오랜 침묵을 깨고 대중 앞에 소개된 스트롭스의 2003년 작품. 완전히 새로운 창작곡들로 구성된 본 작은 스트롭스의 멤버 외에 메리 홉킨, 메디 프라이어, 리차드 허드슨 등 우리에게 추억의 스타들로 알려진 많은 뮤지션들이 게스트로 참여하여 화제가 되었던 작품이다. 이들의 명곡 ‘Autumn’을 연상시키는 프로그래시브 락 스타일의 대작 ‘Blue Angel’를 비롯 아름다운 멜로디가 돋보이는 포크락 ‘Oh So Sleep’ 그리고 보너스 트랙으로 수록된 ‘The King’ 등이 수록되어 있다. 골드 CD로 제작된 뛰어난 음질은 한층 높은 감상의 여운을 남겨준다.
The gypsy girl stood quite alone Her eyes were brightly shining Her head was in the clouds Where she had found the silver lining And all the while the crippled boy Was dancing with his lady fair While I stood on the sidelines Trying to make out that I wasn't there.
So loud the music grew and grew With ever greater pain I stepped back in the shadows For I could not stand the strain I tried to look, my eyes were blind I tried to speak but could not find The words to say.
They left me lying where I lay I could not bear the light of day.
Treat me kindly dear blue angel Deepest colour of the night Be merciful, be gentle For I have no strength to fight.
II - Half Worlds Apart Cousins
So I lay in half world dream state Pressed like a flower in the pages of a half book Words in softly spoken whispers Steal through the silence of the blue veiled half light The best of questions have no answers The best of answers need no questions Born on the quest for a wave of half peace Acquired in a Dresden china cuplet Bound in the chains of the half book binding Half way to my half life.
Treat me kindly dear blue angel Deepest colour of the night Be merciful, be gentle For I have no strength to fight.
So she lay in half museum Pinned like a butterfly which failed to reach its half life Tender moments left half spoken Lost like an orphan in the pleasures of the dream state A man of honour has no secrets How can I be a man of secrets Trapped in the web of the woven blue veil Peering to find the angel weaver Most sacred saviour of the silver lining Half way to my half life.
Treat me kindly dear blue angel Deepest colour of the night Be merciful, be gentle For I have no strength to fight.
III - At Rest Cousins
Sleep the sleep of peace my love And I will let you be I alone can comfort I alone can set you free I will be your healer And give you back your pride In times of need remember me At rest here by your side.
When the hour of darkness comes And time itself stands still When voices from the future Seem to come and go at will I will be your servant Your ever constant guide When all is lost remember me At rest here by your side.
The wisdom of the fool is such That he alone is sane So delicate the balance That e'er the moon could wax and wane I will be your teacher And show you where to hide When all else fails remember me At rest here by your side.
Treat me kindly dear blue angel Deepest colour of the night Be merciful, be gentle For I have no strength to fight
I leave you with your head buried in the pillow Oh so sleepy, oh so sleepy As twisted as a knot, as tangled as a wire Burning like a coal on the open fire Oh so sleepy, oh so sleepy.
I talk to you in riddles of the drunken sailor Oh so sleepy, oh so sleepy As pretty as a rose, as bitter as a thorn A smear of virgin blood on the broken dawn Oh so sleepy, oh so sleepy.
Now did you hear the wind, did you ride the carousel Did you find the seaman's mission, only time can really tell Or do you see your future in the wishing well Oh so sleepy, oh so sleepy.
I brush you with a kiss as the moonlight murmurs Oh so sleepy, oh so sleepy As simple as defeat, as certain as a toy Crying like a girl with the future of a boy Oh so sleepy, oh so sleepy.
The sky was like a crystal, it was sapphire blue I was like a kid again, so were you It's a strange day, a strange day over the hill.
The sun came round to polish up the copper beech The leaves were black as leather where the sun don't reach It's a strange day, a strange day over the hill.
I was close enough to heaven as a man could be Knowing I had solved your little mystery It's a strange day, a strange day over the hill.
We could hear the distant compromise of wedding bells As we leaned on one another bidding fond farewells It's a strange day, a strange day over the hill.
As we drove into the valley, the mist rolled down We were in the grip of winter in our own home town It's a strange day, a strange day over the hill.
The lights were shining brightly in the house across the street I was looking for adventure, I was turning on the heat I shivered in the shadows, it was cold as hell The church bell sounded seven going, well, well, well It's a strange day, a strange day over the hill.
Never mind the rain, never mind the weather Take a little time when you lose your grip Never mind the pain, treat it as a warning Never mind the truth when it cuts your lip.
Cry no more for me I'll cry no more for you I'll cry no more for you.
Never is a word I never wanted spoken Never is a kiss with your mouth closed tight Never is a dream of never ending pleasure Never is defeat in the darkest night.
The night closed down with the passion of a thousand years Far out in open space A mirror shades the likeness of your pretty face Drowning in my tears.
Never break a vow that's never yet been broken Never cross your heart when it's all in vain Never trust a girl who takes it all for granted Never mind the rain when it's pouring down
The plain stretched out before me as far as the slate grey sky I told her I was leaving with the migrant birds to fly I said she might expect me with the coming of the spring When the birds return back home again with new-found songs to sing.
I hit out on the highway, high on the rising sun I felt my spirit rising, my journey was newly begun The joy of expectation rose in my heart with a song The courage of conviction carried my journey along.
I bathed in the lake of comfort, the milk of my mother's breast The son of constant sorrow sank to his knees in the West I prayed to my God for guidance to find there was no-one but me There was just the open highway as far as my eyes could see.
Throughout my endless journey I have been searching for paradise lost I now retrace my footsteps with the burden of infinite cost I see myself returning alone with my head held high The plain stretched out before me as far as the slate grey sky.
Do you remember the day we met How we made our way in fits and starts Do you remember the day we met How we played our roles in silent parts Oh what a day we had Oh what a day.
Do you remember the day we met How we kissed the way they do in France Do you remember the day we met How we lost our tongues before the dance Oh what a day we had Oh what a day.
Photographs of junior high Your hair was straight and so was I
Do you remember the day we met How we scandalised the scripture class Do you remember the day we met How we walked away on broken glass Oh what a day we had Oh what a day Oh what a day we had Oh what a day.
There's a cafe on the corner where the Latin lovers meet They're dancing to the rhythm of the night and the heat of the street. There's a glow of expectation, the narcotic of the beat They're dancing to the rhythm of the night and the heat of the street.
Rhythm of the night, heat of the street. Rhythm of the night and the heat of the street.
There's a girl in every alley trying to whip you off your feet They're dancing to the rhythm of the night and the heat of the street.
They play it tough They play it cool They play to win They drink the pool They play it by the golden rule Lady Luck is no-one's fool.
There are roly poly mamas, electric slippers on their feet They're dancing to the rhythm of the night and the heat of the street.
When they offer you the menu, try the rack of spicy meat They're dancing to the rhythm of the night and the heat of the street.
Take my hand, I'll show you how to fly We will cross the valley road, the river rolling by Open fields, high cascading streams We will climb the mountainside, a multitude of dreams.
I wake up to your morning glory Say goodbye to my late night story I close my eyes and count to ten It all comes round again.
Miles apart, still further in between Once you talked to me in tongues, who knows what they can mean.
The party ran all summer long, way beyond extremes The morning glory days were gone, suddenly a world of broken dreams.
Deep blue days and ever darker nights No matter what the time of day, we never dim the lights.
I must have been the saddest man who ever wrote a love song For when I spoke of ways and means, I knew it would not last long After all the years, the growing pains and heartaches I swore that I would die for you and sealed it with a traitor's kiss.
We must have been a crazy pair to think we'd stay together I hope you find your own new world and make it last forever You gave me your best, I gave you all my worst years I swore that I would die for you and sealed it with a traitor's kiss.
Thank you for your sympathy God bless you for your kindness I'm sure that as the years roll by You'll understand my sadness.
I can't have been the only man who ever wrote a song for you.
Take care of the kids, I didn't want to hurt them I swore that I would die for you and sealed it with a traitor's kiss.
Lay down, I lay me down Lay down, I lay me down Lay down, I lay me down For my soul.
By still waters I lay down with the lambs In pastures green I made peace with my soul And I cared not for the night While my guiding star shone bright By still waters I lay down I lay down.
Lay down, I lay me down Lay down, I lay me down Lay down, I lay me down For my soul.
At the roadside I took toll of my times From dirty streets I gained peace for my soul May the merciful be right Are you ready for the night At the roadside I lay down I lay down.
Lay down, I lay me down Lay down, I lay me down Lay down, I lay me down For my soul.
In deep sorrow I took flight with the sun From mountains high I gained strength for my soul I proved stronger than the test When my spirit came to rest In deep sorrow I lay down I lay down.
Lay down, I lay me down Lay down, I lay me down Lay down, I lay me down For my soul.
Lay down, I lay me down Lay down, I lay me down Lay down, I lay me down For my soul.