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The Tears Of Xerxes

by Calum Carlyle

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1.
It comes to you from within It's a monster but you love it You can't touch it, or taste it, but you never waste it It's like an original sin when i saw you standing I offered you my seat Which i never do No i never do, but you took it And you sat And without a glance You fell asleep As i opened my packet of juicy fruit And looked away Quite self consciously It gives you a sense of commitment The drive that you need to succeed And you love it It's like an original sin
2.
A Boy 02:22
There was a boy And he stayed on at school Didn't know what to do With himself He got good grades And he went into the world But he didn't have a trade So he couldn't make much wealth And he didn't know how to play the markets And he didn't know how to drive a van And he couldn't be a plumber or a joiner And as time passed he grew to be a man And as he grew He just kept busy He got a girlfriend Had a string of jobs Never highly paid He always rented Getting by Doing bits and bobs And he didn't have enough to start a pension And he didn't start a high interest account The money came and went the week he earned it Somehow he never had a large amount Not everyone can retire when they're fifty The fact that some are rich makes others poor Some people work to just put food on the table They can't afford to try to be entrepreneurs So they stay poor There was a boy And he worked all his life And he never had much But no-one really cared
3.
Well remember i wrote that song the other day? I sent it to you by email from an internet cafe You told me it was negative You didn't like what you had heard So i've written another and this one Has much more happy words! It's about Cake, and chocolate And houses with central heating This one doesn't mention wars Or genocide or beatings and i know you will be happy 'Cos it's filled with fluffy things You can transcend the world's problems On imaginary wings! Well unicorns are nice and so is cheese Or sunsets, and a nice cool summer breeze And we'll forget that most people can't Enjoy them 'cos they haven't got time 'Cos they're too busy trying to clothe their kids Or avoiding urban crime So it's all about Cake, and chocolate And houses with central heating This song doesn't mention wars Or genocide or beatings and i know you will be happy For the comfort that it brings You can transcend the world's problems On imaginary wings You'll be proud with your head in the clouds On your imaginary wings You can transcend the world's problems On imaginary wings!
4.
It's a hopeless world we live in With the bomb hanging over our heads The social troubles we're reliving Mean we might as well be dead Oh but there's one thing that's needed By every boy and girl So grab a knife and fork and sing All around the world! Food! Food! Food! it's a glorious comfort Food! Food! Food! it's what we all need! Food! Food! Food! we can't live without it So pass the plate around, don't give in to greed We all need food There are millions without housing And millions who have AIDS While crass misinformation's Being handed out in spades Don't believe your politicians Don't believe your TV screen Engage your brain despite the pain And think "what can it all mean?" It's about food! Food! Food! it's a glorious comfort Food! Food! Food! it's what we all need! Food! Food! Food! we can't live without it So pass the plate around, don't give in to greed 'cos Food, food food should never be wasted But most of the food we produce goes straight in the bin Three quarters of the world have to go hungry While their governments wage war, it's the ultimate sin We all need food
5.
Cats 03:19
Well it's time for me to tell you How i really feel about cats I never really mentioned it When i first arrived in your flat But i have to take antihistamines Whenever i visit you there and since i have known you, my clothes are all covered in hair Well it's time for me to let you know How i really feel about food I like it straight and simple To me that's what makes it so good But whenever i visit you you always serve Some exotic dish from afar And so after i've left, i just eat takeaway in my car I love you so i didn't tell you before But now we're building up a nice rapport And now we're ready for a little bit more Don't throw me out the door! Well it's time for me to tell you I think you're a little bit fat And you could do with a nose job And your hair would look nice in a hat And now come to think of it i don't really like Your taste in films, books or clothes So it's probably best if we end this right now i suppose! How i ever thought i could love you, God only knows!
6.
Together 03:00
I wanna change the world we live in And for that i'll be forgiven I want to feed and clothe the children of the world Before theygrow up to be guerrillas And urban serial killers I'd give a lollipop to every boy and girl Because a sticking plaster's what they need To protect them from this world of greed Full of adults who are children in their minds And for every kid who grew up fast There's a parent who just can't be assed To lead them through this world which twists and winds Because we're all in this together And that should give us pleasure But we cheat and kill and lie and we destroy So will we set a good example Or will we simply gamble With the future of every girl and boy? Because a bit of kindness is what they need To protect them from this world of greed Full of adults who behave like thugs and thieves And money makes the world go round But hearts and minds fall to the ground Like autumn's branches shedding withered leaves
7.
Flowers and fairies and fluffy new kittens And honey, and sugar, and cheese Bouncy new babies with hand-knitted mittens They always bring me to my knees 'Cos i'm wearing my rose tinted spectacles They block out the hurt and the pain Yes i'm wearing my rose tinted spectacles They generate sun out of rain! Again and again Bigots and chauvanists, people who hate Behind the civilised grin there's a beast They'll smile while they kick you, and beat you to death Well, their twitter feed says so at least But i'll put on my rose tinted spectacles And now i can be that guy's friend Never mind what he did to that other guy Never mind all those lies that he penned 'Cos i'm that guy's friend Yes i'll put on my rose tinted spectacles And now i can join in the crowd They're telling some guy that he's broken the rules So i'll help them as they trample him down Into the ground With my rose coloured spectacles La la la la i'm not listening La la la i can't hear you With my rose coloured spectacles
8.
Blinded by the beauty of the rising sun Sitting in amongst the purple heather The sight of it was something that just left me stunned A sunrise undiluted by the weather! Blinded By the beauty Of the sunrise Blinded by the beauty of the rising sun I thought about the people still in bed Gazing at the tapestry the sun had spun From ultraviolet through to infrared Blinded By the beauty Of the sunrise And all too soon it was over The sun had risen to the sky As i sat in the heather and the clover Shaking my head to clear my eyes For i was blinded By the beauty Of the sunrise
9.
Please 02:46
Please give me back my books I know you like them but they're mine you can't keep them Please, give me back my tapes I know you've got them but they're mine And you can't have them Please give me back my clothes I know you want them but they're mine And you can't have them Please, give me back my leg I know you broke it, but it's mine And i was using it I need to stand on my own two feet though the chances of that are slim Give me back my life Give me back my wife Or else Please, look inside your heart I know you've got one, or you used to Yes, you used to Please give me back my life I used to have one Till i met you And you took it all away Yes, you took it all away
10.
It's all muddled up in the grand scheme of things I can't tell if it's yellow or blue You say that's it's one or the other I can't tell if it's me or it's you The future's indestructible It can never be seen It's not tax deductable whatever that means It may seem i'm regressing But i know i'm not guessing Nothing is pressing but Now I can't think of the past 'cos the present is crowding my mind I can't make it last any longer so why look behind? The feeling of time passing Is all in your head Your life is everlasting Because you are not dead It may seem i'm regressing But i know i'm not guessing Nothing is pressing but Now We live in the Now
11.
You are learning from now till the day when you die Understand who you are, and you won't have to ask why Don't be afraid of your fear, the key's in your hand Just be your Self for the truth is a pathless land Listen to the meaning, not the words Don't rush to learn the names of all the birds Time's an illusion It's the space you leave between your thoughts and deeds You struggle with your thoughts but there's no need It's an internal fusiona All roads lead to God, the god of the Self Which all of us share, it's a true common wealth And there's no need for effort, because effort distracts You just need to know that to see is to act All philosophies All ideologies All idiotic and crass Be at peace with your being Be at peace with your self And just lay in the sun on the grass Because to see is to act
12.
Can You See? 04:24
Do you see, now, what we all have in store? As it turns out, there is no lock upon the door Can you see? Can you see what's on the other side of the door? Can you see through? Can you see the world on the other side Will you spread the wings of your head and take to the skies? It is said that you will see if you open your eyes Can you see through? Can you see what's on the other side of the door? Can you see? Can you see the world on the other side Ah, it's all inside, Ah, there's nothing to hide It's all inside, there's no way to hide There's no way to hide Can you see me? Can you see me through the wide open door? Can you see me? Can you see?
13.
Places i will never see Things that i will never be Showing me it's a long way from there to here Things i never knew i'd do Want to share them all with you but sometimes it's a long way from there to here Why, why can't things just stay the same? It's a long way from there to here I don't want things to stay the same No, but it's a long way from there to here All of the people i've known With all of their help i have grown And sometimes it hasn't been nice Yes i've been doublecrossed once or twice Oh but some people were my dear friends And i never will see them again And as i get older each day The memories just fade away, to grey, every day When i was only just a lad Sometimes things were pretty bad But now i know it's a long way from there to here But now, i've got to introduce my little girl To this ever spinning world And it's a long way from there to here Yes it is, it's a long way from there to here
14.
I'm happy, more or less But i can't find a sort of peace i guess I don't know what happiness is made of Perhaps it's made out of a kind of love Happiness is something that you can't find It creeps up on you, your Happiness will find you while you sleep Happiness will come to you if You just do what you would do So don't spend your days worrying and weeping Grey day, but nonetheless You can still find your happiness Happiness is something that comes from within you So if you feel blue It's in you Yes it's true Happiness is something that you can't find It creeps up on you, your Happiness will find you while you sleep Happiness will come to you if You just do what you would do So don't spend your days worrying and weeping Happiness is something that you can't find It creeps up on you, your Happiness will find you while you sleep Happiness will come to you if You just do what you would do So don't you sit and worry while you weep

about

This is a little collection of songs which I wrote and recorded during September 2013. I hope you enjoy them!

Please check out my other music on this site too.

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released September 30, 2013

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Calum Carlyle Edinburgh, UK

I'm a musician and songwriter from Orkney, now based in Edinburgh. Have a listen to some of my music, i hope you enjoy it!

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