Get all 10 Anne Lister releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Root, Seed, Thorn and Flower, A Twist in the Story, The Quiet People, Waiting for the Hero, Singing on the Wind, Prometheus, No Signposts., A Flame in Avalon, and 2 more.
1. |
A Dream of Islands
03:52
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All my life I’ve dreamt about islands, dreamt of the colours of the changing sea
With the sails spread wide, the flowing tide, seagulls above me wheeling free
And all my life I’ve dreamt about travelling, dreamt of journeys on my own
With the flag set high, the open sky – tell my friends I’m sailing home.
This is where the stories come from, these are the isles of lost content
These are the isles of vanished glories, where the dreams of childhood went
This is where the stories blossom, this is where my soul belongs
This is where all pathways lead me, this is the home of true-found song.
All my life I’ve dreamt about islands, dreamt of the colours of the changing sea
With the sails spread wide, the flowing tide, seagulls above me wheeling free
And all my life I’ve dreamt about travelling, dreamt of journeys on my own
With the flag set high, the open sky – tell my friends I’m sailing home.
I’ll sit here while sunset deepens as the stars climb high to shine
Watch the moon like a silver beacon light the land that’s out of time
I’ll sit here with poems scratching at the door to be let in
Turn the past into sheaves of silver and gently bring the harvest in.
All my life I’ve dreamt about islands, dreamt of the colours of the changing sea
With the sails spread wide, the flowing tide, seagulls above me wheeling free
And all my life I’ve dreamt about travelling, dreamt of journeys on my own
With the flag set high, the open sky – tell my friends I’m sailing home.
Tell my friends if they need to find me that I’ve found my home at last
Here where sunlight joins the moonlight and the future joins the past
This is where the stories blossom, this is where my soul belongs
This is where all pathways lead me, this is the home of true-found song.
All my life I’ve dreamt about islands, dreamt of the colours of the changing sea
With the sails spread wide, the flowing tide, seagulls above me wheeling free
And all my life I’ve dreamt about travelling, dreamt of journeys on my own
With the flag set high, the open sky – tell my friends I’m sailing home.
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2. |
A Song for Anne Neville
03:43
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When we were children we played with the ball
Down by the stables by the side of the hall
And we sang songs of a love life long
His brothers would smile and called me a child
And Dickon laughed in the sun.
And I remember how we would dance
He said I would be the High Queen of France
His brother would be king, and he would be
The leader of all of the king’s army
And Dickon laughed in the sun.
And I remember one game we played
He was a prince and I was a serving maid
I don’t remember why I was afraid
He’d turn aside, and I’d run and hide
He’d have to search hard but I’d end in his arms
And in his arms I’d be safe.
And still I remember the silence in the air
When he picked from the garden a rose for my hair
It pricked him and he bled, and the white rose turned red
For a while we stood still and the warm air turned chill
And Dickon laughed in the sun.
But the game I remember, that stays with me most
Is when he fought the Welsh boy who came by to boast
He slipped and fell down, and the cheap tin-plate crown
That he wore just for fun caught the beams of the sun
And hung in a thicket of thorns.
When we were children we played with the ball
Down by the stables by the side of the hall
And we sang songs of a love life long
His brothers would smile and called me a child
And Dickon laughed in the sun.
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3. |
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Over the sea the sun is now setting,
Leaving a streak of blood red in the sky
The only sound now the lonely waves lapping
And far above us one lone seagull’s cry
All of the glamour of shields, swords and armour,
All shrunk to nothing in the last rays of day
All of the war cries of the last battle,
All of the bloodstains are now washed away.
Tell me the tales of the warriors and heroes,
Tell me sad stories of the deaths of the kings
All of them subjects for myths and for legends,
All of the songs for your minstrels to sing
And where are they now the men who should hear them
All gone like autumn leaves to rot in their graves
Leaving their farms and their lands to lie empty
Leaving sad widows and fatherless babes.
And decade by decade the memory grows dimmer
Of the reasons for fighting and how just was the cause
Of the men in each army, except for the leaders
And who were the winners of these minor wars
And where are the borders that you died defending?
Where are the lands that you won and lost?
All of the ideals that men fought and died for
Vanished into time, while time counts the cost.
Stand by the shore now and hear the sea counting
Watch the froth of red from the rays of the sun
Think how little’s changed since the battle was fought here
Try to find a battle that really was won.
Try to find a reason for the building of weapons
Try to find some justice for the slaughter of men
Try to put a value on the world and its future
And they’ll give you reasons for murder again.
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4. |
The Lost Child
04:16
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When I woke the sun was shining
And across the cliffs the clouds had rolled away
Another clear sunny day for going on journeys away
And I kissed my friends and family
Trying to hold back a sense of fear
Swallowing all my tears that come from travelling alone.
And all of my journeys turn out to be
Ways to discover, new ways to see
Find the key to the mystery, trying to bring the lost child home.
And last night I thought I’d found it
Pushed the door of fairyland ajar
I’d been travelling far, and now the journey was done
But I sat in the enchantment
Heard the music weave a sleeping spell
And I knew too well the road was leading me on.
And all of my journeys turn out to be
Ways to discover, new ways to see
Find the key to the mystery, trying to bring the lost child home.
Everyone of us has pathways.
Everyone of us could find a guiding star
Some of us travel far, and some need to stay at home
And the end of all our journeysis to find a new adventure to begin
A new battle to win, but we only fight alone.
And all of my journeys turn out to be
Ways to discover, new ways to see
Find the key to the mystery, trying to bring the lost child home.
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5. |
Midwinter
04:09
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In the heart of midwinter a small child is born
Blood on the snow, the dark of the night
When all the fabric of this world is torn
A child will come, to put things to right.
And all that you know is that you are seeking
A hero, a king, or maybe a god
And all that you know is that you are keeping
His life and his throne and his sword.
In the heart of midwinter the danger is near
Blood on the snow, the dark of the night
Not much to see and still less to hear
But all around you the absence of light
And all that you know is that you are needed
A champion, a fighter, or maybe a friend
The times that are coming when you have succeeded
Will shine in the darkness from here to the end.
In the heart of midwinter it seems time stands still
Blood on the snow, the dark of the night
Twelve days of feasting to sweeten the pill
Taking a rest from the bitterest fight
And all that you know is that you must do this
Standing beside him, his own sister’s son
And give him the proof in your life and your kiss
That you will stand for him, for he is the one.
In the heart of midwinter a small child is born
Blood on the snow, the dark of the night
When all the fabric of this world is torn
A child will come, to put things to right.
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6. |
Ragnall
02:50
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There are many routes through the forest
Many pathways to find
And some lead you deeper in thinking
Some lead you deeper in time.
And I’ll be here at the crossroads
Just when you thought you were lost
And I can give you the answer
If you can afford what it costs.
If you’re a king or a hero
Or a traveller on some secret quest
I can give you two choices
And you’ll have to choose which is best
One answer leads you in circles
The other shows a straight line
All that you need is your courage
I’ll only demand what is mine.
Will you choose daytime or night time
Will you choose maiden or crone
Will you choose winter or summer
Will you walk with friends or alone
Will you choose to marry a nightmare
Will you dare to kiss what you fear
Will you keep all of your promise
Even when the axe blade comes near?
My sister dresses in moonbeams
With a sickle blade in her hand
My brother dances with feathers
And marries the queen of the land
My mother stands at the doorway
To wish you hallo or farewell
My lamed father sits at his fishing
And what he thinks no one can tell.
There are many routes through the forest
And just when you think that you’re lost
I’ll be here at the crossroads
If you can afford what it costs.
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7. |
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I will dance the sun rise, the first clear light of morning
The mist is in the meadows and the breath is in the trees
I will dance the day break, the rosy reds of dawning
The birds have started calling, so rise, my dear.
Then I will dane at midday, all in my finest glory
The hero of your story, and the lover of your dreams
I will dance the warrior, defender and protector
You called me and I answer, so dance, my dear.
I will dance the sunset, the pulling down of twilight
The bringer of the firelight, the kindler of the flame
I will be your lover, til this long night is over
We’ll dance this dance together, come close, my dear.
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8. |
Four Queens
03:42
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Lay him gently down, let the wind fill the sail
Lay him gently down, let him take his long sleep
Lay him gently down, let the future tell his tale
And four queens will take the king to the islands of the deep.
Day turns to evening, green turns to grey
Day turns to evening, sun gives way to moon
Day turns to evening, all glories fade away
The land has lost its colour and the song has lost its tune.
Four queens of Avalon, clothed all in black
Four queens of Avalon to guard the king’s sleep
Four queens of Avalon to carry him back
And take him far away to the kingdom of the deep.
Now in the darkness we’ll hold on to the dream
Now in the darkness look for a candle flame
Now in the darkness find a flowing stream
And four queens will watch the king until he wakes again.
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9. |
Sword and Scabbard
01:30
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I sent the king a puzzle, Merlin did the same
See the king of England try to win the enchanted game
There’s a sword and a scabbard – which one will you choose?
Kings must fight battles – they can’t afford to lose.
The sword or the scabbard, the fabric or the steel
See the king lie wriggling like a fish against the reel
The sword or the scabbard, the knife edge or the sheath
See the king debating to kiss or bare his teeth.
The sword kills all before it, the scabbard saves and heals
Fighting men leave deserts, the women bind and seal
The holding power is greatest though the cutting power leaves scars
It takes a man with vision to look ahead so far.
Merlin on the roadside, the lady in the lake
Morgause in your bedroom, dragons before you wake
Look beyond the surface, look hard at the clues
The sword or the scabbard – which one will you choose?
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10. |
Beech and Willow
03:13
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I have four sisters beyond the sea (Perrie, merrie, dixie, domine)
And these are the gifts they sent to me (Perrie, merrie, dixie, domine)
Petrum, partrum, paradisie, temporie. (Perrie, merrie, dixie, domine)
The first sent a chicken without a bone
The second sent a cherry without a stone
The third sent a book no man can read
The fourth sent a blanket without a thread.
How can there be a chicken without a bone
How can there be a cherry without a stone
How can there be a book no man can read
How can there be a blanket without a thread
When the chicken’s in the eggshell there is no bone
When the cherry’s in the bud there is no stone
When the book’s in the press no man can read
When the blanket’s in the fleece there is no thread.
I have a sister beyond the sea (Rowan, birch and apple tree)
These are the gifts she sent to me.
She sent me a knife with a curving blade
She sent me moonlight without shade
She sent me power in a crystal key
She sent me wisdom and the gift to see.
She sent me Waste Lands to make whole
She sent me healing in a silver bowl.
She sent me a crown to make me queen
Of the future and what has been.
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11. |
Taliesin
02:49
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I have seen where the rainbows end, and I’ve seen time’s wheel turning
And I can tell you this my friend, the lessons still need learning
I have been a grain of corn and I have been a river
I was here when the world was born, I’ve been gift and I’ve been giver.
I hve been a spark of flame, and I have been an ember
I have found them much the same, January and December
I’ve known man as a helpless child and as a king in power
Love and anger fierce and mild, the root, seed, thorn and flower.
But do you know why breath comes and goes, and where shadows go in sunlight
Do you know why the rivers flow and which plants grow by starlight?
I have been where the red kite flies and where the whales are dying
And I have seen through a dolphin’s eyes and I’m not convinced we’re trying.
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12. |
Round
03:26
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Take my hand, the barren land is waiting for renewal
Sweet soft May will point the way and soften all that’s cruel
Sing the summer, sing the fire, sing the first fruits, raise them higher
Now we remember mists of November.
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13. |
The Lady
03:28
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This is the land of the Mother, this is the land of the giver of breath
This is the land of the bringer of death, this is where she belongs
This is the land of the healer, this is the land of the weaver of threads
This is the land of the spinner of webs, this is where she’ll return.
How do you know, I asked of her, how do you know what can’t be seen?
I’m surprised at you, she answered me, we meet her in our dreams.
How can you hear her, she asked me, how can you hear with what’s going on
How can you wonder that it’s all gone wrong when you can’t hear the Lady call?
How can you see her, she asked me, how can you see her through all these walls
How can you wonder if you stumble and fall when you can’t see your mother’s arms?
The earth is our mother, she told me, the earth is our mother, her dreams are yours
She sheds her blood in all your wars, her waters are salt with tears
And hear your mother calling, hear your mother is calling you home
She lets you wander and travel alone but now she needs us all.
How do you know, I asked of her, how do you know what can’t be seen?
I’m surprised at you, she answered me, we meet her in our dreams.
Come back to the centre, she told me, come back to the centre and feel your heart
Don’t you feel you’ve been torn apart, you’re wandering far from home?
Her web holds the whole world together, the threads are so slender, fine and strong
I you break even one the pain travels on, the Lady is waiting for you.
How do you know, I asked of her, how do you know what can’t be seen?
I’m surprised at you, I’ll tell you now – I’ve seen her in my dreams.
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14. |
Gawain's Leavetaking
02:54
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Now lords and ladies, blithe and bold, to bless you all here now am I bound
I thank you all a thousand fold and pray God save you whole and sound
Where’er you go on grass or ground, may He you guide that nought you grieve
For friendship here that I have found, against my will I take my leave.
For friendship and for favours good, for meat and drink you heaped on me
The Lord that raised was on the rood now keep you comely company
On sea or land where’er you be, may He you guide that nought you grieve
Such fair delightyou laid on me, against my will I take my leave.
Against my will although I went, I may not always tarry here
For everything must have an end and even friends must part I fear
Be we beloved however dear, out of this world death us will reave
And when we brought are to our bier against our will we take our leave.
Now good day to you, goodmen all, and good day to you, young and old
And good day to you, great and small, and grammercy a thousand fold.
If ought there were that dear you hold, full fain I would that deed achieve
Now Christ you keep from sorrows cold, for now at last I take my leave.
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15. |
Time to Go Home
04:03
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The sun is sinking down and darkness fills the room
So put down your shuttle, Madelon, leave your loom
Time to go home, time to go home.
It’s time to cut the thread, it’s time to leave your weaving
The good times aren’t all dead, there’s no excuse for grieving.
Time to go home, time to go home.
I’ve watched the grapes ripen and turn into wine
Picked fruit tree blossoms and let time pick mine
Walked over bridges, watched the rivers flow
The barges move downstream, silent and slow
Time to go home, time to go home.
It’s time to cut the thread, it’s time to leave your weaving
The good times aren’t all dead, there’s no excuse for grieving.
Time to go home, time to go home.
You can’t live your life in an envelope of silk
The easy life is fine, but you can’t change cheese to milk
Time to go home, time to go home.
I’ve watched the grapes ripen and turn into wine
Picked fruit tree blossoms and let time pick mine
Walked over bridges, watched the rivers flow
The barges move downstream, silent and slow
Time to go home, time to go home.
The sun is sinking down and darkness fills the room
So put down your shuttle, Madelon, leave your loom
Time to go home, time to go home.
But weave me one last thing – a handkerchief for my head
First to dry my tears, and then to wrap round my bread.
On the way home, on the way home.
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Anne Lister Wales, UK
Anne is best known for her song "Icarus", recorded and performed by a number of different singers, including Martin Simpson and Nic Jones. "Astrolabe" is her ninth solo album.
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