W O R D S

SIDE ONE

LIGHTYEARS AWAY

. . .on Austr's sacred leys . . .

SAVE THE BIG JAM ROLL (tales of Smoke Farm)

(Levon - Coombs)

so the deal's fallen through,
the sketches of Sonja grew curled at the edges and faded
and the sounds blonde on blonde like the night gather tight
round the forty-watt lamp at the table
and the rain presses in . . .
the victorian room's condensation spills down
and soaks through the magazine pages

over the square there's a shadow cast full
on the cast-iron rails of the girl's school
and try as I will I cannot hold still
clouds cover my eyes and the moon
changes are ringing / I know this is happening
I know it so clear . . .
the show's near to ending
the party's beginning / people arrive in the square

it's clearly not the show you stole
so hold your white horse tightly
and promise me not lightly
before the party's open / please save me the big jam roll

now the light enters in / the power in your eyes
dims down in the gold and the amber
and your voice skimming soft
through the pools welcomes souls
in the shells of the stars cast asunder
and the answer you seek . . .
you know it's not here / this is patient and neat
and heeds not the rolling black thunder

after a while in the morning's pale light
when the rain's hardly falling at all
you mention a name I cannot quite place
these changes of mind I recall
the future's unfolding / past-present including
the funeral's layers
the show's only history
the party's the pastime / choices are made everywhere

it's clearly not the show you stole
so hold your white horse tightly
and in your view so rightly
there's nothing really visible save for the big jam roll

well I'm not taken in by promises made
cast on your power loom and woven
and the threads of misrule quell angels
make fools work on for a guaranteed heaven
rain still trickles in . . .
and political scenes become smeared / scandalised
meaningless crowd conversation

it's really change should be taking the bow
from the right wings of cut-glass aversion
yet still we all cling in corners unseen
avoiding undrawing the curtain
coals gently burning throw shadows above
make serious eyes . . .
the show's been dissected
the party sun's rising / whites out the flames of the fires

it's clearly not the show you stole
so hold your white horse tightly
and whisper oh so quietly
all the party's changing now save for the big jam roll

there was a revolution
here comes a revolution
riding through the age

now the time syphons out encircling the room
drifts into the smoke and the laughter
starling words in their tack
do not change / back to back
from occasions before this or after
and those words are caught up . . .
in leather lined boards they're painted / gold sized
in millions they fill the first chapter

turning the page only spaces appearing
printed with careful abandon
and how they all lay you cannot now say
words fail you / determined at random
smiles are unfurling / hands feather-shaking
half-windows wind down
the show's clean forgotten / the future lies sleeping
snowstorms scour the ground

it's clearly not the show you stole
so hold your white horse tightly
the monarchs of the night-time
before the party's over plead : 'forget the protocol'
it's clearly not the show you stole
so hold your white horse tightly
and stand your ground politely
now the party's history / please save for the big jam roll

whatever else you do, keep it all
save save the big jam roll

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THAT IS WHAT WE NEED (part one)

(Coombs)

I don't know your face
but I have not changed
so I ask you to stand by me
and spread it around all over the place
that is what we need / yeah
that is what we need

I don't take objection
to you moving your sweet way
but I think wouldn't it be that much better
if we both went in the same direction?

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COLD, TIRED & HUNGRY (and ain't got no coat, yeah)

(Coombs)

I'm cold tired and hungry and I ain't got no coat, yeah
I'm feeling like death, there's a lump in my throat
I'm too cold to warm my hand
I'm too tired to understand
I'm too hungry, was it planned? I can count each grain of sand
cold, tired and hungry and I ain't got no no no no . . .

I could freeze, I could ache, I could eat a birthday cake
was it me, was it made? all the candles start to break
I'm cold, tired and hungry and I ain't got no no no

please Mr. Messenger say something good to me
I wish I was hot quite a lot at the bottom of the sea

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MELANIE : MERLIN EST

(Levon - Coombs)

taught by the maidens of the court she moves her own sweet way
adrift on leaf and dragon clouds for days and days and days
she keeps her violet omens in books upon her shelf

dark she was in eyes and hair
for danger she had little care
collecting graces from the air

not only for herself

Picturesque Melanie rides with Judy by her side
across the seas of stainless spells by Merlin's ancient rimes
despite the drifts of smoke she stood before the throne

a-prey to plans and darkling schemes
the wildest that you've ever seen
that Guinivere the Essex Queen

was bound to make her own

she waits below the window as Merlin made it plain
the time to cast away was near and glancing through the rain
she saw the gentle knight glance upon the wheel

and choosing from the only one
all grave and favour on the run
farther to the setting sun

descending in the seas

I want the shining I want the delights
I need the magic of the ancient lights
in golden treasure houses of
great almighty kings
close kept are our visions with carefully folded wings
and oh, Melanie, if you remember me at all
give me the keys to the
golden treasure halls

and so it came to pass on Austr's sacred leys
far from here, beyond the years and months and weeks and days
Melanie and Merlin called, made rolling winds arise

quick she was and fair of face
and he born of another race
another time, another place

unlocked the golden halls

I see the shining I see the delights
I realise the magic of the ancient lights
in golden treasure houses of great almighty kings
safe kept are our visions with carefully folded wings
and oh, Melanie, you loved me after all
gave me the keys to the golden treasure halls

bathed in the magic of the kings she moved her own sweet way
adrift on leaf and dragon clouds for days and days and days
she kept her scarlet omens in books upon her shelf

dark she was in eyes and hair
for danger she had little care
collecting graces from the air

not only for herself

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AREN'T YOU GLAD YOU STAYED? (sans duck version)

(Levon - Calvert)

aren't you glad you stayed?
stayed to see it through
aren't you glad you stayed?
to see what we can do?

though pressure was piled on heavily
and day to day you suffered doubts
you even left us for a little while
you made it seem a simile
that what was light was all for free
you'll find it cost your Holy smile

if only to see what we have done
if only to see what we can do

aren't you glad you stayed?
stayed to see it through
aren't you glad you stayed?
to see what we can do?

come saturday skies blew rainily
and sunday fine brought wednesday
the angel's wings lose their track of time
you chased a new divinity
and threw your arms-ward heavenly
and beat your hands on a china sky

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SIDE TWO

THUNDERMOTHER

. . .keys to the secrets . . .

I GOT A BURNING HEART

(Millen)

carry me away, I know your angel eyes can see through me
carry me away, far away from the love you give so generously
woman

I got a burning heart, I need to tell you that it's you I love
I got a burning heart, I need to tell you I never get enough
woman

marry me today, I'll give you all I own, except my car
marry me today, I'll give you all I own, except my guitar
woman

let me hold your hand, I don't mean to do you no harm
it's just the way that I feel, I don't mean to do you no harm
I wanna be your man

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LADY (LAY BY ME)

(John - Millen)

lady lady lady lay by me
I'll be your man on the road again
they'll find me running free with you

jump in my motor machine
I'll be your man on the road
you'll be my travelling queen
we can move outa here
move outa here together
we can take what comes our way come whatever

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THE PEOPLE SHOW

(John - Millen - Newbould)

shark's bite, teeth of steel
people's world makes me reel
spinning round vision blind
making holes to feed my mind
flying high, the sounds' the sky
to make or break or even try - it's the people show

a lot of brain, a lot of pain
smash it up, start again
two thirds dark, one third glows
same old heads, new but remote
power seeks a sacrifice
she has to make it something nice - it's the people show

who can explain it?
who can understand?
who holds the keys to the secrets of man
and the people show?

ten thousand years, a planet dead
a million tanks, a lot of lead
probing eyes, electronic brain
connects the fall but not the pain
laser beams to cut through space
to make extinct just one more race - it's the people show

gaga ga ga . . .

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COME ON HOME

(Millen)

cold night, dark bus station
empty bedroom, cold sensation
where has the warmth gone from my eye?
come on home

there's cats eyes, in a dark alley
no red rowan, people in a hurry
where has the warmth gone from my eye?
baby I want you to come on home

can I break through the ice inside?
and face the world instead of hiding?
why is my life just like a game?
each new day's just the same

empty spaces, in my brain
jumbled thoughts, ice cold chain
where has the warmth gone from my life?
won't you come on home?

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WOMAN IN MY LIFE

(John - Millen - Newbould)

did we begin all this on crossing paths?
we came first, I wonder who comes last?
I'm down the road, I'll be back eventually, you will see
she cries I lose you then I will lose me

woman in my time
woman on my mind
and I can't sleep at night

she's a northern girl standing within me naked
everywhere whirls winds leave our bodies aching
there's a place in my mind
where my delusions and doubts make themselves felt
then came a time for casting them out

my gift to her was bourn on the winter's ocean
now I will see I can foretell the coming notions
d'you know what I mean when I say she's a real woman?
can you understand if I'm a long time coming?

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PEOPLE

LIGHTYEARS AWAY

CHRIS COOMBS
vocals / guitars / harmonium
Multiman keyboard / pipes / piano
backing vocals / percussion

BRIAN CALVERT
guitar / bass / backing vocals

BRIAN WILSON
swinging cat guitar / bass / vocals

TED HEPWORTH
percussion / drums

MIKE LEVON
sfx / timbale / whispers / drums

with

BILL NELSON lead guitar
PHIL HARMONIC orchestra
PETE TAYLOR bass / piano
YVONNE CARRODUS vocals
BIFF BYFORD flute
DAVE WOOD goud
STEVE CHANNING lead guitar / guitars / vocals
SHIRLEY LEVON high heels

due to circumstances well within his control
the legendary SPUNK SMITH is not on this record

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THUNDERMOTHER

DAVID JOHN
lead vocals / backing vocals / percussion

DAVE (Ginner) MILLEN
lead & acid guitars / vocals / bass / lead
lead vocal on 'Come On Home' & 'Woman'

FRANK NEWBOULD
backing vocals / bass / guitars

FRED KELLY
percussion / drums

with

ESME THE CAT purring
JERUSALEM SMITH drums on 'Come On Home'
& 'Woman'

Gagalactyca is a sister to Astral Navigations : Lightyears Away has the same line-up, though with less from Brian Calvert who had left the country. Several songs were destined for Astral when it was to be called Windows Of Limited Time: Save The Big Jam Roll, The People Show & Woman In My Life. Aren't You Glad You Stayed? was intended to open Astral, which is why it is heard at the end of A - Austr.

thanks to :
shirl, slyv & jan, esme & jumping jack flash, cath & linda, anne, fuckface the eagle, hugo & maria, super judy, sonja, arkle, norfolk jim, mitchell deaver, gifford, 'goth' caxton, jim alexander, andrew of westfield music, & cass yard angels.

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