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On a hill that overlooks the town
In the still of mourning laid you down
In the days upon your mother's knee
Would she say these words recalled to me?
You go round and round in circles
And you give it all away
But one day if you're lucky boy
Your friends will sing your name
So they came from miles all around
And they gave their hearts up with the sound
And the best of tales were told in kind
That you left with those who stay behind
You go round and round in circles
And you give it all away
But one day if you're lucky boy
Your friends will sing your name
So we'll raise our glasses and our voices in the sun
For there will come a reckoning for each and everyone
So we go into the passing light
And we know the bars won't close tonight
You go round and round in circles
And you give it all away
But one day if you're lucky boy
Your friends will sing your name
Your friends will sing your name
Your friends will sing your name
Now your time is short and quickly gone
But your life is greater than the sum
We go round and round in circles
And we give it all away
But one day with a heart of joy
Yes I will sing your name
Said one day with a heart of joy
Yes I will sing your name
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2. |
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So long now we've walked this road
We were not wise, we weren't to know
That no one else would sell their soul
There's a hundred million miles to go
There's a hundred million miles to go
Marching forth on that white line
The broken strokes that mark the time
And I could not put down my load
There's a hundred million miles to go
There's a hundred million miles to go
An ancient man by that roadside
He shakes his fist at burning skies
He sang with eyes as black as coal
"There's a hundred million miles to go
There's a hundred million miles to go"
There's a hundred million miles
And miles
And miles
And miles, oh I
He spoke to me that awful truth
Said "Mark this well, for I am you
I passed my love upon this road
Was a hundred million miles ago
Was a hundred million miles ago
On and on no backward glance
Around the bend another chance
We circumnavigate the globe
There's a hundred million miles to go
There's a hundred million miles to go
There's a hundred million miles
And miles
And miles
And miles, oh I
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3. |
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Oh my God I can't believe it's true
Black and white the truth is absolute
Shake my bones and leave them where they lay
Shrouded in those sins that cover me
We went down, down to the river
We went down, down to the river
We went down, down to the river
And washed them away
The water's edge reflects my own regrets
Will they fade beneath that cold caress?
Where's that final answer I need most?
Where's my father, son, my holy ghost?
We went down, down to the river
We went down, down to the river
We went down, down to the river
And washed them away
Do you pray that all your faith's not wasted in a book?
It's a shame that all you gave was less than what you took
Take me to that dark secluded wood
Tell me that inside I might be good
Hear that church bell tolling for the brave
Tally my misdeeds that you forgave
We'll go down, down to the river
We'll go down, down to the river
We'll go down, down to the river (and wash them away)
We'll go down, down to the river (and wash them away)
We'll go down, down to the river
And wash them away
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4. |
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Taking that shot in the heart again, love
Pin a target on my chest, love
One more time around that track
You gave me love but I gave it back again, love
Early morning I awake, love
The last meal I couldn't face, love
Lead me out at the break of dawn
And stand me up against the wall again, love
I'm out of time, my hands are tied
I see you there on the firing line
Nothing to say, all hell to pay
I'm on my way
I'd have told you anything, love
To see you lying that bed, love
All the lovers of my life
Are stood abreast with rifles high again, love
Work my way along the line, love
With protestations, reasons why, love
Sheer desertion was the charge
From every eye a full barrage again, love
I'm out of time, my hands are tied
I see you there on the firing line
Nothing to say, all hell to pay
I'm on my way
Whoa no you don't, whoa no you don't
Whoa no you don't, whoa no
Whoa no you don't, whoa no you don't
Whoa no you don't, whoa no
Taking that shot in the heart again, love
Open fire, I insist, love
One more time around that track
You gave me love but I gave it back again, love
I'm out of time, blindfold my eyes
I am still here in your firing line
Nothing to say, all hell to pay
I'm on my way
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5. |
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Now I've been watching for your weakness
And come the dying of the day
Along the line of least resistance
You'll wake to find that I have slipped away
How low?
Now in the folly where you find me
And all the people move away
All after hours and impatient
But everybody's gonna have to wait
How low do you go when you find you're all alone?
It's a shame that you don't understand what's going on
Come away in the dark with a burning in your heart
And I know that you'd forgive me
But you know I'll never ask
Well now the lights are getting lower
And I belong here in my place
The touch of night will bring you closer
The morning's gonna take it all away
How low do you go when you find you're all alone?
It's a shame that you don't understand what's going on
Come away in the dark with a burning in your heart
And I know that you'd forgive me
But you know I'll never ask
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6. |
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Well there's dim light in the sky as I am packing up my case
My breath that freezes in the car when I'm pulling away
Each street I pass each idle glance a memory that fades
So let it roll by the window, let it roll away
Let it roll by the window, let it roll away
Another stop, another town, the latest in the line
I'll ride that train to anywhere while bridges burn behind
The beating tracks like broken hearts but I don't feel your pain
Just let it roll by the window, let it roll again
Let it roll by the window, let it roll again
Oh a restless heart can cost you much you know
Each losing game of dice could you just let it roll?
I don't know where I'm heading for or why I have to go
Maybe some day I'll pass again and stop outside your home
Would you invite me in to sit and reminisce a while?
Or let me roll by the window, let me roll on by
Let me roll by the window, let me roll on by
Let me roll by the window, let me roll on by
Let me roll by the window, let me roll
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7. |
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In my waking hours I am half asleep
Everything I touch the texture of a dream
A delirium from which I must awake
Woken by that wild beating fit to break
My heart
My heart
In those empty hours booming like a drum
Just yourself to lie and contemplate the lull
Would you fix me with a look or chance remark?
Would the shock you give me be enough to start
My heart
My heart
All those happy hours you and I have shared
We may part but in my heart they are still there
I see through reflections you replace me with
Find the shape of love that fits the space within
My heart
My heart
My heart
My heart
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8. |
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Just a man with fortune on his back
Through the badlands, the hills of burning black
Wooed a sweetheart with that snake-oil you sell
But there's no love in her eyes
And there's no water in the well
Hearts and houses accrue the dust of years
Empty promises and payment in arrears
With a smile all misgivings you could quell
But there's no love in her eyes
And there's no water in the well
In the well, in the well, in the well
Well there's no love in her eyes
No water in the well
So you lay there beside those broken dreams
Sheets entangled with the shards of bitter scenes
Rueful glances at the tolling of the bell
But there's no hope in her heart
And there's no water in the well
In the well, in the well, in the well
Well there's no hope in her heart
No water in the well
Just a man with fortune on my back
Leaving town now, all in ruin, all in wrack
See her standing on the steps of that hotel
But there's no love in her eyes
As she is saying "Fare thee well"
Fare thee well, fare thee well, fare thee well
Well there's no love in her eyes…
In the well, in the well, in the well
Well there's no love in her eyes
No water in the well
No water in the well
No water in the well
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9. |
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Hold tight to the railing now, do you
See me while you're looking down? Are you
Up there on a higher floor? Are you
Better than you've been before?
Before, before, before, before, before
I'll take the time to make you mine
To make you mine I'll take the time
I'll take the time to make you mine
To make you mine I'll take the time
So long since the stars aligned, I'm just
Stood here waiting for a sign, do you
Think about me anymore? It's a
Hard time that we have in store
In store, in store, in store, in store, in store
I'll take the time to make you mine
To make you mine I'll take the time
I'll take the time to make you mine
To make you mine I'll take the time
Hold tight to the railing now, do you
See me while you're looking down? I'm just
Stood here waiting for a sign, if you
Show me then I'll take the time
I'll take the time to make you mine
To make you mine I'll take the time
I'll take the time to make you mine
To make you mine I'll take the time
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10. |
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High tide in a homely harbour
On an ocean with a golden hue
We were young once in the grip of ardour
We could sail away to a brighter blue
No one could tell us timely
That you build today of tomorrow's blues
We walk in time and we don't mind running
When the future hides where you know it to
But you're giving it up, giving it up baby
Letting you down, letting you down slowly
Hanging around, hanging around hoping love might show
But you waited enough, waited enough honey
You had to be wrong, had to be wrong someday
Giving it up, giving it up hoping love might grow
'Cause you never know
Changes that creep in quietly
A stranger in familiar rooms
I'm hoping I can find that feeling
Some brighter light I can hold you to
But you're giving it up, giving it up baby
Letting you down, letting you down slowly
Hanging around, hanging around hoping love might show
But you waited enough, waited enough honey
You had to be wrong, had to be wrong someday
Giving it up, giving it up hoping love might grow
'Cause you never know
No you never know, no you never know
Giving it up, giving it up baby
Giving it up, giving it up baby
Giving it up, giving it up baby
Giving it up, giving it up baby
Low tide in a lonely harbour
As the ocean cuts the moon in two
On a small ship clinging to each other
If we hold on tight we can make it through
But you're giving it up, giving it up baby
Letting you down, letting you down slowly
Hanging around, hanging around hoping love might show
But you waited enough, waited enough honey
You had to be wrong, had to be wrong someday
Giving it up, giving it up hoping love might grow
'Cause you never know
No you never know, no you never know
No you never know, no you never know
No you never know, no you never know
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11. |
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Well all the days and all the nights are going by
Help for that never-ending wander in your eye
I tried to give you everything your heart desired
Why did you throw all of your hopes onto the pyre?
When the morning comes between us
Do you just see what you want to see?
'Cause you know I want to love you
But I just don't have the energy
So there's a burden in a love you could defend
Lo and behold you went and fucked it up again
High time for you to go and shake it out the door
I don't care where you go you can't stay here no more
When the morning comes between us
Do you just see what you want to see?
'Cause you know I want to hate you
But I just don't have the energy
You only see what you want to see
You only see what you want to see
You only see what you want to see
Well can you feel it in the beating of your heart?
Tell me your truth and I will take it all apart
So is it easier to move on down the line?
Hold everything you have, it's yours until it's mine
When the morning comes between us
Do you just see what you want to see
'Cause you know I want to love you
But I just don't have the energy
When the morning comes between us
Do you just see what you want to see
'Cause you know I want to hate you
But I just don't have the energy
You only see what you want to see
You only see what you want to see
You only see what you want to see
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12. |
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Turn all the lights down and strike up the band
Ours was a love neither governed nor planned
Gripped by the feelings we could not control
Your eyes shining blue and your hair made of gold
Gold, gold, gold
It's made, it's made of gold
Burn down the houses and scatter the herd
Him over me was the place you preferred
Heartbreak confirmed but could not be consoled
A band on your finger, a chain made of gold
Gold, gold, gold
It's made, it's made of gold
It's made, it's made of gold
Gold, gold, gold
It's made, it's made of gold
It's made, it's made of gold
It's made, it's made of gold
Turn all the lights down and strike up the band
Feel in the dark for the hold of my hand
Nothing there now but the reasons you told
Why your heart is so heavy, your love's made of gold
Gold, gold, gold
It's made, it's made of gold
It's made, it's made of gold
It's made, it's made of gold
It's made, it's made of gold
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released December 19, 2022
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The Ragged Flags are:
James Goodwin - vocals, rhythm guitar
Mark Aldworth - lead guitar, mandola, vocals
Chris Edwards-Dewey - bass, banjo, vocals
Paul Whibley - drums, percussion, honeymooning
All songs by The Ragged Flags
Music by Aldworth/Edwards-Dewey/Goodwin/Whibley
Lyrics by Goodwin (©2022 Copyright Control)
Produced by The Ragged Flags
Mixed by Mark Aldworth & James Goodwin
Engineered by Joel Armsden
Recorded live at The Abbey, Kentish Town, London
on 3 December 2013 and 16 September 2014
Cover Photography by John Gentleman
Sleeve Design by James Goodwin
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