Nikki Sudden


See My Rider Murder Valley French Revolution Blues Breaking Lines Groove Sea-Dog Blues Great Pharaoh Poor Relation Wild Cathedral Beethoven's Ring Back To The Coast Too Bad For You Village Green Bonus Tracks/B-Sides Captain Kennedy Something About You

See My Rider

I see my rider coming
Heading out across the miles.
Oh, I see my rider coming
Heading out across the miles.
Oh, I gotta find my honey
Find her dripping from the skies.

Well, three times twenty-seven
On the night that I was born.
Oh, three times twenty-seven
The nineteenth month I will be born.
Oh, I gotta find my honey
Find her dying on the lawn.

Well, I gotta find my rider
Diamonds scattered amongst the sheets.
Yea, seven riders coming
See them hidden in the sheets.
Oh, I'm sailing 'cross the ocean
It's gonna knife me in the deep.
Oh, I'm sailing 'cross the ocean
I don't ever need to sleep.

Murder Valley

There's murder in the valley tonight
They say Sam Hall has shot John Lee
The evil rooted in his black soul
Down by the Black Hole Saloon
They say the oak cannot repine
The deeds you did on Molly's day
And in the empty marshalling yards
You can hear the children pray.

Well, you found me dying when I was all alone
An empty bottle of whiskey and the light to take me home.
Well, you found me dying when I was all alone
An empty bottle of whiskey and the light to take me home.

In the empty marshalling yards
With the ebonite stench around
You can hear the women moan
As they lay their burdens down
They've got empty hearts and suicides
A thousand things you can't erase
And all their testaments
Will be written on their graves.

French Revolution Blues

My feet are clad in leather
The streets are made of stone
I've walked a thousand miles
But I'm not walking them alone.

I never knew the reasons
For taking you along
You told me all your stories
And I told you what I'd done.

They'll try to drag you to the gallows
You'll hang before too long
They take you and they cut you down
When you're young and strong.

I've walked a thousand rivers
My feet are made of stone
I've walked ten thousand miles
I'm not walking them alone.

You try to tell me
All the things
That lie in the mud.

I don't know what to say
For things I've done today
I'm bleeding and I'm broken
And I won't be back again.

The coffee house is closed now
The gods go down in flames
The sunset rises over
And the streets turn red in shame.

Oh, my feet are clad in leather
The streets are made of stone
I've walked ten thousand miles
I'm not walking them alone.

And down the streets of Paris
The tumbrels they still roll
The French Revolution's coming
And the blues have taken hold.

Oh, she said, "It'll be better when it rains
And the farmers bring the crops in
And they protect them from the rain."
Oh, she says, "She'll see me in a little while."
And after all these years of plenty
She just had to make me smile."

Okay, let's groove now...

Oh, she said, "It'll be better when it rains
And the farmers bring the crops in
And they put them on the trains."
She moved back to the country
Like a scared little girl
She didn't want to trespass
Didn't want to take away my world.

Oh, she said, that, "Once in a while
All her ships will come in
And then I can see her smile."
But I moved on up to Berlin
Oh, I did what I could
And I didn't want to see her
So I left her in the wood.

Oh, let's groove now...

And she said, "It'll be better when it rains
She can come out of the flower bed
And jump onto your train."
Oh, she says, "I won't play second fiddle for you,
'Cause you've got salt on your shoes
And y'know I love you true."

Okay, let's groove now...

Sea-Dog Blues

Well, this world is full of sorrow
And I'll play no fiddle for you
And the devil he walks with a crutch
And his eyes are always blue.

And we're freezing in the garrets
Down by St. Mary's Port
And the slave-galleys they head out
Yea, they head out to the North.

The tide turns and Christoph beckons
Eyes lit with harridan tears
One turn of the rack and a taste of cloves
And I hear you near.

Oh, we're bricked in by sorrow
And Bethel is on your arm
As she nods to herself gently
Down by the Lincoln Arms.

But you jump, yes you jump Jack
There's no hope left for you
Oh, you jump, yes you jump Jack
And you jump into the blue.

You got your coat of virtue
And you got your slip of gauze
No more tears for you my child
No more tears, my child of the North.

You can hit the streets now for all I care
Twelve years old and bound for the cottonfields
The tallow factories or the board school
Yea, we were raised, we were raised on fear.

And you can jump now
Why don't you jump, Jack
Back into my arms Jack
Ya old sea-dog now?

Well, my grandfather cut the cloth
He's got an apron across his chest
He shot a man in 1917
But he never meant to go to war.

Why don't you jump Jack?
Why don't you jump on back?
Why don't you jump Jack?
Just jump on Jack?

Oh, jump, come on Jack
Why don't you jump on back?
I got the sea-dog blues
And I never lose.
I got the sea-dog blues
And it goes like you
It goes now…

Why don't you jump
Jump into your sack
Why don't you jump
Just jump on Jack..

I was walking across the Memphis heights
Looking for a picture I could fight
This girl came up and said, "What is worse
To find your money or to lose your purse?"

Oh, tell me great pharaoh, "Who am I?"
"You're just the boy from nowhere who fell out of the sky."

Well, the sergeant of guards with his gun in the guy
His foot in the widow and his pocket in the sky
He's been saving up for twenty-seven years
He's got no money but he never cares.

Oh, tell me great pharaoh, "Who am I?"
"You're just the boy from nowhere who fell out of the sky."

Well, it goes up and down and round and round
It pulls the dragoons from out of your town
They've been cloistered there since nineteen-twenty-three
They've got their tickets and they're ready to leave.

Oh, tell me great pharaoh, "Who am I?"
"You're just the boy from nowhere who fell out of the sky."

Well, the road to the Coliseum is paved with good intent
I found myself wishing I was back in the drinking tent
I took your money, I opened your door
I lay on your back and you screamed for more.

Oh, tell me great pharaoh, "Who am I?"
"You're just the boy from nowhere who fell out of the sky."
Oh, tell me great pharaoh, "Who am I?"
"You're just the boy from nowhere who fell out of the sky."
I'm just the boy from nowhere who fell into your eye.

Nothing you could ever do
Could ever crack my shell
You're the empty boy from the cottonfields
From the bottom of Barnum's well
The water-carrier on a midnight crawl
Who always missed the call
Yea, what's the big idea with you
You always follow what I do.

Nothing you could ever say
Could ever impress me
I've heard it all before I guess
Yes it all came from me
So you dyed your hair black one day
That must have been a really big deal
You're such a little innocent
A dog yapping at my heels.

When they move the debris
I guess you'll be underneath
Trying on my old clothes
Trying to kiss my feet
And when they ring the mausoleum
They'll find you on the line
Trying to steal my fingerprints
So you can read my mind.

Nothing that's just all you are
You're like my effigy
Like a snake crawling up a bell
You make the leaves fall from the trees
The only sacks you ever owned
Were those I didn't need
Like a poor relation
You're one more mouth to feed.

You hoist the chalice to your lips
And the water turns to brine
The rain always seems to fall on you
It never turns to wine
An empty bottle of whisky
Would have more effect than you
They always close the restaurant
When you walk in for food.

Nothing you could ever give
Could be enough for me
Salome could have danced all night
But she wouldn't have taken your seed
You couldn't even ring a bell
Except in the cemetery
Yea, what's the big idea with you
What d'you think's your claim on me?

Elijah might have cared for you
But he was a better man than me
And Douglas Bader might have prayed for you
But that's all history
The only things you've got to offer
Are all built on the sand
Someday, baby, you might be lucky
Someone might cut off your left hand.

Nothing you could ever do
Could ever crack my bell
You're the empty boy from the cottonfields
From the bottom of Barnum's well
The water-carrier on a midnight crawl
Who always missed the call
Yea, one day, baby, they'll find you dying
At the foot of my garden wall.

Beethoven's Ring

Oh, Belinda, she's a waitress, she lives on 7/6 a week
And her father he's a preacher but he's forgotten how to speak
Her ambition is to slide down every lamp-post in this town
Oh, you know she makes her money taking her dresses down.
She calls my name…

Oh, Belinda, she's a waitress, she lives in the South of Spain
She dyes her hair twice daily and the priests all know her name
She lives there quite contentedly, she takes her dresses down
And she says she'll give her heart to every boy in this town.
She goes my way…

Oh, how come you never change your shoes
Just like most people change their blues?
Oh, how come you never change your shoes
Just like most people change their blues?
Okay, let's go now…

Oh, Belinda, she's a waitress, she lives on 7/6 a week
And she learnt how to do her trade when she lost the chance to speak
Oh, you know she saves her money, oh, she takes her dresses down
She's the famous daughter of the famous man who runs half of the town.
She calls my name…

I said, how come you never change your shoes
Just like most people change their blues?
Oh, how come you never change your shoes
Just like most people change their blues?
Okay, let's go now…

Oh, how come you never change your shoes
Just like most people change their blues?
Oh, how come you never change your shoes
Just like most people change their blues?
Okay, let's go now…

Too Bad For You

I'm looking for an answer
To the problems that I've got on my mind
And the sky is turning slowly grey
And I don't ever look you in the eye.

The banknotes in your pocket
Are shredded up and turning into lace
The crucifix you found hidden in the pyramid
Is all that's left of that once great race.

Too bad for you
Too bad for you.

I'm looking for an answer
To the problems that I've got on my mind
And the halo on top of my head it is broken
But I'm not afraid to open up my eyes.

Too bad for you
Too bad for you.

Well that's just too bad for you.
When you're wearing your pink dress
And your satin shoes
Too bad for you.

It'll take a little money
It'll take a little time
It'll take a little glory
To get you out of the mine.

It'll take a little sugar
Take a little spice
Before I finally get to tell you
I heard your advice.

Too bad for you.
Too bad for you,
You can take your bike
You can go and ride all around the town
Me, I'll drink champagne
Till the sun goes down.

We'll burn up the woods
We'll burn a few
Give me some sugar
I'll give you some too.

The parish walls rise high above us
Nailing me to the cross
The dark ages are returning
Painting me with what's been lost.

Parish dogs crawl around me
Cornfields rot in the sun
And all these bonfire gardens
Shine the day when work was done.

Lantern heavy curses ring out
They call the poor on Danton's day
Stroking fingers laced with crimson
Light the candles on the grave.

So bless us with your croaker whisper
Curtsy down and kiss the rig
Drown me in your silver slipper
Break her bones and steal her wig.

Parish walls guard the parish
The watchman throws his lanthorn down
Calls out, "Slice the heads off gently
We need them to guard the town!"

Widow's weeds and broken biscuits
You throw your bread out to the poor
Wrap your debts up in black leather
And send them to the men of war.

Washing hangs from every window
Wicker baskets hold the mead
Save her blood to cure your children
Dip your 'kerchiefs in her seed.

Tear up crucifixion rails and palings
Melt them down to save the State
Throw your canvas in my prison
I'll see you on the farm again.

I am a young mariner headed to war
I'm thinking of my family and what it was for
There's water on the wood and the sails feel good
And when I get to shore I hope that I can kill good.

My father was a sailor, name of Captain Kennedy
He lost his wooden schooner to the Germans on the sea
Exploded on the water for everyone to see
And humiliate that American, Captain Kennedy.

I saw him in Nassau in 1971
His strength was failing but he still ran a run
He worked till his fingers, oh, they wore right to the bone
To buy that wooden schooner, to sail on his own.

He was known in the islands as '100-foot Iron"
That steel-hull freighter was passing it's time
And time flew by faster with life on the sea
And the days they grew shorter for Captain, oh, Captain Kennedy

And me, I am a young mariner headed to war
I'm thinking of my family and what it was for
There's water on the wood and the sails feel good
And when I get to shore I hope that I can kill good.

Something About You

Something there is about you
Just keeps dragging me back
Just like a needle in a haystack
You keep me searching for what I lack.

There's always one more adventure
Just there over the hill
Who really cares for your children
When there's famine in the mill.

Oh, and I could search forever
And still never find
The box full of photographs
That you left in the mine.

Ah, there's always one more adventure
Oh, just there over the hill
In the back of your bedroom
I'll always search for your will.

Oh, something there is about you
Keeps me searching too find
Oh, the back of your bedroom
And the keys to your mind.

Oh, there's always one more adventure
Somewhere there over the hill
Oh, and I could search forever
I'll never find my fill.

Oh, something there is about you
Oh, in the kiss of the night
As the angels approach us
I can still say goodbye.

Oh, to kiss your lips.

Something about you
Just keeps dragging me back
Just like a needle in a haystack
You keep me searching for what I lack.

Something about you
Something about you girl
The way you dance round my world
Something you say and do
Something that belongs to you.

Something about you girl
There's just something about you girl
I love you all around this world
Something about you girl.