Nikki Sudden

I Belong To You
The Bagman And The Twagman
Mountains Of New York
The Sun Is Shining
Paying My Way
Hotel Blues
Falling
Liquor, Guns And Ammo
Don't Let Them Mess With You
Grevious Angel
Alley Of The Street
Jigsaw Blues

I Belong To You

There's a bright shining light
Across the crystals of her eyes
As she looks
At me for a while.

And the dew shows through her smile
And she says she'll stay awhile
For tonight she says
I belong to you.

And if you hold me close
We'll forget about the others
Forget about tomorrow
And the fears that lie ahead.

And the dew shows through her smile
As she says she'll stay awhile
For tonight she says
I belong to you.

I belong to you.
I belong to you.
Oh, tonight she says
I belong to you.

And all the tears may come
Hold me back for a while
But I'll still
Recall your smile.

And the paintings on her wall
Oh, they won't touch us at all
For I can still see
The way she looked into my eyes.

There's a bright shining light
Across the crystals of her eyes
As she looks
At me for a while.

And the dew shows through her smile
And she says she'll stay awhile
For tonight she says
I belong to you.

I belong to you.
I belong to you.
Oh, tonight she says
I belong to you.

I belong to you
With all you say and do
Oh, tonight she says
I belong to you, I belong to you.

The Bagman and the Twangman
Were sitting shuffling cards
They said "There's not much future here
Down on the marriage path
The price of water gets you
Just before the end
If we could find the precipice
We'd jump right off my friend."

They sat there on the doorstep
As Nostradamus fell
They'd sat there throughout the siege
In the Alley of the Cells
Their only consolation
Indeed their only share of grief
Was an open invitation
To attend the burial feast.

Upon the marriage table
Stood the coffin of their friend
Descended from Cain and Abel
He'd never see dry land again
He wasn't what you'd call deceased
The hangman had seen to that
The place turned round and burst into life
As the Twangman he raised his hat.

At the bar there stood Melissa
Never seen without a drink in her hand
She curtsied to the diplomats
But cared nothing for their demands
Her heart had been in service
Before she was invalided out
The only recompense allowed
Was that they left her with her mouth.

In the chateau of their love
Melissa had shed her tears
The Bagman's found a new romance
With a girl of tender years
The only trace of blemish
Was that it wouldn't last
For rumour follows gossip
Without an ounce of class.

The Twangman called for porter
As Melissa took his guard
She took him to the restaurant
But the Bagman took her car
Between the leaves of absence
And the time when he was shopped
The Twangman skipped to Russia
Where he owned a betting shop.

The Bagman sold the car for cash
And caught a plane to Rome
Melissa followed close behind
She didn't like being left alone
The Twangman heard them coming
He'd got men on the street outside
The Bagman gave up easily
But Melissa, she tried to hide.

As lies and misadventure
Come creeping 'cross the ground
Deceit and retribution
Follow love without a sound
The Bagman turned the tables
Before the curtains they came down
As his sister handled elegance
By the corner of it's crown.

Now some men speak only wisdom
And some speak only lies
And some they speak the truth
Though they hide it with disguise
With no attempt at pleasure
This story it unwinds
And the clouds that line the wayside
Will vanish with sad time.

Now they say all London shivers
Under the hangman's moon
As the Twangman and the Bagman
Whistle up a graveyard tune
And if there's life beyond the bar
They say the future's there
The Twangman and the Bagman
They just couldn't really care.

There's some kind of angel
Flying over
The mountains of New York
Dragged from the path
Be sure
That he won't talk
Life was so good to him
But we know
That law is not made for good men.

Spend A Little Gold With Me (The Sun Is Shining)

Come on, baby,
Help me to spend this gold.
Come on, baby,
Help me to spend this gold.
I'm all dressed up,
I ain't got no place to go.

Oh, well, the sun is shining
On both sides of the street.
Oh, the sun is shining
On both sides of the street.
I got a smile on my face
For ev'ry little girl I meet.

Well. my pockets are filled
Up to the top with dough.
Oh, my pockets are filled
Up to the top with dough.
I'm all dressed up,
I ain't got no place to go.

I got a brand new suit,
New pair of shoes,
You can't lose
With the stuff I use.
Oh, I'm all dressed up,
I ain't got no place to go.
Oh, come on, baby,
Help me to spend this gold.

Paying My Way

Love is over-rated
Say those who've never known
Turning a page
To each uncertain afternoon
And they're giving me a chance to see
All the reasons and all of the keys
Paying my way for another day.

Things you said in virtue
Underneath the moon
Carrying your umbrella
On some cloudy afternoon
And they're giving me the chance to see
All the reasons and all of the keys
Paying my way for another day.

Books you've never read
And letters you never wrote
All I can ever remember
Is carrying your coat
And you're giving me the chance to see
All the reasons and all of the keys
Paying my way for another day.

Bright lights in your window
They're reminding me of home
You think you're so unfettered
But you never forget to phone
And you're giving me the chance to see
All the reasons and all of the keys
Paying my way for another day.

Diamonds on your fingers
And ashes in your heart
All the love we ever had
Quickly pulled us apart
And you're giving me the chance to see
All the reasons and all of the keys
Paying my way for another day.

Love is so uncertain
Said someone I once met
All it takes is a kiss
And an afternoon in bed
And they're giving me the chance to see
All the reasons and all of the keys
Paying my way for another day.

Hotel Blues

I can still,
I can still hear you talking,
And I know you,
I know the things that you say,
I can still,
I can still hear you talking
And I know you,
I know the things that you say.

Day after day, my love,
Oh, day after day now.
You stand and you fall, my love,
Yea, you stand and you fall,
Write it on the wall.

I can see you,
I can see you forever,
And you're dressed up in leather and lace
Oh, I've known you,
I've known you forever,
And I can see you,
See the smile on your face.

Day after day, my love,
Oh, day after day now.
Write it on the wall, my love,
Oh, you stand and you fall,
Write it on the wall.

It's everlasting for you now,
Oh, everlasting is my love.
It's everlasting for you now,
Oh, you give me so much
You stand and you fall my love
Yea, you stand and you fall,
Write it on the wall.
You give me so much,
Let's at least stay in touch.

I could watch you fall forever
On a cloudy night like this
I could watch you fall forever
But you'll never escape from me like this.

I could watch you fall forever
Tying daisy chains around the trees
I could watch you as you're sleeping
You'll never escape on days like these.

There's people who take my photograph
And try to touch the things that I see
People who try to write down the things that I say
And they think they can understand me.

I could watch you fall forever
On a cloudy night like this
I could watch you fall forever
But you'll never escape from me like this.

I could watch you fall forever
Tying daisy chains around your heart
I could fall in love for ever
For now you know you've won my heart.

Liquor, Guns And Ammo

Been up for twenty days now
There's thirst dripping off my soul
So many empty bottles
They've helped me down this road
Bought myself a cowboy shirt
From a store in Charlottesville
And a song from a girl
Who needed the dollar bill.

Now the only thing a man needs
Is a woman to hold him close
Dress up in brocade and trim
And write him lover's notes
There's not so much a man can do
But at least he can carry a gun
Stand up straight and right and true
And do a job well done.

Liquor, guns and ammo
They made a man of me
I've been this way
Since I began to breathe.
Liquor, guns and ammo
They mean so much to me
I've been this way
Since I began to see.

Headed into Atlanta
On Interstate 85
Feelin' sick and dirty
More dead than alive
Got into a fight
Outside the pizza house
Kicked in a window
And how I wish it'd been Spider's mouth.

Well, they say a man can carry a gun
But that don't mean he's got to kill
I got myself so sluiced that night
That I was ready for the wheel.
Liquor, guns and ammo
Gonna be the death of me
Heading down to Peanuts' bar
In Oconee County.

Liquor, guns and ammo
They're all I'll ever need
Found you in a store
On the dark side of misery.

Me and Bobby Bones
We went strolling round the South
I never met anyone quite like you
Until you kissed my mouth.

Liquor, guns and ammo
Be the death of me
I've been this way now
Since nineteen-fifty-three.

Liquor, guns and ammo
They made a man of me
Now all that's left
Is a faded mockery.

So, if you see me now
Down on Clayton Street
Know that for me
Life ain't quite complete
Unless I've got a woman
Hanging by my side
I'm going down to the Winchester House
To find myself a bride.

Liquor, guns and ammo
Be the death of me
I've been this way now
Since nineteen-fifty-three.

Liquor, guns and ammo
They made a man of me
But now all that's left
Is a faded mockery.

Things to do
There's things to say
Sometimes you might
Get in the way.
But whatever you do
Don't let them mess with you.
Oh, whatever you do
Don't let them mess with you.

Open up your windows
Open up the doors
Open up your mother
Put her on the floor.
Oh, whatever you do
Don't let them mess with you.
Oh, whatever you do
Don't let them mess with you.

I got one hand tied
It's behind my back
I can count on what I have
And the things that I lack.
Oh, whatever you do
Don't let them mess with you.
Oh, whatever you do
Don't let them mess with you.

There's carpet on the furniture
Carpet on the walls
Carpet in the alleyway
Carpet in the halls.
Oh, whatever you do
Don't let them mess with you.
Oh, whatever you do
Don't let them mess with you.

I got one hand loose
I got one hand tied
I'm looking everywhere
For some kind of a sign.
Oh, whatever you do
Don't let them mess with you.
Oh, whatever you do
Don't let them mess with you.

Melting iron
Under the Castilian sun
Gunpowder cracks the rafters
As we realise the war's begun.

Ropes tie up the timbers
Tar boils in the heat
Blackened hulks of harbour ships
Fly banners made of wheat.

Boxes stuffed with wood-ash
Wheel down the street
Curfew as the sun goes down
On fields of burning sheets.

Have you seen the envoys?
They're trying hard to hide
The unrest we feel upon us
And the fears we feel inside.

Turn another key
In your mother's clocks
Before you lose your dignity
In all those golden locks.

I'm up to here now
With your sister's intrigues
I've seen her out on the water
With another refugee.

A golden cage
Where you keep your flags and quills
The countess who dances badly
But pays all of your bills.

Your best friend he's in Newgate
On a charge of watering down the ink
Down by the chambers of Lambeth
You take all you can drink.

You're my angel
Sent from up above
Lights shine down upon you
On your suffocating love.

Grievous angel
Hang heavy on me now
Across the fields of plenty
And the lands under the plough.

I've got a golden casket
Engraved with your name
And a portrait by Picasso
That I keep in a golden frame.

In your mansion
There's a box of tricks
I can hear you play the violin
Down in the sticks.

You're my angel
Sent from up above
Hold me now and forever
With your suffocating love.

Turn another key
In your mother's clock
The only way to heaven
Is the door you must unlock.

Your sister's husband
Paid for more than you'll ever guess
Even a refugee
Some day has to confess.

You're my angel
Carried through the town
Wrapped me up in linen
When you unwrapped your crown.

You're my angel
I miss you from time to time
You'll never have to find out
If you were really mine.

Grievous angel
Sent from up above
Lights shine down upon you
On the books of unwritten love.

Grievous angel
Hang heavy on me now
Make me seek forever
Like the crows that follow the plough.

Orange peel on the streets
Pharisees mixing up the meat
Stretchers, semaphores and satin suits
The Duke of Brisbane in his boots
All gather round to kiss your feet
On the alley of the street.

Mustang, Volvo and Christine
Build up bicycles to clean
Ashtrays, dust-sheets for the bride
Invitations washed up on the tide
They're gathering there to kiss your feet
On the alley of the street.

Pavements full of begging bowls
Ten pence for your lost soul
Anglers casting out their lines
Turn-ups, pages and books of lies
They're gathering there to kiss your feet
On the alley of the street.

Diaries, diamonds, pale ale
Corn on the cob and shops for sale
Lysander sitting in the sun
Polishing up his old black gun
They're gathered round, around your feet
On the alley of the street.

Setting suns and sailing lights
The last kiss on a long good night
Fill me like a cavalier
Bracelets, handcuffs and veneer
They're gathered there to kiss your feet
On the alley of the street.

Jigsaw Blues

I was reading about you
In one of the unpublished chapters of St. Matthew
He'd seen you hiding out with Anne of Cleves
Down in Bethlehem
In one hand you held a magnet
And in the other you were holding a gem
Your feet were stained with straw and daub and rosaries
And a pendulum you'd stolen from Macadam
Yea, you've been living from food parcels for so long now
It's a wonder you even know who I am
I first saw you stepping off a Chinese junk
Oh, you're worthless
Just a little drunk.

I pulled a wine bottle from your hand
The first time I ever met you down in Mexico
You were executing grave-robbers in a cemetery
You were wearing a dirty coat of egg-shell blue
Above your head the flags they flew
Oh, it's such a privilege knowing you.

Sheridan he must have seen you
He wouldn't have been afraid to lampoon you
He wouldn't have been afraid to stand before you
But he wouldn't have dreamed of trying to praise you
Like the unpublished manuscript of a monk
You're worthless
Just a little drunk.

Doreen she got her flowers
And Penny got to stay at the Chelsea Hotel
I got stuck with Angel Baby
But I've been there before
I knew her well.

I was reading Don Juan when the missionary stole my blanket
If this was San Francisco he'd already have been strung up
Those virgins, jailbirds, muleteers and other friends of mine
They sold themselves for a castle on the Rhine
I purged myself with an empty keg of ham
Stolen from a stable yard down by the taco stand
Yea, I've seen you with your Milanese trunk
You're worthless
Just a little drunk.