Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

As Mags & I were driving home from the party at Nibs, we popped the self-titled album by Oysterband in. They're an obscure little band from Ireland, but the more I listen to their stuff, the more it grows on me (even if the lead singer's voice doesn't really fit the music.)

The poetry behind their songs sings all on its own, as in their song,
The Road to Santiago:

Carnival is what you dare,
Flesh farewell, the soul goes bare.
Your face is just a mask you wear, but
Masks are hidden faces.
All night long from bar to bar,
The devil is a falling star
He knows who you really are
He walks in hidden places

On the road, on the road, on the road to Santiago
The wind can howl, waters roar
Night comes down & feet get sore
(a priest goes dancing with a whore!
you won’t be who you were before)
We’ll walk that wild Atlantic shore,
The devil walks behind us
On the road to Santiago.

This is what the devil sells:
Broken vows and broken spells,
Voices out of empty wells,
Fire in December.
Burning horses, burning trees,
Steps you climb up on your knees,
Missing days and missing keys,
And dreams you can’t remember.

Holy bandits, band of hope,
Hauling an unholy rope.
Halfway up the slippery slope,
That’s where you’ll find us;
We met the devil strolling round,
On the midnight side of ton, he said:
“Halfway up? That’s halfway down.”
-- well, you don’t need to remind us
You don’t need to remind us.

On the road to Santiago.

Less poetis, but wven more fun, is the last song on the album,
Blood Wedding:

Do you take this woman? I said, “Yes I do,
I love her like crazy & I think she loves me too.
But we’ll do without the family, if it’s all the same to you.”
Happy ever after.
Your mother is a flake, your father’s full of shite,
Your sister says you married me in white just for spite.
Well, a party’s not a party till it ends up in a fight.
Happy ever after.

And there’s my lot, your lot, us two in between –
This is the last time I get married (please God!)
This is the last time I get married.

My brother’s never short of a substance to abuse,
Rum & glue & thunderbird & wizz & special brew.
Any minute now he’ll show us all of his tattoos.
Happy ever after
Nephews are obnoxious, nieces are too tall.
A dozen drunken uncles are pissing up the wall.
Granddad is grinning, but there’s no one home at all
Happy ever after.

For richer, for poorer, for better or for worse,
Now we are married, a blessing or a curse.
Kiss me now & don’t forget,
What you see is what you get.

And there’s my lot, your lot, us two in between --
This is the last time I get married (dear God!)
This is the last time I get married (please God!)
This is the last time I get married.

And the best man’s the worst man, the best man is a beast.
Underneath the table with the sister of the priest.
The way he’s going at it, she’s probably deceased.
Happy ever after.
Granny’s on the brandy, getting bleary-eyed,
Guys I went to school with want to see me outside.
Someone’s pulled the bridesmaid, has anyone seen the bride?
Happy ever after.

And there’s my lot, your lot, us two in between --
This is the last time I get married (dear God!)
This is the last time I get married (please God!)
This is the last time I get married.


The tunes are dancing in my head as I head off to get some sleep.

Here's wishing all a safe and prosperous New Year. And hoping you can remember your dreams.