Captain Swing

Posted on 5 October 2016 by trevor

CAPTAIN SWING

©Trev Teasdel Coventry 1976

CHORUS 1..

Light light your torches bright

Burn the hayricks burn

Light light your torches bright

Burn the hayricks burn

The landlord is replacing our labour

With labour saving machines

Whilst we’re in a living ditch

Under the Speenhamland scheme

With high rents and taxes and clergy tithes

We’re robbed of decent lives.

Wages low and the prices so high

Families’ whole might die

(To Chorus..)

We’ll unite in collective action

Sworn to secrecy

If they ask who is this ‘Captain Swing’

You’ve never heard of him.

We’ll fight fight for the right to eat

To feed our families

Fight fight for the right to work

To earn our daily bread.

Chorus 2..

Thrash thrash the threshing machine

Smash the threshing machine

Thrash thrash the threshing machine

Smash the threshing machine.

We’ll send send a warning letter

To the offending gent

“Revenge for thee is on the wing“

From thy determined Swing.

You can read, read the riot act

We’ll riot till we win

Here come, come the Royal Dragoons

To shoot poor Captain Swing

(Chorus 1)

Though we bravely stood our ground’

and tried to put our case

The dragoons they fired their deathly shot

into our hungry face.

Shot, shot were valiant men

Fatherless families abound

And transported to Van Dieman’s land

Yet the Captain is still around

Chorus 1 & 2

Featured on my album Songs From the Coventry Underground, Gnome Label 2007

Written after reading George Rude and Eric Hobsbawm’s book Captain Swing for A level Economic and Social History and reading some early Swing ballads in the college library. I wrote my own version.

Broadgate Gnome said of this on the album ” But that’s not the only reason for choosing his work for this release. He is a master craftsman of his artform. His lyrics are carefully honed with the occasional surprise. The working of the words “under the Speenhamland scheme” into the lyric of Captain Swing, written some 20 years before the arrival of Billy Bragg, is phenomenal and deserves a place in the record books.”

Captain Swing – Trev Teasdel from Trev Teasdel on Vimeo.

Just Before Dawn

Posted on 5 October 2016 by trevor

JUST BEFORE DAWN

©Trev Teasdel Coventry 1970
(Poem Rural City verse Feb 70 / Just before Dawn poem March 1970)

– Recorded on Cassette Player 1979

Breeze blowing through the trees,

Squirrels squatting on their knees

Breeze blowing through the trees,

Squirrels squatting on their knees

Trying not to freeze, in amongst the trees

Searching for acorns

Just before dawn – Just before Dawn

Just before Dawn – Just before dawn

And the wind blows free, of the ripples of the city

Just before dawn, Just before dawn

Just before dawn, Just before dawn.

Then silence vomits an almighty roar,

A thousand vehicles and maybe more

Stampede the main, arterial lanes

To face their daily stresses and strains.

And engines sing to morning faces

Bustling off to their work places.

Oh, Oh,City light – Oh, oh, City light.

Refresh your lungs in the morning smog.

Find a patch of grass to walk your dog.

Wander by in an urban dream,

‘long the banks of a traffic stream.

Black birds nesting in the branches

of the local factories.

Oh oh City light – oh oh City light

Listen to cockcrow in the clock tower

Announcing the arrival of another rush hour,

(another rush hour, another rush hour.)

Oh ,oh, City light – Oh, oh, City light.

Featured on my album Songs from the Coventry Underground, Gnome Label, 2007

……………..

This began as a series of poems and lyrics written while working at the GEC, Stoke in Coventry 1970. I was trying to write lyrics towards a proposed pop concept album (even though I didn’t have a recording contract!), similar to the Moody Blues Days of Future Passed. I probably had more lyrics than that album but I didn’t play guitar at that stage, so the music never got done. In the late 70’s I composed afast clawpicking piece and combined elements of the poems and lyrics into this song.

Just Before Dawn – Trev Teasdel from Trev Teasdel on Vimeo.

This is an extended version of Just Before Dawn with extra lyrics.

Mrs Stress and Strain

Posted on 5 October 2016 by trevor

MRS STRESS AND STRAIN

©Trev Teasdel Coventry 1969 / 1975 / 78

When the sun is out shining,

Are you always ironing?

Does your Steven need new shoes

And Mary have the lover’s blues?

As life all around gets tense,

Do you ask yourself

‘Where is the sense?’

Maybe the milkman hasn’t been,

And your rooms aren’t very clean.

So many bills to be paid,

On your mind they’re all weighed.

Prices rising higher

And your state is getting dire.

Chorus –

Mrs Stress and Strain,

To the ‘kitchen sink you’re chained‘.

Worry haunts your life,

And I can see you are the wife

Of Mr Toil and Strife.

They say “A women’s works is never done”

and the housework isn’t fun.

Who else would work as hard as you

Such long hours, no rest due?

The stresses and the strains you bear,

The children and the mothercare!

And the beat goes on, day by day,

The isolation wears your soul away.

There’s nothing to show for all your work

Because you can’t stop a room from gathering dirt!

Do you feel you’ve got no life left of your own,

A permanent fixture, a doorpost in your home.

Chorus …

And though you’ll never make ends meet,

The adverts entice you to compete,

With an image of an ‘all-mod-con‘

Trendy space age ‘Super mom.‘

Should profiteers always hold the trump cards?

You’ve been dealt a hand of jokers –

Oh What a façade!

Sometimes ‘slave‘ means the same as mom.

Who does everyone fall back upon?

They don’t think, there can be another side of you.

Only see what they expect of you.

Locked into the family situation,

With the pills to ease your aggravation.

Chorus…

Sit down, sit back, light up and sigh,

Does your position in society make you cry?

“How hard’s the fortune of all women kind,

always in fetters, always confined.

Bound down by parents until made wives

Slaves to their husbands the rest of their lives.” *

* This verse in quotes is from the tradional folk song ‘The Waggoner’s Lad‘

Featured on my album Songs From the Coventry Underground, Gnome label, 2007

………………

The story behind this is under The Ups and Down in the life of Mr Toil and Strife. I wrote this in 1969 originally adding in verses and revising in the late 70’s after reading various feminist books.

Here’s the video of the song Mrs Stress and Strain.

Throw Down My Pack

Posted on 5 October 2016 by trevor

THROW DOWN MY PACK

©Trev Teasdel Coventry June 1973

Give me my pack, I’ll be on my way

The lakes of this land are now dry.

It’s been a good soldier in its day

But its eyes have no water to cry.

The sun looks bright but the land is in shadow

Like madmen we tried to swim a tideless sea.

A sky full of planes but nowhere to land them

A head full of ideas that cried to be free.

Instrumental Break…

Throw down my pack; I’m bound for to stay

I think we can turn on the tap.

Turning the tap is like tugging Excalibur

We need all hands at the tap.

The sun looks bright; we’ll invite it to stay

Once we find a place to land our planes.

A hand full of ideas; a jug full of water

Reap the fruit of our aims.

Where has the love gone; we’re empty and aching

Where has the fun gone; it’s turned into violence.

Where are the people with words and no action?

Let’s have the action and less of the words.

Featured on my album, Songs From the Coventry Underground, Gnome Label, 2007

……………….

In June 1973, John Bargent and I launched Hobo, Coventry Music and Arts magazine. After the first issue, John left to roadie with a jazz rock outfit Khayyam on their European tour and residency at Ronnie Scotts. John more or less financed Hobo so I was left in the lurch and the first verses came about after realising I wouldn’t be able to continue it. Not long after I met Babs, who I was seeing for a while and she got the second edition printed at her place of work, albeit duplicated. It save the the day the final verses appeared. The lyrics are ones I sing when things go wrong and I want to remind myself that things can be turned around.

Throw Down My Pack – Trev Teasdel from Trev Teasdel on Vimeo.

Back in Winter Town

Posted on 5 October 2016 by trevor

BACK IN WINTER TOWN

©Trev Teasdel Coventry 1970 and Middlesbrough 1985 (2nd verse).

I persevered through persistent rain,

Believing that the sun must shine.

Through the thunder clouds, I kept my head

Wishing that the sun would shine.

I was isolated by deep frozen snow,

Believing that the sun would shine.

And the sun did shine, and it shone so bright

that it dazzled me.

Chorus

And the rain came down,

Now I’m back in Winter Town

And the rain came down,

Now I’m back in Winter Town

(Bridge)

I’m a ‘child of the snow’. I’m a ‘child of the snow’. I’m a ‘child of the snow’

I dug my way through fields of hurt

Believing I would find the key.

Through the gates of pain, I kept my head

Believing I would find the key.

I was left alone, in that nowhere zone

Believing that the key I’d find.

And the key did shine and it shone so bright

that it dazzled me.

Chorus

And the rain came down

Now I’m back in Winter Town

And the rain came down

Now I’m back in Winter Town.

(Bridge repeat)

Featured on my album, Songs From the Coventry Underground, Gnome Label, 2007

Back in Winter Town – Trev Teasdel from Trev Teasdel on Vimeo.

This is dry remix without the digital reverb –

Back in Winter Town (Mix 2) Trev Teasdel from Trev Teasdel on Vimeo.

With Someone Nice Like You

Posted on 5 October 2016 by trevor

WITH SOMEONE NICE LIKE YOU

©Trev Teasdel 1980 Coventry.

I torture myself, with pent up fears

I brood a lot

I brew tea for one

I ask myself “How come”

How come I just can’t face the pots.

I tie myself right up in knots,

Chorus

And I long to spend my time

Yes I long to spend my time

With someone nice like you.

I smashed a cup, washing up.

I burnt the toast,

I missed the post.

I ask myself “Whyfore”

Whyfore I haven’t fixed the drafty door.

I’m frozen right through to the core.

Chorus

And I long to spend my time

Yes I long to spend my time

With someone nice like you.

Oh the nights are cold.

Oh the nights are long.

All I do, it comes out wrong.

I wash my clothes but still they pong.

How come I just can’t get it right?

Sadness got me in his long-range sights,

To chorus..

Bridge

When I see a lover by your side,

I turn my love lights low.

Take my part in a melancholy show.

Oh I just don’t know

Don’t know how to show that I just don’t care,

When my feeling set fire to my hair.

To Chorus.

Featured on my album, Songs From the Coventry Underground, Gnome Label 2007

With Someone Nice Like You – Trev Teasdel (1980 Cassette demo) from Trev Teasdel on Vimeo.

Alternative version of With Someone Nice like You

Vision of a Brighter day

Posted on 5 October 2016 by trevor

VISION OF A BRIGHTER DAY

©Trev Teasdel Great Ayton Feb 2001

If you could see inside my heart

You’d know how much it hurts to be apart.

You’ve touched something so deep inside

And my love for you could never hide.

Your love around me was a silken gown

Shielding me from a lonely frown.

I never kissed or held you close

But you reached me where it matters most.

Bridge –

Cos you’re like a vision of a brighter day

With golden footpaths leading through the grey.

You’re like a church where everything is true

And every ounce of love I have’s for you.

Oh I know I’m just a step along your way

But I’d do anything I could to make you stay.

There can be space in love for solitude

And hearts grow fonder in the interlude.

I see a world that needs what we can do

Two hearts with a mission to carry through.

If I’m the cheese, you’re my chalk

Can we meet up, I think we ought talk.

To Bridge…

Featured on my album, Songs From the Coventry Underground, Gnome Label, 2007

Vision of a Brighter Day from Trev Teasdel on Vimeo.

Tonight Loneliness Surrounds Me

Posted on 5 October 2016 by trevor

TONIGHT LONELINESS SURROUNDS ME

(Like the Dark of Night)

Sat at the table we sat last night.

Looking at the chair from where you looked at me –

Last night.

Wishing I could see you there now,

Loving eyes. Lovely hair.

It all serves to remind me how much –

I need someone nice like you to care.

Sat at the window where I watched for you.

Looking at the people looking at me,

looking for you.

Wishing I could see you there now,

Heart that love,. soul that cares.

It all serves to remind me how much –

I need someone nice like you to care.

Chorus

Last night it was the wine that was flowing

Tonight, it’s the tears that are flowin’

Tonight, loneliness surrounds me,

Like the dark of night.

Sat on the edge of love awaiting your return.

Looking inside my soul as my feelings burn.

Wishing I could see you there now,

Words so tender, lips that heal.

It all serves to remind me, how much,

I need someone nice like you to care.

Bridge

Just a tender word, in my ear would ease my fear.

People say such ugly things and in my mind it rings and rings

But just a tender word from you can make loneliness stand up and sing.

Featured on my album, Songs From the Coventry Underground, Gnome label, 2007

Tonight Loneliness Surrounds Me from Trev Teasdel on Vimeo.

A Lotta Rain is Fallin’

Posted on 5 October 2016 by trevor

A LOTTA RAIN IS FALLIN’

A lotta rain is fallin’ but the earth has moved aside

There’s a lotta bullets flying but the victim’s found somewhere to hide.

There’s a lotta rivers flowin’ but the sea’s learned how to fly.

There’s a lotta clouds a wondering which rockets nicked the sky.

Cos the roads are moving fast but the cars are standing still

And so much is happening, yet nothin’s ever done

Oh we want to see the light but we’re dazzled by the sun.

(Bridge)

And some people’s only sunshine

Is their Cornflakes in the morning time

And the age of Instant sunshine, in packets bright and gay

I know will be dawning, in some future day.

There’s a lotta tears a fallin’ and more are being cried.

There’s a lotta people trampled on as man takes another stride.

There’s a lotta smoke arising but the sky’s learned how to swim

There’s a lotta faces smiling but their hearts are feeling grim.

Cos a lotta tension’s forming and the bag’s about to burst

There’s gotta be an answer cos the world is getting worse.

A lotta help is needed to get that truck back on the road

Cos too many people are pullin’ too heavier a load.

(Bridge repeated)

Featured on my album, Songs From the Coventry Underground, Gnome Label, 2007

A Lotta Rain is Fallin’ – Trev Teasdel from Trev Teasdel on Vimeo.

This second version is a band version with Trev on vocals and guitar, Steve Gillgallon on bass and lead and Ian Digby on keyboards.

A Lotta rain is Fallin’ – band version from Trev Teasdel on Vimeo.

Postcards of China

Posted on 5 October 2016 by trevor

POSTCARDS OF CHINA

Come to my side, let love be our guide

The hills of Guilin, the Eternal spring.

You bring to mind postcards of china

Misty blue peaks, follow me there.

A sampan on the banks of the Lijang

Cross country from Peking to Shenyang

You bring to mind postcards of China

Misty blue peaks, you take me there.

So hungry to explore

The mysteries behind your door

So hungry to explore

The mysteries outside my door

And the girl who reminds me

Of postcards of China.

Lake Dianchi, the mountains of sunrise

Beauties of heaven I see in your eyes.

You make me think of postcards of china

Misty blue peaks, I’ll follow you there.

And I love you through and through

I love you, you know I do

Cause you remind me of

Postcards of China

Featured on my album, Songs From the Coventry Underground, Gnome label, 2007

Postcards of China from Trev Teasdel on Vimeo.