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Spell on a Tin Drum

by Alex Seel

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    Comes in a Digipack case/sleeve with lyric booklet (see pictures). Artwork by Jenny Seddon.

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  • Full Digital Discography

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    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of All Sails to the Sun, Spell on a Tin Drum, Satellites / Grass Is Greener, Circles EP, Broken Faucet, Other Paths, Oh The Glamour, and Shifting Sands. , and , .

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1.
Well I can never forget since I played this guitar The memory of an old friend I knew Who travelled these roads many years ago Playing his songs so strong & true My luck had turned when by chance we met And he described to me the human heart Thru picks and strings and a skylark’s wings With a light that shined through the dark Though as sure as night follows day Time caught up, he could no more play So he said to me… Take this guitar, carry on Play the songs that must play on, play on 
 Well I hear the songs of the Ancient Bards Echoing in my ears I may stumble through a 1000 false starts But I'm drawn to this light through many, many years 
 Well men have fought & died for less Many more just faded away If the privilege of time is mine now I guess Well I'll reach for something I must say & I'll... 
 Take this guitar, carry on Play the songs that must play on, play on 
 This story you know it has no end As time will ever march on & on If I stand on the shoulders of giants Before my dying day’s gone I’ll sing the song… to you 
 Take this guitar, carry on Play the songs that must play on, play on
2.
These days are passing faster Than we'd care to know If you blink you'll miss them Turnaround they're gone and so I gotta keep my eyes wider than Beasts have gathered round here They offer gold for time They drink the blood of masses Sure as hell it won't be mine I gotta keep my eyes wider than See hurried crowds are passing ‘Neath a light that shines Staring at their phones not talking To me it sure reminds I gotta keep my eyes wider than Wider than the horizons distance Wider than my dog-eared persistence Wider than the long tired face I wear inside this world’s rat race If you should see me walking Wondering helpless blind Could have been a sleepless night or a Mountain that I climbed but I gotta keep my eyes wider than Wider than the horizons distance Wider than my dog-eared persistence Wider than the long tired face I wear inside this world’s rat race
3.
A practical mind Has boxes in the front room Keeping cold time To a routine rhythmic bell Still seeking love While fencing off the garden But only birds high above See your perfect parallels You don’t stop to think about The list of things that have been done You only ever think of those to dos Poor driven you Lie down & sleep You critique the day passing Counting lost sheep Just more numbers in your head Logical thought Stepping-stones into tomorrow Cause & effect Now kicks you out of bed You won’t stop thinking about Your growing list of more to dos Going to need dynamite in your shoes Poor driven you
4.
This is it, my love The time has come Time to undo What is over and done I can't take these orders From you anymore I'm tightening up that old belt again And closing the door For there's too many strangers Coming in through here And if dark clouds that are gathering Must be your fault, my dear Well it’s 45 years Since you were my bride And now the grass is always greener On the other side Well remember back when A bit before we met I was handsome & strong I’d never broken a sweat Well I'm going back there Cause I was free to roam Yes, riding my wild gold unicorns & not tied to this stone And though we haven’t had a fight We've argued like hell & I always fancied my chances Hey well couldn't ya tell? Now seems hanging out Has made a dint on my pride And the grass is always greener On the other side So this is it, my love The time has come Time to undo What is over and done Now I want to eat the whole cake & I won’t be denied As the grass is always greener…on the other side
5.
Free wheels turned inside our heads On the edge of shattered sleep Rolling out the blue sky in our hands Our cogs of reason were ground down From skipping to the beat Well the best times ever had we never planned A memory still passing Across a sky so high on our own heat So far beyond the boundaries 'Till sunrise found the blanket at our feet Oh sun-kissed smiles in photographs If only they could speak And lead us back inside that crazy dream We'd peel the lid right off this house And climb the rainbow's steep And shake the world like the loudest tambourine A memory still passing Across a sky so high on our own heat So far beyond the boundaries 'Till sunrise found the blanket at our feet ...that’s one I'll keep
6.
The River 02:31
Holding back You bite your tongue so restless Moving on With your heart in your mouth Ebbs & flows Through daylight & darkness Still your shady doubts Silver spoons Bring you tears of sadness Rag n bones Then to tears of joy Meanwhile through years Of suffering & madness The river's flowing It rock and rolls along Just keeps on moving Keeps on singing Singing it's own good song The pilgrim wakes Alive from golden slumber He hears the call From the waters edge He takes his place With suffering’s new number As the river's flowing It rock and rolls along Just keeps on moving Keeps on singing Always singing it's endless song
7.
Turned & I walked on Another ragged mile Left my bag in the snow In a maze of memory Your siren smile A summer’s sunny river flow Come on babe Let’s meet before the sunlight goes We were so wise back When we thought we’d seen it all But our feet never really touched the ground Drunk on youth Time had hidden bounds Did our love sink, dive or drown? Come on babe Let’s meet before the sun goes down If you bring your brightly burning candle I’ll leave my shadows to the rain Yeah come on meet me before the sun goes down Once again From high on the hillside To the valley below I'm seeing your face all around Distant conversations Whisper your name Like the bird song that surrounds me So come on babe Let's meet before the sun goes down If you beat your spell on a tin drum I'll bring a little brass band of ten Yeah just come on meet me before the sun goes down [x 2] Once again…
8.
Satellites 03:26
When all the satellites fall from the sky When all our data has been hacked by Some kid in a basement with mud in his eye Well I'll still be loving you When all our credit cards have been maxed When all the clean air in our lungs has been taxed And everyone swallows the alternative facts Well I'll still be loving you ‘Cause though the world is in a death spin I cannot lose what I cannot win It doesn't change a single damn thing That I’ll still be loving you When the economy's growth is in decline We're slowly sinking in cold blue brine And a fiddler scratches out Auld Lang Syne Well I’ll still be loving you When all liberty has been seized By the oligarch's and megalomaniac’s squeeze And we're warmed by a radiation breeze Well I’ll still be loving you ‘Cause though the world is in a death spin I cannot lose what I cannot win It doesn't change a single damn thing That I'll still be loving you For I'll remember your kind loving touch It's my very last mental crutch It may mean to you nothing much But I'll still be loving you I will still be loving you Now mass extinction is all but complete Closed the buffet of all-you-can-eat And my phone counts down my very last heartbeat But I'm still here loving you…always…
9.
Quietus 02:48
[Instrumental]

credits

released May 17, 2019

Written, performed, recorded & mixed by Alex Seel except…

Track 1 co-arranged by Rory Kay.

Drums played by Sam Winwood (on tracks 2, 4, 7 & 8).

Trombone played by Tom White (on track 4).

Violin & viola played by Toni Geiling (on track 1).

Space drum programmed by Angelo Vaggi (on track 5)

Cover illustration by Jenny Seddon.

© ℗ Alex Seel 2019

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Alex Seel London, UK

In the tradition of folksinger/guitarist but with contemporary musings...

“Exquisite and powerful songs from one of the best composers, guitarists and singers in the UK today. Alex Seel has influences from blues, pop and the British Folk Revival guitarists but his sound is all his own” - Twickfolk

More info at www.alexseel.com
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