The World to Mend

© Tom Drinkwater 2006

I've had enough of falling down,
Of being pushed and dragged around
I'm tired of the whole facade ,
I want to end the sad charade

I've loved you all and while you're gone,
I've kept the flame alive alone
I've loved you all the time you're here,
I've held to all the things that we hold dear

I'll not be boxed in by your fear,
You know that I'll always be here
We have too much of life to lose,
You don't get to disapprove

This time you are going to help me up,
This time we are all in it together
This time I'm not going to let you down,
This time I'm making my skin like leather
This time its one for all and all for one,
This time no-one gets away
This time you'll work 'til the job is done,
This time I'm going to make you stay

And whoever that you choose,
And whatever that he knows
We'll go together far and near,
A whiskey kiss and conversation clear

As you are and as she is,
And as he will be with a kiss
The bickering and fear will end,
Enough, we have the world to mend

This time no-one gets to choose the money,
This time we're playing for our lives
This time no-ones leaving in a hurry,
This time we're all each other's wives
This time we are dressed in morning joy,
This time no-one's driven out
This time there's so much more to say,
This time's the ending of the drought

An insurgent joy is rising up,
Like blood like wine it fills my cup
It holds me and won't be denied,
It's going to be a wild ride

This time you are going to help me up,
This time no-one gets away
This time I'm not going to let you down,
This time I'm going to make you stay
This time no-one gets to choose the money,
This time we're playing for our lives
This time no-ones leaving in a hurry,
This time everyone survives

A manifesto song. (again!) This time I kept it ambiguous. It could be about a band, a relationship, a political party, a revolutionary group, a whole society. Or all those things could be the same thing really. Fundamentally it’s about an inclusive idea of solidarity, a rare concept in this time and place.

We incorporated Helen’s tune “The Milk White Turbot” into this song in what may have been our first act of compositional collaboration. The change of meter was just the lift that the song required. TD

The zouk and fiddle were recorded ‘live in the studio’ in a single take.