The Butterfly Revolution continues

by Greg Were

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1.
Let the People Sing Been lying on this beach, wondering what it might mean, If all the powers that be, just let the people sing. What would it be like to stand in a sacred holy ring? With differences dissolving in the voices as they sing. And a mother walks on up, with her baby in her sling, To tell the naked man, That he never will be king. The placards have been torn and the mob has lost its sting So I say again um um um - just let the people sing (X2) Chorus: Let the people, oh let the people, oh let the people sing, Let the people, (guitar slide) let the people sing (X2) You need no invitation or sign upon your head, When voices lift together who knows we might raise the dead? The planets have aligned, let the octaves do their thing, ‘Cause all we ever wanted, was to let the people sing Chorus: (x2) And a mother walks on up with her baby in her sling To tell the naked man that he never will be king.
2.
Katie 04:57
Katie Be the one, be the one, be the one, to quickly fall undone, And rest yourself on a tune so easily now re-born, The room does shift, the room does move, when Katie does come along, They turn their heads, they hold their breath,..... when Katie sings that song It never was, it never was, meant to be, so much fun. The room is filled with soft light even without the Sun She needs no words or offers any verbal crumbs They turn their heads, they hold their breath when Katie sings that song. Chorus: Can you keep her to yourself? Can you hold her in this wild yet fragile World? She sings in every out loud, from every single hill, even from the bowels of Hell Instrumental: It must have been, it must have been - a gift - from another time, To rest your hearts on her voice, always so sublime. The walls fall down with every sounds, as we all sing as one. They turn their heads, they hold their breath…. as Katie sing that song Can you keep her to yourself? Can you hold her in this wild and fragile World? She sings in out loud, from every single hill, even from the bowels of Hell Ummm…. When Katie sings that song Ummm…. When Katie sings that song
3.
When David Dies The 737 is taxiing out the final gate, As David heads due South from the English rain. The air is thick and the crimson light of this evening sky, Won't deter this man from his poignant lines. Umm…..um..What we gonna do my friends when David dies. And I’ll listen hard to the firm raw Earth that lies dormant just outside, What we gonna do my friends when David dies. On every corner of the Planet’s soft and fragile skin, He’s honed his lense of every living thing. From the Tiger's tale, to the midnight owl on its lonely flight. He leads us back to truths near where heaven lies. Umm…..um…..What we gonna do my friends when David dies. And I’ll tune my fork to the wisdom of the most ancient of our lives, What we gonna do my friends when David dies. Instrumental: If I could have my choice of a Global King, David seems real close, to what I think we need. Let’s now our best base don those misty eyes, And believe First Nations truths about space and Time. Umm…..um..What we gonna do my friends when David dies. And I’ll listen hard to the firm raw Earth that lies dormant just outside, What we gonna do my friends when David dies. The song of morning birds in my morning ear sings David other lines, What we gonna do my friends when David dies. What we gonna do my friends when David dies. What we gonna do my friends when David dies.
4.
Sunshower 03:59
Sunshower Clouds floating in my eye more than something I can only see. Dreams are wondering through my life passing doorways open wide, And washing / gently over me. Chorus: All I see is light from these shards of falling rain, There’s an empty clock upon the sandstone tower, It’s love by any other name, this freshest of Sunshowers. The breeze on the edges of my skin, More than something I can only feel. Visions wondering through my mind Perfect body perfect time, some more than true yet very real. Chorus: All I see is light from these shards of falling rain, There’s an empty clock upon the sandstone tower, It’s love by any other name, this freshest of Sunshowers. Washing over me, Washing over me. The Earth face down I feel its love, No need to turn your head or to heel. Soaking deep inside yourself, Oep to this subtle wealth, Something hidden now re-revealed. Chorus: All I see is light from these shards of falling rain, There’s an empty clock upon the sandstone tower, It’s love by any other name, this freshest of Sunshowers. Washing over me, Washing over me.
5.
The truth that can’t be told Just last night, before the dawn, laying awake with radio on. Everybody runs and nobody knows The truth that can’t be told He walks on up to the microphone, Spins his web with his half-smile on The script is run, and the data scorned, It’s the truth that can’t be told Chorus: Step right up and hold my hand, Press your face to the wind. Step right up to fires well fanned, By voices that will only twist and spin Instrumental; It could be sharp like bent rose thorn, The history is clear for a time to come, It might be short or it might be long. It’s the truth that can’t be told. Chorus: It doesn’t need water and it doesn’t need soil, Never was natural and it’s always been It’s written in blood and is regularly sold It’s the truth that can’t be told Instrumental
6.
Nick’s Upper Room The Angels gathered just beyond the open field, And set their eyes on places that can’t be, Measured by the chiming of the Chapel clock, And the mist was more than I could ever see. The hour is past the hour is gone now their listening, And flock to hear the tunes that you once wrote. The crowd has come to list to your teetering, between note and every other note, between note and every other note. Monks :) / Instrumental Staring down and smiling from his upper room, Wondering how now everybody knows, The clockwork rhythms and harmonies that fell so clean, Draw the crowds in rows and rows and rows To think I lived so close and so near to thee, On burnt hedge and lonely twisted knee, The voices drift now into my upper room, And the mist seems so much clearer now to me. Instrumental, partial: You voice drifts now into my upper room And the mist seems so much clearer now to me, (x3) Monks again…..outro.
7.
Hey Jo 04:14
Hey Jo Just out of sight, on a path so well-hidden Comes the voices of old men, yet still plenty young Is heard between midnight and the blackest of wishes Echoed in chambers of some broken love. Hey Jo, we know where you're going, We know where you’ve been and what brings you down. Hey Jo, I can still feel you breathing, Please don’t run to the dark side of town. Instrumental - drone…. Chorus: There’s a lake on the side of a hill where the best of you’s sleeping Where the body can rest and drink in the time that it needs To wait for your chance is not now just what you're needing And these circles of anger are looking for somewhere to breed. Instrumental The slimmest of wisdom has slipped through the ages, And taken its place on the heads of its sons, Demands to be strong and to understand thinking, Has always be found to bring them undone Hey Jo, we know where you're going, We know where you’ve been and what brings you down. Hey Jo, I can still feel you breathing, Please don’t run to the dark side of town. Chorus: Hey Jo, I can still feel you breathing, Please don’t run to the dark side of town.
8.
Rest my case on the Wind A strong Winter storm, blew in from the North, The trees were deformed and so was myself The castles been stormed, battlelines drawn What should have been peace is now tattered and torn You brace yourself and rest your case on the wind (X2) Left alone for an hour or so, twisted and tired and thin You stand attention and rest your case on the wind A body of thoughts drift by your eye, Like some vague distant twin You brace yourself and rest your case on the wind The truth had been scorned and quickly shut down Nailed tight in box and buried alive The course of events we couldn’t prevent, Written in stone in some generals tent You take your chance and rest your case on the wind (X2) The judge and jury have gone to recess and the crowd is sipping on gin, You brace yourself and rest your case on the wind. A body of thoughts drift by your eye, Like some vague distant twin You brace yourself and out your faith in the wind (x2)
9.
England as a child Seas, crossing many seas, Coming for awhile, not leaving much behind, Then coming back again, In their black and wooden frames, Taking life away, from what was always there or Giving new names. Masterheads flying Union Jacks, Specimens for Kings home, lying on their backs, Not taking any prisoners, canons ringing in their ears, It’ll finish as it started in these final days of the Anglosphere. Chorus: Even is how it's never been, and odd now is how it seems to me. Time, Oceans of time, Think I know way, but I think I’ve changed my mind, The vision seems complete, through these cold and bloodshot eyes, Now I see the truth as they start their long retreat, Yes, England as a child. Chorus: (different words): England, England as a child Oh England, England as a child Short instrumental: Now I see the truth, as they start their long retreat, yes England as a child.
10.
The Edges of Heaven Like the rising of the Sun, a monk there all alone, Thawing white sheets in mountain storms, On the edges of Heaven he was born. In the desert, lost out at sea, had no measure by our degrees They saw Venus during the day, on the edges of Heaven they were made. Change: Coming home, just like any other should, Resting in shallow pool of life …….all alone We’ll whisper to ourselves and rest upon the edges of our soul Instrumental: What is the measure of the man, who finds a lost soul in foreign lands, He knows each grass seed, yes every blade On the Edges of Heaven he was made. I theres an answer even one, with the rising and falling Sun, Just the Zenith and Nadir On the Edges of Heaven we all turn.
11.
Gathered in 05:01
Gathered In A knock came to the door, no one knew what for, We never saw our brother stand again The darkest dark dark night, stole away their lives No last words no message to a friend Boots rattle down the street like rusty tin Ringing out the time for gatherin’ in You keep your line of sight below your chin And wonder when you’ll be gathered in. Common uniforms, Trench coats in the storm, What victory do they really think they’ll win? Lazy languid eyes, and daggers in their smiles, Those who’d done my brothers gatherin’ in Faces rattle down the street with thoughts so slim, Planning out their evenings gatherin in You keep your line of sight below your chin And wonder when you’ll be gathered in. Instrumental: Their even standard step holds tight their razor net Scratching out the freedom thoughts you think There is no space between their Fatherlands deceit, Fear is all they’re fatherin Their wives lives lives so neat and trim Pretending they don’t know anything You keep your line of sight well below your chin And wonder when you’ll be gathered in. Instrumental: (short) You keep your line of sight well below your chin And wonder when you’ll be gathered in. You keep your line of sight below your chin And wonder when you’ll be gathered in.
12.
Singing up country Singing up country, Reaching out hands not knowing where they might meet Singing up country Making more sense to me now Never quite sure what it meant to me these landscapes born out of sound Giving out life, give out love Where love was meant to be found On the edge of the World just where we breathe The butterfly sings with the flapping of wings, With masks and placards from your town. It's flying alone on the slightest of breeze To let you know what it's found Singing up country The monarch who we can believe Reaching out hands not knowing where they might meet Singing up country, yet never signing too loud Listening deep, listing slow Filling the space all around The silence of notes that land on these lands Making the ancients so proud Reaching out hands to a time when we will be free. The butterfly sings with the flapping of wings, With masks and placards from your town. It's flying alone on the slightest of breeze To let you know what its found Singing up country, Singing up country, Singing up country.
13.
If there must be a war Unload yourself of bills that lead to your defence, Burn all your bombs and planes, and save all the expense, Arm yourself with humour and loaded metaphor, If there must be a war. Open up the gates and pull down every fence, The arsenal is empty its freedom we’ll invest, Send the old men that’s for sure, If there must be a war. Chorus: I’ve been out this evening walking thoughts so strange, Like a hungry fox believing life lives well beyond his range, Old men across oceans still play this foolish game, Don't put blood on my name (X2) Instrumental Banish all the voices of division and cold spite, Offer up a candle to the merchant of these lies, Who’d prefer us to live like bloodied whores, We surely won’t miss their wars. Chorus If we fight at all its with flowers on bent twigs, We’ll still outflank with our cunning sharpened wits, They’ve never seen an army quite like this before, If there must be a war (X2)
14.
Veil of Reason Just before evening you lowered your veil A twist of sound reason / turned my heart pale And so blind, I didn’t believe your questions could undo my mind. Like two honest lovers dancing ‘til three I never believed our love would ever be So still, Stiller than any question that pushes back time. Pushing back time. Pushing back time. Stiller than any question that pushes back time. Instrumental: Hold me so tight and so amplified, Maybe profane or maybe just divine, And so still, Slipping beyond all treasures you’ll ever find. Crowded by mercy that ran tired and late, To the small amphitheatre of drums you have made, Now so tired, Yet the stillness you bring is sweeter than Strawberry wine. Instrumental... Pushing back time, pushing back time the stillness you bring is sweeter than Strawberry wine.

about

The songs on The Butterfly Revolution - Continued were written over a three year period, and embraced a broad range of perspectives on life, environment, love, war, humour and grief. It is an extension of the work started with Butterfly Revolution, my previous album, hence the title.

It has been inspired and influenced by Nada Brahma, Nick Drake, Sufism, Clive of India (for all the wrong reasons in the case of Clive), Brexit, the War poets, the frequency of Om, the choir movement worldwide, Neil Douglas Klotz, Eckhart Tolle, David Attenborough, Songlines, and the vagaries of life - as it evolves miraculously every day through rain, joys and sunlight.

I hope you enjoy listening to this album as much as I have enjoyed making it with some truly wonderful musicians and musical technicians.

The Studios:

The album was recorded through the brilliant support of Gavin O’Loghlen of Locrian Records and Quentin Eyres of Q the Music, mainly in their various scenic Adelaide Hills studios. The album started with Gavin working on the base of the album, with guitars and lead vocals and laying the foundation for the songs.

The album then progressed onto Quentin as many counter melodies, guitar parts, and piano were added to take the songs in a new, lovely direction. The middle stage then took us to Quentin’s Studio in the city, where guest artists joined to contribute their parts. It was then mixed by Quentin and the final stage was completed where it all began with Gavin, at Locrian completing the mastering of the album.

The Players:

Gavin O’Loglen - bass guitar, organ, percussion.
Quentin Eyres - bass guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, piano, organ, percussion, special effects.
Emma Luker - Celo, Violin, orchestration, backing vocals
Kellie Breuer - Backing Vocals
Lazaro Numa- Trumpet
Kym Gluyas - Saxophone
Snooks La Vie - Harmonica

credits

released September 6, 2021

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Greg Were Adelaide, Australia

Greg is a singer/song writer in the folk, indie style.

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