Vow lyrics

Vow

© Cairril Adaire 1998

Broken Bruised Shattered And torn (You’re sorry)

Scarred Blistered Battered Unborn (Always sorry)

Incest Rape No more trust (You’re sorry)

You call it love You call it lust (Always sorry)

Terrorized Hypnotized Rooted to the spot (So sorry)

Eyes wide open Soul is cut (Always sorry)

Fear Nightmares Numbness Pain (So sorry)

Betrayal Violence Terror Flame

Our children are watching

Our children are watching

Our children are learning

Our children are dying

I try to make it better

I try to do it right

I try not to make you mad

I try to stop the fights

But what can I do when it’s too late

When the hands of love

Become the hands of hate

 

I heard on the news the other day

Yet another story ’bout a sistah blown away

I’m tellin’ you, the fire, it stops here

Listen to me, brothers, let’s make it very clear:

I hold this body holy

I hold this body sacred

I hold this body inviolate

I reject your violence, your hatred, your story!

Hey, hey hey hey

It stops here

Hey, hey hey hey

It stops today

Hey, hey hey hey

Your little game

Hey, hey hey hey

I won’t play

How long can this go on,

Father to son, we are broken,

Hey, we are broken

When will you face the truth,

Give up your abuse,

Broken, yes, you are broken

I’m tellin’ you today

I’m not gonna stay

In the place you’ve set for me

I’m stronger and I’m ready now

This is gonna stop, I take this vow:

I swear by the Earth and all I hold dear,

I will not stand by and watch this slaughter,

I will intervene, I’ll stand in your way,

You will not strike your sistah, your wife, your daughter

Hold this body holy

I hold this body sacred

I hold this body inviolate

I reject your violence, your hatred, your story!

Hey, hey hey hey

It stops here

Hey, hey hey hey

It stops today

Hey, hey hey hey

No more victims

Hey, hey hey hey

Because I say:

I hold this body holy

I hold this body sacred

I hold this body inviolate

I claim my life, my love, my rage!

Redbird lyrics

Redbird (AKA Deadbird)

Cairril Adaire

© 2008

 

Redbird, redbird

Settin’ in my tree

Redbird, redbird

Bring my love to me

 

Won’t you fly free now,

Give my heart ease

Come back to me, oh

Melt the soul of me

 

Bluebird, bluebird

Singin’ your sweet song

You bring happiness

But you don’ stay long

 

You’ll go flyin’ free, oh

And tethered here I’ll be

Won’ you come back to me, oh

And sing your joy to me

 

{guitar interlude}

 

White bird, white bird

Settle in my trees

You bear no scars

You know only peace

 

You once stayed with me, oh

But now you’re flyin’ free

Crimson stains my leaves, oh

It’s all that I can see

 

Blackbird, blackbird

With your broken wings

Blackbird, blackbird

You don’ ever sing

 

Your heart cries to me, oh

And I’m ready

Soar into this dark night

Take the soul of me

 

{Redbird / bluebird / white bird / blackbird}

Not One More Day lyrics

NOT ONE MORE DAY

By Cairril Adaire
© 2008

Oh, freedom (2x)
Oh, freedom from bein’ ignored
We don’t want no more
Of this endless, pointless war
Not one more dollar
Not one more death
Not one more day

No more sufferin’
No more killin’
No more pain in my name (in my name)
Can you look me in the eye
And say all those people deserve to die
Not one more dollar
Not one more death
Not one more day

No more sendin’ our poor
To fight a rich man’s war
No more blood, blood for oil (no more blood for oil)
I’d rather be poor
Than see my country fight this war
Not one more dollar
Not one more death
Not one more day

No more spyin’
No more lyin’
No more secrets
No more shame (we are better than this)
We take to the streets and say
We are standing in your way
Not one more dollar
Not one more death
Not one more day

Not one more dollar
Not one more day
Not one cent of my money
Spent in this wicked way
Not one more death
Not one more death
Not one more of our children
Not one more of theirs

No more torture
We’re forced to pay for
No more torture
In my name (we are better than this)
I still believe
In the land of liberty
Not one more dollar
Not one more death
Not one more day

Lyrics: Not One More Day

Not One More Day
Melody based on Oh, Freedom 
© 2008 Cairril Adaire 

I.
Oh, freedom (2x)
Oh, freedom from bein’ ignored
We don’t want no more
Of this endless, pointless war
Not one more dollar, not one more death, not one more day 

II.
No more suffering
No more killing
No more pain in my name (in my name)
Can you look me in the eye
And say all those people deserve to die
Not one more dollar, not one more death, not one more day 

III.
No more sending our poor
To fight a rich man’s war
No more blood
Blood for oil (no more blood for oil)
I’d rather be poor
Than see my country fight this war
Not one more dollar, not one more death, not one more day   

IV.
No more spying
No more lying
No more secrets
No more shame (we are better than this)
We take to the streets and say
We are standing in your way
Not one more dollar, not one more death, not one more day 

V.
Not one more dollar
Not one more day
Not one cent of my money
Spent in this wicked way

Not one more death
Not one more day
Not one more of our children
Not one more of theirs

VI.
No more torture
We’re forced to pay for
No more torture in my name (we are better than this)
I still believe
In the land of liberty
Not one more dollar, not one more death, not one more day

Poor Robin Is Dead Lyrics

(Addendum to Ouroboros post)

This is a song sung in my family for several generations. My mother learned it from her father, the seventh son of Irish immigrants. When I pointed out that the song was clearly Pagan, my mother exclaimed, “But it’s Irish!” Indeed.

Poor Robin is dead and he lays in his grave

Lays in his grave (2x)

Poor Robin is dead and he lays in his grave

Oh, oh, oh.

 

There grew an apple tree over his head

Over his head (2x)

There grew an apple tree over his head

Oh, oh, oh.

 

The apples were ripe and beginning to fall

Beginning to fall (2x)

The apples were ripe and beginning to fall

Oh, oh, oh.

 

There came an old woman a-pickin’ ‘em up

Pickin’ ‘em up (2x)

There came an old woman a-pickin’ ‘em up

Oh, oh, oh.

 

Her baskets filled up and she started away

Started away (2x)

Her baskets filled up and she started away

Oh, oh, oh.

 

Robin jumped up and he gave her a THUMP

Gave her a thump (2x)

Robin jumped up and he gave her a THUMP

Oh, oh, oh.

 

He made the old woman go hippety-hop

Hippety-hop (2x)

He made the old woman go hippety-hop

Oh, oh, oh.

 

If you wanna hear any more you can sing it yerself

Sing it yerself (2x)

If you wanna hear any more you can sing it yerself

Oh, oh, oh!

Blood & Gold (Romanian Song)

SSAA. First heard this on The Thistle & Shamrock and have remained in awe of it ever since. Written by Irish duo Andy Irvine and Jane Cassidy in the 1990s. It’s a punch-to-the-gut cry against the slaughter of war, specifically the holocaust-breakdown of the former Yugoslavia.

This arrangement is intended for a small ensemble rather than larger groups. Requires four very strong voices capable of handling the tight harmonies and emotional tension. English lyrics. Best in Balkan-style singing. It’s written in 3/4 with the emphasis on the 1 & 2. I believe the original is written in 13 or some such wackiness. 

Blood & Gold sample by Kaia small ensemble

On the third verse, we switch to a Western choral sound, more quiet and contemplative. After the driving Balkanesque sound, it sounds like the voices of angels or ancestors weeping. Then the fourth/final verse returns to the gut-punch.

Blood & Gold lyrics deconstructed Download this PDF for my essay (accompanied by images by Käthe Kollwitz) of the cultural milieu the songwriters may have drawn on. Or just read it for the history lesson! Note: content is all from my head, not from research with or discussion with the songwriters directly. I’m responsible for any non-facts.