that if the word of our first album was "please"
and the word of shield em was "yeah"
and the word of theme from kindness was "girl"
then the word for volume 4 is "hey"
VOLUME 4
LARKSPUR
larkspur you have a wooden deck
and dark green paint on every step
good for standing on and wondering what time will bring this time
a year at sea would make ships biscuit of most
but not you, you just had eyes for the coast
but there aint no oceans if only safe you want to stay
seven tenths worlds surface is sea
seven tenths of thought should be
there aint no oceans if you only want to wade
if your thoughts are drifting somewhere else
the north sea is quite a shallow shelf
still aint no good if you only want to wade
DRILL YOUR HEAVY HEART
you fade with the light of day
i wanna drill your heavy heart
streets wind at the top of town
rain falls and they send it down
from your window watch it rise as it tries to get all over town
from your window watch it pass as it flows to get all over town
you hold like theres nothing else
i should do with myself
alright in the morning light
wrapped tight in the morning sun
from your window watch it rise as it tries to get all over town
i wanna be the only one
you pour like a night of rain
GLAD
high and happy when i should feel sad
melancholy when i should feel glad
aint one fish in all the seas
you could make care what day of the week it is
knew a guy whos will and last words read and said
bury me with all my money
and all my women whether live or dead
and its not a phillips its a posi-drive
ah baby just leave it just let it lie
high and happy when i should feel sad
melancholy when i should feel glad
TRYNA LEAN A LADDER UP AGAINST THE WIND
spain has arranged for the sun to shine some of her glow
deep in november
pretty to stand on a roof and look twelve floors below
most those people look like theyve got somewhere to go
whether they do whether they dont
making sense of what i know
can be like trying to lean a ladder
up against the wind
but you give rise to hopes for
a worn down soul to mend
baby it feels like a shame to let good loving go
meanwhile in november
soon i’ll go back to listening to the rain on the roof
and i still have cause to feel like standing on the rungs
cos girl i know its good to feel a simple kind of love
but if i still have cause to feel
like tryna climb that ladder
leant against the wind
you give rise to hopes for
a worn down soul to mend
YOU MERIT HIGH HOPES
i put my spanners down
and it came to mind that i would see you soon
theres been a turnaround
a bird of flight that hadnt lately flew
and im coming
ive got designs on you
you merit high hopes
i put my spanners down
and your voice came to mind without a lot of thought
ive covered so much ground
every mile is one more close to you
i know youre waiting
ive no doubt that its true
i put my spanners down
and i saw the bolts that id left on the floor
and as i scratched my head
i thought of your smiling eyes
and your records all stacked up on the floor
i put my spanners down
ive not got the faculties to change
from wanting you
so ive been sleeping in the service station bays
and your smiling eyes
and your jacket id seen before
and you merit high hopes
UNTIL I FIND A NATURAL WAY
until i find a natural way
nothings gonna happen
i can keep a civil tongue
and the steering column
rolling against my left foot
but until i find a natural way
nothings gonna happen
clocks slow down on telling time
and im grateful for any life left in my knees
and the simple act of spreading butter
on bread is enough to please
in your green garden and its breeze
but until i find a natural way
nothings gonna happen
CROWD
a crowd as big as for a rush hour train
but im not sure if this tide can ever change
table cloth chequered red and white
i like your kitchen in its natural light
the river seems pleased to have burst her banks
water wont trick you flowing through your jeans
sleeping in churches or ldvs
a crowd as big as for a rush hour train
but im not sure if this tide can ever change
i loved you then
and if words can explain
i would rather not
BRNO
maria of the seven leaves
mechanical sympathy
is something you cant ask from me
so baby you can drive my van
honey can i wash my clothes
honey could you show me around brno
sugar youre a soulful girl
let me in your house and home
sugar would you show me around brno
standing on the hanging stone
therese youre a soulful girl
therese would you show me around brno
SCHUTZE DEINE AUGEN
when morning comes
i want to work
but im not looking for no easy dough
im out looking for twelve hour days
i want to work
as many hours as you can pay
i came here for twelve hour days
should be working twelve hour days
SPLIT 10" w/THAT FUCKING TANK & KONG
JESSICA
jessica
its safe to say
i could change my mind about you
three times every day
jessie
jessica you should pay for my shoes
since you gave me the runaround
and all those walking blues
please jessie
THEME FROM KINDNESS
I TOOK MY LEAD FROM YOU AND YOUR KINDNESS
miouw
PNEULOPE
pneulope
invite her round to break your bed
all the worlds a stage
pneulope's gonna make you set up on the floor instead
pneulope
shes not your bride shes not your flower
she'll high class you in half an hour
but pneulope
please
you dont need to pronounce your t's
with me
pneulope
BABY YOU MADE A KX250 OUT OF ME
you walk past one sign that says crow end farm
and im just letting my feet fall down one by one
call in dead baby be my girl
get up early take a train
take my seat and let the rails rail rail
i was here in the winter cold and now its changed
but theres no rocks or stones to hold aloft
for an injured bird needs finishing off
call in dead baby be my girl
how do you count the bricks under the bridge when theyre underwater
or do you count the ones above and wait till spring
and can i just assume we're all looking for the same time spent
in the summer
and the sunny summertime sun that shines, well
call in dead baby be my girl
call in dead be my girl
ROBINSON CRUSOE
girl youve got no sense of religion upon your mind
girl
every leaf must fall
and you and i are nothing special
all ships have to stay half beneath the water
not every drop of sea can rain upon a mountain
not every drop of rain will river back into an ocean
and every leaf must fall
girl youve got no sense of religion upon your mind
and girl i have no sense of religion upon my mind
we all just might get crusoed further down the line
so till then you better
get on with it
girl
cos every drop of rain
and every leaf must fall
and thats enough of this filth
AVES
i bet you still look good
looking like it might have just rained
should have necked you when i could
instead of buying a set of aves
get your heart a state of distress
keep it running just below pain
keep it up until youre home
i expect you still look good
and i wouldnt know if youre lonely
i hope stuffs going good
let my loving decay
did i see you on the train
if yes you still looked good
just one thing if you could
let a little loving remain
and if i never run into you again
you know its not all bad
and i couldnt tell if youre lonely
thought id leave it all unsaid
might as well be dead
OLIVERS WHARF
i could sit down here most summers with you
stuff goes wrong
i could skim some stones it through
we should bend our elbows have a few
we can sink some brown bottles cos
sugar its a crack staying out drinking with you
down at olivers wharf
i could come down here most winters with you
i could try quite hard on you
so we should bend our elbows have a few
we can sink some brown bottles cos
sugar its a crack staying out drinking with you
down at olivers wharf
TOO LITTLE HAS BEEN GOOD FOR THE SOUL
driller i think you could be good for the soul
when too little has been good for the soul
theres a bag of bits at the back of your shed
and im free all day tomorrow
driller its a pleasure right now
but its so unlikely to work
its so unlikely to last longer than
the time it takes to play my hand, driller
driller can you save a little snow on the ground
theres been a lot of talking shit and drilling around
been a lot of engines revved too hard when cold
but now im free all day tomorrow
driller its all funny right now
itll get pretty cold at the back of your shed
and i'll be free all day tomorrow
driller its a pleasure right now
but its so unlikely to last longer than
the time it takes to show my hand, driller
ULTRA SERFS
im looking forward to when you and i are next out on the swan
i could do with more cish cash to throw at what weve got going on
and if you dont know what it means to me
you at least know youve missed your bus
suzanna youre unusual
lets shotgun anything good and strong
i could do with more cish cash to pour down what weve got going on
ultra serfin' is all weve got going on
I DONT KNOW HOW YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO
you paint me all across the room and into the corner
i dont know how you do the things you do
and id rather see a change in me than see a change in you
you paint me in a corner
you paint me all across the room and into the corner
i dont know how you do the things you do
and if i was to ask
youd come all evasive
cos youre so evasive
and i really let you run me through
and i dont know how you do the things you do
you paint me all across the room and into the corner
but youre so evasive
DRAWN TO WATER
we are drawn to water
i am scared
i am scared
i can change
i can change
i was scared
and i have changed
and we are drawn to water
and now i have a daughter
and i love her
and i love her
and she'll be drawn to water
SHIELD EM
ORANGES
you can eat all my oranges
you can sleep halfway up my stairs
you can bear me all my heirs
you can be my good news bears
you got navy sinking eyes
i could sever all my ties
we can throw some spirits down
you can change your words around
we can walk around your town
you can shout my ideas down
you can show me round your town
like you can move your words around
then we can throw more spirits down
i can sever all my ties
you got navy sinking eyes
you can poison all the bards
you can shuffle up my cards
you can eat all my oranges
you can sleep halfway up my stairs
you can bear me all my heirs
you just caught me unawares
and gave me something going on of which i was proud
SERGEANT MAJOR LONELY AND QUEEN BEE SADNESS
sergeant major lonely and queen bee sadness
they are far from through
you shouldnt use the shadows as a marker for your braking
theyll only keep on moving
and theyll be different everytime youre there
and the people in victoria park when they walk that slow
its cos they really like eachother
and they really like their time spent
counting on the shadows
and wandering through the shadows from the trees
theyll forget the shapes of the shadows
which you might as well cos theyll only keep on moving
and theyll be different everytime youre there
and sergeant major lonely and queen bee sadness
they are far from through with you
ULTRA SOUL
another full glass of unclaimed hoping
into some vast unchartered body of water
after the event just pour it all away
you could give the feeling of some resolve
and id lie on the pavement to shout at strangers
and i'll bite my tongue twenty times today
i dont see what good can come for me now
though you could give the feeling of some resolve
and i should bite my tongue in the meantime
pour another full glass of unclaimed emotion
into some vast unchartered body of water
wont think about you whilst driving or waking
i could find the right words i could find the right moment
i'll bite my tongue thirty times in the meantime
TORN APART ON DETAILS
last night went pretty well
and then i slept by the side of the road
lets not get all torn apart on details
september sun
autumn glow
ive got my arms pulled up inside my coat
and its all gears gears gears
this might not escalate
lets drink and celebrate
lets get an early start
warm our raggedy hearts
i changed the oil and filter
start her up and take it overseas
got some long term plans
got some quick fix scams
and before we saddle up
im gonna check my shirt pocket for everything i need
LIMERICK
riding around getting lost by the river
i cant get used to this fixed rear wheel
i made a call nervously by some parked trucks
its 4am and all their engines are cold
youve got some front bringing that thing over here
but this has been one of the best nights of the year
i cant tell what the mood in the air is
and ive got some news that i havent yet told
and i dont care if it rains in the morning
like i dont care that its raining right now
its gonna rain its gonna rain start pouring
laughing it up in the back of the van
drinking it up in the back of the van
lets do this again lets make it a long one
ive got good news that i havent yet told
TIME ON YOU
having it all your way
can be having it my way too
feels fine spending time on you
dont need to know where you go
spending time doing what you do
you dont gotta spend time tryna be my girl
its not all i want
but spending time feels good on you
having it all your way
can be having it my way too
christmas time coming up for you
having it all your way
BAD TOOTH WAREHOUSE BOOGIE
we'll come round sunday
set it up get some dirt and stay the week
tel hel aviv and t shirts saying get rad! wheres the beach?
drilling out some bad tooth warehouse boogies
from the eyes
pets at home spoon and lettuce chewing all the leads
throw my birthday up your stairs in your sink and down your street
pissing out some bad tooth warehouse boogies
love from the eyes
you cant cancel your appointment with the eyes
shield em
CLAIRE
claire
thanks for the post
in answer to your question
i can turn it on but i cant turn it off
you made a big impression
claire i feel the plan slipping away
you cut such deep incisions
claire oh please claire
ive made some bad decisions
claire oh please claire
thanks for the mail
i had to go pick it up at the post office
and i pulled it open to read as i was walking home
i know weve come to nothing
so i should spend my time on other things
but youve cut such deep incisions
claire oh please claire
you know ive made some bad decisions
YOUVE BEEN SERVED BY THE SERFS (tribute to Lords)
old time serfs would say
kill the landowner
new time serfs would say
im going to europe to learn languages for a year
future time serfs will say
i cant believe they didnt understand our futuristic metric calendar
all time serfs will always love the all time rock and the all time roll
all time serfs will always say they love the all time rock and roll
or the all time serfs will always have the all time all serf blues
well im an all time serf and baby so are you
YOUR RACING DAYS ARE OVER
you called me and i changed all my weekend plans
i need to borrow a tv set
i need to place a long odds bet
i had a lot to say but i said it all to myself
i could write you a letter with my pen
an inch above the page
to say we never cut the cake
and we never shook the shake
and our racing days are over
our racing days are over
honey ive got to tell you that
your racing days are over
SHIELDER
thanks im off can i take a piece of paper and a pen
driving out some countryside again
get some sunshine on your skin
firing out some resting bpm
got dirt wine to pin
two stroke oil and then
i need to write a list of everything
thats wrong with the van
shielder
thanks im off can i take a piece of paper and a pen
get some hi vis on my back again
nailing out on bad news rpm
got some dirt to pin
keep the locals under ten
drilling out some bad news rpm
shielder
thanks im off can i take a piece of paper and a pen
hey youve only got three settings
smug as hell
self pitying and
bedwetting
MORT OUR AUX
you said you liked me cos i looked like a ghost
i said lets steal that car and drive to the coast
please
listen to me
grab those moves and spend some on me
i dont need you to sign a waiver
i dont need your best behaviour
lets just do both of us a favour
i dont want this to suddenly end
and im not all that up for just being your friend
please
be honest with me
you aint got no more moves to spend on me
youre running low on moves to spend on me
i met you in a taxi rank
and i was feeling proper low
you spoke my language
and we had a smile for eachother
we shared a cab
and you told me something that helped me very much to hear
so i picked up the fare
the last thing you said was
its the beginning of the year
there was the missing sweetness that had flown me here
and i wouldnt argue if you were sent
SANDY
hey you know whats cool
your late night booze hound calls
i never know what nights theyll come
and i wanna do what i can
sandy
none of these
paleskinned girls are gonna
feel the same to me
and i got reason to be careful
weve been thinning our blood
and weve both been making a fuss
and i shouldnt get my hopes up
but i like to get my hopes up
and i wanna do what i can
and your skin and hair and mouth
and shall i stop?
and your neck and back
and i wanna do what i can
and now i got something to be scared of
1ST ALBUM
NICOLA VELLA BURROWS
nicola vella burrows
dressed in movements made of hand-drawn grace
im in trouble
bless with moments made of hand-drawn grace
COME ON MELISSA ARE YOU A KISSER
i dont want to stick a frame around a draft
what say we get beautiful
if this is just a dead horse to flog
let me know
i just thought Id let you know
if youve got something going on in those shapes you pull
what say we get natural
i dont want to stick a frame around this now
come on weve got a dead horse to flog
let me know
please
SOUND THE ALARM
if im using morse code
youre gonna have to know it too
please
this is the deal
dont tell your friends
listen to me
sound the alarm
if i was a six hour drive away from all my right as rains
then i dont remember what I did instead
shouldnt have to dust for clues
shouldnt have to sing the blues
both staying tight lipped
ENGINES PLAY CHORDS
we dont have to be so in-control
its supposed to feel more natural
not like tryna catch a falling knife
please dont let it fall so far
and im not afraid to burn my tongue
and im not afraid to go far-flung
please
lets get the engines playing chords
SHAME IT DIDNT WORK OUT
we can let the winter out
we can let the sunshine in
please
you can come around anytime you like
come and call on me
and i'll stick on a record called best of motown
stay a while
i'll cut you a key
we can throw a party but i only want to invite you
and i'll stick on a record and paint my walls with fisherman blue
and I'll be fisherman blue when youre gone
so please stay a while
shame it didnt work out
we can let the winter out
we can let the moonlight in
then i can spend the whole of summer
thinking about the spring
and we can stick on a record
and get completely shitfaced
READING RIGHT INTO WORDS YOU TOOK NO TIME TO SAY
reading right into words you took no time to say
you see the good in almost everyone
you bring the good out of everyone
i found the note you left inside my shirt
its like the one i left inside your purse
im looking forward to the plans weve made
ive got no reason to be down
ive got no business being down
reading right into words you took no time to say
SERFS AT PLAY
wrote i quit on the back of a photograph
spent a week staring out of the glass
missing you crept up on me slow but now i miss you so bad
NASTY BUSINESS
i cant believe i came so clean
its making me laugh
nasty business
therell be no marked improvements
bad news bears this feels good
its a nasty business but its not all blood and guts
you must know how i feel
i cant believe i came so clean
I WISH I COULD SEE YOU MORE
youre a book falling off my shelf
like a book falling off my shelf
i wish i could see you more
i keep saying your name to myself
i wish i could see you more
releases til now:
"VOLUME 4" lp/cd/dl. OCTOBER 2011
larkspur
drill your heavy heart
glad
tryna lean a ladder up against the wind
you merit high hopes
until i find a natural way
crowd
brno
schutze deine augen
"SPLIT 10" w/THAT FUCKING TANK & KONG" vinyl only. JULY 2011
jessica
"JEAN ALESI OR DIE" free cd sampler. OCTOBER 2010
oranges (live in bradford, july'10)
kx250 (live in bradford, july'10)
claire (live in bradford, july'10)
limerick (live in leeds, sept'09)
pneulope (live in leeds, sept'09)
nicola (live at spatchcock, aug'08)
i will not seek counsel in you (live in farnborough, dec'06)
"THEME FROM KINDNESS" lp/cd/dl. OCTOBER 2010
i took my lead from you and your kindness
pneulope
baby you made a kx250 out of me
robinson crusoe
aves
olivers wharf
too little has been good for the soul
ultra serfs
i dont know how you do the things you do
drawn to water
"SHIELD EM" lp(double)/cd/dl. SEPTEMBER 2009
oranges
sergeant major lonely and queen bee sadness
ultra soul
torn apart on details
limerick
time on you
bad tooth warehouse boogie
claire oh claire
youve been served by the serfs
your racing days are over
shielder
mort our aux
sandy
"SPLIT 7 w/SILENT FRONT" vinyl only. JULY 2009
ultra soul (different take from album version)
"SHIELD YOUR EYES" lp/cd/dl. OCTOBER 2008
nicola vella burrows
come on melissa are you a kisser
sound the alarm
engines play chords
shame it didnt work out
reading right into words you took no time to say
serfs at play
nasty business
i wish i could see you more
"6-BAND SPLIT 7" vinyl only. JULY 2007
a decoy
(split w/guns or knives, darkrat, for trucks, tom williams & twat trot tra la)
