All songs by Paul Roberts apart from Like Zen, which was written by Paul Roberts and Robin Langridge.
Pulled back from the edge of heartbreak
by a hand that held me
a grip of steel around my throat
and round my eyes
the road to my disenchantment
it could have led me to the edge of love
but I held on to that thread of compromise
We hold on
to the lines that tell the story
we hold on
to that old familiar sound
we hold on
to the songs of love and glory
we hold on
even when they let us down
and then we turn around
She’d been broken in love
but she bounced back anyway
she had a nose for these things
she always rose to the highest ground
she had taken her vows
on the altar of the true believer
and she believed that bad luck
would always turn around
Chorus
We me one day in the way they always say
in all the stories
my guard was up while hers was down
but pretty soon by the light of the moon in June
in all its glory
the love that I’d never lost
became the love I’d found
Chorus
I’m going down to the schoolyard
to see my children play
I’m going down to the schoolyard yeah
to see my children play
somebody must have told them
that their daddy went away
Da da da he’s a man in million
He sailed away in a big ship
with funnels to the sky
he sailed away in a big ship yeah
with funnels up to the sky
to explore the Earth’s four corners
out to where the seagulls fly
Chorus
They say he seeks adventure
and derring do or die
they say he seeks adventure
with a twinkle in his eye
from beyond the High Sierras
down into the Lorelei
Chorus
Will he be home by Christmas
with gifts of pirate gold
ingots ducats by the buckets
and stories to be told
or will he still be sailing
through the Arctic Ocean’s cold
Wake up it's another day
the sun shines just for you
the garden's blooming, life is zooming
the sky is always blue
City of diversity
citadel of dreams
where all tomorrow's parties start
and nothing's what it seems
Pray harder
pray for love to save us
pray longer
pray
Beautiful machinery
gleaming in the drive
holidays in paradise
so good to be alive
The birds are back from Africa
blackening the sky
they flew a thousand miles to be
crying by your side
Pray harder
pray for love to save us
pray longer
pray
Reputation overload
we’ve all seen her life unfold
every moment of every day
paparazzi out to play
How can it be that she’s so magnetic
why can’t they see that - they don’t know
it’s magic
Power breeds corrupted states
he who dreams of power waits
while she - she only contemplates
the beauty in the moves she makes
Chorus
Overworked and underpaid
not much hope of getting laid
dial up her life online
she’s your instant concubine
Chorus
Bad luck's been dogging me
but tonight I'm gonna see it through
gonna hop right into that car of mine
and come driving round to you
we'll meet up in the same old place
we met a hundred times before
and we'll eat in the same restaurant
and talk the same old talk
Chorus
And if you want to know what happened to me
and if you want to know what I did
I telephoned in a moment of weakness
I telephoned in a moment of weakness
I've been feeling lonely lately
but then the wheels were running slow
afraid to talk to strangers
and even the people that I know
I look around and all I see
is private people private lives
that was why I thought that we
should maybe try it one more time
Chorus
Bridge
I was going to look around for some thing exciting
see what I could pick up on the run
take a chance on mother luck and spread my horizon
see what else could be done
I was going to be as free as the breeze
and the moon and the stars and the sun
Well I want to tell you that it’s true for me
that love is and love was
and if I seemed indifferent
well then that was just because
so don’t give me no hard times
don’t let your pride rul your head
I just picked up the telephone
and now you tell me that it”s dead
Chorus
The heat inside the body shaking
the mind goes
true believers don't ever stop
they just let it grow
then through the smoke built like the plans
for dreams come true
comes a little eyeful of love
to cut straight through to you
ooh and you know that you'll be satisfied
with a little nightlife - nightlife
So you leave the club at three A.M. to find a bar
and breathe the air
and something moves in the dark - a drunk
just lying there
so you take a taxi to the part of town
where lights still shine
and girls on street corners
try to take you to some hotel room
to have good time
ooh and you know that you'll be satisfied
with a little nightlife - nightlife
So you're looking for love in a strange town
and all the clubs and bars just let you down
so yo haggle the price with some lady of the night
and when you're finally satisfied that there's nowhere left to go
you go back to your to your hotel room
and lie there in the dawn alone to sleep
nightlife
The tables were clean where the fine foods had been
the servants had turned all the lights off and left for the day
what could I do
the limousines gone with the wealth and the fame
of the people who lived with a view from their window
that we never knew
Chorus
We all know that the time for the wealthy is through
the key to the future is held by the people like you
people like me - people like you
come on out if you're hiding in there
I'm looking for you
To follow the call to a masquerade ball
where the players would never be seen with their masks off
a place in the sun
a legacy there for the whole world to share
a splendour to pamper the eyes of the rich
paid with a gun
Chorus
So look to the east from the ruins of the feast
from the builders who built in the pay of the Roi Soleil
say that you knew
that the cause of Danton was not truly won
that the hearts of the people cried out for an empire and who?
Napoleon.
Chorus
The reality the dream and all that lies between
the memory of all that can be told
you let your life unwind
you don't pay it any mind
then you find your children's future has been sold
Downstream we'll go downstream
downstream from here
and I know that I
will be there by your side
in love forever with you
I was sitting by the bar strumming my guitar
you walked in and straight away I knew
we'd build ourselves the nest, have kids and all the rest
and hope at least that love would see us through
Downstream we'll go downstream
downstream from here
and I know that I
will be home and dry
in love forever with you
They got guns along the border
but rain stopped play today
if they really need a victim
could they make it some other day?
file under indecision the relative disgrace
of never having moved my emotions
to such a silent place
Chorus
Snow white in the middle of the night
she took my breath away
snow white in the middle of the night - hey
In these days of wine and roses
death comes by parcel post
hear it on the radio while buttering your toast
take a dream just any dream
and how the pieces flick away
and moments that could linger forever all I want to say
Chorus
The armourer the marching drums
the cavalcade the hearse
please lend an ear to my one fear
the ace of spades in reverse
file under indecision the relative disgrace
of never having moved my
emotions to such a silent place
Chorus
And I still see your face in my mind's eye
when you told me you loved me were you telling a lie
that line that we crossed when nothing was said
when the things left unspoken make war with your head
So just who am I to say this is true - I believed in you
And I long for the touch that traced my desire
that healed me and ruined me and made you a liar
if love can survive like the stars in your eyes
when those stars have gone out then the rest is just lies
Just who am I to say that I knew - I believed in you
Now the queen of the night in her cool and drag
walks the walk and talks the talk with a house brick in her bag
and she moves to the tune of a thousand lost souls
who clamour in her insect dreams for the absolution she bestows
Just who am I to say what I do - I believed in you
Like Zen -
be good to me again
do you remember when
we packed our bags and then
Like Zen -
we watched the stars collide
happiness our guide
all strategy denied
If we could be what we should be
as we were back then
you would see the best in me again
Like Zen -
it seems we need to know
the time to let it go
and watch the river flow
Those times -
we skipped between the lines
when everything just rhymes
let’s not forget those times
Chorus
As roads we travelled now recede
darkness will descend
old friends scattered out of reach
and then
Home -
where all the seeds are sown
where everything is shown
where we are not alone
We sleep -
and wake to no surprise
the reason’s in your eyes
there’s things you can’t disguise
Chorus
On this dark and velvet night
so calm so quiet
we drift in peace toward the light
no harm no fight
If I should look and find the key
then fall in love with you and you with me
we won’t need a reason why
on our night flight
Over long and endless days
we ride we gaze
into the sleet and driving rain
we turn in vain
if you had seen what I have seen
you’d know not much can ever be redeemed
we’ll learn to live this idle life
on our night flight
A widow weeps a child is born
we greet the dawn
while strewn across the desert plain
an army slain
when every reason is not clear
rise up with open eyes above the fear
lost in heartache union’s plight
on our night flight
We're doing alright
a little jiving on a saturday night
come what may
gonna dance the day away
Jenny was sweet
she always smile for the people she meet
on trouble and strife
she had another way of looking at life
The news is blue
it has it's own way to get to you
what can I do?
I'll never remember my time with you
So pick up your feet
got to move to the trick of the beat
there is no elite
just take your place in the driver's seat.
I've been down I've been sold
seen men rise trailing gold
To myself my heart be true
I've dreamed these dreams these dreams of you
turn our bodies to the sun
summer's touch will make us one
we've got things to drive you wild
strip the beast to find the inner child
if you find that inner child
you'll find it's soul has been defiled
Marrakesh
take me to Marrakesh