The Boatman's Call lyrics

I don't believe in an interventionist God
But I know, darling, that you do
But if I did I would kneel down and ask Him
Not to intervene when it came to you
Not to touch a hair on your head
To leave you as you are
And if He felt He had to direct you
Then direct you into my arms

Into my arms, O Lord
Into my arms, O Lord
Into my arms, O Lord
Into my arms

The boatman calls from the lake
A lone loon dives upon the water
I put my hand over her
Down in the lime tree arbour

The wind in the trees is whispering
Whispering low that I love her
She puts her hand over mine
Down in the lime tree arbour

Through every breath that I breathe
And every place I go
There is hand that protects me
And I do love her so

There will always be suffering

Last night my kisses were banked in black hair
And in my bed, my lover, her hair was midnight black
And all her mystery dwelled within her black hair
And her black hair framed a happy heart-shaped face

And heavy-hooded eyes inside her black hair
Shined at me frome the depths of her hair of deepest black
While my fingers pushed into her straight black hair

I remember a girl so very well
The carnival drums all mad in the air
Grim reapers and skeletons and a missionary bell
O where do we go now but nowhere

In a colonial hotel we fucked up the sun
And then we fucked it down again
Well the sun comes up and the sun goes down
Going round and round to nowhere

The kitten that padded and purred on my lap
Now swipes at my face with the paw of a bear

Just like a bird that sings up the sun
In a dawn so very dark
Such is my faith for you
Such is my faith
And all the world's darkness can't swallow up
A single spark
Such is my love for you
Such is my love

There is a kingdom
There is a king
And he lives without
And he lives within

The starry heavens above me
The moral law within
So the world appears
So the world appears
This day so sweet

Babe I got you bad
Dreaming blood-wet dreams
only madmen have
Baby I got you bad
I wish to God I never had
And it makes me feel so sad,
O, Baby I got you bad
Yeah, Babe I got you bad

I long for your kiss,
for the turn of your mouth
Your body is a long thing
Heading South
And I don't know what I'm talking about
All of my words have gone mad
Ah, baby I got you bad

Seasons have gone wrong

People just ain't no good
I think that's well understood
You can see it everywhere you look
People just ain't no good

We were married under cherry trees
Under blossom we made our vows
All the blossoms come sailing down
Through the streets and through the playgrounds

The sun would stream on the sheets
Awoken by the morning bird
We'd buy the Sunday newspapers
And never read a single word

Kiss me again, rekiss me and kiss me
Slip your frigid hands beneath my shirt
This useless old fucker with his twinkling cunt
Doesn't care if he gets hurt

Green eyes, Green eyes
Green eyes, Green eyes

If it were but a matter of faith
If it were measured in petitions and prayer
She would materialise, all fleshed out
But it is not, nor do I care

Green eyes, Green eyes
Green eyes, Green eyes

They're taking me down, my friend
And as they uskher me off to my end
Will I bid you adieu
Or will I be seeing you soon
If what they say around here is true
Then we'll meet again
Me and you

My time is at hand, my dove
They're gunna pass me to that house above
Is Heaven just for victims, dear
Where only those in pain go
Well it takes two to tango
We will meet again, my love
I know

With a crooked smile and a heart-shaped face
Comes from the West country where the birds sing bass
She's got a house-big heart where we all live
And plead and council and forgive
Her widow's peak, her lips I've kissed
Her glove of bones at her wrist
That I have held in my hand
Her Spanish fly and her monkey gland
Her Godly body and its fourteen stations
That I have embraced, her palpitations

I've felt you coming girl, as you drew near
I knew you'd find me, cause I longed you here
Are you my desitiny Is this how you'll appear
Wrapped in a coat with tears in your eyes
Well take that coat babe, and throw it on the floor
Are you the one that I've been waiting for

As you've been moving surely toward me
My soul has comforted and assured me
That in time my heart it will reward me

Up those stone steps I climb
Hail this joyful day's return
Into its great shadowed vault I go
Hail the Pentecostal morn

The reading is from Luke 24
Where Christ returns to his loved ones
I look at the stone apostles
Think that it's alright for some

And I wish that I was made of stone
So that I would not have to see
A beauty impossible to define
A beauty impossible to believe

Now that mountains of meaningless words
and oceans divide us
And we each have our own set of stars
to comfort and guide us
Come into my sleep
Come into my sleep, oh yeah
Dry your eyes and do not weep
Come into my sleep

Swim to me through the deep blue sea
upon the scattered stars set sail
Fly to me through this love-lit night
from one thousand miles away
And come into my sleep

For you dear, I was born
For you I was raised up
For you I've lived and for you I will die
For you I am dying now
You were my mad little lover
In a world where everybody fucks everybody else over
You who are so far from me
Far from me
So far from me
Way across some cold neurotic sea
Far from me

I would talk to you of all matter of things
With a smile you would reply

The Boatman calls from the lake
A lone loon dives upon the water
I put my hand over hers
Down in the lime tree arbour
The wind in the trees is whispering
Whispering low thar I love her
She puts her hand over mine
Down in the lime tree arbour
Through every step that I take
And every place I go
There is a hand that protects me
And I do love her so
There will always be suffering

(Can you turn me up a bit)
King kong kitchee kitchee ki-mi-o [4 times and throughout song]

Well frog went a-courtin' and he did ride
With a sword and a pistol by his side And he rode 'til he came to Miss Mouse's door
And then he knelt right down upon the floor
He said, "Little Miss Mouse, will you marry me
Way down yonder in the hollow tree
With an owl and a bat and a bumblebee"

You found me at some party
You thought I'd understand
You barreled over to me
With a drink in each hand
I respect your beliefs, girl,
And I consider you a friend,
But I've already been born once,
I don't wanna to be born again.

Your knowledge is impressive
And your argument is good
But I am the resurrection, babe,
And you're standing on my foot!

But my little boat is empty
It don't go

Down in the willow garden, me and my love did meet
And as we sat a-courting, my love fell off to sleep
I had a bottle of burgundy wine; my love, she did not know
And so I poisoned that dear little girl along the banks below
Along the banks below

I drew my saber through her; it was a bloody night
I threw her in the river, which was a dreadful sight

I met a little girl in Knoxville
A town we all know well
And every sunday evening
In her home I'd dwell
We went to take an evening walk
About a mile from town
I picked a stick up off the ground
And I knocked that fair girl down
She fell down on her bended knees
For mercy she did cry
"Oh Willy, dear, don't kill me yet
I'm unprepared to die"
She never spoke another word
I only beat her more

When I get home, I'm gunna clean up my house
When I get home, I'm gunna kick out that mouse
When I get home, I'm gunna put things in order
but right now, right right now, right now I'm a-roaming

When I get home, I'm gunna make that call
When I get home, I'm gunna talk it through
When I get home, I'm gunna straighten it out
but right now, right now, right now I'm a-roaming