Get all 10 Dave Bradley releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Genre Fluid, Lifelines, After the Lockdown, The Lockdown LP, Bridge of Sighs, The Sea Refuses No River, Who is Really Fooling Who?, Detail is a Devil, and 2 more.
1. |
The Oleander Fires
04:27
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The Oleander Fires
Waking with the sunrise
As soothing as the breeze
Find it hard to settle down
I'm running through the trees
I'm not rolling with the New Age
Fighting battles you can't conceive
Walking through the scrubland
Heading for the sea
The oleander fires give little heat
but their breath intoxicates you
You're dreaming of garrigue
and wonder why you're weak
Crawling back to meet you
Calling out to greet you
Sound the Alarm! The worriers are coming
Bearing gifts only Greeks would refuse
Falling out of their clothes
It's not the path they'd choose
It's a battle they're bound to lose
When winter seeds the spring
You catch hold of everything
The oleander fires give little heat
but their breath intoxicates you
You're dreaming of garrigue
and wonder why you ache
Crawling back to meet the oleander fires
The oleander fires give little heat
but their breath intoxicates you
You're dreaming of garrigue
and wonder why you weep
Crawling back to meet you
The oleander fires, waking with the sunrise
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2. |
One by One
04:17
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One by one
As the lights come on , one by one
In the calm of a distant harbour
You begin to see as the day is done
That their lives are all that really matter
As the clouds drift on, one by one
And the stars begin to appear
The planets they stride across a velvet sky
But are tamed by the music of the spheres
Don't look to the sky for the reasons why
Even if you're feeling a little small
The clouds pass by, no reason why
And the stars don't matter at all!
If your mind is drawn to those distant forms
And you worry about their hidden meaning
It's easy to say they're not entirely au fait
With the thoughts with which you're dealing
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3. |
Shifting Sands
04:35
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Shifting Sands
There's a man who lives down by the water
Stares out to sea like he understands
When the wind changes, you know he really ought to
find a new life away from shifting sands
And, the girl who lives above him on the cliff-top
writes tales that no one will ever keep to hand
She stands alone, waiting at the water's edge,
worrying that he'll never come back home
Her superstitions say to her that he's safe out there,
but time and tide will never spare the stone
You've got to be lost not to find them
Strong not to bind them
Got to be sharp, not to cut yourself
You've got to be here to get away
You've got to be cold not to stay
a knocked up complication on the shelf
As the tide turns and washes away your secrets
You know the words were only meant for you
As the light fades you search around for a beacon
A guiding light to navigate the blue
You've got to be lost not to find them
You've got to be strong not to bind them
You got to be sharper, not to cut yourself
You've got to make time to get away
You've got to be bold not to say
that it's a locked down combination on the shelf
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4. |
Running Out of Favours
03:10
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You stepped off the train
There was nobody waiting
You looked down at the rails
The rain pounded, the light was fading
Are you running out of favours?
Are you running out on me?
Are you looking for a saviour
to confiscate the fear?
You knocked on the door
Why was nobody waiting?
You looked up at the rain
Your heart pounding those words berating
You're riding high on danger
You're running to be free
But you're running out of favours
Wishing you were never deceived
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5. |
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When the beat hits you hard
and you hear that simple melody
When the beat heals your heart
I keep you in my memory...
...and hope for love and harmony
When the beat hits your heart
You're a long way from the turnaround
and I don't see you coming back
Never seem to be homeward bound
Always heading down the track
You turn away there's nothing I can do
Was it something that I lacked?
You took a chance on the turnaround
But I don't hear it working out
Never saw your feet hit the ground
Always heading out the back
You run away and there's nothing I can do
Was there nothing that you lacked?
Words and music by Dave Bradley
Guitars, bass, vocals Dave Bradley
Drums Klaus Tropp
I have done an instrumental remix of this song called "Angle Shades"
Sciencebase – Angle-shades
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6. |
Almost Heaven
04:16
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West Virginia was almost Heaven
Well, not quite Heaven, but close to it
Drinking, laughing, we stuck together
Though years go by, we haven't changed a bit
Oh we had a blast, working hard, and playing fast
Working, singing, all of us brimming with youth
But we knew it wouldn't last, heading home; now it's in the past
Take us back to where we were riding high
Not for all time, just for a day and a night
Show us Heaven, show us how to be free, again
But, almost Heaven is not what you need for a life
West Virginia was almost Heaven
Well, not quite Heaven, but near enough
Walking, talking we stuck together
Years go by now we're in the rough
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7. |
Watch Your Step
03:17
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For sake of everything you do today
Just for the sake of everything you do today
Watch your step on the way
Whatever you do today
(Worry about it later)
Watch your step all the way
Whatever you do today
You might leave a trail today
Whatever you do today
Just watch your step
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8. |
Shooting Waste
06:20
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Shooting Waste
Stepped away from the water's edge
Though darkness surrounded me, I heard no siren call
Cleared my head and reminded myself
Without your Word, I wouldn't be here at all
Though everyone is turning everything inside out
It's way beyond a doubt, they don't need to see me fall
With every whisper, with every scream and shout
My safety net is torn, my back's against the wall
Idle eyes can't see you build your faith
Don't knock them over
Don't lead it to an empty place
Don't idolise, build up your faith
Don't tell me that it's over
Don't leave an empty space
Have you heard about the news today
There was another killing, another shooting waste
When you step back to see the error of your ways
The part you played, the lives you could've saved
Have you even read the news today
Yet another killing, another shooting waste
If you'd only step back see the error of your ways
The part you played, the lives you could've saved
Climbed on up to the higher ground
Though echoes come and go, there was nowhere to fall
With open hearts, we couldn't bear to hear the sound
The separated children, the terror of it all
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9. |
C6 Deev
03:09
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10. |
On reflection
03:53
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On Reflection
On reflection, I always knew I wouldn't find my way
On reflection, never was a truer word, you'd say
On reflection, I'd really have to fight to make you stay
On reflection, burning your bridges was the cruellest way
On reflection, cutting those ties 'cause they wear you away
Hear the words behind the lies, where do I begin?
Well you're cutting your ties 'cause they're wearing you thin
I think the ties that bind might be the original sin
So, I close my eyes and then I can't complain
On reflection...there's nothing to gain
On reflection...
It's a no brainer game I'll lose
I don't believe I ever had the chance to choose
When you blow my mind, there's no place to hide
Force me to loosen my grip on my pride
There's a time and a place to stare at the mirror
There's a likelier case that couldn't be clearer
What's this game you play where I'm a beginner?
Don't you know my lights are growing dimmer?
That reflection of you is growing dimmer
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11. |
The Heat
03:21
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You hide your feelings deep inside
With some misguided sense of pride
Then you expect me to read you like an open book
Please don't flog me if I have to take a second look
Though words you're keeping deep inside
I've turned to that page you know you can't hide
Though I can't read you like an open book
I got to that part don't need to take a second look
It feels like the heat of the day
is wearing me thin, wearing me thin
It seems like the things
you don't say are taking me in, taking me in
It feels like the heat of the night
is wearing me thin, wearing me thin
It seems like the way you just might
is reeling me in, reeling me in
It should be easy but I just can't tell
In the final pages am I under your spell?
You think you read me chapter and verse
No spoiler alert but you know it's gonna get worse
I get the feeling the mystery's solved
Did the killer come clean will they be absolved
No one survives it, that much is true
Cover to covered, the feeling is blue
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12. |
La Gaffe de Péniche
03:51
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La Gaffe de Péniche
Sacred heart, black eyed, switchblade cutoff, no surprise
Keep them down, where they're hiding round and round the bend, yeah
Lock on, when you're long gone, wasted
Confined to waiting in the waiting room again
Can't find me waiting for the wasted friend again
Not in this rain
Complex. Complicated. Comforting. Completely.
Won't touch you when you take the blame
Another day round the bend, again and again
My take on this isn't what you need
Release the kiss
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13. |
The Spate Gatherers
04:20
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The Spate Gatherers
Well the cobles come in and the fishwives they grin,
and they take on the catch from their man
On the scarp they all stand and they pass hand to hand
To keep the fish fresh as they can
It's heavier work, than the work in the boats,
the men get to roll with the waves
Singing reels to the sirens away out to sea,
while the wives tread the rocks like they're slaves
Then they're lugging a load to the tops of the cliff,
it's not easy to carry a creel
Well, it's only a catch, but it's fresh and it's naturally
feeding the bairns; dance a reel!
Singing aye-diddle-aye-dai, aye-diddle-aye-dee,
A spate gatherer's life's not for me
Singing aye-iddle-aye-dai, aye-diddle-aye-dee
Give'uz the easier life out at sea
There's a scratching of slate with the numbers, the date,
then they carry it south 'round the bay
They scrape over the pier and then disappear
from the view of those hiding away
What's kept in the pools north of Jakey's and scrapes,
is enough to pay for wor rent
But the bastards dive down and they take it to town,
another load slips through the net
Now, the tide's on the turn and the lads they return
And they know who it is that's to blame
With their beer inside 'em and no lack of pride, them'll
kick two shades of spate out of them!
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14. |
A Northern Boy
04:47
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When the chill wind steels through the canyon
The city puts its heart on ice
There's no effort in the rush to escape there
That's really no kind of life
It's a one-time tonic for the twist around
So we're running through the back streets
Find adventure on the wrong side of town
No one leafing through the sheets
When the summer comes around
The wind blows as hard if you let her
But it really can't warm you now
A Northern boy ought to know better
Kicking back another own goal
It's strange how it feels
To know you'll never find the answer
To the question nags at your soul
Didn't you know any better?
Did you never learn to rock and roll
While your mom was signing the letter
Letting you out on parole?
Insist your sister stays the right side of town
Not rocking to some guy's beat
But she wants to loosen off his frown, somehow
Rocking in his back seat
Didn't you know any better?
Did you never learn to rock and roll
While your mom was signing that letter
Letting you out on parole?
When the summer comes around
The wind blows as hard if you let her
A Northern boy ought to know better
When the chill wind steels through the canyon
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15. |
Bridge of Sighs
03:09
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Bridge of Sighs
I was grateful for everything I had with you
But then the winter came and their paucity of truth
Too many questions, so many trials they put me through
And all the forces that would hold me back,
I pray we can still pull through
I put our futures in my pocket,
there's nothing else that I could do
In days of clover, I thought you would show me how to compromise
Think it over, then we'll get out under the bridge of sighs
Give me a moment I can explain to you the hows and whys
Then under cover, our life anew, we can but fantasize
There was a journey
The price was paid (You couldn't see through your fears)
A boat will take us. (Beyond your tears)
It's time for you to be brave
I gave them everything
but they wanted more for passage on that wave
Someone to save us. There is no wreck.
We escape the salty grave
I took our futures from my pocket,
really nothing else that I could do
In days of clover, I thought you would show me how to compromise
Just think it over, then we'll get out under the bridge of sighs
If you give me a moment I can explain to you the hows and whys
Then under cover, our life anew, we can but fantasize
I put our futures in my pocket...
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16. |
The Stormy Petrels
03:31
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The Stormy Petrels
The seas were fair as far as the eye could see
The waters still and bare
The wind laid low, there was time to spare
There'd be no storm to keep us here
The nets were all tied and the fishwives were ready
The cobles would leave on the tide
We'd sail to the north and head for the shoals
Their shawls held tight, home on the breeze we would ride
The hours went by and the swell it grew heavy
The men would e'er swallow their pride
The rises and falls of the fish life a penny
The true, tried, and tested on-side
The nets were all tied and the fishwives were ready
The cobles they sailed on the tide
We'll head for the north and race for the shoals
Their shawls they'd hold tight, till home on the breeze we will ride
We rowed a fair clip with a glint in our eye
The tide would carry us wide
The sun it shone through as the land disappeared
The spindrift blew through, but no siren could draw us aside
The net's been aside and the fishwives were ready
Our cobles they sailed with the tide
We'll head for the north and race for the shoals
Their shawls they'd hold tight, till home on the breeze we will ride
It was bright and white horses there were none to see
And the wind couldn't blow owt our oils to deceive
But the pressure will fall we'll not bear a hasty retreat
Whistle and you will be damned
A hastier judgement to hand
A voice horn calls out
"No survivors will e'er see the land"
The nets were all tied and the fishwives were ready
The cobles would leave on the tide
We'd sail to the north and head for the shoals
Their shawls they'd hold tight, till home on the breeze we would ride
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17. |
Turncoats
04:30
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Turncoats
Baskets of wild stone to save the land from the seas
What would carry me home? Not the tide nor the breeze
Give her all you take till she brings you to your knees
And the wind will catch your breath brace you for the peace
Fleshing out the rust that decays by the shore
Wonder if I'll find the way home just a little bit raw
You face the pain, but it turned you pale
Your wounded sigh, You hide behind a veil
Storms and fights and endless bloody wars
Dreams of lights and turncoats on the shores
Screams at night are nothing but a bore
Then you turn away and ask for nothing more
Kicking up the sand by the shore
Picking at the strands a little bit more
But it all unravels when you sail against the wind
I'm a long way looking back, your blame is under my skin
Storms and fights and endless bloody wars
Dreams of lights and turncoats on the shores
Screams at night are nothing but a bore
Then you turn to me and ask for a little more
Storms and fights and endless bloody wars
Dreams of lights and turncoats on the shores
Screams at night are nothing but a bore
Then you turn to me and ask for nothing more
Baskets of wild stone to save the land from the seas
What would carry me home? Not the tide nor the breeze
Give her all you take and she'll bring you to your knees
And the wind will catch your breath brace you for the peace
Storms and fights and endless bloody wars
Dreams of lights and turncoats on the shores
Screams at night are nothing but a bore
Then you turn away, then you turn away, then you turn away
And ask for nothing more
Baskets of wild stone to save the land
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Dave Bradley UK
Guitarist, singer-songwriter. Acoustic and electric indie pop and rock originals. Singer, guitarist with C5, bigMouth, TyrannoChorus, CTW, with DJ Ad, and BarbD
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