Nobody Knows

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1. Nobody Knows
2. The World is what You Make It
3. Paradise is Here
4. Nothing but the Same Old Story
5. The Lakes of Pontchartrain
6. Trick or Treat
7. Trust in You
8. Not the Only One
9. The Island
10. Crazy Dreams
11. Follow On
12. Just in Time
13. The Homes of Donegal
14. Arthur McBride and the Sergeant

Nobody Knows (Paul Brady)

Johnny’s got high expectations
He’s gonna rise
Everyone knows that Johnny is ready
He’s ready to fly
Up on the rooftop he turns to the crowd
No one is waiting
No one is there

Chorus

Nobody knows why Elvis threw it all away
Nobody knows what Ruby had to hide
Nobody knows why some of us get broken hearts
And some of us find a world that’s clear and bright
You could be packed up and ready
Knowing exactly where to go
How come you miss the connection?
No use in asking…the answer is nobody knows
No use in asking…the answer is nobody knows

Johnny will keep his illusions
What else can he do?
And you can pretend that it would be different
If it happened to you
But up on the rooftop, it’s a whole other world
And who could see heaven
And not want to stay?

Repeat Chorus

The World Is What you Make It (Paul Brady)

I knew this African called Hannibal
Rock it roll it send it down the avenue
Went out to see the Roman Empire fall
Uh huh? uh huh?

Two thousand elephants in gold chain-mail
Take it, shake it, make it what you wanna be
Them Roman legionnaires they hit the trail
Uh huh?

The world is what you make it
The world is what you make it

When Cleopatra ruled in Egypt’s land
Jump down, turn around, look at what the monkey did
She went to find herself a mighty man
Uh huh? uh huh?

In come Antonio from Italy
Haul it, ball it, drag it up the pyramid,
He never knew how hot a girl could be
Uh huh?

The world is what you make it
The world is what you make it baby
The world is what you make it

Don’t start to hit me with your “no can do”
Bluesin’, losin’, workin’ up an attitude
Clean up them windows let the sun shine through
Uh huh? uh huh?
There ain’t no happy time without no pain
heartbreak, new date, move on up the alleyway
Pick up them pieces hit the road again
Uh huh?

The world is what you make it
The world is what you make it baby
The world is what you make it

Paradise Is Here (Paul Brady)

You say you wanna live some
Move out into the fast lane
You say you need excitement
To make you come alive
Some place a million miles from
The shadows that surround you

I look for your attention
You’re lost out in the future
Where lovers ask no questions
And shadows never fall
Some pilgrim bound for paradise
No compromise

Chorus

But paradise is here
It’s time to stop your crying
The future is this moment
And not some place out there
Tonight I need your love
Don’t talk about tomorrow
Right now, I need your loving
Right now, give it to me
Right now, I want your loving
Right now, give it to me
Right now

You talk about your new plans
To move on up the stairway
You dream about the high life
That’s waiting for you there
A world of fame and fortune
That’s just around the corner

But I don’t need no high life
To make me feel a real man
And I don’t need to reach for
No castles in the sky
Just put your arms around me
Devour me

Repeat Chorus

‘Cos paradise etc

Nothing But The Same Old Story (Paul Brady)

I was just about nineteen
When I landed on their shore
With my eyes big as headlights
Like the thousands and thousands who came before
I was going to be something . . .
Smiled at the man scrutinising my face
As I stepped down off the gangway

Came down to their city
Where I worked for many’s the year
Built a hundred houses
Must’ve pulled half a million pints of beer
Living under suspicion
Putting up with the hatred and fear in their eyes
You can see that you’re nothing but a murderer
In their eyes, we’re nothing but a bunch of murderers

Hey, Johnny, can’t wait till Saturday night!
Got a thirst that’s raging . . .
Know a place where we can put that right
Wash away the confusion
Hose down this fire inside
But look out!
‘Cause I’ll tear you into pieces if you cross me.

I’m sick of watching them break up
Every time some bird-brain puts us down
Making jokes on the radio . . .
Guess it helps them all drown out the sound
Of the crumbling foundations
Any fool can see the writing on the wall
But they just don’t believe that its happening.

There’s a crowd says I’m alright
Say they like my turn of phrase
Take me round to their parties
Like some dressed up monkey in a cage.
And I play my accordion
Oh! but when the wine seeps through the facade
It’s nothing but the same old story
Nothing but the same old story

Got a brother in Boston
Says he’ll send me on the fare
Just wrote me a letter
Making out that he’s cleaning up out there
Two cars in the driveway.
Summer house way down on the Cape
And I know he’d fix me up in the morning

I’ve been thinking about it
But it seems so far to go
People say in the winter
you’d get lost underneath the snow
And there’s this girl from my home place
We’ve been planning to move back and give it a try
So I never got around to going
That’s why I never got around to going.

The Lakes Of Pontchartrain (Trad. arr. Paul Brady)

‘Twas on one bright March morning
I bid New Orleans adieu
And I took the road to Jackson town
My fortune to renew
I cursed all foreign money
No credit could I gain
Which filled my heart with longing
For the lakes of Pontcahrtrain

I stepped on board of a railroad car
Beneath the morning sun
I rode the rods till evening
And I laid me down again
All strangers there, no friends to me
Till a dark girl towards me came
And I fell in love with a Creole girl
By the lakes of Pontchartrain

I said my pretty Creole girl
My money here’s no good
And if it weren’t for the alligators
I’d sleep out in the wood
“You’re welcome here kind stranger
Our house is very plain
But we never turned a stranger out
On the banks of Pontchartrain ”

She took me into her mammy’s house
And she treated me right well
The hair upon her shoulders
In jet black ringlets fell
To try to paint her beauty
I’m sure ‘t would be in vain
So handsome was my Creole girl
By the lakes of Pontchartrain

I asked her if she’d marry me
She said this could never be
For she had got a lover
And he was far at sea
She said that she would wait for him
And true she would remain
Till he’d return to his Creole girl
By the Lakes of Pontchartrain

So fare thee well, my bonny own girl
I never may see you more
But I’ll ne’er forget your kindness
In the cottage by the shore
And at each social gathering
A flowing glass I’ll drain
And I’ll drink a health to my Creole girl
By the lakes of Pontchartrain

Trick or Treat (Paul Brady)

Sometimes the things that you say
Can hurt me so bad
You know that it’s true
Sometimes your love lifts me up
So high I could cry
Can’t live without you

Like a knock on the door
Open it up
What do you see?
Could be a trick or treat
Bitter or sweet
Which one you gonna be?

Sometimes I fill up your cup
So your river flows
You know that it’s true
Sometimes my love makes you pay
Though baby, I swear, I’m not wanting to

Like a knock on the door etc

Look at what this love can do
Send us out into a world that’s new
You no compass, baby, me no map
No one to show us where they laid the trap
Trick or Treat, baby, that’s the game
One day passion one day pain
You can try to change the rules but

Chorus
Trick or Treat make you the fool
Trick or Treat make you the fool

Sometimes a moment of bliss
That starts with a kiss
Can end up so blue
‘Cos I might say something wrong
And then comes along
A whole different you
Like a knock on the door etc
Look what this love can do etc

Chorus

Trick or Treat make you the fool
Trick or Treat make you the fool

Trust In You (Paul Brady)

In the shadow of a lightning storm
Black girl make a heart-move
Strong love come a rising high
Warm love and she whisper out
She trust in you
“You know that I trust in you ”

He come out on an instinct curve
Strumming up through the backbone
Blood curdle out a blue-gene roar
Body rule and she whisper out
She trust in you
“You know that I trust in you ”

(And she say),
Give me a sign
Show me you love me
Show me it’s true
That you’re thinking of me
Open your door,
Take me inside you
How do I score?
How do I find you?

Find you find you?

Rain clatter on a window pane
Make a love-shape easy,
Salt tang on a scented skin,
Heat come and she whisper out
She trust in you
“You know that I trust in you ”

Boy jump to the backbone dance,
Black girl make a heart-move,
Long day till the two roads meet,
Sun rise, still she whisper out
She trust in you
“You know that I trust in you ”

(And she say),
Give me a sign
Show me you love me
Show me it’s true
That you’re thinking of me
Open your door,
Take me inside you
How do I score?
How do I find you?

Find you, find you?
How do I find you?

Not The Only One (Paul Brady)

Chorus

I was in a daze,
Moving in the wrong direction,
Feeling that I’d always be the lonely one,
Then I saw your face
On the edge of my horizon,
Whispering that I wasn’t the only one
The lonely one.

One chance intervention
See what it can signify
The slightest misapprehension
And we’d have passed each other by
But when I heard your sweet voice darling
And saw your light come shining though
I couldn’t stop my heart from turning
And churning out my love to you
Repeat Chorus

I was in a daze etc

True loving perfection
It seems like it’s overdue
Then just when you’re least expecting
It comes sneaking up on you
For when I thought that I was dreaming
I felt your body close to mine
Now love takes on a different meaning
Together ’till the end of time

Repeat Chorus Except

“through the web of my confusion ”
for “On the edge of my horizon ”

The Island (Paul Brady)

They say the skies of Lebanon are burning
Those mighty cedars bleeding in the heat
They’re showing pictures on the television
Women and children dying in the street
And we’re still at it in our own place
Still trying to reach the future through the past
Still trying to carve tomorrow from a tombstone…

Chorus

But Hey! Don’t listen to me!
This wasn’t meant to be no sad song
We’ve heard too much of that before
Right now I only want to be here with you
Till the morning dew comes falling
I want to take you to the island
And trace your footprints in the sand
And in the evening when the sun goes down
We’ll make love to the sound of the ocean

They’re raising banners over by the markets
Whitewashing slogans on the shipyard walls
Witchdoctors praying for a mighty showdown
No way our holy flag is gonna fall
Up here we sacrifice our children
To feed the worn-out dreams of yesterday
And teach them dying will lead us into glory…

Repeat Chorus

Now I know us plain folks don’t see all the story
And I know this peace and love’s just copping out
And I know these young boys dying in the ditches
Is just what being free is all about
And how this twisted wreckage down on main street
Will bring us all together in the end
As we go marching down the road to freedom…
Freedom

Crazy Dreams(Paul Brady)

Snow-bound siren in the winter dawn
There’s a blizzard blowing in from off the river
It’s ten below out on these city streets,
But the feeling in your heart is even colder
The sunrise screeching down the line
And the fog banks running out of time,
But you won’t be here when they creep in tomorrow

You’re tired of dreaming someone else’s dreams
When they really don’t include you any longer
Miles from home, you’re sliding down with each day
And you need a woman’s love to make you stronger
And lately you’ve been getting doubts
A voice inside keeps calling out
That someone else’s dreams don’t get you nowhere.

So shut the suitcase, kiss the year goodbye
Don’t let nobody stop you at the doorway
And close the shutters on this empty room
Where these crazy dreams come crawling to devour you
And head on out across that line
Where she’s been waiting all this time
And tell her that you want her there forever.

It’s still two hours till this plane gets down
Can hardly bear to wait another minute
Your sweet loving babe is all that I need
Darling it’s been building up inside of me
Tonight we’ll go and paint this town
We’re gonna drink champagne, till we both fall down
And we’ll find some other crazy dream tomorrow.

Follow On (Paul Brady)

Shutters on the windows, chains upon the door
Sleepless nights spent waiting for an answer
Dreams of heaven falling, panic in the town
Lonely men with fingers on the future…

When all is said and done
You are the only one

Follow on
For the open road is waiting,
Like the song
We will welcome what tomorrow has to bring
Be it fair or stormy weather
Take my hand
And we’ll walk the road together
I won’t mind
If it turns out that we never find the end
For all I ask is that you want me as a friend

Days of beauty calling, vanish through a haze
Lost inside some spiral with no ending
Still you bring me loving, free me with a touch
Lead me out to greet the calm descending

When all is said and done
You are the only one

Repeat Chorus

Just In Time (Paul Brady)

Lately I been talking to some friends of mine
(You know the kind who understand)
Trying to get a handle on this heart of mine
(Sometimes it’s hard to be a man)
How to find a way to end these wars with you?
(The more we run the more we hide)
Were we just fools to ever start?
Would it make sense for us to part?

Then I started looking for some sympathy
(You know that boys can still be boys)
Churning out this hurting deep inside of me
(Just like a child who lost his toys)
And I’m ducking and I’m diving
And I’m running and I’m hiding
From what’s standing right in front of me
(Sometimes the truth’s so hard to find)
Making me blind I could not see
That you were the perfect one for me

Just in time
I saw a picture in the mirror, baby
Of a man acting like a fool
Just in time
I saw a vision of a future without you
Just in time
I realised a lot of things that I’d been hiding in this
Heart of mine
Just in time
I saw the beauty of a love that’s oh so true

Baby, you and I we got this magic touch
(And we can fly right to the stars)
And maybe that’s the reason why it hurts so much
(Cos when we fall we fall so far)
But all we gotta do is reach out to each other
And listen to our hearts inside
(Just let the wheel of love go round)
Love is a crazy carousel
Jump up on board and ring the bell

Just in time
I saw a picture in the mirror baby
Of a man losing what he had
Just in time
I saw a vision of a future without you
Just in time
I realised a lot of things that I’d been hiding
In this heart of mine
Just in time
I saw the beauty of a love that’ oh so true
And I need your love
And I need your love
Gotta have your love
Gimme all the love you got

The Homes Of Donegal (Sean Mc Bride/ arranged Paul Brady)

I’ve just dropped in to see you all
I’ll only stay awhile
I want to hear how you’re getting on
I want to see you smile
I’m happy to be back again
And greet you big and small
For there’s no place on earth just like
The homes of Donegal

I long to see your smiling children
Standing by the door
The kettle boiling on the hearth
As I walk up the floor
And then to see a welcome free
For travellers one and all
For your hearts are like your mountains
In the homes of Donegal

I’d like to stay along with you
And while away the night
With fairy lore and tales of yore
Beside the turf fire bright
And then to see laid out for me
A shake-down by the wall
For there’s rest for weary wanderers
In the homes of Donegal

The time has come for me to go
And bid you all adieu
For the open highway calls me back
To do these things I do
But when I’m travelling far away
Your friendship I’ll recall
And please God I’ll soon return unto
The homes of Donegal

Donegal, Pride of all
Donegal, Pride of all

Arthur McBride and the Sergeant (Trad arranged and adapted Paul Brady)

Oh, me and my cousin, one Arthur McBride
As we went a-walking down by the seaside
Now, mark what followed and what did betide
For it being on Christmas morning…
Out for recreation, we went on a tramp
And we met Sergeant Napper and Corporal Vamp
And a little wee drummer, intending to camp
For the day being pleasant and charming.

“Good morning ! Good morning!” the sergeant did cry
“And the same to you gentlemen! ” we did reply ,
Intending no harm but meant to pass by
For it being on Christmas morning.
But says he, “My fine fellows if you will enlist,
It’s ten guineas in gold I will slip in your fist
And a crown in the bargain for to kick up the dust
And drink the King’s health in the morning.

For a soldier he leads a very fine life
And he always is blessed with a charming young wife
And he pays all his debts without sorrow or strife
And always lives pleasant and charming…
And a soldier he always is decent and clean
In the finest of clothing he’s constantly seen
While other poor fellows go dirty and mean
And sup on thin gruel in the morning. ”

“But “, says Arthur, “I wouldn’t be proud of your clothes
For you’ve only the lend of them as I suppose
And you dare not change them one night, for you know
If you do you’ll be flogged in the morning.
And although that we are single and free
we take great delight in our own company
And we have no desire strange faces to see
Although that your offers are charming
And we have no desire to take your advance
All hazards and dangers we barter on chance
For you would have no scruples for to send us to France
Where we would get shot without warning ”

“Oh now! “, says the sergeant “I’ll have no such chat
And I neither will take it from spalpeen or brat
For if you insult me with one other word
I’ll cut off your heads in the morning ”
And then Arthur and I we soon drew our hods
And we scarce gave them time for to draw their own blades
When a trusty shillelagh came over their heads
And bade them take that as fair warning

And their old rusty rapiers that hung by their side
We flung them as far as we could in the tide
“Now take them out, Divils! “, cried Arthur McBride
“And temper their edge in the morning “.
And the little wee drummer we flattened his pow
And we made a football of his rowdeydowdow
Threw it in the tide for to rock and to row
And bade it a tedious returning

And we having no money, paid them off in cracks
And we paid no respect to their two bloody backs
For we lathered them there like a pair of wet sacks
And left them for dead in the morning.
And so to conclude and to finish disputes
We obligingly asked if they wanted recruits
For we were the lads who would give them hard clouts
And bid them look sharp in the morning.

Oh me and my cousin, one Arthur McBride
As we went a walkin’ down by the seaside,
Now mark what followed and what did betide
For it being on Christmas morning.

( From the traditional, adapted by Paul Brady/ Round Hill Music)