1. Siouxshire Blues (McGowan)

Davy: guitar, vocal, indian chant, blues harp, bodhran, tablas, shaker
Tuomas: tin whistle

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This just started with me messing about on slide guitar - I’ve no idea why it turned out like an American Indian sharing a pint or two with a native of Dublin! An ‘interesting’ little track which I’m rather fond of.. --davy

2. Gerdundula (Manston/James)

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Davy: guitar, vocals, backing vocals
Jore: guitar, solo guitar

This is a leftover from 2004;
now it fits in with no trouble at all --jore

An old Status Quo track. God only knows who wanted to do this! I thought we were a mellow band! Jore takes the Francis Rossi lead part….. --davy

3. I Once Loved a Lass (Heikkilä - McGowan)

Jore: vocals, guitar, mandolin, bozoukis

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For some reason Davy wouldn't like to sing this,
so we use my demo version --jore

A short little poem about the wiles of the female sex.
Maybe I’m a misogynist at heart! (That’ll have Jore
reaching for his English/Finnish dictionary!) --davy

I once loved a lass
I loved her right well
I bought her a ring
And a fine china bell
She took them and smiled
With a look in her eye
That said, 'Don't even DREAM
Of a You and an I'.

I once loved a lass
She was fair beyond fair
Every time she appeared
I would walk upon air
I bought her a clasp
And a band made of gold
She smiled and her eyes said
'Just do as you're told'.

(c) Davy McGowan 2005

4. Did She Mention My Name (Lightfoot)

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Davy: vocal, guitar
Jore: guitar

A song by Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot…
and a good one too --davy

5. Jersey Thursday (Donovan)

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Davy: vocal, guitar, kantele. Sound effects used.

One of Donovan’s most magical little songs where he seems
to all but capture the very essence of mysticism. --davy

6. Sergeant Fury (Harvey)

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Tuomas: vocal, backing vocals, harmonium
Davy: guitar, backing vocals, tablas

Having learned this from the Sensational Alex Harvey Band album I was surprised to say the least when Tuomas said he wanted to do it in a jazzy style. However I think we managed to pull it off tolerably well. The harmonium is particularly effective......and I thought I'd put my Scottish accent to good use as a tribute to Alex.

7. Old Father Time (Heikkilä - McGowan)

Davy: vocal
Jore: guitar

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Great guitar from Jore - reminds me of Ralph McTell. Does
the poem measure up to the guitar? You decide for me! --davy

Give my regards
to Old Father Time,
First robbed of his youth
And then robbed of his prime;
Destined to roam
Down eternity's miles,
With a scythe and white beard
And complete lack of smiles

(c) Davy McGowan 2002

8. When I was a Child (Heikkilä - McGowan)

Tarja: vocals
Jore: pc programming, guitar

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Tarja sings and I melt into a corner with the smile of a simpleton on my face! I know it’s a sentimental song - but she makes me believe it’s all true………. --davy

Davy often tells here how I have made a right tune for some his poem... Looks to me the job has been done to the other way round, too. --jore

Building bricks and skipping ropes,
Scissors, glue and twine,
Teddy bears and favourite dolls to love,
They were mine.

Bats and balls and games to play
With counters red and blue,
A book with baby Jesus meek and mild,
These I owned, when I was a child.

What becomes of all those things?
What do old toys do
When they're cast aside and left
Ignored by me and you, and blue?
What becomes of all those things?
Where do old toys go
When they've been forgotten by
The only ones they know, they know?

Coins to play at shopping with,
Mother's hat to wear,
Bangles, bracelets, coloured silk
To tie my golden hair

A farmyard set with cows and sheep,
A colouring book or two
And a tale of brave explorers in the wild
These I owned, when I was a child.

(c) Davy Mc Gowan 2003

9. As Wise As A Serpent (Rafferty)

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Davy, guitar, slide guitar, vocal, tablas, tin whistle
Jore: bozouki

I first heard this on the cassette deck in Jore’s van as a tyre blew out on the motorway! ‘Can we do this?’ he asked. I know Gerry Rafferty’s guitar style pretty well so I was able to work out the chords without too much trouble and the end result is one of my favourites in this collection. Great bouzouki from ‘yer man’! --davy

10. My Father Said (Heikkilä - McGowan)

Davy: vocal
Jore: pc programming, bozoukis

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A drole look at the advice that parents give their children. It sounds good to me in this instance! Jore’s jaunty melody brings the poem to life. --davy

My father said,
"You must be bold,
Don't always do
What you are told.
Look here my boy."
He used to say,
"Make sure you do
Things your own way."

My father said,
"You must be strong,
And do what's right
And not what's wrong.
Don't follow what
The crowd all do,
Let conscience be
A guide for you."

"Be your own man."
My father said.
"Don't lose your temper,
Or your head.
Be firm but fair
And always drunk,
And don't try living
Like a monk."

(c) Davy McGowan 2005

11. Karen's Waltz (Heikkilä)

Jore: guitars, banjo, mandolins, pc programming

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Yes, this is for my good friend Karen,
the Kentucky lady with a golden heart. --jore

I think this would be great for a film sountrack - especially a Western. --davy

12. Twenty two (Heikkilä - McGowan)

Davy: vocal, whispering, percussion, chinese balls, kantele
Jore: guitar, midi keyboard
Tuomas: midi keyboard ("accordion")
Taina: spoken words

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A nod in the direction of Tom Waits. Not the happiest song in the collection - but I think we can call it atmospheric --davy

Earth shall be the tomb of all men
Water will run wild and free
Fire is the tongue of passion
Under midnight's lock and key

What shall be the price of beauty?
Who shall have the price to pay?
Can you hear the air's sad whisper,
Beauty it will fade away

What says the girl to the mirror?
"How beautiful I look today".
What does the mirror answer?
"Beauty it will fade away".

(c) Davy Mc Gowan 2003

13. Fresh Roles (Heikkilä - Mc Gowan)

Jore: vocals, guitars

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More advice from father --davy

My Father advised me
To stop playing the fool,
When he saw me in Hamlet
While I was at school.
"There are much better roles
And role models," said he.
As his dipping digestive
Fell into his tea.

(c) Davy McGowan 2002

14. Sensitive Kind (Cale)

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Davy: guitar, vocal, guitar solo
Jore: nylon string guitar
Tuomas: midi keyboards ("hammond")

I’ve always been a big J J Cale fan. His laid back style appeals to me. This had some percussion on it - but I think Jore lost it while he was mixing the track. Thank God he wasn’t at the mixing desk for Sergeant Peppers! --davy

A comment behind mixing table:
Yes, this version should have had tablas too, but they seemed to be out of rhythm for some reason (propably I have touched something wrong while mixing it).. then I tried to fix the tabla track to hit the right places a few times ... after that the tablas were really out of rhythm! ... I ended with no tablas... --jore

15. Whilst In Flanders (Heikkilä - McGowan)

Jore: vocal, guitar, mandolins, midi keyboard ("electric bass")

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Jore sings this very well - which is something I couldn’t manage! He also plays all the instruments. All I contributed were the words. --davy

Twas whilst in Flanders, I recall,
I met a man who was nine feet tall,
He was nine feet tall in a coat of blue
And he shook my hand saying, "Howdy do."

We became good friends for, despite his size,
He was brave and kind and worldly wise,
And we shared our thoughts as we shared our bread
Both happy to hear what the the other said.

He had once been down on the coast of Spain,
And he swore he'd never go again,
For a pirate ship had come to the bay
And the townsfolk there came to rue that day.

"Twas Cut-throat Jack and his cut-throat crew,
He'd a beard of black and a coat of blue
And he saw my coat and took out his knife
And I feared that he would take my life."

"But I stood up straight and I stood up tall,
And he seemed to think twice after all,
For he put his knife back in his place
As I stared down at his loathsome face."

"Twas a close run thing," I said to my friend,
"Twas your size that saved you in the end."
And he laughed at this as we made our way
Through the drizzling rain of an autumn day.

(c) Davy McGowan 2005

16. Rhapsody In a Rainy Night (Heikkilä - McGowan)

Davy: vocals
Jore: pc programming

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All I could think of when I heard the melody was of Tom Waits ‘9th and Hennapin’ - so I suppose this is our tribute to that song. --davy

I was walking down 18th street - heading for home I guess.... it was too late to remember. I'd had a few beers in 'Big Al's' and, well - you know that feelin' when you're just so goddamn happy with the world - even though the rain is slappin' all over your head; you know that feeling? The warm glow of tenth glass - well, it had just kicked in and I was feeling... good - REAL good! You understand what I'm saying here? I stumbled down to the station - people kept bumping into me - I don't know why - goddamn assholes should look where they're goin' - and I just eased my ass nonchalanly onto one of those benches an' I smoothed back my hair. I heard a train - but it was pulling into the other platform - it didn't concern me, my ticket was for a different train; but this one kinda slowed - like it was in one of those Einstein relativity problems - you know, "Imagine that you are on a train moving at 90 miles per hour," it was that kinda train - leastways I thought it was at the time. It pulled up - real slow - and she was lookin' straight at me, you understand - I mean STRAIGHT at me. I would have given ten million dollars to be on the other side of those tracks. She kinda smiled as it started to pull out. I don't know whether she was smiling at the look on my face, but she certainly smiled - you know, like the Mona Lisa thing - that kinda, "I know you´re horny but you got more chance of getting' on the next goddamn spaceshot than you have of gettin' me mister - yes sirree,"... I was in love - and she knew it. God only knows how many times I've sat in that station since that day 40 years ago - but I never saw her face again.

(c) Davy Mc Gowan 2004

17. Under The Hammer (Heikkilä - McGowan)

Tuomas: vocal, midi keyboard ("piano")
Jore: banjo-mandolins, guitar, drums

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I was sitting in the studio doing nothing as the boys recorded this. They seemed to be having a good time! --davy

"What am I bid for this porcelain plate,
Complete with the remnants of what was late ate!
Who'll start it with fifty - then forty - my word,
To sell it at thirty would just be absurd.

To you sir at forty! Now fifty - and five,
Now do I hear sixty? Thank you Mr. Clive;
Now seventy, eighty, now ninety - it's Ming,
Who'll give me a hundred for such a fine thing?

At ninety then ladies and gentlemen - done?
Going once then at ninety, going twice and now - GONE!
Sold to the man in the orange cravat,
Who was scratching his nose while adjusting his hat.

(c) Davy Mc Gowan 2002

18. Tramps and Hawkers (traditional)

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Davy: guitars, vocal, mandolin
Jore: midi keyboard ("acoustic bass")

This is an old traditional song from Scotland. I’ve heard a few versions of it but the two I like best are by The Corries and The Foundry Band --davy

Well, I like just this version the best! --jore

19. Matka maisemaan (A Trip to a Landscape) (Peltonen)

Eero: vocals
Davy: bodhran

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And now something completely different. As a star guest my good friend Eero Peltonen (whose musical instruments we borrowed a full backseat of a car for this session) gives some voice improvisation starting with throat singing. If it sounds easy - please try to imitate freely. --jore

This is an example of Finnish mouth music. A bit spooky. --davy

20. One Less Set of a Footstep (Croce)

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Davy: guitar, vocals, guitar solos
Jore: guitar, shaker

A song written by Jim Croce. Tuomas was supposed to sing this - but Jore and I recorded it while he went outside for a cigar…… --davy

21. Washington Square (Goldstein/Shire/McGowan)

Davy: vocal, kazoo
Jore: guitar, banjo-mandolin
Tuomas: guitar, harmonium, midi keyboard ("piano"), drum

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86 tracks in two weeks and still we had time for a couple of days travelling here and there. There was this cassette in the van and some tracks were so good we decided to make cover versions. This was one of them. Davy felt this could need some lyrics... all he needed was a paper, a pen and five minutes. --jore

An instrumental version of this was playing on the cassette as we travelled in the van. It was from a Hootenanny album in the early 1960’s. I loved the melody and decided to write a couple of verses for it. I think it came out quite well --davy

I once worked down in New Orleans
I met Joe Turner there
We packed our bags and we headed North
Bound for Washington Square
Joe met Louise in Louisville
He swore he'd always stay
But he got shot on a riverboat
For dealing cards the wrong way.

I bummed my way to Alabam
I thought I'd find work there
But all I found was dust and dirt
As I dreamed of Washington Square
The stars shone down that frosty night
I robbed the Gainsville train
There's three men dead in a Southern town
And I'm on the run again.

(c) Davy Mc Gowan 2005

22. Daddy's Comin' Hame (Heikkilä - McGowan)

Tuomas: vocals, harmonium, drums, musical saw,
chromatic harmonica, fretless bass
Jore: banjo

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This could have been a gentle Scottish lullaby - but the boys have taken it to another dimension! A lullaby from The Twilight Zone! --davy

One of the very first of my melodies Davy put words to.
This dark lullaby was maybe the last song that was recorded on my
old analog 8-tracker. And one of the last songs tj band ever did. (So far)
(But we have not quit yet!) --jore

Dry yer een ma bonnie lass
Dry yer een my bairn
Dry yer een an' haud yer tears
Daddy's comin' hame.

He's comin' back fae battle lass
Wi' high reknown and fame
Dry yer een an' haud yer tears
Daddy's comin' hame.

He's comin' back fae foreign lands
He'll hug an' kiss an' ca' yer name
Dry yer een an' haud yer tears
Daddy's comin' hame

(c) Davy Mc Gowan 2002