A random selection
Greetings To Love (You Took Your Time)
Neil Gowans
I travelled round the world, I thought it might be interesting
I was in a movie, had a walk on part
Climbed the Himalayas ‘cause I thought it might be fun
But it wasn’t as good as when I won your heart
The cracks on the ceiling and the lino floor
Used to get me down but I don’t notice any more
So goodbye loneliness, I’m showing you the door
I want no part in your pantomime
So long misery, you’re welcome here no more
Greetings to love, you took your time
The key to Paradise was proving hard to find
More elusive than the Holy Grail or pigs that want to fly
Searching for perfection is an errand fit for fools
But I’m a lovesick clown so I’m prepared to try
I’ve got something special and I’m gathering the spoils
My heart’s been getting warmer and now I’ll bring it to the boil
So….
Overnight Success
Neil Gowans
It’s the stone cold light of day
And I don’t like where I stand
My head is way up in the clouds
My feet are sinking in the sand
Every avenue I’ve ever tried
Each dead end street I’ve wandered down
I always seem to be unsatisfied
I’m paying rent in Lonesome Town
I want the things that I can see
There’s no silver spoon to set me free
What I want – I can’t always get
Not till I’m a rich man
I’m not a rich man yet
I’ve been hunting high and low
I’ve been searching far and wide
To find the place I want to go
I’m swimming hard against the tide
They say that life is what you make it
I’m trying not to make a mess
Maybe after all this time
I’ll be an overnight success
The Problem Is Mine
Neil Gowans
When I say I’m offended, I guess I’m only aggrieved
That somebody said something, and I didn’t agree
When I say that I’m angry, I guess I’m only annoyed
At this impotent fury, shouting into the void
There’s too much information
Buzzing all round my head
Everything that’s been written
Everything that’s been said
You know that most of it’s nonsense
Really not worth our time
But I guess that’s the problem
And the problem is mine
You know I’ve got an opinion, have you heard about those?
And I think it’s important, that everyone knows
What it is that I’m thinking, what it is that I feel
I’ve been on television so you know that I’m real
So what’s a man supposed to do?
With controversy heaving into view
Write another blogpost filled with ill-considered pub talk spilled
For all the world pretending that it’s true
Well I’ve got an opinion, and I wanted to share
Cos you know it’s important to tell the world that I care
So I signal my virtue, why don’t you signal yours?
With the click of a button, this rebel’s got cause
Tongue Tied
Neil Gowans
I don’t know if I’ve said enough or if I’ve said too much
Maybe I’d be fluent if we both spoke double Dutch
I’m kind of out of practise and I think I’ve lost my nerve
When it comes to protestations ‘bout this crazy thing called love
I don’t know if it’s catching but I find I’ve been struck dumb
When there are things I want to say my vocal chords go numb
My heart starts palpitating and I find it hard to think.
I want to say I love you but I have another drink
So by way of explanation there’re some things I’d like to say
I love you like a lunatic and I love you more each day
If my articulation leaves some things to be desired
Babe, I might be tongue tied but the rest of me’s inspired
I may not be Bill Shakespeare, Robbie Burns or Johnny Keats
It doesn’t mean the love I feel is any less complete
If I had the wherewithal, I’d beg upon my knees
It’s more than love it’s madness, it’s the oxygen I breathe
So let’s hear it…, for the tongue tied
It Couldn’t Happen Here
Neil Gowans
I don’t suppose the years have been too kind
It feels as though you’ve been neglected
You think your dreams have long since died
No chance to see them resurrected
No armchair revolution came to pass
Another night spent crying into your beer
It’s crazy but it’s true
Those bad dreams have all come true
I was told it couldn’t happen here
You might think you’re standing on your own
Feeling like you’re just a one man band
You’d be surprised who’s standing by your side
When you think it’s time to take a stand
They said it couldn’t happen here
I hope it’s not too late to realise
That it would be a sin
To make the same mistake again
It’s time to open up our eyes
They said it couldn’t happen here
I think that we’ve been badly misinformed
I’m surrounded by the sound
Of egotists and clowns
Is it too late to shut that stable door?
Don’t let the bastards grind you down…..
I Don’t Want To
Neil Gowans
I can’t understand the way you feel tonight
The way you turn your back when I turn out the light
Now I’ve got my wine and I can drink and think of you
Alcoholics don’t know when but I know when to stop
I just don’t want to
When we first met, I thought that I had reached the Promised Land
I got fat and you got bored and things got out of hand
Still, I’d like to try again but you just ask me why
Can’t you admit defeat and let that loving die?
I just don’t want to let you break my heart
Why take something beautiful and let it fall apart?
But I don’t want to bid this thing goodbye
Give me the chance and I’ll give you a hundred reasons why
I just don’t want to
If pain were gold, then I’d be rich, I’d have the Midas touch
But nothing I could ever buy could ever mean as much
As the love you gave, the love you stole,, the love you bade goodbye
Maybe I should walk away and watch that loving die
If I could have loved you more, I wish you’d tell me now
If I could have loved you more, I wish you‘d tell me how?
Gladly I’d go round the world, just tell me what to do
The best advice that you can give is try forgetting you
Leaving Once Again
Neil Gowans
My heart’s just like an open book
It’s been well thumbed, that’s understood
My story’s not exactly new
You say our love will last,
I think I heard that in the past
When someone broke my heart she said that too
Every day I write the book
Maybe take a second look
I’ve been taking notes for all these years
And even though the words are mine
Maybe after all this time
I should be tearing out the pages stained with tears
I’m not scared of loving you
I’m scared of loving leaving once again
It doesn’t matter what you say
I can’t believe it anyway
You know I’d love to if I could?
But breaking up is always hard
Can’t you tell that I’ve been scarred
Can’t you see that I’m just damaged goods?