Cold Harbour Close
(Words - Ian/ Music - Ian & Ross)
Toxic winter wave washes me back
To magnetic cheddar coast where I bought the last act
Love in a mist under my nose,
Gray negative print,
Cold harbour close
Darkest ghost dots joined by venom tipped tongue,
Sweet apple cheek kiss blown over by gale force lungs
Love in a mist under my nose,
Gray negative print,
Cold harbour close
If I could strip my blind spot bare, would I see you hiding there?
In your false bottom boat, still smuggling feathers and smoke.
Hear a bit of...Heat Island (82k aiff sound file)
Words: Ian Roure/Ross Bonadonna
Music: Ross and Ian
A mist duvé caresses
Impeding sweat and skin
The ferry's left and stranded
Heat Island residents
A mosquito buzz stirred the sleeping air,
Mist fit like a glove over spider's lair
Electric, empathetic
Pulse leapt on-off the ledge
Sodium/saviour chloride
Crystal bridge crosses rift
A mosquito buzz stirred the sleeping air,
Invaded from above despite "swatter scare"
Warm currents, altered course
Hidden but infrared. Cold curry comb.
You've turned your hand to grooming the departed instead.
A warm front brought the fever
That cured your common cold,
Tugged your temporal tether
and kissed the eyes you'd roll.
Warm currents, altered course
Hidden but infrared. Cold curry comb.
You've turned your hand to grooming the departed instead.
Absolutely You
Words: Ian
Music: Ian and Ross
Some say face the new day one-eighty degrees from yesterday.
Lay down your chisel and stone, let the "T-square" set the tone.
Siblings scoff at hand-me-downs, the tired code of distant ground. Suck this syrup from this spoon -- it's rice and rope brewed especially for you, it's absolutely you. No vestiges of someone else's by gone youth
Your face you often see on bus stop bill-boards and T.V. They say they'll meet your needs, you're spoiled for choice or so it seems.
Raze this cottage, ploughman's nook, the place for that is history
books... Xerox Disney barbecues onto the green, you've seen it on the tube, it's
absolutely you. No vestiges of someone else's by gone youth.
Time was when losing was a good bet, Domesday cards were dealt from a stacked deck. On the news here's a kinder fate--where flavour lasts longer with half of the taste.
It's absolutely you, it's absolutely you, no vestiges of someone else's by gone youth.
Kitten Lash (107k aiff sound file)
Words: Ian
Music: Ian and Ross
This tooth and nail back alley strife
Turns on the wrong end of a knife.
Over dry fish bone vying,
Watch the fur and pinstripe flying
Among these toms and scrawny mutts,
some who command the sweetest cut
Let down their guards and laurels
In a secret late night hovel
"Kitten lash out, scratch and strike the guilt at the core,
Knock me down the steps to the dirt,
Pinned beneath your kitten claw."
Down at the club she'll joke and chat,
In pumps and Mary Poppins hat.
Though she'll shake hands and curtsy
On the job she'll show no mercy
"Kitten I have sinned today,
Ease my burden - latch my chains.
Make my penance double strength
Kitten lash out
Scratch and strike the guilt at the core,
Knock me down the steps to the dirt,
Pinned beneath your kitten claw".
Clown Knife
aiff sound file 61k
Words - Ian
Music - Ian and Ross
With a cappuccino head and amphetamine feet I spun to the floor
Bruised ego-knee, tongue ankle sprain -- admit defeat!
While you chewed the stellar fat I choked on my two left Doc Marten
toes
Four flapping lips froze awkwardly -- admit defeat!
Then the clown knife is thrown -- with me not looking
clown knife cut to the bone -- not funny!
My fault for not ducking.
Set out on the fabled sea,
To chart a course around the reef.
Somewhere, the moviehouse islands
Somewhere there's the vinyl ocean,
But along the bozo coast was my discovery
With a pair of Penguin wings and Terrier teeth in an albatross beak
Dust bite refute, Bold phoenix try -- redemption sought...
Didus Ineptus
Words: Ian
Music: Ross and Ian
You sailed to our safe harbour,
man-creatures from the west
New lords of island and our Indian Ocean nest.
Parrot beaked, pigeon-dove -- I posed in your king's confines
Meanwhile new human neighbours polished their plates to dine
Cheap meat.
You said you saw mermaids from the shore,
And when they tasted pretty good you wanted more.
Maybe in the distant grey, maybe not that far away
Someone'll say, "whatever happened to the good life we had, anyway..."
Cheap meat.
Meredith Day (Ian)
Meredith comes from the east every year to light the morning tide.
Meredith, each age replays the relief -- your face replaces the longest night.
Meredith Day, Meredith Day you turn the end of time away
Tune up and play for Meredith Day
There's no way 'round this icy slope -- slip deeper under winter's
cloak
But wear your bright red shirt or shawl the day the slide slows to a halt.
bring an extra cup and silver plate, pour the ale and pass the cake!
Second Best Bed
(Words: Ian Music:Ross & Ian)
Draw down the blinds, I've stared at the sun too long
Draw the new line, my ancient blue prints are bleached white
This pit-stop job has never learned it's place
Kept me running - but behind the pace
And now it over took the race.
Contrary to my erstwhile sworn life mission
Count me into this cookie-cutter vision
It's not the first day past my sell-by date
But it's the last -- let other waiters wait...
No need to strap me in I'll stay peacefully
Turn down the counterpane let me learn to lie in this
Second best bed
Turn down the counterpane
Subj: Amber Heart
Ross,
Here are the lyrics we talked about today.
Hear a bit of Amber Heart (words - Ian & Ross/Music - Ross.)
Hard wooden box,
String of pearls
Slipped from your hands
Ivory bracelets
Back by demand.
This time-worn attic door won't shut
Your photographs don't gather dust
Can't douse the flame and face the dark, By-pass this amber heart.
Red wine regret,
Bourbon lens.
through wishful view
what's carved in stone
Almost moves.
From waltzing whiskey through the crowd
One more new start, another round
That always ends on the tragic part,
Trapped in this amber heart.
Hippy Mange (Ian)
Eager, pleaser dead-head pug seemed harmless enough.
A denim-clad, fetal cur,
Offered Ken Kesey clichéd lines,
Seemed house-trained at the time
Just a little backwards
Zeppelin ego dead head pug lit a smoke-screen bong.
Turned you on a teflon tongue,
Turned up the praise and favour flame,
Then turned attention to the price
And you had to pay
Incontinent dead-head pug you've left a stubborn stain,
Pasted a smiley face to your mug while you spread the hippy mange
With every iffy gain comes the hippy hippy mange.
Invincible dead head pug got in on a fake ID.
Brought my slippers and bed time tea,
Knew how to beg and tango.
Then when the master nodded off, humped mi'lady's ankle
Incontinent dead-head pug you've left a stubborn stain,
Pasted a smiley face to your mug while you spread the hippy mange
With every iffy gain comes the hippy hippy mange.
Charlie Horse
(Words:Ian/music:Ian & Ross)
Gee-up Charlie Horse, there's life in the old boy yet,
Coltsfoot canter to the source, you bet!
Charlie trying out new pasteurs, eyeing supposedly greener grass.
Dodging the bitter root of the problem,
Taste turning sour on the sweetest tart.
Donkey's years have grown by slow
Dragging his heels over the last leg.
Quick fix, swift kick no longer did the trick
Losing the race to the also ran.
But tonight, Charlie Horse rides again.
The horse - formerly known as the liver and onions of men.
Tonight, finally first down the course, it's Charlie Horse!
Gee-up Charlie Horse there's life in the old boy yet.
Oh-oh Charlie Horse, there's light in the dark horse yet.
You bet!
But tonight, Charlie Horse rides again.
The horse - formerly known as the liver and onions of men.
Tonight, finally first down the course, it's Charlie Horse!
OR
All lyrics & music © The Virgin Dog 1996/7