A Salty Dog

(brooker / trower / reid)

There's you, you're sleeping over there
Whilst me i'm sitting here
With so much sea between us
I can't make it much more clear
There'll be no time for crying
We won't make it more than six
I could change my plea to guilty
But i don't think it would stick
Still those other ratings far too easy to despise
You've said so much in silence now i truly am disguised

Let him who fears his heart alone
Stand up and make a speech
For him perhaps an emperor's throne
If he could only speak
Far too few and far to follow
For shame i'll heed the cry
Be with me when i need a drink
Be with me when i die
Still those other ratings far too easy to despise
You've said so much in silence now indeed i am disguised

(fisher / reid)

I sat me down to write a simple story
Which maybe in the end became a song
In trying to find the words which might begin it
I found these were the thoughts i brought along

At first i took my weight to be an anchor
And gathered up my fears to guide me round
But then i clearly saw my own delusion
And found my struggles further bogged me down

In starting out i thought to go exploring
And set my foot upon the nearest road
In vain i looked to find the promised turning
But only saw how far i was from home

In searching i forsook the paths of learning
And sought instead to find some pirate's gold
In fighting i did hurt those dearest to me
And still no hidden truths could i unfold

I sat me down to write a simple story
Which maybe in the end became a song
The words have all been writ by one before me
We're taking turns in trying to pass them on
Oh, we're taking turns in trying to pass them on

(trower / reid)

You'd better listen anybody, 'cos i'm gonna make it clear
That my life is unimportant; what i've done i did through fear
There's a river running through me: on its tide i tried to hide
Nonetheless i could not shake it, and in the end it swept aside
All my feeble unimportance. i can't say it, never mind
Can't you hear me mother calling you? i'm cold, i'm deaf, i'm blind
And if only 'cos you're lucky, we both know that's no find
I did think i'd be an actor. what i am i'll leave behind

You'd better listen anybody, 'cos it's me and you --that's it
And in case you find your maker perhaps you'll plead for us a bit
All my sick is in my stomach, all my sweat is clearly fear
And if you could see inside me i don't think you'd have me here
Tell the helmsman veer to starboard, bring this ship around to port
And if the sea was not so salty i could sink instead of walk
And in case of passing strangers who are standing where i fell
Tell the truth: you never knew me, and in truth it's just as well

(brooker / reid)

The devil came from kansas. where he went to i can't say
Though i teach i'm not a preacher, and i aim to stay that way
There's a monkey riding on my back, been there for some time
He says he knows me very well but he's no friend of mine


I am not a humble pilgrim
There's no need to scrape and squeeze
And don't beg for silver paper
When i'm trying to sell you cheese
The devil came from kansas. where he went to i can't say
If you really are my brother then you'd better start to pray
For the sins of those departed and the ones about to go
There's a dark cloud just above us, don't tell me 'cos i know


I am not a humble pilgrim
There's no need to scrape and squeeze
And don't beg for silver paper
When i'm trying to sell you cheese
No i never came from kansas, don't forget to thank the cook
Which reminds me of my duty: i was lost and now i look
For the turning and the signpost and the road which takes you down
To that pool inside the forest in whose waters i shall drown


I am not a humble pilgrim
There's no need to scrape and squeeze
And don't beg for silver paper
When i'm trying to sell you cheese

(brooker / reid)

When you knew that i had given all the kindness that i had
Did you think that it might be time to stop?
When you knew that i was through
That i'd done all i could do
Did you really have to milk the final drop?
Not content with my mistake
You behaved just like a snake
And you left me for a wasp without a sting
Tell all my friends back home
That i did it on my own
And that to their well-worn cares they should cling

When you knew that i had given all the kindness that i had
Did you feel you had to break that lonely vow?
When you knew that i was through
That i'd done all i could do
Did you really have to sow that final plough?
Not content with my mistake, you behaved just like a snake
And you left me for a wasp without a sting
Tell all the folks back home that he did it on his own
And that to their well-worn cares they should cling