Get all 20 Frances Smith releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of FAWM demos 2021, Fifty Ninety demos 2020, Fawm 2020 demos, Demos 50/90 2019, Machine, and Ghost, and Child, FAWM Demos 2019, 50/90 Demos 2018 2, 50/90 2018 Demos, and 12 more.
1. |
And the Rainbirds Sang
02:55
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I swam to the reservoir
saw the cygnets sliding by
and the sun rose slow
across water town
as the rainbirds sang
I drank in the register
of signals being used
and they were awake
as water flowed to the lake
and the rainbirds sang
I walked through the meadow
flooded by old dreams
changing shape in the sunset
here in water town
as the rainbirds sang
Copyright Frances Smith @2015
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2. |
Lake Paragon
03:52
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She rowed out fast on Lake Paragon
where the bitter sun shone down on her
she weighed her load and she lay alone
on the grass dried long from the summer drought
there was no one about
She owed her life to another place
that had saved her once twice, and every time
she'd said she'd go back again
one day when the hay was drying in the fields
and no one could see
But danger dances on the road
and we watch in wonder as it takes control
and she'd fall again, she knew she'd fall again
She rowed back home on Lake Paragon
while the full moon shone above her in the sky
she watched the car lights on the road
they were moving on and she was running home
there was no one to know
Copyright Frances Smith @2015
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3. |
The Dark Snow
04:12
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Chorus
Oh, that dark snow fell last night again
those fires been burning all summer long
and the the white world's gone
when the dark snow melts the soonest
A man went driving out one day
threw his cigarette away
watched the wilderness catch fire
there's always something cooking there
repeat chorus
I turned and saw the wood mill burn
and the soot in the air was nine miles high
it burned for days and days
there was no one left alive inside
There's been no rain around here a while
and the camp fires burn best when it's dry
saw the flames so high they touched the sky
there's crazy people chasing wild fires
Oh, that dark snow fell last night again
those fires been burning all summer long
and the white world's gone
they'll need to sweep the chimneys in heaven
and the dark snow melts the soonest
Copyright Frances smith @2015
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4. |
By The River Rea
04:07
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By the river Rea I lived
and slept 'til morning
when the wild birds began to sing
I heard you walking
There's always ways to cross
the space that's calling
between the empty dream
and the sky that's falling
And I saw you walk through the ford
as it led to the road beyond
the small and pleasant place
where we clung to earth
through all it's turning
By the river Rea I lived
and spent the night times
dreaming as weaving frames
of these events were unfolding
They say the reeds are strong
and it's time brings them down
and I saw the wind touch
them, and they were shaking
And the fragile held out it's arms
and gave no real account
of why this battle began
and we cut the sweet briar down
despite it's pleading
Copyright Frances Smith @2016
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5. |
Teller In The Tower
04:25
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The city streets are dividing days
between the lover and the brave
child who ran away when times get hard
and lived beneath the tall towers of power
and I saw him there one night
he was talking to the light
I knew he was the only one
who'd watched them growing by the hour
and there's a teller using power tonight
The wind is cold on narrow roads
touching bodies moving slow
and tarmac turned grey and old
winds it's way through streets of gold
promised to the child who stands
to make some money in the hands
of winners, losers, and, he said
I've grown but never seem to change
and there's a teller on the shore tonight
Restless did he meet my eyes
I've caressed the devil in nine lives
he said, as the shipment passed
towards the docks, carried away, making money move
And there was someone walking by
returning to a conscious tribe
of weavers holding threads up high
colouring their patterns, bought, subscribed
he whispered yet another lie
and I looked into his green eyes
shining in the neon glow
showing trails of fire inside
and there's a teller in the tower tonight
Copyright Frances Smith @2015
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6. |
The Mastermyr Chest
03:26
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There's a song heard in the air tonight
been a long time, been a long time
homes were built, holy places named
when they came, when they came
and yet the silent soul remained
still with the Mastermyr chest
The feet that walked through the invaded land
take a different time when their time is past
as the pleasant wind blew through her
yellow hair, her yellow hair
when she loved him a stranger there
come, in a boat that scared the sea
And the space claimed was fought for again
as the sagas told grew forgotten and old
now other tribes reside beside the tombs of old
no one knows from where they came, where they came
and it's on display, dug up remnant of another age
decayed, the Mastermyr chest
Copyright Frances Smith @2015
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7. |
Cast The First Stone
04:25
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She found me on the edge of the world
looking down and wondering
she said did you know me when I lived
with someone else's power
did you know me when I laid
down, and cried at lies showered
upon me by the crowd
She found me walking through the fog of war
where the buildings burned for ever more
this is where I lay, she said
when the gaze of cruelty was upon me
I see you here now wandering
what cruel eyes could create this
and the judgment of those safe anonymous
Chorus
I thought I saw you there
I thought I heard your voice
I thought you were waiting in line
along with everyone else
to cast the first stone
She found me lying in the wreckage
see how you destroyed yourselves
she said everyone has done some wrong
but you turned the world upside down
proving that it wasn't you, but it was me
and you all stood, as I lay dead
but the crowd that attacked are fallen now
repeat chorus
Copyright Frances Smith @2016
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8. |
Saint Asaph's Steps
05:16
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The painting is pink and brown
and there are grey lights shining down
the daylight glows through the windows
it's a picture, and the cars pass by
And the air conditioning hums
as outside the rain reflects the sun
his cigarette smoke floats away, I follow him
though he doesn't know me, anyway
So hot it doesn't burn him
carrying his load he says
yes and no, yes and no
yes and no, yes and no
and the grey feather blows away
into the alleyway, where he goes
And I walked towards Saint Asaph's steps
as the load I carried burned me so
the empty frame holding the vision lost
made me wonder if he'd know me, anyway
So hot it doesn't burn him
carrying his load he says
yes I'll go, yes I'll go
yes I'll go, yes I'll go
and the spirit flies around him
as beyond time he walks
I walked towards Saint Asaph's steps (x 3)
there's been no one climbed them
for a long, long time
for a long, long time
for a long, long time
for a long, long time
Copyright Frances Smith @2015
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9. |
Coton Hill
03:48
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When the snow fell I remembered
the raven sang to the embers
dying in the cold grate as the
coal came slow along the
rail tracks and the road was blocked
as I walked through Coton Hill
When the rain fell through the winter
I watched the river grow faster
and the green grass stopped its
growing and the mill stone stopped its grinding
there was nothing stored for eating
'til the coldness left Coton Hill
Seen the summer, spring and autumn
touch the heart of Coton Hill
seen it breaking, seen it laughing
seen it dying, seen it loving
as I passed the hours in Coton Hill
When the dove flies to the mountains
then I know the more we make
the more that will be broken, and the
freight train can carry nothing
and the inns will not be open
now no one rides through Coton Hill
Copyright Frances Smith @2016
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10. |
There's A Picture Of You
03:19
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There's a picture of you
upon the bridge looking out
as the river flows towards the sea
you stand with your hands
holding the edge
as if it would subside
if the wind blew too hard
it was cold that day
And you were alive with light in your eyes
and the fear was revealed
by the way that you smiled
were those chains getting you down?
There's a picture of you
beside the merry-go-round
that came to town Whitsuntide
you watched the children ride
and it seems like your eyes
were trying to smile
but the day was getting dark
and you seemed so tired
And you were alive with the lights of the fair
shining on your green and blue
and the night had begun
were those chains getting you down?
Copyright Frances Smith @2015
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11. |
Ancient Wound
03:34
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Oh, they're coming down the streets tonight
all those wild eyed boys and travelling men
standing on a corner with no money in their hands
with nothing left to lose and no one left to keep
Oh. they've been thrown on to the streets again
nowhere to stay, nowhere to go, no one to know
what your mother used to say to you
about strangers, as the moon reveals it's shine
Oh, they're claiming their right to stand around
green bottles in hand that change memories
make the world spin round, like a carousel
that takes their minds away from this living hell
Oh, the righteous words of anger abound
through the prism of despair as wages fall
and no one cares who they hurt anymore
and the fires of rage burn on the street
Oh, they're coming to a place near you
the wild men that no one loved when young
and in resentment you can cry at all the work you do all day
but they'll never know, that starlight clouds their eyes
Oh, there's people on the street all night
holding tight to their right to lie, as loud their laugh
like rolling thunder that takes your soul away
into the hollow of the ancient wound that's seen all this before
Copyright Frances Smith @2015
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12. |
Abell 31
03:36
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Oh, Abell 31
you're the star that shone
when the hydrogen was gone
a red giant you've become
you're so pretty as you go
Oh, Abell 31
you're burning on and on
thermo-nuclear fusion now
a red giant and so proud
you're so pretty as you go
you're so pretty as you go
Oh. Abell 31
lighting up the sky
two thousand light years away
to a white dwarf you decay
a red giant is our sun
in a billion years what will be here
you're so pretty as you go
you're so pretty as you go
you're so pretty as you go
you're so pretty as you go
Copyright Frances Smith @2015
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