This is one of the songs that Rich would play on the guitar and I would sing. We always preferred the Tori Amos version. He loved the way I sang it and often said that I could carry of the slightly crazy sentiment that Tori Amos does in this when she performs it behind the piano.
Playlist
Sympathy For The Devil : The Rolling Stones
What can I say. This is just a really good party song. We loved dancing to this song.
Sympathy For The Devil
Verse 1
Please allow me to introduce myself
I’m a man of wealth and taste
I’ve been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man’s soul to waste
Verse 2
And I was ’round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate
Chorus
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
Verse 3
I stuck around St. Petersburg
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the czar and his ministers
Anastasia screamed in vain
Verse 4
I rode a tank
Held a general’s rank
When the blitzkrieg raged
And the bodies stank
Chorus
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
Ah, what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah
(Woo woo, woo woo)
Verse 5
I watched with glee
While your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For the gods they made
(Woo woo, woo woo)
Verse 6
I shouted out,
Who killed the Kennedys?
When after all
It was you and me
(Who who, who who)
Verse 7
Let me please introduce myself
I’m a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for troubadours
Who get killed before they reached Bombay
(Woo woo, who who)
Chorus
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
(Who who)
But what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby
(Who who, who who)
Chorus Repeat
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
But what’s confusing you
Is just the nature of my game
(Woo woo, who who)
Verse 8
Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails
Just call me Lucifer
‘Cause I’m in need of some restraint
(Who who, who who)
Verse 9
So if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
(Woo woo)
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I’ll lay your soul to waste, mm yeah
(Woo woo, woo woo)
Chorus
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, mm yeah
(Who who)
But what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, mm mean it, get down
(Woo woo, woo woo)
Ending of Song
Woo, who
Oh yeah, get on down
Oh yeah
Oh yeah!
(Woo woo)
Tell me baby, what’s my name
Tell me honey, can ya guess my name
Tell me baby, what’s my name
I tell you one time, you’re to blame
Oh, who
Woo, woo
Woo, who
Woo, woo
Woo, who, who [x2]
Oh, yeah
What’s my name
Tell me, baby, what’s my name
Tell me, sweetie, what’s my name
Woo, who, who [x6]
Oh, yeah
Woo woo [x2]
Us Against The World : Coldplay
Coldplay is one of Richard’s favourite bands. I’m not sure how much of an introduction this song needs “Through Chaos as it swirls, it’s us against the world”. It was always Rich and I, fighting back-to-back against the world. So many of Richard’s quotes were about that, so it’s not unusual that this song, which contains a lyric very similar to that which he always quoted to me, was included in this playlist.
Us Against the World
Oh morning come bursting, the clouds amen
Lift off this blindfold, let me see again
Bring back the water, let your ships roll in
In my heart she left a hole
The tightrope that I’m walking just sways and ties
The devil as he’s talking with those angel’s eyes
And I just want to be there when the lightning strikes
And the saints go marching in
And sing slow it down
Through chaos as it swirls
It’s us against the world
Like a river to a raindrop, I lost a friend
My drunken as a Daniel in a lion’s den
And tonight I know it all has to begin again
So whatever you do, don’t let go
And if we could float away
Fly up to the surface and just start again
And lift off before trouble
Just erodes us in the rain
Just erodes us in the rain
Just erodes us and see roses
In the rain
Sing slow it down
Slow it down
Through chaos as it swirls
It’s us against the world
Through chaos as it swirls
It’s us against the world
Everlong : Foo Fighters
On one of our many business trips, Rich and I watched a documentary on the Foo Fighters. Some of the music was actually really good, so we started sampling more and more of their music. Then we came across this song. We loved it. The Acoustic version was perfect. Rich really related to this song. One night when we were having dinner, he looked up at me very seriously and asked me to promise him “not to stop when I say when“. Thankfully, he never said ‘when’ and I never stopped.
Everlong
Hello, I’ve waited here for you
Everlong
Tonight, I throw myself into
And out of the red
Out of her head, she sang
Come down, and waste away with me
Down with me
Slow how you wanted it to be
And over my head, out of her head she sang
And I wonder when I sing along with you
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I’ll ever ask of you
You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when
She sang
Breathe out, so I can breathe you in
Hold you in
And now I know you’ve always been
And out of your head, out of my head I sang
And I wonder when I sing along with you
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I’ll ever ask of you
You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when
She sang
And I wonder…
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I’ll ever ask of you
You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when
She sang
Fields of Gold : Sting
Fields of Gold is such a beautiful love song. The words of the song transport the listener to the fields and the simplicity of it all. This song was one of our favourite songs and we often performed it on stage. However, this song has an even more special meaning for me – Rich promised me that one day we would go out to fields of barley and recreate the scene in this song. Rich really was a romantic.
Fields Of Gold
Verse 1
You’ll remember me when the west wind moves upon the fields of barley
You’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky as we walk in fields of gold
So she took her love for to gaze awhile upon the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down among the fields of gold
Verse 2
Will you stay with me, will you be my love among the fields of barley?
We’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky as we lie in fields of gold
See the west wind move like a lover so upon the fields of barley.
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth among the fields of gold
Chorus
I never made promises lightly and there have been some that I’ve broken
But I swear in the days still left we’ll walk in fields of gold
We’ll walk in fields of gold
Verse 3
Many years have passed since those summer days among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down among the fields of gold
You’ll remember me when the west wind moves upon the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky when we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold, when we walked in fields of gold
A Man Is In Love : The Waterboys
Our relationship was well marked by songs from The Waterboys. The first song Rich took the trouble to record and send me was his version of The Waterboys “When Ye Go Away” which you’ll find on this website with Richard’s other recordings.
However, this is a song that he would play the original sound-track to and sing for me. And at the end of the song, he would look at me and sing “A man is in love, and he’s me”. Then he would start to pretend to play a fiddle or do a jig, which was very adorable. Everytime I hear this song, my heart smiles.
A Man Is In Love
Verse 1
A man is in love, how do I know?
He came and walked with me, and he told me so
In a song he sang, and then I knew
A man is in love with you
Verse 2
A man is in love, how did I hear?
I heard him talk too much whenever you’re near
He whispered your name when his eyes were closed
A man is in love and he knows
Verse 3
A man is in love, how did I guess?
I figuered it out while he was watching you dress
He’d give you his all, if you’d but agree
A man is in love and he’s me
Love the Way You Lie : Eminem (ft. Rihanna)
Rich and I had a very stressful and high paced job. On 14 December 2015 we were on our way to Perth airport to catch a plane to Brisbane so that we could attend an important business meeting, however on the way to the airport we were in a significant car accident that left Richard with a dislocated left scapula and some brain trauma, and me with some brain trauma and memory loss.
During the weeks following this even though we were individually going through hell due to the injuries sustained from the car accident and were accommodating the others issues working through such an extreme circumstance, we didn’t loose site of the other – our commitment to each other and our capacity to understand the other actually grew stronger. Going through this adversity made us fall in love with each other more (if that were possible).
Love the Way You Lie
Chorus
Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
But that’s alright, because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
But that’s alright, because I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie
Verse 1
I can’t tell you what it really is
I can only tell you what it feels like
And right now there’s a steel knife, in my windpipe
I can’t breathe, but I still fight, while I can fight
As long as the wrong feels right, it’s like I’m in flight
High off of love drunk from my hate
It’s like I’m huffing paint and I love it the more that I suffer
I suffocate and right before I’m about to drown
She resuscitates me, she fucking hates me,
And I love it, wait
Where you going, I’m leaving you
No you ain’t, come back
We’re running right back, here we go again
It’s so insane ’cause when it’s going good, it’s going great
I’m Superman, with the wind at his back, she’s Lois Lane
But when it’s bad, it’s awful
I feel so ashamed, I snapped, who’s that dude
I don’t even know his name, I laid hands on her
I’ll never stoop so low again, I guess I don’t know my own strength
Chorus
Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
But that’s alright, because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
But that’s alright, because I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie
Verse 2
You ever love somebody so much
You can barely breathe, when you’re with them, you meet
And neither one of you, even know what hit ’em,
Got that warm fuzzy feeling, yeah them chills, used to get ’em
Now you’re getting fucking sick, of looking at ’em
You swore you’ve never hit ’em, never do nothing to hurt ’em,
Now you’re in each others face,
Spewing venom, and these words, when you spit ’em
You push, pull each other’s hair, scratch, claw, bit ’em,
Throw ’em down, pin ’em, so lost in the moments, when you’re in ’em
It’s the rage that’s the culprit, it controls you both
So they say it’s best, to go your separate ways,
Guess that they don’t know ya ’cause today, that was yesterday
Yesterday is over, it’s a different day
Sound like broken records, playin’ over, but you promised her
Next time you’ll show restraint
You don’t get another chance,
Life is no Nintendo game, but you lied again
Now you get to watch her leave,
Out the window, guess that’s why they call it window pane
Chorus
Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
But that’s alright, because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
But that’s alright, because I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie
Verse 3
Now I know we said things, did things
That we didn’t mean and we fall back into the same patterns
Same routine, but your temper’s just as bad, as mine is
You’re the same as me, but when it comes to love, you’re just as blinded
Baby please come back, it wasn’t you,
Baby it was me, maybe our relationship isn’t as crazy as it seems
Maybe that’s what happens When a tornado meets a volcano
All I know is I love you too much, to walk away now
Come inside, pick up your bags off the sidewalk
Don’t you hear sincerity, in my voice when I talk,
Told you this is my fault, look me in the eyeball
Next time I’m pissed, I’ll aim my fist at the dry wall
Next time, there will be no next time
I apologize even though I know it’s lies
I’m tired of the games, I just want her back, I know I’m a liar
If she ever tries to fucking leave again
I’m a tie her to the bed and set this house on fire
Chorus
Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
But that’s alright, because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
But that’s alright, because I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie
Kilkelly Ireland : Celtic Roses
Rich and I were always drawn to very sad songs. We would spend time seeking them out and then I would learn the vocals and Rich would learn the guitar to accompany me. Through this process he would learn the vocals too.
We were drawn to Kilkelly Ireland instantly. The version sung by the Celtic Roses (link below), is our favourite recording of the song. From researching the songs origins we found that in the 1970s or early 1980s, Peter Jones, an American-born composer whose great-grandfather was John Coyne from the general Kilkelly area, found a batch of old letters tied together in a box in the attic of his parents home in America. These letters had all been posted in Kilkelly and as he poured through them he was overcome with the emotion which re-united him in an extraordinary way with the land of his forebearers. The words in the song are taken directly from Mr. Coynes letters.
Rich and I performed this song many times, often at the restaurant or around the fireplace at Lake St Clair, Tasmania. It was always very difficult to hold back the tears.
Kilkelly Ireland
Verse 1
Kilkelly, Ireland, eighteen-and-sixty
My dear and loving son John
Our good friend the schoolmaster Pat McNamara
Is so good as to write these words down
Your brothers have all gone to find work in England
The house is empty and sad
The crop of potatoes is sorely infected
A third to a half of them bad
Your sister Bridget and Patrick O’Donnell
Are going to be married in June
Your mother says not to work on the railroad
And be sure to come on home soon
Verse 2
Kilkelly, Ireland, eighteen-and-seventy
My dear and loving son John
Hello to your missus and to your four children
May they grow healthy and strong
Michael has got in a wee bit of trouble
I think he never will learn
Because of the dampness there’s no turf to speak of
And now we have nothing to burn
Bridget is happy you named the child for her
Although she has six of her own
You say you found work but you don’t say what kind
Or when you’ll be coming home
Verse 3
Kilkelly, Ireland, eighteen-and-eighty
Dear John and Michael, my sons
I’m sorry to give you this very bad news
Your dear old mother has gone
We buried her down at the church in Kilkelly
Your brothers and Bridget were there
You don’t have to worry, she died very quickly
Remember her in your prayers
But it’s good to hear that Michael’s returning
With money he’s sure to buy land
The crop is still poor and the people are selling
Any price that they can
Verse 4
Kilkelly, Ireland, eighteen-and-ninety
My dear and loving son John
I suppose I must be close on to eighty
It’s thirty years since you’ve gone
But because of all of the money you send me
I’m still living out on my own
Michael has built himself a fine house
And Bridget’s daughters are grown
Thank you for sending your family picture
They are lovely young women and men
And you say you might even get home for a visit
What joy to see you again
Verse 5
Kilkelly, Ireland, eighteen-and-ninety-two
Dear brother John
I’m sorry I didn’t write sooner to tell you
The Father passed on
He was living with Bridget, she says he was happy
And cheerful down to the end
You should have seen him play with the grandchildren
Of Pat McNamara our friend
We buried him alongside of Mother
Down at the Kilkelly churchyard
He was a strong and a feisty old man
Considering his life was so hard
And it’s funny, but he kept on talking about you
He called for you at the end
Oh John, why don’t you come home for a visit
We would all love to see you again
We would all love to see you again
The Wild Side : Ezio
For Rich, lyrics were just as important as the music. and the lyrics of this song meant a lot to Rich. Apart from the fact that he really loved this song and its got a great beat, he always thought that the song described us to some extent. He always thought that I was undeniable “Something Ancient From The Other Side“. In truth, he was certainly that to me.