mastered at Attack-Release Studio by João P. Miranda

Produced by João P. Miranda & a Jigsaw 2011

01. The Strangest Friend

We’re all strangers here, there’s rust in our feet
From the lies we’ve been told
There’s a silence to every man, that knows more than he does

He’s the strangest friend that we could pray for.
He knows too much

Last night death stood by my door,
with a book in her hands, so I sat and read
a story to be heard, and a hymn to be sung
for all those with dust in their bones
Laugh if you will, cry if you must, this is not weakness it’s rust
So I turned to the holy book and I drank all I could
The silence within told me to stop, this could be the end of your hope,
so please,

Go hide, my love
With the days you’ve got left
And all the lies you’ve been told

You’ll never be free again.
But what a magnificent thought: to forget all you’ve read

And I’m the strangest friend in whom you should trust
While we wait for the end, I’ll tell you what I know of

a story to be heard, and a hymn to be sung for all  those with dust in their bones
laugh if you will, cry if you must, this is not weakness it’s rust

If death stands by your door
With a book in her hands, pray you may forget

The story that you’ve  heard, and the hymn that you’ve sung
for all those with dust in their bones
laugh if you will, cry if you must, this is not weakness it’s rust
for all those with dust in their bones
The story that you’ve  heard, and the hymn that you’ve sung
laugh if you will, cry if you must, this is not weakness it’s rust

02. Crow Covered Tree

I remember I woke to find me sitting at the end of the bed
My fingers were calm and resting under my chin
My hands had been waiting to wake me from the strangest dream
A looming thought was lurking in my head
Dr. Death came to visit us again
With my lungs tangled in my thoughts I leaned back against the pillow
I would make my way back to sleep once more

It just takes some time to find out that the bones you break
It just takes some time to find out that they’re the least
of what’s there to break

I found myself in the same dream from where I had left a lifetime ago
I was sitting at the end of the bed, waiting for me to wake up
Thinking how I would break him the news
We’re going around, going around in circles
How could I ask you even more?

It just takes some time to find out that the bones you break
It just takes some time to find out that the bones you break
And time if anything has been my good friend in this
And time if anything has been turning back,
turning back until I break

The crow covered tree outside the room
The crow covered tree outside the room
The crow covered tree outside the room
Had been asleep for days

03. My Name is Drake

I saw the end of the world and the darkness that lies beyond it
The thick wall of thunders was nothing but a promise of what was
waiting on the other side

Where time slowly became a prayer, gathering hours collecting memories of what was then

Goodnight, my name is drake,  Goodnight, my name is drake

I trust you’ll understand why I’ve declined all beliefs
oh remember: the night is my good lover
true, my name is drake and that’s the last thing you will ever know
Because my friend, the rest is none of your concern

Goodnight, my name is drake, Goodnight, my name is drake

Yes you’re right to be afraid and it’s your right to cast that spell
that breaks my blood and dries my bones
Bury me my friend, with a black dog and a prayer
So the darkness will never be alone

Goodnight, my name is drake, Goodnight, my name is drake

This darkness that i have in my keeping is that of men with empty eyes
Bury me, oh bury me with a black dog, until my ghost dies

04. No More

Not anymore do I remember the fleeting kiss of dawn
Breaking on my back like the new born rain
And no more do I sing of things better left untold
A friend of mine said when a window closes, one always finds a door
So I found the door to my house and I went inside
And I built myself a window there
When it was finally done, I carved my hands on the ledge
Stood there for a while and went away

My dear wife said “please don’t go”
My dear wife said “don’t take that road away from me”

But I went and she threw herself down the well
This well was so deep, when she hit rock bottom
I was already there, building myself a window
And when it was finally done, I carved my hands on the ledge...
Stood there for a while.
I felt the rain, falling just outside
No more will I dream of dreams better left asleep
No more will I dream of dreams better left asleep
A friend of mine said when a window closes, one always finds a door

05. Lovely Vessel

Do you still trust that the night will answer you back
I walked into that room, my friend and there’s no way back
So I ran as fast as I could, as fast as my legs would allow
I heard her down the river and she sang me her song

Lovely vessel, lovely vessel, don’t you take this girl from me
Lovely vessel, lovely vessel, don’t you take this girl from me
Lovely vessel, lovely vessel, don’t you take this girl from me

You’d better leave quiet as you came
Wrapped with those words you came with for me
I don’t need anymore, so don’t come back

Lovely vessel, lovely vessel, don’t you take this girl from me
Lovely vessel, lovely vessel, don’t you take this girl from me
Lovely vessel, lovely vessel, don’t you take this girl from me
Lovely vessel, lovely vessel, don’t you take this dream away from me

06. Remember When?

I went out to the red house, on the other side of town
Remember when? Remember when?
I curled up inside the one who made me blush
There I found my death. There I found my death.

The love for just one, got turned into hate for all of them
To hell with all of them

So I came down to dance in the grave where this god laid
There I danced for a fortnight and a day
Dazed as I felt I kept on dancing for a fortnight and a day
But as soon as I stopped there he stood by my side…
laughed for a while. He laughed for a while!

I fell ill with the poison of contempt
And then I grew my claws
So when colour turned to my eye I came to no man’s land
I looked to the side. I looked to the side.
Crazed there I stood, no one left to be seen
Not even god, not even me. Not even god, not even me
That’s the truth there I stood, no one left to be seen
Not even god, not even me. Not even god, not even me

There I found my death, between your eyes and mine
Remember when? Remember when?

07. Even You

It was dark, when they took me down
The moon had settled inside my grieving soul
It got dark
I took it all within and I wore that rain like a coat
I got colder... if you think you walk away

I’ll be back for you
Oh I’ll be back for you

Even you, my son
Even you, my son

It was your cold cruel knife that cut the deepest
It was your cold cruel knife that cut the deepest
You didn’t need twenty three or did you?
There’s just so much that I’ll forgive

There is a price on my head, of silver & gold
Bring forth your greed, I’ll double what you need
But your fate will lay in the cross as soon as I am free
There’s just so much that I’ll forgive

It got dark,  Oh It got so dark

Even you, my son,  Even you my son

If god is my judge and I’m the judge of Him
Then all the things you say won’t last the light of day
And when your price is met, your fate will lay in my hands
Oh I’ll return to uphold my word
I’ll be back for you
Oh I’ll be back for you

Even you

it got so dark,
it got so dark

08. I have Been Away for So Long

I lost my faith in the kindness of angels
The strangest fever began toiling in my mind
All evil came back to haunt me and all good too
Something broke inside of me
There’s something broken inside

And I’m losing it,  Oh I’m losing it
I’ve been away for so long
I’ve been away...
This dream is but a whisper
And I’m losing it

I’ve been away for so long

I carved your name in the palms of my hands
And I’ve grown wings in spite of this dark side of me
The sins underneath my skin, they know how to hide so very well
This drunken Heart,

He won’t crawl,  He won’t crawl, He won’t crawl

And I’m losing it,  Oh I’m losing it
I’ve been away for so long
I’ve been away...
This dream is but a whisper
And I’m losing it
I’ve been away for so long

09. Rooftop Joe

He was standing tall to the mirror
When she came to warn him of the jailors
And then he saw the tears rolling down her face
“surrender my dear...” he schemed a plan
He took a step, one single step outside and then he spoke

You behind the oak tree
You behind the oak tree, you’d better leave or die.

From the bushes, curled up behind the fear in their eyes,
With fright, they asked for his head
So he ran back, through the house, the hills, the wind and the rain.
There was led in the rain.

He left a bullet behind,  He left a bullet behind

Oh you never had a chance, did you? ROOFTOP JOE!
Oh you never had a chance, did you? ROOFTOP JOE!
Oh you never had a chance, did you? ROOFTOP JOE!

He left a bullet behind, It muffled more than pride

You behind the oak tree,
You behind the oak tree, you’d better leave or die.

Oh you never had a chance, did you? ROOFTOP JOE!
Oh you never had a chance, did you? ROOFTOP JOE!
Oh you never had a chance, did you? ROOFTOP JOE!

They found him, alone on a boat, waiting by the sea
But he never had a chance, Rooftop Joe

10. The Last Waltz

My dear lover, the flame
She was dancing in the colosseum

That’s when I found she was asking my hand
Oh lover, please, give me one last waltz
Rome was burning down and the clouds were growing darker
And the sky was mocking me with his dagger
She spoke in verse, my dear lover, the flame

You, asked for me
You, you begged from me

Go away, winter rain

So I ran with my hat in my hands just to prove my faith
She was running wild through the alleys, the streets and the colosseum
I did my best , Oh but I just couldn’t fool the rain

Stay here with me ‘till the rain brings me down
Hear the rattle of those pearls falling down the steps of the old dream of light.
They lead to the shadowed square where my memory hides all her thieves
And all I beg from you is one last waltz

Go away, winter rain
Oh go away, winter rain

I ran with my hat in my hands just to prove my faith
She was running wild through the alleys, the streets and the colosseum
I did my best, as I kneeled and prayed to the statue of every god

Leave us, winter rain
And all I beg from you is time for one last waltz

11. Devil on My Trail

Give me a river so I can drink it up,  Bring me the sea so I can feast
And I begged you “bring down the rain,  so you’ll follow me no more”

Oh Ma, the devil is on my trail,  Oh Ma, the devil is on my trail

And so you asked me “is this enough to make you bleed?”
The night is all I need to make my leave from you

I heard your footsteps beneath my skin, Moving fast, closing in.
Son you can pray and you will. Either way, faith slips from you

I believed in the river, oh man
And I went where the river told me
I set my sail to the open sea
But my eyes saw the river was a lie
The devil’s on my trail, oh lord,
The devil’s on my trail, oh lord
The devil’s on my trail, oh lord

Oh Ma, the devil is on my trail, Oh Ma, the devil is on my trail

12. Drunken Sailors & Happy Pirates

I’ve summoned love and I called upon you
 There ain’t no love in the way that I love you
 I’ve summoned love and I called upon you
There ain’t no love in the way that I love you

 I prayed and prayed for sober days, when wine and rum would finally be over with my bones;
when this poison would no longer be my wife.
I kept to myself the disquiet of the hours, the torment of those endless nights and the death of all hope,
 but all this time I was the good hand inviting darkness inside.
Old age brought me another hunger, another faith, a different taste to my mouth.
I wrote a song never to be sung with the wrecks of the days, and then another and another, until my voice couldn’t hold them anymore.
I swore I would kill you in every single song

Of Drunken sailors and happy pirates, how I wish I’d sail with you
 Drunken sailors and happy pirates, how I wish I’d sail with you

And still they wouldn’t believe me, I still couldn’t believe me.
A song with a broken heart... You know there’s a hell for every man?
There’s the one of which you’ve been warned and this other that I will tell:
it’s time, the only devil we have welcomed into our house

Of Drunken sailors and happy pirates, how I wish I’d sail with you
Drunken sailors and happy pirates, how I wish I’d sail with you
Of Drunken sailors and happy pirates, how I wish I’d sail with you
Drunken sailors and happy pirates, how I wish I’d sail with you

We must leave now and face the night. The dark and cold night.
Goodnight