WATERMARK - 2019
LYRICS
‘Cause you phoned me every night,
Just to make sure I’m alive
Only your lips and casket wine
Kept me off olanzapine,
Stilled these trembling hands of mine
If things were different don’t mean much
There were lines we couldn’t cross,
Minds I couldn’t trust
Oh, so-and-so said such and such,
That gets thrown around too much
Where the hell does that leave us?
As I fall back and watch you fall in love
With just someone or other who ain’t sharp enough
To know how to love you, covet you quite like you need
Still, better him than me
Better him than me
You disappear sometimes for weeks
Then I call you up to speak,
You pretend to fall asleep
Neglect can rust respect and trust
Collecting dust like broke antiques,
Our love grew weary then grew weak
As I drift off, I see you drifting away
With some moustache who ain’t worth the time that it takes
To tell you I’m sorry, I wonder how sorry I’ll be
Still, better him than me
Better him than me
And as I look back with hindsight, you’re looking the same,
A face flushed with fury and a stare of disdain
Oh, if you really knew me, you knew what I’d turn out to be
Still, you’re better off with him than me,
Better him than me
This ship’s almost ashore
And the waves, they seem so mad at us
And I don’t know what for
Good man, Tobias
Go up and trim the sail
There’s few riches for the pious
No option here to fail
Oh, I see it rising
I see it rising
I see it rising
I…
Well hold on, Mary
In the winter I’ll be home
Oh, god forbid this ship of mine
Don’t splinter on the stone
Hold on, lover
It’ll only be awhile
‘Til you and I discover
Softer swells and one another
Oh, I see it rising
I see it rising
I see it rising
I…
Hold fast, Elijah
The bow is bound to break
Take that devil down inside ya
And try to pray, for heaven’s sake
Well, I see it rising
I see it rising
I see it rising
I…
In a Richmond summer rain,
And I saw this girl who smiled just like you
Well I burned with regret, like my first cigarette
As you crossed my mind again
And I watched her pass in the polish on my shoe
See, there was a time when you were mine,
And the world was mine as well
But I’ve a mind as stubborn as a mule
And love, it waits at no man’s gate,
It rings at no man’s bell
And I boarded all my doors up like a fool
Well I guess this city turned us both to cynics
I guess it got the best of us somehow
If I could turn this wishing into whiskey
Well darling, I’d be drunk by now
There’s someone new, he’s not like you
He keeps it all inside
I’d sooner summon blood out of a stone
Ain’t it strange how some things change
But others don’t subside
I’m just terrified we’ll both end up alone
Well I guess this city turned us both to cynics
I guess it got the best of us somehow
If I could turn this wishing into whiskey
Well darling, I’d be drunk by now
Oh darling, I’d be drunk by now
Before we go to bed
My mother said, she said I had a saviour
But it seems my dreams have lost their way,
Bound for flame on judgement day
I pray that I get out on good behaviour
So baptise me, oh cleanse my soul,
Forgive me for the hearts I stole
It starts to take a toll as you grow older
Deliver me out of the hands
Of wolves in wool and sinner’s plans,
Eternity’s a burden I can shoulder
Oh, time has never stayed this slow
Oh, try to take me as your own
Oh, I was better off alone,
I was better on my own
Lord I’m coming home
Come on now, take me in,
Hear it howling in the blowing wind, I said
Come on now, bless my soul,
I fear I feel we’re growing old, I said
Come on now, take me in,
If I die, oh let me live, I said
Come on now, bless my soul,
It’s cold out here, oh don’t you know, I said…
Oh, time has never stayed this slow
Oh, try to take me as your own
Oh, I was better off alone,
I was better on my own,
I was better on my own
Lord I’m coming home
Oh St Philomena,
How I prayed for a return,
Just learn that we have been forsaken
But with that big book on the shelf,
Maybe I’ll convince myself
To share the loss, and bear the cross you’ve taken
If you wanna get to heaven, son, you’re gonna need a rocket
You wanna make the pearly gate before they start to lock it
Once they lock it, oh you won’t get in
See, hell’s just heaven with the lights turned down
A few more fires we can dance around
And all my friends will be there anyhow
‘Cause I’ve always been a sucker for sin
You gotta get on, get to moving
Get on, before the night’s too cold
You gotta get on, get to moving
Get on, before we’re all too old
Get on
Well I was calm, then I was critical, but now I’m just inspired
Slow to go political but I’m getting f**king tired
Of the demon screaming freedom with her hair on fire
Saying kindness seals our fate
See, first we steal the land, and then we set the laws
Boundless plains with the fastened doors
Oh can’t you see the irony, can’t you see the flaws
Oh no we won’t just wait
You gotta get on, get to moving
Get on, before the night’s too cold
You gotta get on, get to moving
Get on, before we’re all too old
Get on
I’m feeling like this life for some’s a little out of reach
When your coffee and your scones cost you twelve bucks each, but
I’m not here to scold you brother, I’m not here to preach
I say to each their own
But if we gave a little more, spent a little less
You take out what you need but you leave some for the rest
And pay some more attention to the pounding in your chest
And maybe just skip those scones
You gotta get on, get to moving
Get on, before the night’s too cold
You gotta get on, get to moving
Get on, before we’re all too old
Get on
Silence bought, violence sold
And nought forgiven,
Lord I’m tired of these ways
That ain’t living, that’s just life these days
They taught you little but tortured smiles
Life’s this riddle where the answer is lie
Oh, so lie down boy,
A high horse leaves a long way to fall
Your feet don’t reach the stirrups,
It’s clear your spirit’s feeble as it’s small
If we hold on,
Are things gonna change, son?
They’ve always been this way, son
Is it how they’re gonna stay?
They say nothing ventured means nothing lost
Not to mention they stabbed holes in the box,
Oh, you should be grateful you can even see outside
And that dangling carrot
That’s just salad for the wealthy and the white
If we hold on,
For change that’s coming
If we hold strong,
Are things gonna change, son?
Or are we bound to bow, boy
Raise the flag, throw in the towel, boy
Or finally stand our ground?
If we take a look, and take a lesson
(And hold on, and hold on)
And tame mistakes from all the guessing
(And hold on, and hold on)
If we count our luck, and count our blessings
(And hold on, and hold on)
You can hold on, you can hold on
She was headed some place south-west
And I should’ve let her
I couldn’t breach my house arrest
She said we’re too clever
To ever coexist or coalesce
I thought I knew better
But she knew best
Oh, she’s like flooding rain
And I never saw the weather change
Two years together, four more apart
But I’ve still got a watermark
Well, I hear she married
Some circuit judge out near Adelaide
And her sister Sally
Said all of the groomsmen dressed in suede
Oh, but she still carries
Some sort of semblance of a flame
She took all of me except my name
Oh, she’s like flooding rain
And I saw it in her eyes as she drained away
Two years together, four more apart
But I’ve still got a watermark
Well she’s got a son now
And this Sunday he’ll be three
And her husband’s hair’s brown
But that boy’s as fair as fair can be
His cheeks red as sundown
And his eyes are as clear as sea
You can’t tie his tongue down
Guess he sounds a lot like me
Oh, he’s half flooding rain
And the other half’s too scared to change
Downtrod, down here in the dark
Just scrubbing at this watermark
In the bags under his eyes
And he asks if it’s alright
If I leave after we’re done
And so I gather up my pride,
Throw my shirt over my shoulder
And his last scorn in my side
He says he’s waiting on someone,
He’s waiting on someone
But I take solace in the fact
That his past is checkered as the blanket
That he drapes across his back
As he turns away to sleep
And that boy’s a stiff old drink
You always wonder why you drank it
And it burns more than you think
Still that burns all I keep
Oh, that burns all I keep
Don’t grow cold
Don’t grow cold on me
I’m cold enough for both of us, so,
Don’t lose your hold
Don’t lose your hold on me
I’m twice the fool I knew I’d be
Well I wonder if I need him
Maybe I’m just smitten
By the grass that’s so forbidden
On his side of the fence
I’m a feather in his cap
I’m the fresh notch on his bedpost
And the thing that hurts my head most
I feel a chance
Oh, I swear I feel a chance
Don’t grow cold
Don’t grow cold on me
I’m cold enough for both of us, so,
Don’t lose your hold
Don’t lose your hold on me
I’m twice the fool I knew I’d be
Bolts in my throat
Think I’ve done all the talking,
Now I just sit and croak
Seems only appropriate
To try feed you a smile,
But I keep on choking
Let’s get away for awhile
Lover, I’m pleading with you,
I just don’t know what to do
Gonna get in your car,
You know it isn’t too far
Gonna drive towards the calm,
See if the world still holds calm
And I know you’ve gotta work,
You ain’t getting no help
But I can pay your way, at least for a few days,
So don’t worry yourself
Lover, I’m pleading with you,
I just don’t know what to do
I don’t talk to those people anymore,
That’s not why I’m going
I don’t talk to those people anymore
Just need a chance to get home,
But life keeps on going,
‘Til we’re all set in stone
You tell me you’re busy
Think I already knew
Punching in, clocking off,
Dressing down, scrubbing up,
Doing what you’ve got to do
And I know I can take it,
Though I’m thinner than ply
Cities just shake me,
But I can just shut my eyes
Lover, I’m pleading with you,
I just don’t know what to do
And I guess I should’ve told you at the time
But I knew that girl since school,
And I was such a fool to make her mine
Darling, I was young and I was fickle
Oh, love was just a trickle, until you drown
I took her fear for love
But she’d love you just enough to keep you around
Oh, fourteen days of pouring rain
With a shiver I can’t shake
Come hell or high water, I pray that I taught her
Love ain’t a given, it’s all give and take
Well darling, I was sober ’til I met her
So how’d I get here drinking like a fish
Oh, our love was longer,
And stronger than the wall that broke my fist
And darling, I was wise and she was wily
Oh, something in her eyes gave her away
And I just pray that she learns before her
Body returns to the clay
Oh, fourteen days of pouring rain
With a shiver I can’t shake
Come hell or high water, I pray that I taught her
Love ain’t a given, it’s all give and take
ABOUT
Featuring the singles Cold, Get On and Atticus, Watermark is The Northern Folk’s third full-length record. Produced by the band with Julian McKenzie and Callum Barter (British India, Courtney Barnett, Saskwatch) at Newmarket Studios, it covers the songs written since the band’s move to Melbourne, as they’ve toured across the country.
Released 29 March 2019
Written and performed by The Northern Folk
All tracks recorded at Newmarket Studios, North Melbourne
‘Get On’ engineered and mixed by Callum Barter at Newmarket Studios
With Michael Parker – trumpet
All other tracks engineered by Julian McKenzie at Newmarket Studios
Mixed by Callum Barter at Remo Music, Highland Park, Los Angeles
Mastered by Joe Carra at Crystal Mastering, Melbourne
Artwork by Amber Gittins (original work titled ‘Outback Storm’)
Logo by Kristian Rasmussen
Paul Dyason – vocals
Georgie Currie – vocals
James Eggleston – guitars, percussion, drums, keyboard
Jayden Dunne – keyboards, guitars, backing vocals
Edward Caunt – bass
Will Carey – drums, guitar
Alex Cameron – clarinet, backing vocals
Khayl Picard – alto sax, clarinet, keyboard, backing vocals
Renn Picard – tenor sax, backing vocals
Grace Hornsby – trombone, backing vocals
STUMBLE ON HOME - 2016
LYRICS
If the banks stay firm and hold, we’re safe here
If the levee starts to burst
We best expect the worst and race, dear
Oh, I need this bed to float now
Take my leave, go on and row down stream
Just leave me be
Oh, the river gonna bring me down
Oh, the river gonna bring me down
Well, the weather starts to change
As I put that mountain range behind me
As I drifted through the port
I lost the fleeting thought they’d find me
Oh, each day this river widens
Oh, I’d see the change inside her now
If I turned around
Oh, the valley gonna pull me in
Oh, the valley gonna pull me in
Never saw a sign of shore
‘Til I hit the ocean floor and lay there
Though boring half the time
I’ve more than half a mind to stay there
Oh, these skies are growing dark now
Seas will rise and fall, this tide we ride
It rules us all
Oh, the thunder gonna roll on in
Oh, the thunder gonna roll on in
We all wait for the sun to come break up the gloom
And the wolves they still howl, for the day will break soon
So we stumble on home, kicking bottles and stones
We stumble on home to our room
Well I draw your smile, and you draw the shades
We’ll wait here a while for the sunlight to fade
And evening arrives as the wolves start to bay
The moments will pass and shatter like glass
And leave us at last where we lay
So lay down your sword and come in from the rain
Kick off your boots and shed all your chains
You can stay there all night, still the wolves will remain
I’ve twice checked the locks, I’ve my gun in my socks
And this door can hold more than the strain
I could not imagine this showing on your face the way it does
I could not hear you speaking of this, no
I could not imagine you telling me the way you think it is
Hold on tight, I was not prepared for you
Your tongue you should bite, cause if you feel the same way too
Then darling, we might find out what we need to do,
But oh, give it time, cause I’m into you, oh
I could not see this going this way, no
I could not imagine this showing on your face the way it does
I could not hear you speaking of me, no
I could not imagine you seeming so comfortable and free
Hold on tight, I was not prepared for you
Your tongue you should bite, cause if you feel the same way too
Then darling, we might find out what we need to do,
But oh, give it time, cause I’m into you, oh
Oh she said, the days grow long my dear
Oh he said, if it’s so wrong why I am still here
He said, when I’m with you my dear
Oh he said, I feel the same way too
I promised I’d build you a boat
And I pray each day that it may stay afloat
Amy, go put on your coat
Amy, this wind is too still
And we’ve got a sail to fill
I’ve not a doubt, further out, that it will
Amy, this wind is too still
Darling, there’s rocks to the west
Oh and I can’t shake this ache in my chest
Morning is dawning, it comes without warning
It’s best that we’re going now, better start rowing now
Amy, let’s drift out to sea
And trust there’s a gust in the breeze
Leave both the oars on the shore when we leave
Amy, let’s drift out to sea
Amy, we ain’t coming home
I’ve packed up the things that we own
If anyone rings there’s a note on the phone
Saying Amy, we ain’t coming home
Darling, there’s rocks to the west
Oh and I can’t shake this ache in my chest
The morning is dawning, it comes without warning
It’s best that we’re going now, better start rowing now
(You need Jesus)
I know it’s risky
But I’ll do whatever pleases me
I know she’ll love me,
I know she’ll love me either way
I know she’ll love me,
I know she’ll love me either way
He’s so good at listening
(She don’t stop talking)
We’ll still be dancing
When we’re too old for walking
But I know he’ll love me
I know he’ll love me either way
I know he’ll love me
I know he’ll love me either way
Well, I ain’t tactful
(Subtle as gunfire)
But it’s a fact that,
That you’re the one, I
I’m gonna love babe
I’m gonna love you either way
I’m gonna love you
I’m gonna love you either way
He buys me jewellery
(She rathers roses)
Well I thought he knew me
That’s how he shows it
But I know he’ll love me
I know he’ll love me either way
I know he’ll love me
I know he’ll love me either way
Well, I’m hardly a heartthrob
(I’m mostly a hot mess)
I fear my heart’s stopped
‘Til she’s in that white dress
And she says she loves me
She says she loves me either way
She says she loves me
She says she loves me either way
But thinks it looks better on the floor
And for someone who knows everything about clothes
Well she barely wears a thing anymore
She says that something’s missing when we get to kissing
Cause she doesn’t like the lights turned out
So she throws open the curtains, tears off her shirt,
And turns to candles when the sun burns out
Married to the preacher man, faithful ain’t a feature
And I promise that she’ll eat you alive
She says darling quit your stressing, just give me your blessing
It’ll be the best thing you survive
You don’t know where you went, you don’t know what you spent
But you can smell her scent on your shirt
It’s all for the best, take your heart from your chest
And the rest is all going to hurt
No, you’ll never love her but you see it through
The kind of girl your mother wouldn’t want for you
She’s gonna love you ’til you’re black and blue
Frozen through, your heart in two
Black and blue
Everybody’s needing a story to proceed ’em
But I’m worried that it’s happened again
Cause every time you’re here, I just start to fear
That you haven’t even told them your name
Everybody’s saying you’re simply just playing around
You’ve got a mind of your own
But even just by playing, you’re basically saying
That you’re really scared of being alone
No, you’ll never love her but you see it through
The kind of girl your mother wouldn’t want for you
She’s gonna love you ’til you’re black and blue
Frozen through, your heart in two
Black and blue
And they lied when they said the world was better
You called to the night, your voice out of sight
And you were thick to think that he felt it
Foolish child,
These games are far too hard
Mind your heart next time
Foolish child,
Watch your bones fall apart
And boys can’t put them back together
Velvet voice, your car the only noise
As you soothed the creases from my brow
All my fears that I’ve harboured all these years
Were forgotten by the end of the hour
Foolish child,
These games are far too hard
Mind your heart next time
Foolish child,
Watch your bones fall apart
And boys can’t put them back together
Watch your step, ’cause your soul’s all you’ve left
When you’re lying deep in the ground
ABOUT
Recorded at the old Sing Sing Studios with renowned producer Adam Rhodes (The Cat Empire, Paul Kelly, Angus Stone), Stumble On Home sees The Northern Folk embracing ever more diverse styles and colourful arrangements, reaching #27 on the iTunes Australia charts upon release.
Released October 28 2016
Engineered and mixed by Adam Rhodes at Sing Sing Studios, Melbourne
Mastered by Ross Cockle at Sing Sing Studios, Melbourne
Artwork by Alison Percy
All songs written and performed by The Northern Folk
Paul Dyason – vocals, guitar, percussion
Georgie Currie – vocals
James Eggleston – guitar, drums, backing vocals
Jayden Dunne – keyboards, backing vocals
Edward Caunt – bass
Will Carey – drums, guitar
Alex Cameron – clarinets, backing vocals
Khayl Picard – alto sax, backing vocals
Renn Picard – tenor sax, guitar, backing vocals
Michael Parker – trumpet, backing vocals
Grace Hornsby – trombone, backing vocals
THE NORTHERN FOLK - 2015
LYRICS
I reach out but I don’t get a grasp
Oh, we’re spinning ’round too fast
I speak out but I don’t ever ask
Hey, you’re screaming at me too loud
I can’t figure out a way around
Hey, you haven’t even told me your name
Say you wrote the song that I heard
But I know you didn’t write a word
Still you’re the one who’s getting the fame
Every hour, every station
We’ll be blessed by your creation
Everyone will have that song on their mind
But I know with every playing
There’s no truth to what you’re saying
They’ve just written what they know we will like
Stay with me any minute
Now you’ll see they’ll be finding
So many reasons for them
Not to leave
The door reveals the mountain air, there’s still no sign of light
The love within your stare, well
It’s making me feel I’ve been hypnotised
Meet me in the forest, and it’s there we’ll build our home
The city life is boring, there’s enough warmth in our bones
And every time you’re close, well
You’re making me feel like I’m paralysed
You’re making me feel like I’m paralysed
Meet me in the mountains, and we’ll turn towards the east
And as the sun arises, it supplies us with our heat
And every time I speak, well
You’re making me feel like I’ve improvised
Meet me in the morning, as the rain settles in
The storm confirms that winter’s here, we’ll shed our summer skin
And every time you’re near, well
You’re making me feel so romanticised
You’re making me feel so romanticised
It’s time we leave this town
We’ll head for higher ground
We’ll say we’re mountain-bound for somewhere better
It’s time we build our home
We’ll find strength in our bones
We’ll leave, forever known for this adventure
So it’s okay for you to change to somewhere higher
We’ll make a move, we’ll make a way, we’ll start the fire
We’ll sleep for days, and when we wake
We can retire
It’s not the same, it’s not the same, now that we’re older
We wish for warmth, and wish for change, and want it colder
A change of place, a change of pace, pick up our shoulders
Pick up our shoulders
But right now I’m scared to leave the room
Cause if I return, well I know you’ll be here
We can pray I miss the lights
And then I’m too late to catch the flight
And I’ll have to stay with you another year
It’s probably best if I don’t speak
Cause what I want to say
Is not acceptable in places quite like these
Not sure what I should do
I guess I’ll just appreciate
The company of someone quite like you
It’s just a mass of stony beach
We’re travelling so fast, but those below,
They underestimate our speed
We’re swallowed into blue
Could this be the emergency
That finally puts those exits to their use?
But in time we will all
Fall down to where we started it all
And this time when you call
I’ll tell you I’ve been sorry since the moment I departed New York
It’s probably best if I don’t sleep
The nights are getting longer,
You’re just trying to fill the space between the sheets
Still I won’t fill the room
I’ll rearrange the house
But never quite remove the space left there by you
My neighbour’s fast asleep
Still, I can’t help but think of how
They’re using up the honoured window seat
They’re blocking out the view
The infinite blue ocean,
We’re doing what we can to chase the moon
But in time we will all
Fall down to where we started it all
And this time when you call
I’ll tell you I’ve been sorry since the moment I departed New York
‘Cause if my plane had never shown,
And if our pain had never grown
We’d have worked it ’til near perfect
And believed that we were home
And it’s been hours since I woke,
And it’s been days now since we spoke
And I’ve been drinking, slowly sinking
Since my television broke
Still the puzzle’s left undone,
And we’re just left chasing the sun
I’m left wishing it was over
Just as soon as we’d begun
And I’ve a suitcase filled with sand,
And I’ve your letter in my hand
I must leave it and can’t see it ’til we land
Pour your scars on my skin
I know we’re getting older
Just let it begin
You can’t reason with lovers
‘Cause they only see reasons why
It’s hard to see what you need
With stars in your eyes
So don’t let me down
You don’t know what you’re talking about now
Don’t go and say that you mean it,
‘Cause I believe you won’t let me down
I know we’re just thinking out loud
I won’t just say that I’ve seen it
I’ll leave it to work itself out
Sometimes I wish we were strangers
Then leaving wouldn’t hurt me so much
But I’d sooner die than goodbye
And not know your touch
So don’t let me down
You don’t know what you’re talking about now
Don’t go and say that you mean it,
Cause I believe you won’t let me down
I know we’re just thinking out loud
I won’t just say that I’ve seen it
I’ll leave it to work itself out
But I will fight
And hope that there’s hope left inside of you now
I’m frightened that everything you ever loved
Has now lost its desire
But I will fight
And hope that there’s hope left inside of you now
I’m frightened that everything you ever loved
Has now lost its desire
The lights went out all over you
And as we left, the tree came down
There was not a breath to break the mighty sound
The humming tone drew us in
The hidden door, the blowing wind
From the river bed, the stony ground
The iron shed, the ocean sound
We could just stay here, if only for now
We could just say this won’t bring us back down
To the ground where we lay
The dust it set, the flag it blew
The lights went out, and darkness grew
And as we left, the silence broke
And from the depths, the voices spoke
And what they said drew us in
The secret note, the blowing wind
From the river bed, the stony ground
The iron shed, we’re homeward bound
We could just stay here, if only for now
We could just say this won’t bring us back down
To the ground where we lay
So hold on tight, hold ’til it’s numbing,
‘Til your palms have gone white, cause change is always coming, so
Check your grasp, the movement approaches
And it’s coming on fast, we’ll hit before you know it, so
You have to live it well
I said, how can you tell
She said the only cure for this love
Is to learn to love you more
I said, how can you be sure
Cause try as we might, we don’t get out alive
And we are all just driven by the fear
So let’s take this night, begin to live or start to die
Cause loving’s all we’ve got while we’re here,
While we’re here
You said my only fear in this world
Is to truly show my face
I said, don’t let life go to waste
You said I never believed
That love is even real
I said you never got to feel
Cause try as we might, we don’t get out alive
And we are all just driven by the fear
So let’s take this night, begin to live or start to die
Cause loving’s all we’ve got while we’re here,
While we’re here, while we’re here, while we’re here
She said, don’t you remember,
Cause I can’t seem to forget you
You know I’ll never let you down
He said, that’s not the issue,
But every time I was with you,
My feet wouldn’t touch the ground
She said, don’t you remember,
Cause I can’t seem to forget you
You know I’ll never let you down
Come on I’ll take you home
You’re walking on the ceiling,
You’re stealing the show
In the morning you’ll feel better,
But this is not a joke
It’s a storm that you can’t weather,
It’s better we go
So close your eyes and take a breath
I will only try what I think’s best for us
Take a seat and slow it down
Try to see how this is for the rest of us
Cause I can see the storm, it’s closing in
And the rain will only fall where we have been
And we’ll be fine as long as we keep travelling, oh
I know that you’ve been thinking
The room is spinning ’round
But darling you’ve been drinking,
And it’s bringing us down
I know that you’ve been dreaming,
Cause I can see it on your face
It’s time that we were leaving,
Cause you’re not seeing straight,
Oh, you’re not seeing straight
So close your eyes and take a breath
I will only try what I think’s best for us
Take a seat and slow it down
Try to see how this is for the rest of us
Cause I can see the storm, it’s closing in
And the rain will only fall where we have been
And we’ll be fine as long as we keep travelling, oh
Well, I can see the storm
My love for you, it goes on
There’s a bridge running over the water
And I could take it and get straight to you,
But there’s so much left to make of this
Though the water’s running faster than ever
We could dive in if we wanted to
And it could take us somewhere else than this
There’s a ship going over the ocean
And we could take it at a steady pace
Cause there’s so much more to learn from this
But if it comes to be the greatest of options
We could dive into the tidal wave
And I’ll still be glad it’s turned to this
So I’ll run, cause it’s all that I can do
There’s a place where the river is narrow
And we could jump it rather easily
But there’s so much left to still decide
If it comes to be, the water is shallow
We should wait to get across the stream
Cause I’m still not sure which is the better side
So I’ll run, cause it’s all that I can do
It’s all that I can do
It’s all that I can do
There’s a place, there’s a time
It’s a race to the line again,
I’ll give chase
There’s a start, there’s an end
There’s a place in my heart again,
I’ll make haste
There’s a place, there’s a time
It’s a race to the line again,
I’ll give chase
There’s a start, there’s an end
There’s a place in my heart again,
I’ll make haste
Oh, my love for you, it goes on, it goes on
My love for you, it goes on, hey hey hey yeah
My love for you, it goes on, it goes on,
My love for you, it goes on
ABOUT
Released at a festival-style launch on the banks of the River Murray, The Northern Folk’s self-titled debut shows a young band and the homespun songs that first made them a name. Available on CD only.
Released October 2 2015
Engineered and mixed by Adam Boon at Professional Audio Services, Wodonga
Mastered by Tony Boon at Professional Audio Services, Wodonga
Artwork by Nora Goodbourn
All songs written and performed by The Northern Folk
Paul Dyason- vocals
Georgie Currie- vocals
James Eggleston- guitars, drums, backing vocals
Edward Caunt- bass
Will Carey- drums, guitar
Alex Cameron- clarinet, backing vocals
Khayl Picard- alto sax, backing vocals
Renn Picard- tenor sax, guitar, backing vocals
Michael Parker- trumpet, cornet, backing vocals
Better Him Than Me
Guess you were lonely at the time
‘Cause you phoned me every night,
Just to make sure I’m alive
Only your lips and casket wine
Kept me off olanzapine,
Stilled these trembling hands of mine
If things were different don’t mean much
There were lines we couldn’t cross,
Minds I couldn’t trust
Oh, so-and-so said such and such,
That gets thrown around too much
Where the hell does that leave us?
As I fall back and watch you fall in love
With just someone or other who ain’t sharp enough
To know how to love you, covet you quite like you need
Still, better him than me
Better him than me
You disappear sometimes for weeks
Then I call you up to speak,
You pretend to fall asleep
Neglect can rust respect and trust
Collecting dust like broke antiques,
Our love grew weary then grew weak
As I drift off, I see you drifting away
With some moustache who ain’t worth the time that it takes
To tell you I’m sorry, I wonder how sorry I’ll be
Still, better him than me
Better him than me
And as I look back with hindsight, you’re looking the same,
A face flushed with fury and a stare of disdain
Oh, if you really knew me, you knew what I’d turn out to be
Still, you’re better off with him than me,
Better him than me
Atticus
Heave ho, Atticus
This ship’s almost ashore
And the waves, they seem so mad at us
And I don’t know what for
Good man, Tobias
Go up and trim the sail
There’s few riches for the pious
No option here to fail
Oh, I see it rising
I see it rising
I see it rising
I…
Well hold on, Mary
In the winter I’ll be home
Oh, god forbid this ship of mine
Don’t splinter on the stone
Hold on, lover
It’ll only be awhile
‘Til you and I discover
Softer swells and one another
Oh, I see it rising
I see it rising
I see it rising
I…
Hold fast, Elijah
The bow is bound to break
Take that devil down inside ya
And try to pray, for heaven’s sake
Well, I see it rising
I see it rising
I see it rising
I…
Cynics
Well I hung my sheets and stomped the streets
In a Richmond summer rain,
And I saw this girl who smiled just like you
Well I burned with regret, like my first cigarette
As you crossed my mind again
And I watched her pass in the polish on my shoe
See, there was a time when you were mine,
And the world was mine as well
But I’ve a mind as stubborn as a mule
And love, it waits at no man’s gate,
It rings at no man’s bell
And I boarded all my doors up like a fool
Well I guess this city turned us both to cynics
I guess it got the best of us somehow
If I could turn this wishing into whiskey
Well darling, I’d be drunk by now
There’s someone new, he’s not like you
He keeps it all inside
I’d sooner summon blood out of a stone
Ain’t it strange how some things change
But others don’t subside
I’m just terrified we’ll both end up alone
Well I guess this city turned us both to cynics
I guess it got the best of us somehow
If I could turn this wishing into whiskey
Well darling, I’d be drunk by now
Oh darling, I’d be drunk by now
St Philomena
Kneel to pray before we eat,
Before we go to bed
My mother said, she said I had a saviour
But it seems my dreams have lost their way,
Bound for flame on judgement day
I pray that I get out on good behaviour
So baptise me, oh cleanse my soul,
Forgive me for the hearts I stole
It starts to take a toll as you grow older
Deliver me out of the hands
Of wolves in wool and sinner’s plans,
Eternity’s a burden I can shoulder
Oh, time has never stayed this slow
Oh, try to take me as your own
Oh, I was better off alone,
I was better on my own
Lord I’m coming home
Come on now, take me in,
Hear it howling in the blowing wind, I said
Come on now, bless my soul,
I fear I feel we’re growing old, I said
Come on now, take me in,
If I die, oh let me live, I said
Come on now, bless my soul,
It’s cold out here, oh don’t you know, I said…
Oh, time has never stayed this slow
Oh, try to take me as your own
Oh, I was better off alone,
I was better on my own,
I was better on my own
Lord I’m coming home
Oh St Philomena,
How I prayed for a return,
Just learn that we have been forsaken
But with that big book on the shelf,
Maybe I’ll convince myself
To share the loss, and bear the cross you’ve taken
Get On
You’ll do me no harm, I got the psalms in my pocket
If you wanna get to heaven, son, you’re gonna need a rocket
You wanna make the pearly gate before they start to lock it
Once they lock it, oh you won’t get in
See, hell’s just heaven with the lights turned down
A few more fires we can dance around
And all my friends will be there anyhow
‘Cause I’ve always been a sucker for sin
You gotta get on, get to moving
Get on, before the night’s too cold
You gotta get on, get to moving
Get on, before we’re all too old
Get on
Well I was calm, then I was critical, but now I’m just inspired
Slow to go political but I’m getting f**king tired
Of the demon screaming freedom with her hair on fire
Saying kindness seals our fate
See, first we steal the land, and then we set the laws
Boundless plains with the fastened doors
Oh can’t you see the irony, can’t you see the flaws
Oh no we won’t just wait
You gotta get on, get to moving
Get on, before the night’s too cold
You gotta get on, get to moving
Get on, before we’re all too old
Get on
I’m feeling like this life for some’s a little out of reach
When your coffee and your scones cost you twelve bucks each, but
I’m not here to scold you brother, I’m not here to preach
I say to each their own
But if we gave a little more, spent a little less
You take out what you need but you leave some for the rest
And pay some more attention to the pounding in your chest
And maybe just skip those scones
You gotta get on, get to moving
Get on, before the night’s too cold
You gotta get on, get to moving
Get on, before we’re all too old
Get on
High Horse
Deep pockets, shallow souls
Silence bought, violence sold
And nought forgiven,
Lord I’m tired of these ways
That ain’t living, that’s just life these days
They taught you little but tortured smiles
Life’s this riddle where the answer is lie
Oh, so lie down boy,
A high horse leaves a long way to fall
Your feet don’t reach the stirrups,
It’s clear your spirit’s feeble as it’s small
If we hold on,
Are things gonna change, son?
They’ve always been this way, son
Is it how they’re gonna stay?
They say nothing ventured means nothing lost
Not to mention they stabbed holes in the box,
Oh, you should be grateful you can even see outside
And that dangling carrot
That’s just salad for the wealthy and the white
If we hold on,
For change that’s coming
If we hold strong,
Are things gonna change, son?
Or are we bound to bow, boy
Raise the flag, throw in the towel, boy
Or finally stand our ground?
If we take a look, and take a lesson
(And hold on, and hold on)
And tame mistakes from all the guessing
(And hold on, and hold on)
If we count our luck, and count our blessings
(And hold on, and hold on)
You can hold on, you can hold on
Watermark
When I met her
She was headed some place south-west
And I should’ve let her
I couldn’t breach my house arrest
She said we’re too clever
To ever coexist or coalesce
I thought I knew better
But she knew best
Oh, she’s like flooding rain
And I never saw the weather change
Two years together, four more apart
But I’ve still got a watermark
Well, I hear she married
Some circuit judge out near Adelaide
And her sister Sally
Said all of the groomsmen dressed in suede
Oh, but she still carries
Some sort of semblance of a flame
She took all of me except my name
Oh, she’s like flooding rain
And I saw it in her eyes as she drained away
Two years together, four more apart
But I’ve still got a watermark
Well she’s got a son now
And this Sunday he’ll be three
And her husband’s hair’s brown
But that boy’s as fair as fair can be
His cheeks red as sundown
And his eyes are as clear as sea
You can’t tie his tongue down
Guess he sounds a lot like me
Oh, he’s half flooding rain
And the other half’s too scared to change
Downtrod, down here in the dark
Just scrubbing at this watermark
Cold
He keeps all his sleepless nights
In the bags under his eyes
And he asks if it’s alright
If I leave after we’re done
And so I gather up my pride,
Throw my shirt over my shoulder
And his last scorn in my side
He says he’s waiting on someone,
He’s waiting on someone
But I take solace in the fact
That his past is checkered as the blanket
That he drapes across his back
As he turns away to sleep
And that boy’s a stiff old drink
You always wonder why you drank it
And it burns more than you think
Still that burns all I keep
Oh, that burns all I keep
Don’t grow cold
Don’t grow cold on me
I’m cold enough for both of us, so,
Don’t lose your hold
Don’t lose your hold on me
I’m twice the fool I knew I’d be
Well I wonder if I need him
Maybe I’m just smitten
By the grass that’s so forbidden
On his side of the fence
I’m a feather in his cap
I’m the fresh notch on his bedpost
And the thing that hurts my head most
I feel a chance
Oh, I swear I feel a chance
Don’t grow cold
Don’t grow cold on me
I’m cold enough for both of us, so,
Don’t lose your hold
Don’t lose your hold on me
I’m twice the fool I knew I’d be
Lover, I'm Pleading With You
Been waking up mornings,
Bolts in my throat
Think I’ve done all the talking,
Now I just sit and croak
Seems only appropriate
To try feed you a smile,
But I keep on choking
Let’s get away for awhile
Lover, I’m pleading with you,
I just don’t know what to do
Gonna get in your car,
You know it isn’t too far
Gonna drive towards the calm,
See if the world still holds calm
And I know you’ve gotta work,
You ain’t getting no help
But I can pay your way, at least for a few days,
So don’t worry yourself
Lover, I’m pleading with you,
I just don’t know what to do
I don’t talk to those people anymore,
That’s not why I’m going
I don’t talk to those people anymore
Just need a chance to get home,
But life keeps on going,
‘Til we’re all set in stone
You tell me you’re busy
Think I already knew
Punching in, clocking off,
Dressing down, scrubbing up,
Doing what you’ve got to do
And I know I can take it,
Though I’m thinner than ply
Cities just shake me,
But I can just shut my eyes
Lover, I’m pleading with you,
I just don’t know what to do
Fourteen Days
Darling, I was married when I met you
And I guess I should’ve told you at the time
But I knew that girl since school,
And I was such a fool to make her mine
Darling, I was young and I was fickle
Oh, love was just a trickle, until you drown
I took her fear for love
But she’d love you just enough to keep you around
Oh, fourteen days of pouring rain
With a shiver I can’t shake
Come hell or high water, I pray that I taught her
Love ain’t a given, it’s all give and take
Well darling, I was sober ’til I met her
So how’d I get here drinking like a fish
Oh, our love was longer,
And stronger than the wall that broke my fist
And darling, I was wise and she was wily
Oh, something in her eyes gave her away
And I just pray that she learns before her
Body returns to the clay
Oh, fourteen days of pouring rain
With a shiver I can’t shake
Come hell or high water, I pray that I taught her
Love ain’t a given, it’s all give and take
If It Keeps On Raining
Well, the weather’s far too cold
If the banks stay firm and hold, we’re safe here
If the levee starts to burst
We best expect the worst and race, dear
Oh, I need this bed to float now
Take my leave, go on and row down stream
Just leave me be
Oh, the river gonna bring me down
Oh, the river gonna bring me down
Well, the weather starts to change
As I put that mountain range behind me
As I drifted through the port
I lost the fleeting thought they’d find me
Oh, each day this river widens
Oh, I’d see the change inside her now
If I turned around
Oh, the valley gonna pull me in
Oh, the valley gonna pull me in
Never saw a sign of shore
‘Til I hit the ocean floor and lay there
Though boring half the time
I’ve more than half a mind to stay there
Oh, these skies are growing dark now
Seas will rise and fall, this tide we ride
It rules us all
Oh, the thunder gonna roll on in
Oh, the thunder gonna roll on in
Stovetop Coffee
We’re watching the stars, they’re watching the moon
We all wait for the sun to come break up the gloom
And the wolves they still howl, for the day will break soon
So we stumble on home, kicking bottles and stones
We stumble on home to our room
Well I draw your smile, and you draw the shades
We’ll wait here a while for the sunlight to fade
And evening arrives as the wolves start to bay
The moments will pass and shatter like glass
And leave us at last where we lay
So lay down your sword and come in from the rain
Kick off your boots and shed all your chains
You can stay there all night, still the wolves will remain
I’ve twice checked the locks, I’ve my gun in my socks
And this door can hold more than the strain
In For A Penny
I could not see this going this way, no
I could not imagine this showing on your face the way it does
I could not hear you speaking of this, no
I could not imagine you telling me the way you think it is
Hold on tight, I was not prepared for you
Your tongue you should bite, cause if you feel the same way too
Then darling, we might find out what we need to do,
But oh, give it time, cause I’m into you, oh
I could not see this going this way, no
I could not imagine this showing on your face the way it does
I could not hear you speaking of me, no
I could not imagine you seeming so comfortable and free
Hold on tight, I was not prepared for you
Your tongue you should bite, cause if you feel the same way too
Then darling, we might find out what we need to do,
But oh, give it time, cause I’m into you, oh
Oh, she said, the days grow long my dear
Oh, he said, if it’s so wrong, why I am still here
He said, when I’m with you my dear
Oh he said, I feel the same way too
To Build A Boat
Amy, go put on your coat
I promised I’d build you a boat
And I pray each day that it may stay afloat
Amy, go put on your coat
Amy, this wind is too still
And we’ve got a sail to fill
I’ve not a doubt, further out, that it will
Amy, this wind is too still
Darling, there’s rocks to the west
Oh and I can’t shake this ache in my chest
Morning is dawning, it comes without warning
It’s best that we’re going now, better start rowing now
Amy, let’s drift out to sea
And trust there’s a gust in the breeze
Leave both the oars on the shore when we leave
Amy, let’s drift out to sea
Amy, we ain’t coming home
I’ve packed up the things that we own
If anyone rings there’s a note on the phone
Saying Amy, we ain’t coming home
Darling, there’s rocks to the west
Oh and I can’t shake this ache in my chest
The morning is dawning, it comes without warning
It’s best that we’re going now, better start rowing now
Whiskey Jesus
I need whiskey
(You need Jesus)
I know it’s risky
But I’ll do whatever pleases me
I know she’ll love me,
I know she’ll love me either way
I know she’ll love me,
I know she’ll love me either way
He’s so good at listening
(She don’t stop talking)
We’ll still be dancing
When we’re too old for walking
But I know he’ll love me
I know he’ll love me either way
I know he’ll love me
I know he’ll love me either way
Well, I ain’t tactful
(Subtle as gunfire)
But it’s a fact that,
That you’re the one, I
I’m gonna love babe
I’m gonna love you either way
I’m gonna love you
I’m gonna love you either way
He buys me jewellery
(She rathers roses)
Well I thought he knew me
That’s how he shows it
But I know he’ll love me
I know he’ll love me either way
I know he’ll love me
I know he’ll love me either way
Well, I’m hardly a heartthrob
(I’m mostly a hot mess)
I fear my heart’s stopped
‘Til she’s in that white dress
And she says she loves me
She says she loves me either way
She says she loves me
She says she loves me either way
Libertine
She’s always had a passion for anything like fashion
But thinks it looks better on the floor
And for someone who knows everything about clothes
Well she barely wears a thing anymore
She says that something’s missing when we get to kissing
Cause she doesn’t like the lights turned out
So she throws open the curtains, tears off her shirt,
And turns to candles when the sun burns out
Married to the preacher man, faithful ain’t a feature
And I promise that she’ll eat you alive
She says darling quit your stressing, just give me your blessing
It’ll be the best thing you survive
You don’t know where you went, you don’t know what you spent
But you can smell her scent on your shirt
It’s all for the best, take your heart from your chest
And the rest is all going to hurt
No, you’ll never love her but you see it through
The kind of girl your mother wouldn’t want for you
She’s gonna love you ’til you’re black and blue
Frozen through, your heart in two
Black and blue
Everybody’s needing a story to proceed ’em
But I’m worried that it’s happened again
Cause every time you’re here, I just start to fear
That you haven’t even told them your name
Everybody’s saying you’re simply just playing around
You’ve got a mind of your own
But even just by playing, you’re basically saying
That you’re really scared of being alone
No, you’ll never love her but you see it through
The kind of girl your mother wouldn’t want for you
She’s gonna love you ’til you’re black and blue
Frozen through, your heart in two
Black and blue
Foolish Child
Stupid child, the streets are wild
And they lied when they said the world was better
You called to the night, your voice out of sight
And you were thick to think that he felt it
Foolish child,
These games are far too hard
Mind your heart next time
Foolish child,
Watch your bones fall apart
And boys can’t put them back together
Velvet voice, your car the only noise
As you soothed the creases from my brow
All my fears that I’ve harboured all these years
Were forgotten by the end of the hour
Foolish child,
These games are far too hard
Mind your heart next time
Foolish child,
Watch your bones fall apart
And boys can’t put them back together
Watch your step, ’cause your soul’s all you’ve left
When you’re lying deep in the ground
Copperphone
Oh, we’re spinning ’round too fast
I reach out but I don’t get a grasp
Oh, we’re spinning ’round too fast
I speak out but I don’t ever ask
Hey, you’re screaming at me too loud
I can’t figure out a way around
Hey, you haven’t even told me your name
Say you wrote the song that I heard
But I know you didn’t write a word
Still you’re the one who’s getting the fame
Every hour, every station
We’ll be blessed by your creation
Everyone will have that song on their mind
But I know with every playing
There’s no truth to what you’re saying
They’ve just written what they know we will like
Stay with me any minute
Now you’ll see they’ll be finding
So many reasons for them
Not to leave
Stare Well
Meet me in the hallway, in the middle of the night
The door reveals the mountain air, there’s still no sign of light
The love within your stare, well
It’s making me feel I’ve been hypnotised
Meet me in the forest, and it’s there we’ll build our home
The city life is boring, there’s enough warmth in our bones
And every time you’re close, well
You’re making me feel like I’m paralysed
You’re making me feel like I’m paralysed
Meet me in the mountains, and we’ll turn towards the east
And as the sun arises, it supplies us with our heat
And every time I speak, well
You’re making me feel like I’ve improvised
Meet me in the morning, as the rain settles in
The storm confirms that winter’s here, we’ll shed our summer skin
And every time you’re near, well
You’re making me feel so romanticised
You’re making me feel so romanticised
It’s time we leave this town
We’ll head for higher ground
We’ll say we’re mountain-bound for somewhere better
It’s time we build our home
We’ll find strength in our bones
We’ll leave, forever known for this adventure
So it’s okay for you to change to somewhere higher
We’ll make a move, we’ll make a way, we’ll start the fire
We’ll sleep for days, and when we wake
We can retire
It’s not the same, it’s not the same, now that we’re older
We wish for warmth, and wish for change, and want it colder
A change of place, a change of pace, pick up our shoulders
Pick up our shoulders
Aisle Seat
I guess I should be leaving soon
But right now I’m scared to leave the room
Cause if I return, well I know you’ll be here
We can pray I miss the lights
And then I’m too late to catch the flight
And I’ll have to stay with you another year
It’s probably best if I don’t speak
Cause what I want to say
Is not acceptable in places quite like these
Not sure what I should do
I guess I’ll just appreciate
The company of someone quite like you
It’s just a mass of stony beach
We’re travelling so fast, but those below,
They underestimate our speed
We’re swallowed into blue
Could this be the emergency
That finally puts those exits to their use?
But in time we will all
Fall down to where we started it all
And this time when you call
I’ll tell you I’ve been sorry since the moment I departed New York
It’s probably best if I don’t sleep
The nights are getting longer,
You’re just trying to fill the space between the sheets
Still I won’t fill the room
I’ll rearrange the house
But never quite remove the space left there by you
My neighbour’s fast asleep
Still, I can’t help but think of how
They’re using up the honoured window seat
They’re blocking out the view
The infinite blue ocean,
We’re doing what we can to chase the moon
But in time we will all
Fall down to where we started it all
And this time when you call
I’ll tell you I’ve been sorry since the moment I departed New York
‘Cause if my plane had never shown,
And if our pain had never grown
We’d have worked it ’til near perfect
And believed that we were home
And it’s been hours since I woke,
And it’s been days now since we spoke
And I’ve been drinking, slowly sinking
Since my television broke
Still the puzzle’s left undone,
And we’re just left chasing the sun
I’m left wishing it was over
Just as soon as we’d begun
And I’ve a suitcase filled with sand,
And I’ve your letter in my hand
I must leave it and can’t see it ’til we land
If Only, For Now Pt. 1
Pour your scars on my skin
I know we’re getting older
Just let it begin
You can’t reason with lovers
‘Cause they only see reasons why
It’s hard to see what you need
With stars in your eyes
So don’t let me down
You don’t know what you’re talking about now
Don’t go and say that you mean it,
‘Cause I believe you won’t let me down
I know we’re just thinking out loud
I won’t just say that I’ve seen it
I’ll leave it to work itself out
Sometimes I wish we were strangers
Then leaving wouldn’t hurt me so much
But I’d sooner die than goodbye
And not know your touch
So don’t let me down
You don’t know what you’re talking about now
Don’t go and say that you mean it,
Cause I believe you won’t let me down
I know we’re just thinking out loud
I won’t just say that I’ve seen it
I’ll leave it to work itself out
But I will fight
And hope that there’s hope left inside of you now
I’m frightened that everything you ever loved
Has now lost its desire
If Only, For Now Pt. 2
The dust it set, the flag it blew
The lights went out all over you
And as we left, the tree came down
There was not a breath to break the mighty sound
The humming tone drew us in
The hidden door, the blowing wind
From the river bed, the stony ground
The iron shed, the ocean sound
We could just stay here, if only for now
We could just say this won’t bring us back down
To the ground where we lay
The dust it set, the flag it blew
The lights went out, and darkness grew
And as we left, the silence broke
And from the depths, the voices spoke
And what they said drew us in
The secret note, the blowing wind
From the river bed, the stony ground
The iron shed, we’re homeward bound
We could just stay here, if only for now
We could just say this won’t bring us back down
To the ground where we lay
So hold on tight, hold ’til it’s numbing,
‘Til your palms have gone white, cause change is always coming, so
Check your grasp, the movement approaches
And it’s coming on fast, we’ll hit before you know it, so
While We're Here
She said to find peace in this life,
You have to live it well
I said, how can you tell
She said the only cure for this love
Is to learn to love you more
I said, how can you be sure
Cause try as we might, we don’t get out alive
And we are all just driven by the fear
So let’s take this night, begin to live or start to die
Cause loving’s all we’ve got while we’re here,
While we’re here
You said my only fear in this world
Is to truly show my face
I said, don’t let life go to waste
You said I never believed
That love is even real
I said you never got to feel
Cause try as we might, we don’t get out alive
And we are all just driven by the fear
So let’s take this night, begin to live or start to die
Cause loving’s all we’ve got while we’re here,
While we’re here
She said, don’t you remember,
Cause I can’t seem to forget you
You know I’ll never let you down
He said, that’s not the issue,
But every time I was with you,
My feet wouldn’t touch the ground
She said, don’t you remember,
Cause I can’t seem to forget you
You know I’ll never let you down
The Storm
Well I know how you’re feeling,
Come on I’ll take you home
You’re walking on the ceiling,
You’re stealing the show
In the morning you’ll feel better,
But this is not a joke
It’s a storm that you can’t weather,
It’s better we go
So close your eyes and take a breath
I will only try what I think’s best for us
Take a seat and slow it down
Try to see how this is for the rest of us
Cause I can see the storm, it’s closing in
And the rain will only fall where we have been
And we’ll be fine as long as we keep travelling, oh
I know that you’ve been thinking
The room is spinning ’round
But darling you’ve been drinking,
And it’s bringing us down
I know that you’ve been dreaming,
Cause I can see it on your face
It’s time that we were leaving,
Cause you’re not seeing straight,
Oh, you’re not seeing straight
So close your eyes and take a breath
I will only try what I think’s best for us
Take a seat and slow it down
Try to see how this is for the rest of us
Cause I can see the storm, it’s closing in
And the rain will only fall where we have been
And we’ll be fine as long as we keep travelling, oh
Wave
Oh, my love for you, it goes on, it goes on
My love for you, it goes on
There’s a bridge running over the water
And I could take it and get straight to you,
But there’s so much left to make of this
Though the water’s running faster than ever
We could dive in if we wanted to
And it could take us somewhere else than this
There’s a ship going over the ocean
And we could take it at a steady pace
Cause there’s so much more to learn from this
But if it comes to be the greatest of options
We could dive into the tidal wave
And I’ll still be glad it’s turned to this
So I’ll run, cause it’s all that I can do
There’s a place where the river is narrow
And we could jump it rather easily
But there’s so much left to still decide
If it comes to be, the water is shallow
We should wait to get across the stream
Cause I’m still not sure which is the better side
So I’ll run, cause it’s all that I can do
It’s all that I can do
There’s a place, there’s a time
It’s a race to the line again,
I’ll give chase
There’s a start, there’s an end
There’s a place in my heart again,
I’ll make haste
There’s a place, there’s a time
It’s a race to the line again,
I’ll give chase
There’s a start, there’s an end
There’s a place in my heart again,
I’ll make haste
Oh, my love for you, it goes on, it goes on
My love for you, it goes on, hey hey hey yeah
My love for you, it goes on, it goes on,
My love for you, it goes on
WATERMARK – 2019
Released 29 March 2019
Written and performed by The Northern Folk
All tracks recorded at Newmarket Studios, North Melbourne
‘Get On’ engineered and mixed by Callum Barter at Newmarket Studios
With Michael Parker – trumpet
All other tracks engineered by Julian McKenzie at Newmarket Studios
Mixed by Callum Barter at Remo Music, Highland Park, Los Angeles
Mastered by Joe Carra at Crystal Mastering, Melbourne
Artwork by Amber Gittins (original work titled ‘Outback Storm’)
Logo by Kristian Rasmussen
Paul Dyason – vocals
Georgie Currie – vocals
James Eggleston – guitars, percussion, drums, keyboard
Jayden Dunne – keyboards, guitars, backing vocals
Edward Caunt – bass
Will Carey – drums, guitar
Alex Cameron – clarinet, backing vocals
Khayl Picard – alto sax, clarinet, keyboard, backing vocals
Renn Picard – tenor sax, backing vocals
Grace Hornsby – trombone, backing vocals
STUMBLE ON HOME – 2016
Released October 28 2016
Engineered and mixed by Adam Rhodes at Sing Sing Studios, Melbourne
Mastered by Ross Cockle at Sing Sing Studios, Melbourne
Artwork by Alison Percy
All songs written and performed by The Northern Folk
Paul Dyason – vocals, guitar, percussion
Georgie Currie – vocals
James Eggleston – guitar, drums, backing vocals
Jayden Dunne – keyboards, backing vocals
Edward Caunt – bass
Will Carey – drums, guitar
Alex Cameron – clarinets, backing vocals
Khayl Picard – alto sax, backing vocals
Renn Picard – tenor sax, guitar, backing vocals
Michael Parker – trumpet, backing vocals
Grace Hornsby – trombone, backing vocals
THE NORTHERN FOLK – 2015
Released October 2 2015
Engineered and mixed by Adam Boon at Professional Audio Services, Wodonga
Mastered by Tony Boon at Professional Audio Services, Wodonga
Artwork by Nora Goodbourn
All songs written and performed by The Northern Folk
Paul Dyason- vocals
Georgie Currie- vocals
James Eggleston- guitars, drums, keyboard, backing vocals
Edward Caunt- bass
Will Carey- drums, guitar
Alex Cameron- clarinet, backing vocals
Khayl Picard- alto sax, backing vocals
Renn Picard- tenor sax, guitar, backing vocals
Michael Parker- trumpet, cornet, backing vocals