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MUSIC: Lyrics: Artists Make Lousy Slaves


Laundry Day

Written by Fiachna O'Braonain and Michelle Shocked


When she hung her laundry out to dry
She squinted into a clear blue sky
But the weather's changed and I know why
Like bleach stains rain clouds roll on by

Right as ruin the raindrops fell
Big and fat as a homeroom spitball
No time to try to get 'em all
Bring in the underpants and overalls

And left four sheets out on the line
'Cause even ghosts got to sleep sometime
She saved one for the man who's dying
I'm sure it weren't for the lack of trying

Who can predict a hurricane
Without a single drop of rain
The wind is proud but the weather's vain
And laundry day will never be the same

The storm clouds came but it was too late then
So they hung four sheets to the wind
When it blows over she'll bring them in
They were only gonna get dry again

Now I don't want to give the impression
That this was your typical tropical depression
Some folks never seem to learn the lesson
So might I make this suggestion

I won't say anything's wrong
A riddle's a riddle, a song's a song
The summer heat, when hate is strong
So can't we all just get along?

Who can predict a hurricane
Without a single drop of rain
The wind is proud but the weather's vain
The laundry day will never be the same

Well who can predict a hurricane
Without a single drop of rain
The wind is proud but the weather's vain
And laundry day will never be the same

Drip Dry

Written by Fiachna O'Braonain and Michelle Shocked


I've been living with the pain so long I've been gaining on you
Gaining on you all of the time
What did not kill me made me stronger
If I live any longer I know I'm gonna blow sky-high

I drip dry
I drip dry
I drip, drip dry
I drip dry

You can watch and wish me well it's true
But who can really tell what's gonna make or break a woman inside
Oh the secret to my power comes in my darkest hour
I fell down on my knees and I cry

Drip dry
I drip dry
Drip, drip dry
I drip dry

It's true I never learned to pray in an ordinary way
I must say this I will never deny
When my soul is in despair I say this little prayer
I say "Tell me what Lord, tell me why"

I drip dry
I drip dry
Drip, drip dry
I drip dry

Someday my heart is gonna stop
I'm standin' at the top of a mountain never thought I could climb
Yes and on the other side love is not divided
I put my troubles out on the line

I drip dry
I drip dry
I drip, drip dry
I drip dry

Soul Searching

Written by Fiachna O'Braonain and Michelle Shocked


I've been wound up so tight today
Somebody said I couldn't sing
Does he have something to say
Or is getting in the way his thing

I don't mean to be angry
I won't let it confuse me
I won't allow the monkey-man
To simply try and use me

I've been soul searching
Out in the cold
Gold mining
In the pits of my soul

My hidden treasure
Will give me so much pleasure
And the monkey-man behind his bench
I'm gonna loosen my ties with a monkey-wrench
With a monkey-wrench
With a monkey-wrench
With a monkey-wrench

All tied up
I feel I've been done over
Get that monkey off of my back
I won't be no pushover

'Cause everybody can cast a spell
We all got a story
So let it out, it's yours to tell
When you tell it be sure you tell it well

Soul searching
Digging deep inside
Gold mining
In the fields of my mind

I've been soul searching
Out in the cold
Gold mining
In the pits of my soul

Nuts and bolts
Don't give an inch
Loosen up
With a monkey-wrench

Nuts and bolts
Don't give an inch
Loosen up
With a monkey-wrench
Soul searching, soul searching, soul searching

Soul searching, soul searching, soul searching

New Orleans

Written by Fiachna O'Braonain/BP Fallon/Peter O'Toole/Liam O'Maonlai


Crescent moon over Crescent City
Sweat's a' pourin' and the girls are gritty
Joints are jumpin'
Changin' lights
Dancin' naked through the night
Trombone Shorty's in the street
Drums are rollin' out their beat
Boys are swingin' girls around
My heart is jumpin' to the sound of
New Orleans
She's the Queen of Sleaze
New Orleans
She got me on my knees
New Orleans
She's the girl of my dreams

Riverboats on the Mississippi
Playin' poker for a glass of whiskey
My head is spinnin' to the sound of the
Roulette ball going round and round
Trombone Shorty's in the street
Shiny shoes upon his feet
Boys are swingin' girls around
I fell in love to the sound of
New Orleans
She's the Queen of Sleaze
New Orleans
She got me on my knees
New Orleans
She's the girl of my dreams

Now we're walking down the street
I never thought that we could meet
She took me up
She spun me round
Her names no secret
She's the sound of
New Orleans
She's the Queen of Sleaze
New Orleans
She got me on my knees
New Orleans
She's the girl of my dreams

New Orleans
She's the Queen of Sleaze
New Orleans
She got me on my knees
New Orleans
She's the girl of my dreams

Groove Baby's Lullaby

Written by Fiachna O'Braonain and Michelle Shocked


Give us funky music in the French Quarter
We gotta blow away the blues
In the Creole cottage in the slave quarters
They got a funny feeling to lose

I came from outta town tryin' to make a good connection
Take a look and see what's going down
I know I'm gonna find a positive injection
The songs are in the air and underground

Feeling like a slave way out in California
Feeling like a stoker in New York
Keep the fire burnin' in my heart and in my home
Feel it in my skin and in my bone

Give us funky music in the French Quarter
We gotta blow away the blues
In the Creole cottage in the slave quarters
They got a funny feeling to lose

Sittin' on the fence with a noise ordinance
Preservations all that remains
Sixteen blues bars is the way things are
Down on the Decatur and Dumaine

Staring at the Natchez pouring water on a sachet
Sittin' at the Cafe Du Monde, yeah
Listenin' to a jug band try to tell a brass band
"Take it to another part of town", oh

Don't let it distress you
Let it hold it and caress you
Kiss and baby bless you tonight
Singin' ooh-la-la-la-la's, ooh-la-la-la-la's
Groove baby's lullaby

Give us funky music in the French Quarter
We gotta blow away the blues
In the Creole cottage in the slave quarters
We got a funny feeling to lose

Ooh-la-la-la-la, ooh-la-la-la-la
Groove baby lullaby
Ooh-la-la-la-la, ooh-la-la-la-la
It's the groove baby's lullaby
Ooh-la-la-la, ooh-la-la-la
Groove baby lull..., groove baby's lullaby
Ooh-la-la-la, ooh-la-la
It's the groove baby's lullaby

Last Love

Written by Fiachna O'Braonain and Michelle Shocked


She got bells on her ankles and a stud in her nose
For us to entangle was wrong I suppose
Her family reunion, a time and a place
And I could see eight good years disappear from her face

And love must have it's dance
Last love will always glance
And long for lost romance

And now the sweet shelter of my New Orleans room
I remember the time that we filled up her womb
And love that is over but far from being ruined
Is all that remains of this honeymoon

Love must have it's dance
Last love will always glance
And long for lost romance

But where does the love go when it goes away
Like little girls laughter on bright sunny days
Just splashin' and dancin' they play in the rain
And love comes full circle again

Love must have it's dance
Last love must have it's glance
And long for lost romance
And love must have it's dance

Can You See It In Me

Written by Fiachna O'Braonain and Michelle Shocked


I can see it in the sunshine
I can see it in the sea
I can see it in the skyline
Can you see it in me

And I can taste it in a fine wine
Travelled far from overseas
And I believe that you could be mine
Can you believe it in me

Come on over
You'll find me standin' by your side

And I can feel it in the daytime
And I can hear it still at night
And in the morning will you be mine
Or will you vanish out of sight

Come on over
You'll find me standin' by your side

I'm gettin' rid of all my worries
Whisper them into a tree
Let the love come on unhurried
Let it slowly set me free

And I can smell it in the bluebells
And I can feel it in the breeze
And all I'm asking in a nutshell
Is can you see it in me

Come on over
You'll find me standin' by your side

Only A Lover

Written by Fiachna O'Braonain and Michelle Shocked


Holding on
As only a lover can
I feel him slipping
Right through my hands
I've got to let him go
I've got to let it be
I've got to let him find
Some peace of mind

As only a lover
As only a lover
As only a lover
Only a lover can

We're on stolen time
It's not ours to keep
Now lay in my arms
And try to sleep
Put your trust in God
Give your hand to Fate
We've got to hope and pray
We've got to watch and wait

As only a lover
Only a lover
Only a lover
Only a lover can

Only love can bring such joy and leave such pain
Only love can take so much and still remain
Only love can die and we come back again and take us were we've never been
Only love
Only love
Only love
Only a lover can
Only a lover
Only a lover
Only a lover
Only a lover can
Oooh...

Live And Learn

Written by Michelle Shocked and Wayne Lastname


We've got a lot of bad apples, a lot of damn snakes
We need a lot of room, we're gonna make some mistakes
It takes a whole lotta livin' to make us feel at home
Then sit back and watch the garden grow

It takes a lotta lovin' to get things right
It takes a lotta forgivin' to give up the fight
Makes a lotta sense to mend your fence
Then sit back and watch the garden grow

Well back in Paradise it sure was nice
But opportunity it never seemed to knock twice
You got to live and learn
It ain't no sin to try and try again

Well birds and the bees, a lot of bad seeds
We got to get our hands dirty now to pull out the weeds
We got to get right down upon our knees
That's what it takes to make this garden grow

Well you got to understand afterall we're only human
We're doin' the best that we can
Like the flowers and the trees we need a cool breeze
And the care of a Loving Hand

Back in Paradise it sure was nice
But opportunity it never seemed to knock twice
You got to live and learn
It ain't no sin to try and try again

You got to live and learn
It ain't no sin to try and try again

You got to live and learn
It ain't no sin to try and try again

Carrickfergus/The Water Is Wide

Traditional


The water is wide
I can't cross over
And neither have
I wings to fly
Give me a boat
That can carry two
And both shall row
My Love and I

Oh love is gentle
And love is kind
The sweetest flower
When first it's new
But love grows old
And waxes cold
And fades away
Like morning dew