On A Bench By The Brook

Sylvia sits on a bench by the brook,
nobody asks her the time as the day passes slowly.
Children run, shout, fall, or was that yesterday?
Tomorrow is a far away country watching the brook flow.

All of a somewhere a siren sounds.
Mothers alarmed, gather loved ones.
It's quiet again, the 'all clear' must have sounded,
Sylvia trembles, she forgot her gas mask.

That long ago? Was it one of ours?
Where have they gone? It's starting to rain.
Sylvia listens to the gentle pitter patter,
sitting all alone at dusk on a bench by the brook.


Capability Red       July 2013

Every Day

Every day the morning comes, Andy hums, Mark thumbs a lift to work, to see them shirk.
The office clerks, rearrange, I wanna change from acting strange.
Silver cloud, shout aloud "everywhere I go I wanna know just how to show them what I do, I beg of you".
Don't lose your pride, run and hide, or sit beside a layabout, hear him shout, there is no doubt.

Every day this empty room is full of gloom, hanging doom and mystic powers, ivory towers.
Playing for East Fife, get a life or someone's wife. Or Louise, just a tease mmmm yes please.
Every day my dustbin pad is in arrears, I'm in tears, nobody fears an autograph from a girafe.
Do they make you laugh? The price you pay every day, every day the morning comes, Andy hums.



Capability Red      1972

Coming Up For Air?

It's not the sort of job for an Englishman,
it's not the sort of job for any man.
But I do a bit of overtime when I can.
It helps to pay the mortgage.

It's not a job where you drive a Rolls Royce.
It's not the sort of job you do out of choice,
and if I kick up a stink, I'm a lonely voice.
Still, it helps to pay the mortgage.

It's the sort of job you leave when you can.
But you can't jump out of the frying pan.
In the summer I could get a tan.
But that wouldn't pay the mortgage.

It's not the sort of job to recommend.
It's not the sort of job you'd offer a friend.
On Saturday night, I've no money to spend.
Not after I've paid the mortgage!

They calculate a mortgage on what you earn.
They couldn't care less what you learn.
But they'll be sorry when I return
to pay next month's mortgage.


Capability Red      aprox'  1983

Love Is ?

Love is real, love is ill,
Love is when your woman's on the pill.
Love is nice take my advice,
Love is when she doesn't ask twice.
Smiles and kisses, Mr and Mrs,
valentine cards and pleasant wishes.
Love is lame, love is tame
Love is when you both feel the same.
Love is cash, love is fashion,
Love is when you both share passion.
Love is together in stormy weather,
Love is when you both wear leather.
It makes a change if love is strange,
let's role reverse, let's rearrange.
Love is a choice, let's rejoice
on the back seat of a new Rolls Royce!
Love is first, love is last.
Love is treasure from a pleasant past.


Capability Red          aprox'  1982

Watching You Grow Old

In the heat of the night, feeling cold,
your face contorts, I'm watching you grow old.

Behind closed eyes, the years unfold,
for the rest of my life watching you grow old.

And day by day, night after night,
the shadow of your stare in the fading light.

Ordinary woman, ordinary man,
getting it on as best as they can.

We have a purpose, or so we're told
through ageing eyes, I'm watching you grow old.


Capability Red          aprox    1982

Going to work on the early train

Suck'n blow, cereal stain
going to work, eat my brain,
galloping rhythm, repetitive strain,
bass line tuned to the early train.
Got a job, mustn't complain
find a seat on the early train,
repetitive strain, repetitive strain,
no no no, I'm not insane.

Barbara Gordon, Lois Lane,
recurring dream can't explain,
sudden derailment, low flying plane,
nightmare on the early train.
Through the window in the rain,
washed away down the drain,
hear no evil feel no pain,
in the dark on the early train.

Energy drink, bean and cane,
ear phones in with disdain.
Little to lose nothing to gain
always the same, repetitive strain.
Wheels go 'round again 'n again,
every morning it's the same,
every day struggle in vain,
cold steel track, repetitive strain.

Going to work once again
repetitive strain, repetitive strain,
what's my number? what's my name?
No escape from the early train.
Heard the economy's on the wane,
weakest link breaks the chain
can't speak up, must refrain
repetitive strain, repetitive strain.


Capability Red       2013

Peter Believes

Peter believes that Bow Bells sound
it's ten to six, so he must rise,
born in the fifties, a problem child,
he wipes yesterdays dreams out of his mince pies.

And Peter believes there's a peaceful solution
to the abundance of violence thriving today,
he feels so loyal, so totally confused,
at times he just doesn't know what to say.

At the yard he is cordially greeted,
'morning friends' and so to the bench,
his favorite circular saw is humming
how could he say that life is a wrench?

Peter believes that a woman exists
and he will sweep her off her feet,
every day Old Ford is the same,
do we accept the blame, or do we try to cheat?

Peter believes for every drop of rain that falls:
 Someone gets wet!
And Peter believes one day the government will fall.
But it hasn't happened yet.

Oh Peter believes. Yes, Peter believes.



Capability Red     aprox'   1980