Get all 4 John Wilkins releases available on Bandcamp.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of king of the past, Sing Like A Fat Man, The Bygones of Pasty Town, and Odd Cowboy.
1. |
There Ain't Enough Water
04:53
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There Ain't Enough Water
it was 6:15
on a Tuesday morning
in August 1951
when I opened my eyes
and I looked arounf me
knew I'd already done something wrong
some are born into
a world of plenty
they're lords of all
that they survey
some are born in the dark
with their bellies empty
some are born to take the blame
and I washed my hands in the dirty water
and I washed my hands in the coal dark sea
but there ain't enough water in the wide blue oceans
to wash these hands of mine clean
I have been a thief, I have been a liar
and there's been worse done in my name
I turned the other cheek, cursed the lord on high
but the devil done it, just the same
and I see you cold
and I see you hungry
you're tapping on my window pane
you know I would've liked to help you stranger
but I didn't catch your name
and there ain't enough pebbles left on the beach
there ain't no fish left in the sea
there ain't enough hours left in the day lord
to put things right tween you and me
and I washed my hands in the dirty river
and I washed my hands in the coal dark sea
but there ain't enough water in the wild blue oceans
to wash these hands of mine clean
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2. |
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Empty Pockets
they say what's happening here is a sign of the times
all the money went south and it left us behind
we're broke and it gets you down
empty pockets on the wrong side of town
well the credit dried up and they cut things back
and the debt rolled north through the Watford Gap
rich men sitting on their yachts turning golden brown
saying 'look at them losers down on the wrong side of town.'
and it's up here for thinking
and it's down there for dancing
I'll be yours for two halfs and a mars bar
there ain't nothin I don't know about romancing
on the wrong side, the wrong side of town
bills need paying and belts need tightening
and who knows what tomorrow will bring
the world's our oyster just for tonight
with pork scratchings and white lightning
pork scratchings and white lightning
and who knows what tomorrow may bring
the world's out oyster just for tonight
with pork scratchings and white lightning
they say what's happening here is a sign of the times
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3. |
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When Will My Hands Be Idle?
Those names I go by count for nothing
the clothes I wear have seen their best
I been working sixty years
Lord won't you let me rest
I been breaking the sacred ground
harvesting them stones
all I got's an aching back
and I'm weary to my bones
when will my hands be idle, my troubles be at peace?
These aimless feet decide it's time to let me sleep
I been wearing of the collar, counting of them beans
kissing of the proverbial
and bending of the knee
make me an offer bossman, for the hours in my day
my sweat is yours to buy
but my thinking is not for sale
when will my hands be idle, my troubles be at peace?
These aimless feet decide it's time to let me sleep
few are the fruits of labour for the worker to enjoy
his drink is called oblivion
and his future is unemployed
when will my hands be idle, my troubles be at peace?
These aimless feet decide it's time to let me sleep
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4. |
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Lessons from Your Early Years
you been learniing them lessons the whole of your days
don't make no difference what anyone says
cause you don't ever listen and praise sounds like blame in your ears
so you packed up your fears, turned your back on the sadness
till it got to the point where you just couldn't care less
and all you had left was the lessons from your early years
well they told you to grow up, get out of their sight
wouldn't tell you no stories, wouldn't turn on the light
wouldn't sing you no songs just to make you feel safe in the night
might have saved you some trouble if they'd just named you Sue
you'd be kicking and a-gouging but you'd know who was who
coulda had your Phil of Larking around sread of singing the blues
and the pigeons fly back to the arse end of nowhere
you know that it hurts but you just have to go there
it's a place in your life you're heading back time after time
where the sun never shines and your glass is half empty
you'd sure like to change but the bottle's more tempting
than the effort it takes to leave all that hurting behind
so you stepped through the door to a lonely dimension
where you passed on the hurt with the best of intentions
and the rumours of love, they're never mentioned at all
used up all your excuses before you could talk
and you ran out of futures before you could walk
and the present was a gift like the lessons of your early years
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5. |
Zombie Lullaby
06:21
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Zombie Lullaby
hear me calling, listen to what I say
I bring you news of life beyond the grave
if you can guess how old I am then I'd be quite surprised
listen to my zombie lullaby
my g g g generation outlived its time
ain't bought no music since nineteen sixty nine
hand me down that zimmer, man, it's time to rest my eyes
listen to my zombie lullaby
aoooo, aoooo, aooo, aoooo
aooo, aoooo, aoooo, aoooo
who's that calling, is it death?
Tell hime to speak up I'm a bit mutt and jeff
and listen to my zombie lullaby
I've walked this earth I've seen a million sights
for all my crimes I have an alibi
just one more thing before I fly, I came here for a reason
now I don't recall why
and listen to my zombie lullaby
them werewolves of London they done stole my style
my body was a temple but the worshippers ain't prayed for a while
the lights are way down in this crumbling pile
but the radio's playing so don't touch that dial
and listen to my zombie lullaby
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6. |
Pig Meat
03:11
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Pig Meat
hey there Mama, what ypou baking there in that pie?
Hey there, Mama, what you baking there in that pie?
Simple Simon needs to taste before he buys
well it could be pigmeat it could be some kind of bird
could be pigmeat, could be some kind of bird
but it tastes like nothing i've ever seen or heard
and hey, hey, it sure don't taste like beef
hey, hey it sure don't taste like beef
I believe this pie's had the bit between its teeth
mama bakes them pies with the pastry upside down
sixty nine pies with the pastry upside down
but at least her gravy used to move around
it's a tough old boot with a skin like a crocodile
it's a tough old boot kwith a skin like a crocodile
I believe this pie's been in the oven a while
and hey.......
for my stomach and my waistline I do definitely fear
I like to suck on sausage rolls and drink the wine and beer
my doctor says I'm oral, I don't believe his lies
you know he wouldn't tell me who ate all the pies
and hey......
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7. |
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Somewhere It's Beer O'Clock
I've been thinking, by the river
I've been counting, counting the waves
singing offkey to myself, just breathing for old times sake
there ain't much I know for certain
but I do know for sure
somewhere it's beer o'clock and that's where I will be with you
the light was fading on the water
as I made my way back home
they were firing up the fry fry, headlights streaming out of town
there ain't much I know for certain, but I do know for sure
somewhere it's beer o'clock, and that's where I will be with you
beer o'clock, I'm in heaven
don't have to wait for my party seven
beer o'clock, gonna drink myself skinny
up on the slopes of mount krakatinny
I took up my trusty carrier on up to the corner shop
my soul's in need of some uplifting, and my spirits they were on the rocks
those kindly bottles smiled down at me
from their home up on the shelf
I recall the cans we've shared, but now we're drinking by ourselves
there ain't much I know for certain, but I do know for sure
somewhere it's beer o'clock and that's where I will be with you
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8. |
I'm Your Insurance Man
04:55
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I'm Your Insurance Man
brother, oh brother, won't you turn down the TV
turn down the TV
I bring you news of great sorrow
you may belive that you are happy today
happy today
but can you be sure of tomorrow?
Bar the windows, salvage what you can
fear the worst, I'm your insurance man
brother, oh brother, look down from your tower
down from your tower
wher we who have nothing salute you
we're here to decide what is rightfully ours
rightfully ours
and whether to hang or to shoot you
call the PD, salvage what you can
fear the worst. I'm your insurance man
brother, oh brother, open your gates
open your gates
and join us out here in the weather
invite us onto your country estate
your country estate
and we can all be paupers of leisure
loose the hounds, salvage what you can
fear the worst, I'm you insurance man
brother, oh brother, the trees are all bare
the birds have all followed the sun
raise up your eyes from the counting of words
before you are left all alone
call the doctor, salvage what you can
fear the worst, I'm your insurance man
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9. |
Twice Loved
05:32
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Twice Loved
spare me a minute of your time
I'll let you into a secret, the past can be unkind
but let that second-hand unwind, you can be twice loved
you been around the block
a few times or more, I guess that you could say
we both been here before
but I'm not one, for keeping score
and I'm twice loved, twice loved
you can call me part worn, I'm a threadbare stuff
I'm a hand me down, from up above
but I say twice, I say twice
twice loved, twice loved
I'm wearing dead man's shoes, by the exit door
I wrote a song for you, I'd heard somewhere before
now they're playing our tune in the Oxfam store
and I'm twice loved, twice loved
we could've been brand new
we could've been brand new
but we both had better, better things to do
there were all them pretty, pretty strangers too
twice loved, twice loved
you can call me part worn, I'm a threadbare stuff
I'm a hand me down, from up above
but I say twice, I say twice
twice loved, twice loved
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10. |
Halfway From Wearside
04:18
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Halfway From Wearside
if you're looking, you might find me
halfway from Wearside on the A690
there's a layby out on the coalfields
where I go sometimes to sit and cry
or I might be driving down in the fatlands
round and round that M25 where there's
sixty miles of hard cold shoulder
should I find I have a tear to cry
and are we there yet the passengers sigh
will the record be unbroken I reply
and I bet my shirt on a stranger
never saw that shirt again
we all need just a little danger
here and there and now and then
and I put four remoulds on this B road
put my trust in fellow man
I know Jesus rides beside me, when he thinks that he can spare the time
and are we there yet the passengers sigh
will the record be unbroken I reply
and I laid my head down on this rail line
waiting for the five o nine
hey porter, can you tell me, has this train ever run on time
and I might stray across the cat's eyes
into that bright unrushing stream
burn my boats and gently capsize
sail away in my canoe of dreams
and are we there yet the passengers sigh
will the record be unbroken I reply
I reply
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John Wilkins England, UK
The recordings on this site are all of my own material.
Many thanks to Jimmy Smith, John Timney, Stephen Cunningham
for their help with the various recordings, and Georges Shovlin and Lamb, and Don and Jimm for their tireless work on open mic sessions where most of this material has been first aired. Also to the too many to mention friends and supporters over the years.
... more
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