the way it isn't

this song is one of my favourites, envisaging a young man who is a terrorist in northern ireland, i wrote this song about not knowing the answers for the problems we have had in our wee country. there is a sense of reality to this tune, a real life reflection on terrorism. the main subject is how newspapers report us as being always wrong and they tell it "the way it isn't", hence the song's title, changed from the original of "standing on my own"

written - 2001

about - northern ireland

lyrics -

in my homeland forlorn
the sun shines down upon
a tattooed youth
his mind a microwave
of loss and feeling brave
in disrepute

my eyes bore into him
beneath a sky undimmed
by fear and callousness

i've worked out why my feet are cold
is that why i'm not getting old
the winter air won't let me know
the summer breeze won't let me go
and i'm a faded mural

in bloodshot countryside
rain does it's best to hide
un-needed graves
despite an empty hand
a balacalavad man is suspicious
another ambulance can't take much more of this
pray it's a fire

i never got my fortune told
what that means i'll never know
the winter breeze won't let me know
the summer air won't let me go
and i'm a faded mural

another paper tells
it the way it isn't
we're front page news
and when we live in peace
i'll keep my memories
the nights of fear

i've worked out why my feet are cold
is that why i'm not getting old
the winter air won't let me know
the summer breeze won't let me go
and i'm a faded mural

in my home town forlorn
the sun shines down upon
a tattooed youth

Acoustic Settee Version, Southbourne, 2009