Dave Bradley

My song about coastal graves being lost to the sea because of post-glacial isostatic rebound is available to download or stream on Bandcamp. This is the hidden coda to the song in which Morse Code repeatedly proclaims "We suffer a great deal" as guitar builds the sounds of those shipwrecked souls being drawn out to sea and into the depths way beyond whale song to Davy Jones' Locker. Finally, the tide turns and the cliffs crumble once more.

I recorded an overdubbed choral section for the end of my recent song Post-glacial Isostatic Rebound, which is available on Bandcamp via the link

Been producing Clive-upon-Sea's latest music and recorded some vocals for him in choral style. You wouldn't guess from this ending how the previous 8 minutes had been even with that heavy rock finish before the choir...

Dustbowl Kicking up the railroad dirt, I ride these metal wheels There's plenty of times those dozy bulls come snapping at my heels They've got to let it go when I hop that old freight train Never going to mess with me in this old town again Some unholy angel going to fix me up alright Heading for the county line making good time tonight I'm riding high in the lowdown, you know I'm on a roll? 'cause kicking back is easy on the blue highways of the dustbowl Nickel and dime the journeys you can ride from stay to stay Cross that bridge when it gets here, just hopping on that plate The rolling stock’s for rolling as the years turn by and by No tears are shed for the lonely who find no place to die Nickel and dime the journeys you can ride from state to state Cross that bridge when it gets here, just hopping off that plate The rolling stock’s for rolling as the years turn by and by No tears are shared for the lonely who find a place to die The times they ain’t for changing, my fortune’s on the wind Can’t make no money doing nothing, for that’d be a sin I'm rattled by the railroad track from dusk to break of day I've no Bible, just a bottle to ease my soul away Riding high in the lowdown, know I'm on a roll! 'cause kicking back is easy on the blue highways out of the dustbowl, of the dustbowl Nickel and dime the journeys you can ride from stay to stay Cross that bridge when it gets here, just hopping off that plate The rolling stock’s for rolling as the years turn by and by No tears are shared for the lonely. The final place to die Nickel and dime the journeys you can ride from stay to stay Cross that bridge when it gets here, just hopping on that plate The rolling stock’s for rolling as the years turn by and by No tears are shed for the lonely who find no place to die Nickel and dime the journeys you can ride from stay to stay Cross that bridge when it gets here, just hopping off that plate The rolling stock’s for rolling as the years turn by and by No tears are shared for the lonely who find a place to die Lyrical embellishment "LillBirdToldMe"

Ebb and flow I can't quite put my finger on it I was wilder in my dreams Open hearted, full of promise But, nothing's what it seems The tide it turned against me As it turns for everyone A surge of loaded questions Whose answers never come Though carefree on the outside I feel we've lost our sight That harbour light once guiding us Won't brightly burn tonight The tide will turn against you too It turns for everyone We’re promised nothing, but to question No answers ever come You can't quite put your finger on it Nothing's what it seems The ebb and flow of wretched promise Still tidal in our dreams The tide has turned against you No anchor for you to moor The pull of loaded questions Wrecks dreams on rocky shore Vocal and guitar - David Bradley Music - David Bradley Lyrics - David Bradley with "Little Bird"

Nomadic Soul The amber shades of fen and stone Spare world and time as toil tends bone Those bells that herd the faithful home Set free lost souls in Heaven's dome What answers lie beyond the wind? The reedbed trail goes on and on Stone cast against the age of sin To shed this mortal coil again “I can't wait forever!” Tideless echoes of a plaintive cry It can't be forever Soulless in this world I'll fly There’s anger buried deep below It fades with time as soil turns bone We tend the spirits locked in stone But, the falcon calls as it flies home “I can't wait forever!” Timeless echoes of a plaintive cry It won’t be forever Soulless in this world I'll fly

Lost in Action You stake your claim on my time, and I succumb to a rhyme I won't cry at this one, been toughened by friendly fire This is all I've got, so I'm not wasting time; no time Can I be lost in action? No reaction's what I've seen Just a silent distraction, out of the picture, it seems, completely You gave no time to my claim, and I ride out the blame I just can't cry with this one; collateral damage is done Can I be lost in action, action's not what it seems to be? It's just a sign of distraction, out of the picture, it seems, completely You're telling the story of the age, but it breaks your heart to say There's nothing left of the printed page, nothing left at close of day Can I be lost in action? Action's not my scene It's just a failed reaction, out of the picture, it seems, completely Can I be lost in action, when action's not what I've seen? It's just a sign of distraction, out of the picture, completely You stake your claim on my time, so come to a lie Not going to cry over this one, I've been toughened by friendly fire too many times Can I be lost in action, action's not my scene It's just a silent distraction, out of the picture You stake your claim on my time, and I succumb to a rhyme Words and music - David Bradley Vocals, guitar - David Bradley

No Footprints in the sand The days are colder and the nights drawn in No barricades of comfort, now the aching will begin I'm running down an unlit corridor The pain can chase me, but I head out through an open door And you won't find a clearer path today If you turn your back on the future, try to run away And, there are times when you can plan your day But the tide will turn and wash your wishes away But I can see the warning signs ahead They don't deter me, they draw me on instead And I should say that we can choose a tougher path The path of least resistance was never going to last Walk with me, I'll take you by the hand Can't promise anything like a promised land But, I’ll give you love, though nothing's planned Walk with me, leave just our footprints in the sand The summer comes around and the days are long I thought I'd moved on but something feels so wrong And there you're kneeling with your head in your hands Still can't believe we found ourselves in this foreign land Though I could see the warning signs ahead They didn't stir me to turn away instead And though I said that we should choose a tougher path The path of least resistance was never at our backs ----------------- As usual, words, music, and production by David Bradley Vocals, guitars, bass, keyboard, percussion mixing dB/

There’s a tension in the air Always someone being so unkind Never found the right time to make that repair To my confounded state of mind Didn't see you out and about You couldn’t bear to breathe the air You’re clued up there is no doubt But missed your cue ‘cause you just don’t care And, I feel That something is missing The lonely aren’t kissing any one Just before the dawn I will know If it's easy come, then it's easy go Did I mention it today? They're always looking for a fight? Never found the peaceful way To resolve the wrong from the right And I feelThat someone is blessing those second guessing everyone Before the sunrise I will know If it's easy come, then it's easy go But, I feel That we're all missing That we're lonely and we're messing with our heads To think we really ought to know That if it's easy come, then it's easy go As usual, words and music, acoustic, electric, and bass guitars, percussion, production, mixing, and artwork by dB/ Re-recorded the chorus vocals on 2021-10-17

You remember how we flew home at night? Head full of memories, I could tell You shone when we caught sight of Paris and smiled at the lights of the Tour Eiffel It was so small, a golden dagger In a playground of streetlights and bars Full of the memories that make me stagger A flashlight on streetlife and cars Oh, how I wish I could find a way To take us back to those nights, we'd see The secret to happiness isn't time or place It's the laissez faire of the c'est la vie The secret to happiness isn't time or place It's the finding the people we can be The mighty drinkers in that old cafe Who asked us all about The Queen We shared their wine and spirit, I have to say But we lost the thread, I felt so mean We headed home along the banks of the Seine I headed out on a limb The easiest thing to do was to stake a claim But, my mind was dulled and my eyes were dim Oh, how I wish I could find a way To take us back to those nights, we'd see The secret to happiness isn't time or place It's the laissez faire of the c'est la vie The secret to happiness isn't time or place It's finding the people we can be We chased the plane in an airport race Entangled in our own youth Although I'd held back just to check out the place What more did I need, in truth?

A rather noisy and raw, one-take-wonder on my phone, done with minimal preparation and the words and melody written on-the-fly, ad lib, as I played the guitar part. Count yourself a lucky one You're waking with the rising sun And though you're aching inside You know you're on the right side of the day Count your blessings every one Even ones that seem one way I don't know what it is I've become But I finally know the way Here to live, with fire What we have become Chances are you'll see What we have become

Catch your breath The simple things in life aren't free no matter what you believe You gotta work to get to Heaven There's no other way to receive The things you need that aren't so simple You'll find it's hard in every way You can tear it all down, for example But it's only yourself you deceive Find a way to catch your breath, before they drag you under You know the wonder that you express? Well, they'll tear it asunder Take a chance to walk the path, with the sound of thunder The lightning strikes if you do the math, that's your biggest blunder The simple things in life aren't free no matter what you believe You gotta work to make it here Who else are they gonna deceive? The things you need that make life simple You'll find they're totally out of your reach They'll put you down, for example You got to practice what you preach Demo written and recorded between 18:30 and 21:12 on 2021-08-17 Vocal overdubs, additional percussion, and remix - 2021-08-18 ver 2b; additional mixing work and storm c/o Mother Nature added 2021-08-19 A few trivial mixing fixes done 2021-08-20 and removed the thunderstorm and added some breath! Words & Music - David Bradley Vocals, guitar, and bass - dB/

A soothing instrumental inspired by a peaceful trip on a narrowboat along the Old West River on a midsummer's dawn. Synth strings, French horns, oboe, clarinet, and glockenspiel played on AKAI keyboard by dB/ Taylor six-string for the pseudoclassical guitar also by dB/

This was originally Part 2 of my song "No Symphony for Lovers", but it's perfect for a little video I recorded of one of my bro-in-law's duck running round and round my feet...don't ask.

No Symphony for Lovers Part 1 - No Symphony for Lovers Let me hear the colours Let my senses interfere Entangled under the covers Of my own cavalcade of fears Let me talk around the corner My emotions bring the rains Embittered by the righteous No one left to take the blame Let me feel that sense of wonder Might I walk among the sane? This is no symphony for lovers I'm just crying out in pain Let me light the fire on meekness Adrenalin is on its chains Entangled in my own weakness A play on words, such a crying shame Part 2 - No Sympathy for Livers Instrumental Words & music, vocals, guitar, bass, and percussion mix - dB/

I had an ad hoc meeting with Clive-upon-Sea this weekend where he referred to someone being able to "make friends in an empty room". I joked that I'd get a song out of that phrase...lyrics and chord progression were pretty much done before lunchtime and I've spend the rest of the weekend experimenting with genre, going from a folky singer-songwriter style to a funkier C5 style then to a full-on reggae and on to something close to The Police. Empty Rooms You hear her talking in the afternoon But, come the evening, well it's all doom and gloom She'd make friends in an empty room They're gone by morning, not a moment too soon Though she finds it hard to understand The callous feeling of your open hands She'll come to you when she needs a friend Won't give up hoping till the bitter end Knowing only that the pain will grow She's praying harder for the light to show She hides her feelings in plain sight Fearless moments in the still of the night Time will come when she gives up the fight Sees the day when there'll be no morning light You see her heading for her velvet cocoon In the evening, well she sings another tune She's got no friend in that pale empty room Dreams of stardust and the rising of the crescent moon Well she's gone walking in the afternoon Come the evening dances to a different tune She found no message in that empty womb All done by morning, to her feelings she's immune Knowing only that the pain will grow She prays, she prays, knowing only that the pain will grow... She hides her feelings in plain sight Fearless moments in the still of the night Time will come when she gives up the fight Sees the day when there'll be no morning light Heal this moment in the heat of the night Seize the day, seize the dayInspiration - Clive-upon-Sea Words and music, vocals, electric guitar, bass, drum mixing and production David Bradley

Last Dance There is no mystery to the grander scheme of things Just simple truth revealed and the love that it will bring We take the warmth from wherever it may spring Don't let the cold in. To the memories, you must cling It's not the time and place for absolving those who sin There is no season in which we cannot begin To found the rhyme and reason to take it on the chin Just let me know and I'll inform the next of kin Here we go, last drink before the show Down in one and then it's on you go Here we go! Last dance, for all you know Spin around, you've got to go with the flow The tide is turning against the treachery of kings Beyond the waves deceptive traces on the wing We find the truth in the strangest places, that's for sure We're so much older than we admit to, don't you know? Here we go, another fix for the show Shoot it up and then it's on you go Here we go. Last chance for you to show your aching heart in the afterglow (Do you want to dance? This is your last chance, for all you know)

Starts off a bit like a very early Bowie but with trumpet and then morphs into a footstompin' splash of Geordie Soul with quasi Dexy's horns, before soloing with Steely Dan and Stealer's Wheel ahead of a finale with some Steeleye Span male-voice harmonies TIDELINE As daylight settles like a distant retreat You pull on emotional chains The shingle rolls under your aching feet The hopes you had are dashed against those distant rocky shores Stagger to see the pain The tide turns with barely a pause If the water looks cold It's only a tale that's told The waves imagine a world beyond the brine If your dreams aren't so bold It's not because you're old The seaspray chases way above the tideline Tideline Breakers from the storm Broken at the full moon at the time that you were born Tideline The memory of the norm Reminder of a new moon before the dawn As morning wakes, the darkness slips away Failure all forgotten now the light is holding sway A million more regrets on the tide washed away The secrets we forget, there's nothing more to say

Tideline As daylight settles like a distant retreat You pull on emotional chains The shingle rolls under your aching feet The hopes you had are dashed against those distant rocky shores Stagger to see the pain The tide turns with barely a pause If the water looks cold It's only a tale that's told The waves imagine a world beyond the brine If your dreams aren't so bold It's not because you're old The seaspray chases way above the tideline Tideline Breakers from the storm Broken at the full moon at the time that you were born Tideline The memory of the norm Reminder of a new moon before the dawn As morning wakes, the darkness slips away Failure all forgotten now the light is holding sway A million more regrets on the tide washed away The secrets we forget, there's nothing more to say Words, music, arrangement, vocals, instrumentation, and production dB/

The Absence of Normal The lines are cut, not a single word can get through The dust builds up, covering the world with a desert hue If flag as rags are burned, don't blame the formal Stay on the watch, be on your guard for the absence of normal The streets are still, only a few old souls around The guards are smoking. Nobody make a sound If notes and coins are exchanged, it's nothing formal The headlights flash, the blast comes fast in the absence of normal Don't you see how it goes day after day? Creature comforts on the breeze, all blown away You kneel alone attend your prayers, no one to share Waste no time telling trouble, you're not the one to care And yet the time is right, time to play another tune Blow back the dust, rebuild the past, nothing can come too soon Freedom on the wing, wonder so informal Keep up the pace, find your grace in the absence of normal Won't you feel how it grows day by day? Hear the suffering on the wind, all borne away You stand alone telling us to pray, no one will dare To check the time, call you out in trouble, like you'd care Don't you see how it goes day after day? Creature comforts on the breeze, all blown away You kneel alone attend your prayers, no one to share Waste no time telling trouble, you're not the one to care And yet the time is right, time to play another tune Word, music, vocals, instrumentation, producion dB/

Helium Heart She's a long time falling down, I wonder why she still hangs around Though she can't bear the pain she's found inside In the foundry of his mind, he'd tempered anger tough as steel Beating up his love on fatal flaws, no stretch of time would heal She's a lightweight mother with a helium heart Did no one ever tell her to float away The thing that she oughta be really sure of Is that she had no reason to stay She's a long time calling out Wonder why she still hides her eyes The bruises shine and it's the time to take a stand In the refuge of those pills, she halfs her life beyond the lies Cutting through her love as he lies bleeding by her hand She's a lightweight mother with a helium heart Did no one ever tell her to float away One way or another she's got to be sure of There really was no reason to stay You know how the old folks say, "I wish I knew then what I know today"? Well, I see it in a different way I'd rather be in the dark and tomorrow just another day; just another day She's a lightweight mother with a helium heart Did no one ever tell her to float away One way or another she's got to be sure She really had no reason to stay No one told her to float away, didn't tell her, didn't show her the way With a helium heart she could've floated away Words & Music by David Bradley Acoustic, electric & bass guitar and vocals db/ Original recorded and released 2014, remixed for 2021

There were sympathy and warning signs Trouble brewing at high tea time There was danger flying and left behinds But still the world keeps turning There were times you knew when the rest was gone There were lines you drew and the best undone There was anger driving the clearest minds But still the world keeps turning I was wading through my darkest thoughts Lessons learned but never taught How could you know that I'd been brought To keep your world from yearning There were sympathy and warning signs Trouble brewing at high tea time There was danger flying and left behinds But still the world keeps turning Guitar and vocals dB/ Written and recorded in September 2016 and seemingly abandoned. Mastered and released in March 2021

Give my love to the waves Give my love to the waves Send me home, on a wind that saves If I ride the sea, or sail away Will you carry me back, home again? Give my time, to the pain If I miss you, would you sail with me again? Give my love, to the water Then I can find my way back to where I ought to be You will know me Call me by name Know how much I fear It's always the same I'm floating in the wake of trouble. I wish you wary on your way Send my love to the waves, get me out of this trouble, or sail me to Hell all the way Give my love, to the waves Send me home, on a wind that saves Floating in the wake of trouble I wish you wary on your way I wish you on the waves out of trouble Don't sail me to Hell, at least not today Words and Music by David Bradley Guitar and vocals dB/

Loop mixing and electric guitar dB/

Trance Mission - An instrumental in five parts (i) Chainless Links (ii) Airhead (iii) 'Eau da Joy' (iv) On the Rocks (v) Breathless Bass guitar, electric guitar, progressive trance loop mixing, and production by dB/

A new memory of music We need a guide in our time Someone to show us the way To keep us from blind alleyways Away from Memory Lane We've got to look to the future But live our lives for today Still, the past can preserve us And take away the pain The beat is fine for the days ahead The melody is unchained It drives us down life's highways A map of Memory Lane We're tuning up for the future And damping down the pain And the past that helped preserve us Let's us play for today Give me the memory of music The melodies that we make All harmony together We all know what's at stake And if I have to sing for my supper Then that's a chance I'll take Give me the memory of music Not music for the heartache The memory of music Sweet music for its own sake We need a guide in our time Someone to help us refrain From wand'ring down blind alleyways Away from Memory Lane Words, music, arrangement, vocals, acoustic and bass guitars, and percussion dB/

What a Year What a year it's been Did you find it tragic? When we lost the magic When did that begin? Well, what can I say? We grew apart together There was a change in the weather Whether or not you would say Can we look for a future? Find a way to bring it back to the here and now? Find a new hope for things we lack Then what a year it will be If we all pull together We can untie the tether Forever breaking free What a year it could be Making life worth living Let's be more forgiving A better day for all to see What a year it's been Did you talk to the strangers? Did we handle the dangers? Find a way to take them all on the chin What else can we see? Can we all stand together? No neverminds, no whatevers You have got to believe We can we look to the future Find a way to bring it back to the here and now? Find some hope in the things we lack Then what a year that will be When we all run together Whatever the weather Running you and me What a year it could be Every life worth the living We can all be for giving A brighter day for all to see What a year it could be What a year it has been But, what a year it could be

There was a time when I was forgiving I turned my cheek, my feelings hidden But, something changed, and I'm just not living And I don't know what to say Well, here they are, my own misgivings I've turned them round and I'm not reliving Though nothing's changed I'm all for giving Now, I know just what to say When you realize that there's no prize to take away Got to compromise, you've got to meet me halfway So, here I am, am I not forgiven? I turned it down but you've got misgivings Tell me now, are we barely living? Did you want to fade away? There was I time when I stayed hidden Now, I've cleared my head and I'm reliving I'll take the blame but I'll be forgiving Did you have to turn away? Words and Music - David Bradley Vocals - dB/ Fender Telecaster and Ibanez RG electric guitars dB/ Yamaha bass - dB/ Percussion mixing - dB/ Proper funky drumming Klaus Tropp Recorded and produced by David Bradley

Place the Pennies Subtle are life's treasures, Like sunlight on the waves Like breezing through an easy day Your lover find the ways The days turn into nights There's nothing more to say But the storm turns on the tide There's no one who is saved Souls are lost at night No death knell for the brave Silence me, it's not my hour of need Close my eyes, place the pennies You wander through the churchyard Rain on my parade Simple are Death's pleasures Rainfall on the graves The bleakness of eternity There's nothing left to say Ships are lost in flight A death knell for the brave 'cause the tide turned in the storm There's not a soul to be saved Silence me, though 'tis my hour of need Still my eyes see the pennies Don't cry for me, my words you've got to heed Close my eyes, place the pennies Don't cry for me, it is my hour indeed Close my eyes, place the pennies Subtle are life's pleasures The rainfall on the graves Simple are Death's treasures Like sunlight on the waves Words, music, vocals, guitars, bass, and production by Dave Bradley

Firebreak, watch the weather Standing here, I can feel your pain Firebreak, tied up in leather Without the pleasure, there is no gain Are the terms just wishful thinking? Could you really see the other side? Don't you feel like you are sinking? Or, are your dreams an act of swollen pride Firebreak Firebreak Circuitbreaker Moneymaker Find the faker who's on the make Words and music by David Bradley Guitars, vocals, bass, keyboards, and production dB/ No with Mini Moog

Well, there's no time for any questions So, I'm asking for a friend When did they find the time to hate? To what point this bitter end? Their bottom line makes me queasy It's too easy to insist On making plans for one's fellow man Against which the good can't resist Well, I don't know what this means but I can see me falling through Falling flat on my face, I mean Can't you see it too? Well, I don't know what this means but I can see me falling through Falling flat on my face, I mean Can't you see it too? So little time for any questions And, I'm masking for a friend Couldn't they make the time to love Take us to a sweeter end The autumn's fine, take it easy It's simpler not to resist Make mellow plans for the fruitful times Find a pathway through the mist Well, I don't know what this means but I can see me pulling through Not really losing face, I mean Can't you feel it too? Can't you feel it too? Words, music, vocals, guitar, bass, percussion, production dB/

Too much, too soon There is a comforting solution To all the threats we face today We have to trust in our salvation Trust ourselves to find a way Making a case for all the answers Never let them slip away Too much, too soon We won't be saved by old traditions Got to stand up to the fools Throw them out at the next auditions There is comfort in solution Never let them slip away Words and music by dB/ Vocals, guitars, and bass dB/

Taylor played in open-G tuning with overdubbing of Telecaster and bass in normal tuning.

Another Lockdown Lo Fi, this time inspired by a socially distanced firepit party with some of C5 and friends to say bon voyage to @clive-upon-sea Firepit by Ad. Original firepit video by Clive/Sea Voices: Ad, Rog, and Dave Silent voices: Martin and Hans Loop mixing, synths, and guitar dB/ Produced by dB/

That's okay, tonight Step up to the light, learn you're not the only dreamer Find a place for you to shine Try as you might, you won't find another schemer Who twists the knife like you're not mine …and I'm telling you... You were the calm before the storm, You told the lies that kept me warm And you had it all, though I could've sworn you'd thrown it all away No, I don't want another fight I'll see you in the glare of the morning light No need to cry tonight No, I don't want another fight We're okay for tonight Words & Music - Dave "dB/" Bradley Vocals, acoustic, electric, and bass guitars -dB/ Drums - Klaus Tropp Produced by dB/

That's okay, tonight - An instrumental with words That's okay, tonight Strive for the better, strive to be better Be kind, be fair Make love, not war Be curious, be creative Be honest and authentic All rights are human rights Everyone is equal Black lives matter Stay safe, stay well Break their rules, occasionally Be true, be cool Live your life, live in peace Words, music, and production - dB/ Acoustic, electric, and bass guitars - dB/ Vocals - dB/ Drums - Klaus Tropp

Funk rock instrumental dedicated to the thankfully inimitable Clive-upon-Sea

Secrets and Safety Secrets and safety, prey on your mind Warm honour and valediction, you're biding your time Stepped into colder places, fighting against the crime The lockdown prescription untying the ties that bind Secrets and safety, play with your time Worn courage and contradiction, will make you unkind Cold shouldered the golden faces, catching up with the final crime Repealing the triumphs of ages, playing against your side Secrets and safety, way down the line To call out the day-long prediction: no weapons are fine Stepped into older spaces, ambitions are bound in time You back down tradition, it's no way to show your sign Save me from that fear Save me from my fears, again Words and music by Dave Bradley Artwork by Adam Stewart

Together, apart We must all stick together Even while we're apart We must find a way, from the start Back to the heart Words and music by Dave Bradley Acoustic and electric six-string guitars dB/ Bass guitar dB/ Vocals and backing vocals dB/ Cajon and tambourine dB/ Common Blue butterfly photo also by dB/

Vocals, loop editing, arrangement, and dusk chorus recording by dB/

The Stormy Petrels were fishermen from my home village of Cullercoats on the North East coast of England. In order to feed their families, they would set sail even if storms were forecast. There were tragedies. Painting is "Daughter of the Coast Guard" (Winslow Homer, 1881). American artist Homer spent time in Cullercoats in the 1880s as one of this tiny village's artistic enclave, he painted the women, the fishwives and daughters...while the menfolk were out at sea. To the people of my village, it is bad luck to whistle at sea and to use the word p.i.g. (Presumably the origin of the pub name The Pig and Whistle) If you buy the track, I'll donate the profits to the Cullercoats RNLI lyrics The Stormy Petrels The seas were fair as far as the eye could see The waters still and bare The wind laid low, there was time to spare There'd be no storm to keep us here The nets were all tied and the fishwives were ready The cobles would leave on the tide We'd sail to the north and head for the shoals Their shawls held tight, home on the breeze we would ride The hours went by and the swell it grew heavy The men would e'er swallow their pride The rises and falls of the fish life a penny The true, tried, and tested on-side The nets were all tied and the fishwives were ready The cobles they sailed on the tide We'll head for the north and race for the shoals Their shawls they'd hold tight, till home on the breeze we will ride We rowed a fair clip with a glint in our eye The tide would carry us wide The sun it shone through as the land disappeared The spindrift blew through, but no siren could draw us aside The net's been aside and the fishwives were ready Our cobles they sailed with the tide We'll head for the north and race for the shoals Their shawls they'd hold tight, till home on the breeze we will ride It was bright and white horses there were none to see And the wind couldn't blow owt our oils to deceive But the pressure will fall we'll not bear a hasty retreat Whistle and you will be damned A hastier judgement to hand A voice horn calls out "No survivors will e'er see the land" The nets were all tied and the fishwives were ready The cobles would leave on the tide We'd sail to the north and head for the shoals Their shawls they'd hold tight, till home on the breeze we would ride credits released April 1, 2020 Words and music by David Bradley. Vocals, guitar, and production also dB/ Daughter of the Coast Guard (1881) - Winslow Homer

If the 7-incher wasn't enough to satisfy, this is the RevCoffee 12" extension. I dreamed I was with my band in an airport all flights were cancelled our suitcases were empty we were going nowhere, the singer and I wrote some lyrics and we came up with a weird chord progression - Am-Em-Bb7. This song is about that...although it doesn't use that progression...haha. Complications Last night in a dream I was sitting on an empty suitcase with the singer from the band All the 'planes were grounded so we wrote a little song. You won't want to sing along You won't want to sing along We're not leaving on a jetplane We ain't gonna fly away for too long Maybe this all seems very simple But the chords were askew an A to an E with a flat five or two. There's always complication It sounded like an empty plan it was only a dream in isolation Distance is the norm along with desolation We need to stay connected to stay sane We need to be in our bands But, it's not too hard to touch your face, to wipe away a tear, when your head's in your hands your head's in your hands when your head's in your hands Your head's in your hands Your head's in your hands Your head's in your hands Your head's in your hands credits released March 17, 2020

Not entirely sure what this is...a bit of a mixtape track of DnB noises, techno, acid house etc. Just a load of loops pulled together

C6 - Dave by Dave Bradley

I was raised in the picturesque fishing village of Cullercoats on the North East coast of England at the southern edge of the ancient county of Northumberland. I recently caught sight of an intriguing painting by Henry Perlee Parker, a Devenport man who married a Woodbridge girl and headed to Newcastle eventually co-founding The Northumberland Institution for the Promotion of the Fine Arts. The painting I saw was of women, Cullercoats fishwives handling the catch from the local fishing boats known as cobles and storing it in tidal rockpools temporarily to keep it fresh while they gathered the rest of their catch for the creels. This sounded like a quaint tail to tell in a modern folk song, but when Cullercoats man Arnold Brunton told me of tales of theft and skullduggery reported in the 19th Century a quaint Cullercoats tradition took a dark turn making it even more perfect fodder for a folk song. It seems that while the heavy creels were being lugged up the bank to the top of the cliffs by the spate gatherers, the fish in those spates was often stolen. One can imagine the rage of the fishermen and the ensuing brawls that might have taken place outside the tiny fisherman's cottages in the streets above the rocky scarps. Some of those homes... more lyrics The Spate Gatherers Well the cobles come in and the fishwives they grin, and they take on the catch from their man On the scarp they all stand and they pass hand to hand To keep the fish fresh as they can It's heavier work, than the work in the boats, the men get to roll with the waves Singing reels to the sirens away out to sea, while the wives tread the rocks like they're slaves Then they're lugging a load to the tops of the cliff, it's not easy to carry a creel Well, it's only a catch, but it's fresh and it's naturally feeding the bairns; dance a reel! Singing aye-diddle-aye-dai, aye-diddle-aye-dee, A spate gatherer's life's not for me Singing aye-iddle-aye-dai, aye-diddle-aye-dee Give'uz the easier life out at sea There's a scratching of slate with the numbers, the date, then they carry it south 'round the bay They scrape over the pier and then disappear from the view of those hiding away What's kept in the pools north of Jakey's and scrapes, is enough to pay for wor rent But the bastards dive down and they take it to town, another load slips through the net Now, the tide's on the turn and the lads they return And they know who it is that's to blame With their beer inside 'em and no lack of pride, them'll kick two shades of spate out of them! credits from Bridge of Sighs, track released March 19, 2019 Words and music by David Bradley, all vocals, instrumentation and production dB/ Inspired by the 19th Century painting "The Spate Gatherers" of Cullercoats by Henry Perlee Parker, brought to my recent attention by Arnold Brunton.

A Northern Boy When the chill wind steels through the canyon The city puts its heart on ice There's no effort in the rush to escape there That's really no kind of life It's a one-time tonic for the twist around So we're running through the back streets Find adventure on the wrong side of town No one leafing through the sheets When the summer comes around The wind blows as hard if you let her But it really can't warm you now A Northern boy ought to know better Kicking back another own goal It's strange how it feels to know you'll never find the answer To the question that nags at your soul Didn't you know any better? Did you never learn to rock and roll While your mom was signing the letter Letting you out on parole? Insist your sister stays the right side of town Not rocking to some guy's beat But she wants to loosen off his frown, somehow Rocking in his back seat Didn't you know any better? Did you never learn to rock and roll While your mom was signing that letter Letting you out on parole? When the summer comes around The wind blows as hard if you let her A Northern boy ought to know better Although some listeners have suggested this was somehow autobiographical, for once, it wasn't. The lyrics are based on an imagined short story of a troubled young man in Chicago, juggling memories of his misspent youth and worrying about his sister while he awaits parole... ...the artwork is a distraction, it's of my photos of one of the bridges over The River Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead looking towards the Baltic Flour Mills. While, I've travelled extensively in the USA, I've never even been to Chicago, although I have driven through Illinois...

One by one As the lights come on, one by one In the calm of a distant harbour You begin to see as the day is done That their lives are all that really matter As the clouds drift on, one by one And the stars begin to appear The planets they stride across a velvet sky But are tamed by the music of the spheres Don't look to the sky for the reasons why Even if you're feeling a little small The clouds pass by, no reason why And the stars don't matter at all! If your mind is drawn to those distant forms And you worry about their hidden meaning It's easy to say they're not entirely au fait With the thoughts with which you're dealing Words & Music - David Bradley Arrangement & Production - Dave Bradley Vocals, guitar, bass, and percussion - Davey Bradley This song was written on our 2019 summer visit to Blue Anchor on the northern coast of Somerset. We could see the stars come out and the lights come on at a distant harbour from the place we stayed. It was also pulled together lyrically with a nod to a quote from the late, great Peter Cook: "As I looked out into the night sky, across all those infinite stars, it made me realise how insignificant they are." Of course, the lyrics allude to how our lives and our lights are more important than the stars and planets that look down, they have no influence on our lives no matter what the astrologers tell you. Similarly, the notion of any truly heavenly body having an effect is equally as ludicrous... Remixed: 2019-09-11 Written Blue Anchor, Somerset, England

The Oleander Fires Waking with the sunrise As soothing as the breeze Find it hard to settle down I'm running through the trees I'm not rolling with the New Age Fighting battles you can't conceive Walking through the scrubland Heading for the sea The oleander fires give little heat but their breath intoxicates you You're dreaming of garrigue and wonder why you're weak Crawling back to meet you Calling out to greet you Sound the Alarm! The worriers are coming Bearing gifts only Greeks would refuse Falling out of their clothes It's not the path they'd choose It's a battle they're bound to lose When winter seeds the spring You catch hold of everything The oleander fires give little heat but their breath intoxicates you You're dreaming of garrigue and wonder why you ache Crawling back to meet the oleander fires The oleander fires give little heat but their breath intoxicates you You're dreaming of garrigue and wonder why you weep Crawling back to meet you The oleander fires, waking with the sunrise Words and music, vocals instrumentation, MIDI percussion editing, production by Dave Bradley, dB/ Remixed and remastered March 2021, with additional bass guitar Written Kythira, Greece

Shifting Sands There's a man who lives down by the water Stares out to sea like he understands When the wind changes, you know he really ought to find a new life away from shifting sands And, the girl who lives above him on the cliff-top writes tales that no one will ever keep to hand She stands alone, waiting at the water's edge, worrying that he'll never come back home Her superstitions say to her that he's safe out there, but time and tide will never spare the stone You've got to be lost not to find them Strong not to bind them Got to be sharp, not to cut yourself You've got to be here to get away You've got to be cold not to stay a locked up complication on the shelf As the tide turns and washes away your secrets You know the words were only meant for you As the light fades you search around for a beacon A guiding light to navigate the blue You've got to be lost not to find them You've got to be strong not to bind them You got to be sharper, not to cut yourself You've got to make time to get away You've got to be bold not to say that it's a locked down combination on the shelf All words and music by David Bradley Spiritually written in Cullercoats, Northumberland, England

UPDATE: Now with funk Telecaster and vocals I pulled together a few TR-909 drum samples in my DAW and created a nice 4-bar loop with a kick, snare and hi-hat. Felt like it needed a bit more so rolled in a guitar part I'd transcribed into the DAW and gave it a sweeping Prophet keyboard sound, then tapped along a slap bass line, which I quantized to sync it better to the beat. Once that was in a bit of stereo widening was needed...but still something missing a melody, a drop, a different keyboard, a harmony to the melody and a finish. Before I knew it, I had a track that has ended up being the bastard child of a John Foxx era Ultravox instrumental outtake and something Jean-Michel Jarre wouldn't have touched with a barge pole and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark wouldn't have dreamed of putting out as a throwaway B-side. Be interested to know what you think...very much a deviation from the norm for me.