Fly Miriam (Table Mountain)

Someday when I awake

Someday when I awake

On top of Table Mountain

On top of Table Mountain


Like old pieces of eight
That we found in the dirt

Fly Miriam fly


We knew what it was
But not what it was worth

Fly Miriam fly


And the ages around us 

All gave her praise

Fly Miriam fly


For the sound of her voice
But not what she said

Fly Miriam fly


On that disc with her name 

Full of old 78’s

 Fly Miriam fly


I’d fallen in love 

On our first date

Fly Miriam fly


Though I don’t know a lick 

Of any Xhosa clicks

Fly Miriam fly


The words that she spoke
Went straight to my soul

Fly Miriam fly


Is that a weight of mine?

To sing against injustices

If your whole life

The whole world
Has always let you down

Always drug you around

Always left you there to drown

Someday when I awake

Someday when I awake

On top of Table Mountain

On top of Table Mountain


The Mythic West

Lonesome is the call of the six-stringer
When long are the shadows on his desert
In the West, the mythic West

Tall grow the tales written day by day
To the lowly old tempo of a four-beat-gait
In the West, the mythic West

A timeless wail
echoes through the canyon
Of a dry river bed
and back into the ages

A rusted old sun for a tea cup moon
If he’s quick on the draw, he’ll see it again soon
In the West, the mythic West

(2026 verse)

High up on the plains of old Mexico

Real rough riders out gunning for gold

In the West, the mythic West

credits


Ridin' High

We are alright in here

Ridin’ high, Ridin’ high

We are alright in here

Ridin’ high, Ridin’ high

And when we get to the top

And we’re looking down

We keep holding on, holding on

Holding on, holding on

And when we get to the top

We’ll be looking down

When we get to the top

We’ll be looking down

If they’re armed to the teeth

We’ll be looking down

If they’re armed to the teeth

We’ll be looking down

If they bust through the doors

We’ll sing out loud

If they bust through the doors

We’ll sing out loud

Cuz we’re not giving up

We’ll sing out loud!

Not giving up

We’ll sing out loud!

Jazz Queen Ladies

Chorus:

Jazz Queen Ladies

Give us the beat, they took it away

I can’t go back, because they took it away

Jazz Queen Ladies

Give us the beat, they took it away

I can’t go back, because they took it away

I spend my check on a serenade

I look up, I don’t look back

I look up, I don’t look back

On the cover of a magazine

These days that don’t mean jack

These days that don’t mean jack

Chorus:

Jazz Queen Ladies

Give us the beat, they took it away

I can’t go back, because they took it away

Jazz Queen Ladies

Give us the beat, they took it away

I can’t go back, because they took it away

Chorus:

Jazz Queen Ladies

Give us the beat, they took it away

I can’t go back, because they took it away

Jazz Queen Ladies

Give us the beat, they took it away

I can’t go back, because they took it away

I spend my check on a serenade

I look up, I don’t look back

I look up, I don’t look back

On the cover of a magazine

These days that don’t mean jack

These days that don’t mean jack

Chorus:

Jazz Queen Ladies

Give us the beat, they took it away

I can’t go back, because they took it away

Jazz Queen Ladies

Give us the beat, they took it away

I can’t go back, because they took it away

The Beats

Crooner on the radio

(Never sing a melody so low)

(Never sing a melody so low)

Never know that Mood Indigo

(Never sing a melody so low)

(Never sing a melody so low)

Chorus:

The beats, the beats the beats, the beats

Are calling, are calling

From morning, from morning

Til evening, til evening

The beats, the beats the beats, the beats

Are calling, are calling

From morning, from morning

Til evening, til evening

Now waiting for those better days

(Gotta listen to what Momma say)

(Gotta listen to what Momma say)

She said “Never wish your life away”

(Gotta listen to what Momma say)

(Gotta listen to what Momma say)

Chorus:

The beats, the beats the beats, the beats

Are calling, are calling

From morning, from morning

Til evening, til evening

The beats, the beats the beats, the beats

Are calling, are calling

From morning, from morning

Til evening, til evening

Crooner on the radio

(Never sing a melody so low)

(Never sing a melody so low)

Never know that Mood Indigo

(Never sing a melody so low)

(Never sing a melody so low)

Chorus:

The beats, the beats the beats, the beats

Are calling, are calling

From morning, from morning

Til evening, til evening

The beats, the beats the beats, the beats

Are calling, are calling

From morning, from morning

Til evening, til evening

Talk of the Town

The townies get out for the night

The talk is around

They’ll be dancing in the moonlight

At the talk of the town

And we’re gonna be hearing about it

For a long long time

Yeah we gonna be hearing about it

For a long long time

Louie plays up the street

At the talk of the town

He’ll be shaking up dancing feet

Its the talk of the town

And we’re gonna be hearing about it

For a long long time

And we’re gonna be hearing about it

For a long long time

Eh las Bah

Eh La Bah Chèri!

(2023 version)

Iko Iko an day

I'll see you out

Iko Iko an day

At the talk of the town

Iko Iko an day

I’ll see you out

Iko Iko an day

At the talk of the…

Drivin'

Return me to my Ocean Queen

Fill me to the top

With the wine of her good fortune

Feed me from those fruiting trees

Fill me to the top with the wine of their good fortune

Chours:

Drivin’ Through your mind

Feel my waves

Drivin’ Through your mind

Feel my waves

I remember well

Sleeping in the shallows

And I’m still there

Waking up in the shallows

When I need a bit of perspective

When I need a bit of reflectivness

I go back to the shallows

We all need a bit of perspective

We all need a bit of reflectivness

Go back to the shallow

Chorus:

Drivin’ Through your mind

Feel my waves

Drivin’ Through your mind

Feel my waves

Return me to my Ocean Queen

Fill me to the top

With the wine of her good fortune

Feed me from those fruiting trees

Fill me to the top with the wine of their good fortune

Chorus:

Drivin’ Through your mind

Feel my waves

Drivin’ Through your mind

Feel my waves