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Beyond The Breaking Glass

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Info

Format: CD Album
Label: Ad Hoc Music
Catalogue No: ADHOC01
Country: UK
Released: 2000

Hazel O'Connor - Vocals
Cormac De Barra - Irish Harp, Backing Vocals
Mario N'Goma - African Percussion
Robbie Malone - Bass Guitar

with
Eamonn De Barra - Whistles
Fionan De Barra - Acoustic Guitar
Tiarnan O Duinnchinn - Uilleann Pipes, Low Whistle
Cliodhna Quinlan - Fiddle
Aidan Roberts - Acoustic Guitar
Eugene Wogan - Acoustic Bass, Backing Vocals
Produced by Cormac De Barra and Fionan De Barra
Recorded at Eerie Hour Studios, Dublin

Lyrics

Tracklist Lyrics
01 - Still Breathing Lyrics

Still Breathing
(© Hazel O'Connor / Cormac De Barra)

Well did you ever get the feeling you've
been here before
Well I do!
You see a face, you know a place
Maybe it's deja-vu

You better believe in the freedom
You know the next line
You better believe in the feeling
Time after time I am dreaming
Am I dreaming?

I dive down into life's ocean
I'm riding on the crest of a wave
A big momma come a crashin' down on me
I spin around, hit the ground, rise again
I spit the sound and say

Hey-ho - I'm still breathing
Hey-ho - I've survived
Hey-ho - I'm still breathing
Hey-ho - I'm alive

Well did you ever get to wonder
about the road that you chose?
Well I do!
You lose your way, you find your say
you have your day
Encore deja-vu

You better believe in the reason
you do what you do
You better believe in the meaning
The journey's for you
It's for you
Are you dreaming?

You dive down into life's ocean
You're riding on the crest of a wave
A big momma come a crashin' down on you
You spin around, hit the ground
rise again, you spit the sound and say

Hey-ho - I'm still breathing
Hey-ho - I've survived
Hey-ho - I'm still breathing
Hey-ho - I'm alive

Hey-ho - I'm still breathing
Hey-ho - I've survived
Hey-ho - I'm still breathing
Hey-ho - I'm alive
I'm alive
I'm alive
I'm alive
02 - Scamaill  
03 - Driftwood Lyrics

Driftwood
(© Hazel O'Connor)

Sitting on the sunny shoreline, see some driftwood
come to rest
worn out by the tides, born up by its endless rides
never free, just a bit like me.
I've been that piece of wood I've been tossed about
Upon the ocean of illusion, confusion.
Bitter and twisted like waves lashing out at the rock.

Well I now know I just gotta find
that shore line oh yeah, that little peace of mind
and let the sun shine on me

I swam the sea of passion, jealousy and pain,
ignorance pretends to drown, grabs for your hands
again, drags you down again.
Yeah, but my soul cries out just to break those chains,
Well listen you who've travelled all these jungles
concrete and the other kind, you know there's more
you got your own key the door, go on open it open it up

Well I now know I just gotta find
that shore line oh yeah, that little peace of mind
and let the sun shine on me

Been a long time from my home and I want
to get back there,
but most of my memories got washed away with the tide
a friend waits for me at the edge of the sea
my soul is your lover I cry

Oh beloved wipe away these tears from my eyes
of my illusion, my confusion.
Brittle and twisted like waves lashing out at the rock

Well I now know I just gotta find
that shore line oh yeah, that little peace of mind
and let the sun shine on me...
04 - Big Brother Lyrics

Big Brother
(© Hazel O'Connor)

They'll tear out your heart, throw it knee-deep in a cart
'cos that's what they do with the scum like me and you
And you feel as if you died, whilst you're standing on the line
And you wonder all the time why can't you cry?
But the people in control don't care for you
They're just a robot with a job to do
And when your use is exhausted, they'll be rid of you
As soon as look at you, go to the back of the queue!

(Chorus)
B-B-Big brother's got no heart
When I get my chance
I'm gonna kick him in the ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Big brother's got no heart
When I get my chance
I'm gonna kick him in the ah (sh) ah (sh) ah (sh) ah (sh) arse

His eyes are dull, they stole his soul
They left him to rot in some stinking council hole
Where they keep him doped on beer and hopes
Of television dreams he's living on the screens
He knows something that he used to believe in
That was: Every human being should have his freedom
But while his dungeon had a way to show him
He should be more useful, as they broke into his skull

(Chorus)

Big brother, beware, 'cos some of us do care
And the worm (and the worm, and the worm, and the worm)
May turn (may turn, may turn, may turn)
And the violence (and the violence, and the violence, and the violence)
In my head (in my head, in my head, in my head) is real
Bam-bam, you're dead!

(Chorus)

(Chorus)

Arse!
05 - Rebecca Lyrics

Rebecca
(© Hazel O'Connor)

A top flat in Bayswater
Rebecca would be doing my hair
We had so much fun, she sang all of the words to my song
As it played on the player
She'd give me her bed for the night
She would feed me and clothe me and such
I'd laugh and say, when the light hits that way
You remind me of Shirley Maclaine

(Chorus)
When will I see you again
When will we sing silly harmonies into the night?
I try and try but I can't help missing you
I wonder where you are now

We had us a dream back then
When we got back the things that were stole
We'd have an old fashioned party, an orchestra,long gowns
And we'd be the belles of the ball
And we'd dance to the emperor's waltz
Because that was her favourite song
I'd laugh and say, when the light hits that way
You remind me of Shirley Maclaine

(Chorus)

Are you an angel?
Have you been reborn?
Did you find your Buddhahood, was it worth all the toil?
I write this 'cause I miss you
And there's nothing more I can do

(Chorus)

Now the top flat is empty
But our rare old times call from the walls
And I hope that wherever you are you're alright
And I'll still have our ball
And we'll dance to the emperor's waltz
Because that was your favourite tune
I'd laugh and say when the light hits that way
You remind me of Shirley Maclaine

(Chorus)
06 - Blackman Lyrics

Blackman
(© Hazel O'Connor)

I am the blackman and you are the white
I am the deviant and you're always right
I am the darkness and you are the light
I am the blackman, you're the white
Yeah you are the good little holier
Than thou, hide your head in your hand
You hear no, see no, speak no no no no
Understand

(Chorus)
I am the blackness, I am the dark
I am the alcoholic pissed in the park
I am the girl who sold her body to the dark
I am the truth of it, you are the hypocrite

I am the dirty and you are the clean
I live in places where you've never been
I eat the garbage and you eat the cream
I am the dirty, you're the clean
You give me the first degree for being different to thee
You hit me, kick me, tell me you're what I should be

(Chorus)

I am the whiteman and I paint you black
I am the traitor, but I put you on the rack
I am the coward and I shoot you in the back
I am the white man, I paint you black
Yeah I am are the good little holier
Than thou hide my head in my hands
I hear no, see no, speak no no no no
Understand

(Chorus)

(Chorus)

Blackman!
07 - Thinkin' About You Lyrics

Thinkin About You
(© Hazel O'Connor / Cormac De Barra)

I think about you,
When I could be scrubbin' floors
or plottin' a bank robbery
Do you think of me?

and sometimes
When I'm feelin' like a lost child
I imagine you are holdin' me
Your breath on me
Ten thousand miles from home
Ten thousand from you
Yeah Venice beach is fine
but I'd rather spent time with you

and I, I'm walkin' in sunshine
I'm talkin' with you in my mind
Wish you were here, with me
And we'd be walkin' in sunshine
We'd be talkin' bout life and times
We'd be walkin' in rhythm and rhyme
and the sky is clear and blue
And I'm thinkin' bout you

And I trust what's mine
Will come to me in time
And I will be ready
I'll be steady
I'll be go go go
And this I know
There ain't no way to push the river
faster than it's meant to go, no no
Ten thousand miles I've gone
Ten thousand to L.A
and if I wrote to you
here are the things I'd say

That I'm
I'm walkin' in sunshine
I'm talkin' with you in my mind
Wish you were here, with me
And we'd be walkin' in sunshine
We'd be talkin' bout life and times
We'd be walkin' in rhythm and rhyme
and the sky is clear and blue
Yeah I'm thinkin' bout you

Then stay in touch
Stay in touch.....
(repeat)

And I
I'm walkin' in sunshine
I'm talkin' with you in my mind
Wish you were here, with me
And we'd be walkin' in sunshine
We'd be talkin' bout life and times
We'd be walkin' in rhythm and rhyme
and I

I been walkin' in sunshine
I been talkin' with you in my mind
I wish that you were here
and we
We'd be walkin' in sunshine
We'd be talkin' bout life and times
We'd be talkin' in rhythm and rhyme
and the sky is clear and blue
and I'm thinkin' bout you
and I'm feelin' blue...
Thinkin' bout you...
08 - Blackwater Side Lyrics

Blackwater Side
(Trad. arr. © Hazel O'Connor / Cormac De Barra)

One morning fair as I took the air
Down by Blackwater Side
And when staring all around me
An Irish lad I spied

All through the far part of the night
We spent in sport and play
Then the young man rose and put on his clothes
Saying faretheewell today

Go back, go back to your father's garden
Go back and cry your fill
And think upon your sad misfortune
You brought on by your wanton will

That's not the promise that you made to me
When you lay on my breast
I would have believed with your lying tongue
That the sun rose in the west

Go back, go back to your father's garden
Go back and cry your fill
And think upon your sad misfortune
You brought on by your wanton will

There's not a girl in this whole wide world
As easily led as I
And when fishes do fly and seas do run dry
It is when you will marry I

Go back, go back to your father's garden
Go back and cry your fill
And think upon your sad misfortune
You brought on by your wanton will
You brought on by your wanton will
You brought on by your wanton will
09 - Will You Lyrics

Will You
(© Hazel O'Connor / Wesley Magoogan)

You drink your coffee and I sip my tea
And we're sitting here playing so cool, thinking ''What will be, will be''
But it's getting kind of late now
Oh I wonder if you'll stay now, stay now, stay now, stay now
Or will you just politely say goodnight?

I move a little closer to you, not knowing quite what to do
And I'm feeling all fingers and thumbs, I spill my tea, oh silly me!
But it's getting kind of late now
I wonder if you'll stay now, stay now, stay now, stay now
Or will you just politely say goodnight?

And then we touch much too much
This moment has been waiting for a long long time
Makes me shiver, it makes me quiver
This moment I'm so unsure
This moment I've waited for
Is it something you've been waiting for, waiting for too?

Take off your eyes, bare your soul
Gather me to you and make me whole
Tell me your secrets, sing me the song
Sing it to me in the silent tongue
But it's getting kind of late now
I wonder if you'll stay now, stay now, stay now, stay now
Or will you just politely say goodnight?
10 - Calls the Tune Lyrics

Calls The Tune
(© Hazel O'Connor)

Well, I saw your face in a photograph
I cried so much, I nearly laughed
You never really had the chance
To question why did you live some to cry some and die?

(Chorus)
Who, what and how writes the song, calls the tune
Says what's right and wrong
Writes the song, calls the tune
Says what's right and wrong

Oh, I'd have caught your eyes, but my hands were tied
Was it truth? Was it lies?
Many words of truth are spoken in jest
Who would have guessed that, or trust that? What a mess!

(Chorus)

(Chorus)

Who, how
Who, how
Who writes the song?
Who writes the song?
Who writes the song?
11 - Beyond the Breaking Glass Lyrics

Beyond the Breaking Glass (© Hazel O'Connor / Cormac De Barra)

In the alone of my night
When the angels have all taken flight
Monsters come out fighting
No need to fight if I can talk
No need to run
If all I need to do
is walk on the path enlightening

An' I will go where life leads me
'Though the road be far, and wide
Through the broken dreams of yesterday
With time on my side
And with faith as my guide

I will
Walk on to, though I
Don't know where I am going to
To find my way back home at last
Yeah I'm gonna walk on, walk on
When I'm crumbled and cracked
Walk on, walk on
Won't be lookin' back, in anger
Walk on beyond the broken glass

And in the mornin' of my day
I send the monsters on their merry way
I celebrate their leavin'
An' of the lost, and of the gain
An' of the joy, and of the pain
And I tell Ya, yeah i'm still a believer

An' I will go where life leads me
'Though the road be far, an wide
Through the broken dreams of yesterday
With time on my side
And with faith as my guide

I will,
Walk on to, though I
Don't know where I am going to
To find my way back home at last
Yeah I'm gonna, walk on, walk on
When I'm crumbled and cracked
Walk on, walk on
Won't be lookin' back in anger
Walk on beyond the broken glass

Walk on, walk on, walk on, walk on
walk on, walk on beyond the broken glass
Yeah I'm gonna walk on,walk on
Walk on, walk on
Walk on, walk on beyond the broken glass

You walk on, walk on
Walk on, walk on
When you're crumbled and cracked
Walk on, walk on
Don't be lookin' back in anger
You walk on beyond the broken glass

You walk on, walk on
Walk on, walk on
If you can feel it
Walk on, walk on
Then you can heal it
Walk on, walk on....