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Life, Life (Full Album)

by Keith Christmas

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1.
ROUND THE STONES Capo 3 Strings (6-1) E F# B F# B D# We come from far and near, just to be here, at this special time of the year We come from all around, to this ancient ground, to wait for the sun, to appear We've come to celebrate, time and fate, the endless turning of the wheel And as the first glow, of the dawn shows I’m going to tell the world, how I feel Feeling wonderful, right down to my feet, feeling wonderful, everybody I meet Is feeling wonderful, everyone knows that tonight we'll be together Round the Stones, Round the Stones, Round the Stones There’s no fear, no violence here wish it could always be this way Tonight we join the vigil, and at the dawn, we'll greet the start of the longest day Feeling wonderful, right down to my shoes feeling wonderful, goodbye city blues Feeling wonderful, the magic flows because tonight we'll be together Round the Stones, Round the Stones, Round the Stones We walk on history here, and as the dawn grows near we feel the earth rise to the sun And here we stand of one mind, to celebrate the love we find everywhere and in everyone Feeling wonderful, right down to my toes feeling wonderful, can't help it it shows Feeling wonderful, nobody is alone tonight, because we'll be together Round the Stones, Round the Stones, Round the Stones, Round the Stones
2.
Life, Life 03:30
LIFE, LIFE Capo 0 Strings (6-1) E F# B F# B D# The rain blew in through your window last night, soaked your bed and your favourite book You woke up feeling life was not right, went outside to take a look The sun was out and the birds were singing, everywhere the trees were in bud You went for a long walk and came back smiling, the sun on the window had dried it all out Life, life is a funny old game, one day to the next it’s never the same Life, Life is a funny old thing, sometimes it makes you cry And sometimes it makes you sing Oh sometimes it makes you sing The wind got up and it bought down a sycamore, hit the ground and the birds took flight We cut up the trunk and we piled up the branches, took us all day and most of the night One year on and the wood fire’s burning, fed from a pile of sycamore logs The branches are overgrown, made a new home for a litter of hedgehogs Life, life is a funny old game, one day to the next it’s never the same Life, Life is a funny old thing, sometimes it makes you cry And sometimes it makes you sing Oh sometimes it makes you sing So if the rain blows in your window, everything wet is the first thing you see But every misfortune hides an opportunity, all you’ve got to do is find the key Under a raincloud it’s dark and stormy , fly up above it and it’s bathed in light And if you’ve got to pull up an old wet carpet there’s a wood floor under it to bring back to life Life, life is a funny old game, one day to the next it’s never the same Life, Life is a funny old thing, sometimes it makes you cry And sometimes it makes you sing Oh sometimes it makes you sing
3.
LOVE IN THE GOLD Capo 5 Strings (6-1) E F# B F# B D# Your head in my arms is a beautiful thing, as I look at the hand that carries my ring There were others shone brighter when they were sold, but none that had more love in the gold None that had more love in the gold Love doesn’t care about lines on a face, words out of place, a bit off the pace Love doesn’t care about hair that’s grey, forgetting what day and what did you say? Love doesn’t care if you think that you don’t have enough, love just cares about love Well, love doesn’t care about sharing fears, memory’s tears, the passing of years Love doesn’t care about not so quick, missing a trick, you can take your pick Love doesn’t care if you think that you can’t give enough, love just cares about love And like the leaves that grow strong and help build the tree That stands tall and free When the cold winds of autumn make their call At their time they will fall, and be gone But the tree, like love lives on Your head in my arms is a beautiful thing, as I look at the hand that carries my ring There were others shone brighter when they were sold, but none that had more love in the gold None that had more love in the gold
4.
WONDERFUL RIDE Capo 7 Strings (6-1) E F# B F# B D# It’s easy to see where you’re going when you’re looking out the front of the bus It’s easy to see where were going looking through the eyes of us We’re going up, we’re going out we’re going anywhere we want to be We’re going to find a beach, with no-one on it hold hands and jump right into the sea Life is a wonderful ride, a wonderful ride with you by my side Whatever we make it, that’s how we’ll take it, because life is a wonderful Life is a wonderful ride Maybe we’ll build a house in a valley where no-one understands a word we say Maybe we’ll just stay home and hold hands and order in a takeaway Maybe we’ll buy ourselves a tie-dyed Combi, and drive down to Istanbul Or maybe we’ll just walk the dogs to the pub, whichever way, it’s a life that’s full Life is a wonderful ride, a wonderful ride with you by my side Whatever we make it, that’s how we’ll take it, because life is a wonderful Life is a wonderful ride That’s all it is that’s all it has to be, that’s all it is that’s all it has to be That’s all it is that’s all it has to be, just you and me Maybe we’ll go to Lapland for Christmas, watch the lights come out for the midnight show Or maybe we’ll just build a bench under the oak tree and sit and watch the garden grow Whatever you make of it, whatever you take from it, when all is said and done You’ll never see a shadow in front of your feet if you keep your face turned to the sun Life is a wonderful ride, a wonderful ride with you by my side Whatever we make it, that’s how we’ll take it, because life is a wonderful Life is a wonderful ride
5.
A GUN IN HIS HAND Capo 6 Strings (6-1) E F# B F# B D# I went back to my hometown, to say my farewells I arrived on a Sunday, to the sound of church bells I was there for the closing of a chapter of life And to say my goodbyes to a man and his wife She had a baby in arms when they sent him to fight An army that marched with Imperial might An enemy with no mercy for whom life had no worth To a farm boy from Norfolk they were the devil on earth He never said a word of what he'd done and he'd seen But night after night he'd have the same dream He'd shout out his battle cry in anger and pain Fighting for his life, again and again If I could only talk to those leaders, those masters of fate And tell them, we were all given love to drive away hate When you send a man to fight in some foreign land He'll spend the rest of his life with a gun in his hand He'll spend the rest of his life with a gun in his hand
6.
TRAVELLING BLUES Capo 2 Strings (6-1) D G D G B D Travelling Blues, Travelling Blues, he’s a travelling man with the Travelling Blues Get on down you got nothing to lose, go listen to the man with with the Travelling Blues Travelling Blues, Travelling Blues, everybody’s out there spreading the news They’ve packed the aisles and filled the pews, to listen to the man with with the Travelling Blues SOLO He travels around in a beat-up van, lives his life catch as catch can He’d always known that endless road, would be the one he’d choose The man with the Travelling Blues Travelling Blues, Travelling Blues, no need to worry about your Ps and Qs There’s no list of don’ts and do’s, when you listen to the man with the Travelling Blues He travels around from town to town, his home on wheels will never let him down He always said “I’ll lay my head, where I pay my dues” The man with the Travelling Blues Travelling Blues, Travelling Blues, everybody’s clapping on the fours and twos Put on your dancing shoes, go listen to the man with with the Travelling Blues Go slip and slide to the man with with the Travelling Blues
7.
TROUBLE, TROUBLE Capo 0 Strings (6-1) D G D G B D The Bible says that pride goes, before a fall, everyone knows that saying, but, it never said that at all It said, pride goes before destruction, haughty spirit before a fall, So take your pick, if you’re full of it, you’d better watch out, that’s all So take your pick, if you’re full of it, you’d better watch out, that’s all Trouble, trouble, there’s a lot of it out there, trouble, trouble, you can tell yourself, “I don’t care!” Trouble, trouble, there’s a lot of it, who knew, it always happens to someone else, until it happens to you It always happens to someone else, until it happens to you The Bible says that pride’s the one from which all others grow, seems to me that’s a terrible thing, but then what do I know? Up yourself or vanity, whichever name you choose If you’re prideful, better be mindful of what you’ve got to lose If you’re prideful, better be mindful of what you’ve got to lose Trouble, trouble, there’s a lot of it out there, trouble, trouble, you can tell yourself, “I don’t care!” Trouble, trouble, there’s a lot of it, who knew, it always happens to someone else, until it happens to you It always happens to someone else, until it happens to you The thing that makes men angels, is humility, so said St Augustine, him of the Holy See Better poor with the humble, than rich with arrogant fools He saw the light and buttoned up tight to live by a set of rules He saw the light and buttoned up tight to live by a set of rules Trouble, trouble, there’s a lot of it out there, trouble, trouble, you can tell yourself, “I don’t care!” Trouble, trouble, there’s a lot of it, who knew, it always happens to someone else, until it happens to you It always happens to someone else, until it happens to you
8.
WHO’S GOING TO SAVE YOU? Capo 0 Strings (6-1) D G D G A# C How did you wind up in such a state when you thought you knew all of life's rules How did you wind up making the same mistake in a world that has no pity for fools How did you wind up out in the cold when a fireside was easier to find How did you wind up with your future bought and sold along with your peace of mind Who's going to save you when you’re falling apart, who's going to stand up for you Who's going to save you from the goodness of their heart, someone that loves you, that's who You can only fix something that's broken if you know that it's broken at all and if you don't, then there's nothing you can do Just stumble through life at the mercy of fate with only luck and love to see you through Who's going to save you when you’re falling apart, who's going to stand up for you Who's going to save you from the goodness of their heart, someone that loves you, that's who
9.
THE LOVE THAT SURROUNDS YOU Capo 0 Strings (6-1) E F# B F# B D# I know sometimes you walk in shadow, it’s like someone took all the light out of your day And whether you feel you wanted to or had to, those choices all got made anyway I know sometimes you walk in darkness, well there’s not much you can do when the lights go out Just try to keep your eyes on the far-ness and wait for belief to end the doubt And if I could offer some words of comfort to you, about these dark times you’re going through They seem like they’re never going to end, but they always do, they always do, they always do So if you’re feeling down and you’re all alone and you feel like your whole life confounds you Just reach out to those who care for you and think of the love that surrounds you Think of the love that surrounds you, think of all the love that surrounds you I know sometimes you walk in greyness, it’s like someone took all the colours out of your day And whether you feel you’re guilty or you’re blameless, there’s really no need for you to stay In a place that gives no comfort to you, it’s just a space you’re growing through You feel like you’ll never find a way out, but you always do, you always do, you always do So if you’re feeling down and you’re all alone and you feel like your whole life confounds you Just reach out to those who care for you and think of the love that surrounds you Think of the love that surrounds you, think of all the love that surrounds you
10.
RULED BY THE TIDE Capo 0 Strings (6-1) E F# B F# B D I’m going to tell you a story about the place where I was born On a cold autumn morning in the hour before dawn No sound, no light, no movement in the street outside In that place by the river, ruled by the tide The scars of war were everywhere In the eyes of the men Things were only just starting to get back to normal way back then And I ran and I played under a wide open empty sky In that place by the river, ruled by the tide There was a dry dock and a customs post and a shipbuilding yard And old wooden crab boats pulled up on the hard There was a Nottage Institute that taught young men how knots should be tied For the day when they would make their living, ruled by the tide There was a Baptist Church and a crazy preacher that the kids all knew He wore a hand knitted hat that said ‘God Loves You’ But on Sunday he would take it off and put his his books to one side And preach fire, hell and redemption to men ruled by the tide I went back there one beautiful day a couple of years ago And walked along the towpath with the river in full flow My dog hunted in the reeds doing what he does Making the best of every moment, maybe there’s a lesson there for us And I wondered why I never saw the beauty of that place all those years ago But you can only see what you see through the eyes of what you know And like a spark from a fire into the night sky one day I will ride To join with forever, ruled by the tide
11.
Born of God 04:02
BORN OF GOD Capo 3 Strings (6-1) E F# C# F# B D Well a weak and luckless ruler, is never fit to lead, so we're gathered here before you, at the fields of Runnymede We've had enough of misrule, we've had enough of theft and now we're going to put it right, before there's nothing left Your friend the Pope he tells us, we've got to bow and kneel to every whim and fancy, depending how you feel Well we know when to fight, and we know when to bow, you tell the Pope he's dealing with the English people now So sign it and seal it, and we can reveal it, for all of our people to see This day by your hand, there'll be law in this land for as long as our nation shall be They say you’re Born of God but we have to disagree, there’s nothing born in heaven, in anything we see They say you’re Born of God but we hope He’ll understand, It’s time for change in heaven And time for change, time for change, time for change in this land You've bankrupted the country, you've stolen from us all, you think that every subject, is at your beck and call You've lost as all of Normandy and pretty much all of France and now we’re going to call the tune, and now you're going to dance For now is the time, to put right the crime, of all the injustice we wore And this declaration, will form the foundation, of justice in this land evermore CHORUS Now power at all costs is the thinking of a fool, it tells the world you think you've got, God-given right to rule But we are this England and we are this land, divided we fall and united we stand For we'll never follow, a leader with no honour , it will come to no good in the end Every choice and decision, is ruled by your vision, what you are is the message you send CHORUS
12.
BOOK OF MAGIC Capo Strings (6-1) E F# B F# B D One day I'm going to sit down and write a book of magic and wonderous light, wonderous light I’ve had the idea for some time now I’m going to get myself together and find a way to get it down somehow, somehow i’m in a place that I don’t want to be, I’m going to write my book and hope it sets me free, sets me free When I’m walking out on the street, people I know, people I meet Say “why do you do it, what is it that you need? why do you keep on chasing your dream when there’s mouths to feed? One day I'm going to sit down and write a book of magic and wonderous light, wonderous light Dreamer, Dreamer, Dreamer, Dreamer I'm going to pit a boy against evil, I’m going to make the story believable, you’ll see, I’m going to find a way It's going to be about the dark and the light and having the courage to stand up for what you think is right, and save the day People I know who know me well say “what is this story you’ve got to tell” “Why do you sit there, night after day, chasing your dream when there’s bills to pay One day I'm going to sit down and write a book of magic and wonderous light, wonderous light Dreamer, Dreamer, Dreamer, Dreamer Don't burst my bubble I live inside it, don't blow away my cloud nine, I just want ride it, ride it, One day I'm going to sit down and write a book of magic and wonderous light, wonderous lightht I put the rejection slips in a drawer, every time I get one, I just send out more copies to read I know some people think I'm wasting my time but whats the harm in it, it's not a crime, it's what I need Time means nothing if your heart stands still, freedom is nothing without free will Friends and lovers can help you look but only you can write your own book One day I'm going to sit down and write a book of magic and wonderous light, wonderous light Dreamer, Dreamer, Dreamer, Dreamer How was I to know, I’d get my break from a young girl who’d stayed awake Told her father, “thanks for the lend, I’ve loved these first three chapters you bought me Now all I want to know is how does the the story end, how does it end?” Dreamer, Dreamer, Dreamer, Dreamer

about

“The finest record of Keith’s career” RnR 4 STARS

"the year’s finest acoustic release to date" SHINDIG 5 STARS

"longing and loving set within the shifting identity of a changing Britain. Opener ‘Round the Stones’ and the haunting melody of ‘Book of Magic’ are sublime" MOJO 4 STARS

"This is a spirit-lifting album, performed with passion and absolute commitment, that confronts profound and serious themes with optimism, humour and hope" FATEA BLOG

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released September 17, 2019

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Keith Christmas UK

In a career spanning over 50 years Keith has recorded multiple albums, played acoustic guitar on Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ album, appeared at the first Glastonbury Festival in 1970 and gigged solo all over the UK and Europe.
A legendary live performer he has had a resurgence in popularity since ‘Crazy Dancing Days’ was released in December 2016 and ‘Life,Life’ in 2019
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