Witches
by Owen Duff
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1. |
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I'm gonna play my bass guitar
I'm gonna pretend that I'm far away from this place
I'm gonna play my bass
I've been sick for a long time now
I was sent up the Magic Mountain to get well
For how long nobody would tell
Nobody's sure what is the cure and what's the disease
But the chaplain prays and the doctor stays 'though I wish he'd leave
They put my night terrors down to errors in my dosage
But I know they've made a mistake in my diagnosis
See they don't know that you broke my heart
When you showed up and stopped what we'd started, oh I grieved
Why did you have to leave?
If I could go back to any place
I'd go straight to the sacred space in your embrace and I'd stay 'til I die
Oh but I can't, can I?
Now I'm above you and your love they say I'll survive
I had to stop the love I've got just to stay alive
Still memories of you and me they uselessly linger
As I sit with these strings under my fingers
There's a girl here who cuts her skin
She says skin is the thing that keeps us locked in and apart from each other
I said "then I'll be you blood brother"
And we sit up here watching the view
We'll sit all summer and all winter through
We sit together, just us two
I don't know what she thinks about but I think of you
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2. |
You Amaze Me (Remix)
03:32
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If my life was a song you'd be the bridge
Bold and breathtaking
Clever and full of courage
You run your own show
Like no one I know
And every time we meet
These words I repeat
You amaze me
You amaze me
When I was a kid a teach asked me could I visualise
A brand new colour the thought of it nearly blew my mind's eye
Well that's what you're like
You're so out of sight that every time we meet
These words I repeat
You amaze me
You amaze me
The Scrabble tiles I spilled this morning spelled out your name
The streets in my A to Z did the same
You're in every letter and every street
And every time we meet
These words keep repeating
I never really got love
Thought it was a con or a lie
But something in you woke something new in me
And now I realise
That no picture word or song
Could depict what goes on
Inside me when we meet
This feeling I have that repeats and repeats and repeats
You amaze me
You amaze me
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3. |
Witches (Remix)
03:30
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Isn't it pretty
In the city?
Haven't our friends come
To shine on you and me?
And aren't we precious?
Precious good and young in the city?
You don't believe in witches do you?
Didn't I buy you
A cape and cane?
Didn't you wear them
On Christmas day?
But isn't now summer?
And don't you look a little foolish?
You don't believe in witches do you?
And won't we see a sad-faced boy?
And won't he be fun to fix?
Hasn't he forgotten all of the joy and fun and laughter life can bring?
You don't believe in witches do you?
You don't believe in witches do you?
You don't believe in witches do you?
No
Well there are no witches here
So say yes with me
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4. |
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I was a few coins short of a place to be
I hung 'round the square like a rare disease
Bleak as a funeral at a funfair
But I rolled on like a carousel
And I bought me a round in the Crown and Bells
Held court like a king, was dethroned and thrown out and threw up there
Nobody loves a tortured soul like a tortured soul loves a tortured soul
Nobody loves a tortured soul like a tortured soul loves a tortured soul
And nobody loves me
So in a laundrette on a street with no trees
I flicked through pages of slick journalese
And thought - a revolution's coming, someone just has to call it
I wanted a car then to drive or sell
Or to run away, or to raise some hell
But I know every time I drive a car I stall it
Nobody loves a tortured soul like a tortured soul loves a tortured soul
Nobody loves a tortured soul like a tortured soul loves a tortured soul
And nobody loves me
Here's an article about gaining wealth
Here's one about mental health
Here's one about stacking shelves
Here's on about Santa's elves
They say they'll get you what you want
They promise you that you'll succeed
But they never get you what you want
And you never get what you need
I'm looking for that sunny day
Chasing the clouds away...
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5. |
Flawed Men
03:45
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Flawed men
With the world in our hands
The future at our command
Blind to all we don't understand
Flawed men
Addicts of the boom and bust
Caught between our shame and lust
All is gold or all is dust
If you see us with our heads bowed you wonder
Is it in prayer?
Or despair?
We control what is allowed 'though that's neither wise nor fair
When we're so prone to dreams and so prey to nightmares
Protectors
Preachers
Terrorisers
Teachers
Flawed men all
Flawed men all
Worriers
Warriors
Waverers
Warfarers
Building to dark release
Oh have mercy on the likes of she who seeks peace
Only peace
Flawed men all
Flawed men all
Flawed men all
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6. |
A Feather on the Scale
03:09
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Oh my precious one
We're facing disaster
Not at all what I wanted for you when you were small
The peace we thought we'd won
Lies in tatters
Chaos pours down once again to drown us all
So you ask yourself how in the world can I make it all right?
With all your might
Put a feather on the scale
Do whatever good is possible for you to do
You might think that you can't change the world
'Cause your feather's too light
But you must do what's right
So that millions more can follow you
People pray for peace
The world over
Then they fight to the death over how it's achieved
They'd rather be right
Than be happy
How unhappy they would be to be right you wouldn't believe
So you ask yourself "what can I do that will make this all right?"
Well hold on tight
And put a feather on the scale
Do whatever good is possible for you to do
You might think that you can't save the world
One feather's so light
But if you do what's right
Then millions more can follow you
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7. |
Julia
03:12
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Outside
They fly
Magpies
I spy
First twice
Then thrice
And it's one two three that I watch 'til they go
Three for a girl that I know
Julia birds were built for flight
Don't give up your freedom without a fight
If someone really loves you then they set you free
They don't cage you in the name of security
Oh Julia Julia Julia Julia Julia don't
A ring
A sling
I sing
Of things
Breaking
A wing
If your feathers are all tethered then you never can soar
That ring won't bring what you put in on for
Julia birds were built for flight
Don't give up your freedom without a fight
If someone really loves you then they set you free
They don't cage you to display like a sad trophy
Oh Julia Julia Julia Julia Julia don't
It takes a strength of spirit
A certain mind
To follow your own path to leave the flock behind
It takes certain spirit
A strength of mind
But if you can do it so can I
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8. |
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I wander 'round the town now
Feeling disconnected
Everyone I know has gone away
Thousands of years ago now
Jesus was resurrected
And I am all alone this Easter Sunday
I think that there is something wrong with me but I can't name it
'Though I have looked for the word everywhere
Something that I once had has now been lost 'cause I failed to claim it
To have then not to have is just too much to bear
There are people - someone else's people - in my usual places
The spaces where my friends I used to see
These people dress and sound familiar but they have different faces
I do not know these people and they don't know me
I go into a hotel
I buy a gin and tonic
I watch people arrive and disappear
I think about the planet
And of how I am on it...
I'm not miserable
It's a miracle that I'm here
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9. |
The Great Empty Unknown
04:05
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10. |
Dalston Crazy
05:50
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I was walking down Kingsland road
The cafes were open, the pound shops were closed
And a man was screaming and tearing at his clothes
Saying "you want to kill me!"
But I don't...
I go into Tesco, why I forget
When you tap me on the shoulder as I'm stood by the bread
And I say “Jesus you scared me, I thought you were a Dalston crazy”
And we hug and we smile
Then it’s all "how’ve you been?", "it’s been a while"
And a woman tuts as we block the aisle
Then you say you lost your job
And I tell you I'll ask about
You're looking for salt for your soup
But they've weirdly run out
I see you look tired
And our small talk sinks in things too big to say out loud
'Til you tell me you should go
That we should meet again
Both knowing we won't
And you disappear
I frown at the cereals
And think vaguely of death
And of how it might get you if you get too depressed
And of just what a waste your death would be
But I snap out of it because it upsets me
So I get something and join the queue
A man buys a scratch card and far too much booze
While the checkout girl flirts with the checkout boy
And I say "I don't need a bag thanks"
Sounding annoyed
And she takes my things and scans them through
But I run to the street and I’m looking for you
And a car comes from nowhere
And brakes just in time
And in that moment I feel what life is
As it hangs by a thread
I see that while life is being lived
So much of it is dead
I wander the streets
Singing a song
I wander the streets
And you're long gone
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about
Ten songs about everything from love and loneliness to patriarchy and the end of the world, with a sound that roams between electronica, 60s inspired chamber pop and atmospheric art songs. Two songs, the anti-marriage anthem 'Julia' and 'Dalston Crazy', an atmospheric epic set in an all-night supermarket, are released for the first time here.
credits
released November 14, 2018
license
all rights reserved
tags
about
Owen Duff London, UK
A true adherent to the DIY ethos, Owen Duff creates everything related to his music, from artwork to videos, as well as playing/programming nearly all of the instruments on his songs. His songs that blend influences from folk, 60s chamber pop, electronica, film and TV scores and jazz. Owen's lyrics are inspired by books, films, TV, high and low culture, politics and personal experience. ... more
discography
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Nov 2023 -
Jun 2022 -
Nov 2021 -
Nov 2021
contact / help
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