The Fell, by The Brothers Gillespie (2024)

1.

Golden OneThe breaking of the dawn and the sweet the silent mornThere was light upon the hillside, whisperings in the cornA formless thing was I waiting hungry to be born By a thousand forces and desires I was tornBut my dream was like a star of that one thing I was sureAnd I rose to meet the journey of the day At that time I was burdened I was struggling to be freeI despised my education my fire was cut with fearBorn into obligation, to be a kind of slaveJust to toil for a master, some shelter and a graveBut something burned within that no bondage could erase And I tended my flame down in the valley Oh long hot Summer give birth to me againOh unknown lover I’ve always known you were my friend Oh my soulSixteen years oldAnd my heart is more than a chest can holdAnd roaming on the heights where I swear I smelled the seaI was deep within the stillness lost in a revery All around me was the gentle drowsy droning of the beesI felt it coming softly my life’s own destinyAnd I wasn’t so surprised to see those tender wild eyesTaking form before me lightly on the airNever was I truly open so absolutely freeI’d never been so thirsty how I drank and drank so deepAnd said come to me again on the hill beneath the treeOr down in the dark by the crook of the lea Where the deep waters flowAnd where often I did goTo soothe all the troubles in my mind Fine fell, hill of dreamingLost cradle home that never wasGolden oneQueen of healingI have seen you shimmering In the grasses of before Oh my soulSixteen years old And my heart is more than a chest can hold Oh my master you’re not my master I don’t hate you there’s nothing you can sayAnd oh my master I’m running fasterAnd the skyline is wider than your eyes

2.

Coventina’s DaughterThe curlew flies over the Whin SillAnd the thrush in the blue is singing gold over the hillAnd the rivers by our shoulders wash the Summer downstreamAnd the stars they are wheeling over the greenAnd Autumn winds will find us againAnd the berries grow red and the fire is kindledAnd the crows in the wind they scatter like cindersAnd the hare on th hill with her eye of fireAnd the moon in the blue rising higher and higherAnd a cold soft wind will blowOver the borderSong of stone, high places and gushing water.And bless and keep you safe alwaysDeep grace of the flowing river to youCoventina’s DaughterThe Sun is setting behind those Western hills.But before long my darling, she’ll be lighting those Eastern window sills.And the way the river flows is still the language of our landAnd I pray to find more people to hold my handAnd Autumn winds will find us againAnd the berries grow red and the fire is kindledAnd the crows in the wind they scatter like cindersAnd the season turns, and the dancers are whirlingAnd its good bye farewell my dearFor another yearAnd a cold soft wind will blowOver the borderSong of stone, high places and gushing water.And bless and keep you safe alwaysDeep grace of the flowing river to youCoventina’s DaughterThe curlew flies over the whin sillAnd the thrush in the blue is singing gold over the hillAnd the rivers by our shoulders wash the Summer downstreamAnd the stars they are wheeling over the green

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Now they’re plotting to send our grandmother to jail If the fine handed down by the courts isn’t paid Fifty-five thousand’s the sum they demand For defending us all and for taking a stand The oil will be gone in a few more short years But the powers that be need bogus frontiers So the frackers have come to blast open the ground And crack the Earth’s bones to make dollars and pounds Caudrilla came sniffing round old Blackpool townIt’s a damn stupid name but they aint messing round They found a quiet place to blast open the ground And poison the waters and sully the land Oh is this what we are?Oh have we strayed so far?They bought off the farmer he let them come in To a field quite legally rented from him Common land privatised centuries before Now privately proffered to the devil’s own claws Folks don’t want it no ear was lent Democracy here’s for the top 1%You look to the law you’ll find that it’s bent The deal is wrapped up there’s no need for consent They call it free market to get us on side Cos we all like freedom but folks it’s a lie It’s a psychotic system quite coolly devised To steal your birthright from under your eyes Oh is this what we are?Oh have we strayed so far?Oh is this what we are? Oh have we strayed so far?This land may be weak but her flame is not gone And a group called the nanas came marching along Mothers, grandmothers with hearts true and strongTo peacefully protest a most grievous wrong They stood their ground 21 days and nights Maybe the spirits gave strength to their plight And though they hurt no one Caudrilla conspired To try them for trespass, convict them of crime Justice broke down then and Tina was told To cough up the court costs that Caudrilla owed Now fifty-five thousand’s the sum they demand For defending us all and for taking a stand Oh is this what we are?Oh have we strayed so far?There was no way nana Tina would pay The exorbitant forfeit so they threatened jail But down in the courtroom the people prevailed And Tina walks free a bold heroine hailedAnd all you poor frackers with heads full of greed The man’s got your minds and he’s poisoned your dreams But I’m praying for you and I want to believe You’ll un-brainwash yourselves soon and set yourselves free No you can’t look to government cos they’re in cahoots They’ve sold off the state and they’ve carved up the loot And though they seem civil to tell you the truth If you step out of line you’ll be feeling their boots Oh is this what we are?Oh have we strayed so far?Oh is this what we are?Oh have we strayed so far?Now I’m just a bard there’s not much I can do But I’ll write a song and I’ll try to sing true For we are your grandsons and granddaughters too We’ll be there by your side when the law comes for you And all you good people now take my advice Don’t let these frackers come ruin our lives Our mother is fierce and loving and wise Let’s stand up beside her and open our eyes

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7.

Your gold surrounding me.I go back to the wilderness again I go back to the oak forests again Come back child from the wilderness and wild You’re not like a frog or a toad You can’t survive out there alone.Come back, the men and women are longing to hear your voice again Come back she’s been watching you across the fire all night long Carrying in her eyes The promise of belonging Come back she’s been watching you across the fire all night long Flashing sweet gazes Beneath the moonlight’s soft kisses Your gold’s been following me Falling in me like the leaves from the trees Soft, sweet hearted gold Surrounding me, unfold my life And though I aint seen you for a long timeYou weave serpent-like in and out of my mind.And I go back to the wilderness again I go and sit on boulders in the oak woods again Trying to find my way, away, away away oh Trying to find my way to where the water fall blood flows Come back child, from the wilderness and wild Come back to where the hearth fire is burning bright You’re not like a frog or a toad, your blood can’t survive out there alone Come back, she’s been watching you from across the fire all night long.Come back they’ve been longing to hold your slender form Come back, Come back.

8.

Down in the valley of endless reflections Longing and striving and hitting the booze Mostly time passes in idle distractions Then you wake up Then you wake up And your heart is singing anew You rise up so hungry you long for an answer They force you to school and you learn from the stars You know there’s a place where your soul is a-dancing But in the wasteland In the wasteland It seems very far The grown ones have fled the fountain is silent Lonely and fearful you tried to be free In a system so blithely boring and violent You turn to your comrades Come sweet comrades Let us roam o’er the sea And we’ll fall asleep by the banks of the Liffey We’ll carry our glasses down from the barI could rove anywhere won’t you come with me World and dream are but one World and dream are but on eEvening is falling in violet and gold Through sunlight and storm I will follow the breeze My home’s in my heart and I long to behold Fair distant lands Fair distant lands Where they lie o’er the sea And a glass I will raise to these fine lads and lasses The beautiful visions that brighten the way To the music that stirs in the whispering grasses Warm summer’s night Warm summer’s night And the long golden day And we’ll fall asleep by the banks of the Liffey We’ll carry our glasses down from the bar I could rove anywhere won’t you come with me World and dream are but oneWorld and dream are but oneAman Aman Aman World and dream are but on eCome sit by the smoulder and glow of the embers Hear those voices that rise up in song We won’t drink to forget we’ll drink to remember The world and the dream World and the dream Are but one Are but one And I have a love a child of the ocean Wherever I am I know she will be We sail the seas she is my blood’s motion Wherever I roam Wherever I roam She’s my pearl and my dream And we’ll fall asleep by the banks of the Liffey We’ll carry our glasses down from the bar I could rove anywhere lover won’t you come with me World and dream are but one World and dream are but one And we’ll fall asleep by the banks of the Liffey We’ll carry our glasses down from the barI could rove anywhere won’t you come with me World and dream are but one World and dream are but one