The Factory (1999)
01. The Factory Song
02. This Season
03. Soft Gator Girl
04. The Ballad of Calvin Crozier
05. Twelve
06. The Paddy Set
07. N.O.T. (I Want My People Back)
08. Heroes In Tennis Shoes
09. Sweet Orphan
10. Mother Mary
11. Daze of Grace
12. This Season (Reprise)
The Factory Song
(Words and music by Kirk McLeod)
I wonder how I wonder why
Without this factory could we ever survive
I wonder who I wonder where
Are faring better than those around here
I left my home and I said my goodbyes
I traveled safely though some met their demise
I work all day I work into the night
I've joined the union and I'm all right
Now I lay me down to work
I pray my soul won't get there first
If I should die before I make it back home
Please carry me home
I share this cellar with five of my friends
When the big bell rings our day's at an end
We clear our throats from the dusty air
The machinery's din we always hear
Now I lay me down to work
I pray my soul won't get there first
If I should die before I make it back home
Now we take ourselves to drink
Our minds and bodies too tired to think
If we should die before I make it back home
Please carry me home
Late at night as I lay in my bed
With the factory's lights dancing over my head
They light this whole damn town,
They light this whole damn place
Even when we sleep do we fall from grace?
Riding on a Handcar
(Traditional; arranged by Seven Nations)
This Season
(Words and music by Kirk McLeod, arranged by Seven Nations)
Daniel closed his eyes as if it didn't happen
And he wondered why every time this season
Feel it in the air, see it in the lightning
And he wondered why it always felt so frightening
I will remember you this way
As sure as the night divides the day
As sure as the sun goes down
Then he looked at me his eyes heavy with reason
And he spoke of how she never stopped to listen
When she got the news she wrecked her room in anger
Never looked at me, she telephoned the doctor
I will remember you this way
As sure as the night divides the day
As sure as the sun goes down
Which way's on and on, his question fell
Like rain on the window like I never will
His face touched the glass, his finger traced
The path of the water
The lines on his face
I will remember you this way
As sure as the night divides the day
As sure as the sun goes down.
Soft Gator Girl
(Scott Long, 1999)
The Fox Hunters/Donald Willie and His Dog (traditional)
Soft Gator Girl (Scott Long; arranged by Scott Long and Dan Stacey)
The Ballad of Calvin Crozier
(Words and music by Kirk McLeod, arranged by Seven Nations)
Good people of this town
You'd do well to gather around
There is something that I must say
A good man died here on this day
You'd do well to know his name
And it's here his gravestone lays
He was free and the soldiers didn't understand
When he returned and gave his life for another man
Calvin Crozier
They made him dig his grave
Calvin Crozier
Then they shot him where he lay
Then the soldiers danced, well they danced all night
On the shallow grave of Calvin Crozier
He had fought for four long years
Seen his share of blood and tears
He had earned his long ride home
In a boxcar for the night
Union soldiers for delight
Came to make their presence known
He was free and the soldiers didn't understand
When he returned and gave his life for another man
Calvin Crozier
They made him dig his grave
Calvin Crozier
Then they shot him where he lay
Then the soldiers danced, well they danced all night
On the shallow grave of Calvin Crozier
Twelve
(Words and music by Kirk McLeod, arranged by Seven Nations)
Out from the ashes of gray desire
Out from the dream and into the fire
I said a lot, it won't mean thing
After she's gone these words will sting
No gods could be that cruel to me
No gods could be that cruel to me
Six minutes gone and I'm still alive
And I never thought that I would survive
With pieces of eight and odd bits of string
Are all I remember when I hear her sing
No gods could be that cruel to me
No gods could be that cruel to me
And I blame the sun
And I blame the moon
I blame myself
And I blame you
Twelve minutes gone and I'm still alive
And who would have thought that we would survive
With all lines repeating and nothing rehearsed
I feel so stupid; I feel I'm cursed
I don't want to think anymore
I don't want to think anymore
No gods could be that cruel to me
No gods could be that cruel to me
The Paddy Set
(Arranged by Seven Nations)
Paddy's Leather Breeches (traditional)
Malts on the Optics (Hamish Moore)
Kelsae Brig (Ian Hardie)
N.O.T. (I Want My People Back)
(Words and music by Kirk McLeod, arranged by Seven Nations)
The deaf old Duke he came to town
Asking all the men around
Is there any here who'd fight for me?
The Czar in Russia wants the Dardonelles
C'mon boys, let's give 'em hell
In defense of Queen and our country
Not a sound was heard in the hall
Not a hand was raised
Just one old man he got up to his feet
And as the Duke turned away, he said…
I want my people back
I want them here with me
I want my people back here with me
Captain Otter went to Skye
Flags and banners flying high
With all the usual pageantry
He offered words and promises
To any man who would be led
To fight the Czar and tyranny
Just one sound was all that was heard
Across the loneliest bay
And as he made his way back again
He thought he heard the island say
She said…
I want my people back
I want them here with me
I want my people back here with me
Six young men from the 93rd
At Balaclava bravely heard
Colin Campbell's plea to stand their ground
They made their way back home again
Far away from the battle din
To find their families weren't around
A tartan shroud was all that remained
Across their ruined houses lay
And as they came on back down from the hills
The wind behind them wailed away
And it said…
I want my people back
I want them here with me
I want my people back here with me
Drowsy Maggie
(Traditional)
Heroes in Tennis Shoes
(Words and music by Kirk McLeod, arranged by Seven Nations)
Heroes in tennis shoes
Not everyone can play that game
But isn't it us who lose?
When all we see on front page news
I think it's fair to say
The rules have changed and I
Think that it's time to say
We've played this game too long.
It doesn't surprise me
We're the Johnny Come Lately's
And we're taking it lightly
Not likely
It doesn't matter now
Because we're all alone somehow
And we're taking it lightly
Heroes in tennis shoes
Oh how I wished I played that game
Dealing with high school blues
We never thought that we could lose
Sweet Orphan
(Words and music by Kirk McLeod; arranged by Kirk McLeod, Eric Gast, and Dan Stacey)
Ooh, I swear this February's cold
I stole a chance to hide down on Duboise Siding road
Feeling like an orphan looking for a home
Slowly I wake and the sky turns into gold
Right now, I think he's headed down 15
To find a mill down there he says no-ones ever seen
His father took him there when he was just fifteen
Well, I don't know but I could've sworn I'd been
Sweet Orphan won't you say hello to the mill pond for me
Sweet orphan come alive
I know I promised I would stay
For at least a year or more and I'd work for half the pay
With a thousand voices ringing in my weary head
Softly they sing to me in bed
Sweet Orphan won't you say hello to the mill pong for me
Sweet Orphan come alive
Sweet Orphan if you say it's true I'll believe you for a while
Sweet Orphan come alive
And the rain it whistles lonely on this [pond
And I think it's sad you never learned to swim
Now they've torn the old mill down
And your dress blues are on the ground
Now there's nothing left, just moss and tired trees
Sweet Orphan won't you say hello to the mill pond for me
Sweet Orphan come alive
Slowly, softly, sweetly come alive
Sweet Orphan if you say it's true I'll believe you for a while
Sweet Orphan come alive
I can't hear your voice any more
Mother Mary
(Words and music by Kirk McLeod, arranged by Seven Nations)
Mother Mary close enough to dying
Knows what she wants
And still keeps on trying on for
Words to help open closed doors
I saw I child playing with a tire
Running past a slogan painted on his playground wall
It said it didn't want him there at all
But everyone can mean something
Anyone can mean anything
And you're the one that means everything to me
Here's a farmer working in his field
He plants his corn and now he has to pray for rain
He stares up to the skies in vain
An unknown airman waiting for forever
He leaves his tomb and now he's on his way back home
I'm sure he never waited there alone
But everyone can mean something
Anyone can mean anything
And you're the one that means everything to me
Once I dreamt I flew across the ocean
From the sky I waved to the fish below
I could feel them in my soul
Further on I came across a whaler
I looked in closer; the whales had the harpoon guns
The chase had just begun
But everyone can mean something
Anyone can mean anything
And you're the one that means everything to me
Daze of Grace
(Written, produced & arranged by Eric Gast and Matthew Backer)
Amazing Grace (traditional; arranged by Seven Nations)
This Season Reprise
(Words and music by Kirk McLeod, arranged by Kirk McLeod)
Daniel closed his eyes as if it didn't happen
And he wondered why every time this season
Feel it in the air, see it in the lightning
And he wondered why it always felt so frightening
I will remember you this way
As sure as the night divides the day
As sure as the sun goes down
Then he looked at me his eyes heavy with reason
And he spoke of how she never stopped to listen
When she got the news she wrecked her room in anger
Never looked at me, she telephoned the doctor
I will remember you this way
As sure as the night divides the day
As sure as the sun goes down
Which way's on and on, his question fell
Like rain on the window like I never will
His face touched the glass, his finger traced
The path of the water
The lines on his face
I will remember you this way
As sure as the night divides the day
As sure as the sun goes down
