Unreleased Songs & Radio Sessions Vol 2

Casting The Runes  
Something ill-defined and intangible had left Mr Dunning overwrought
Quite what that might be, he could not say, but he felt decidedly out of sorts
The poor man had maligned a most unpleasant chap
By the name of Karswell and was now in quite a flap

If he’d not been a rational man, he might suppose that he’d been cursed
But it was sure to be just a touch of nerves, a slight chill and nothing worse.
His friends all rallied round, and he picked up now and then
But a frightful funk crept over him and brought him down again

He was beginning to believe - much against his will 
that the fiend had ‘fixed’ him in some way and had the means to do him ill
He was coming to regret slating him somewhat
For-his occult mumbo jumbo and all that tommy rot

Karswell was behind it all, of that he had no doubt
Still, there was no way of knowing what he was about
Now Dunning, was to die it seemed, but if so when and how?

What was that phrase that Karswell used? “three months had been allowed.”
Dunning had derided him, had dared to disbelieve
a man who does not forgive when he feels aggrieved
Now Dunning, was to die it seemed, but if so when and how?
What was that phrase that Karswell used? Oh yes, “three months had been allowed.”

But by what means had it been achieved and was it certain that he’d succumb?
Was it too late to set it right and could the mischief be undone?

But by what means had it been achieved and was it certain he would succumb?
Was it too late to set it right and could the mischief be undone?
That wicked devil had contrived to pass on accursed runes
During a brief encounter in the British Museum’s reading room
‘Twas only one way to reverse the spell, or so someone had said
return the runes and have the bearer taken in his stead.  

The fateful hour was approaching when Dunning saw his chance   
To confront the other face to face and not risk a second glance
‘twas simple to determine when the other travelled down by train
And he would be the last man Karswell would expect to see again

Dunning met the 6:15 and trusting in his disguise
Took a seat in the same compartment certain he’d not be recognised
But how to pass the runes unseen and do so just in time?
Before they came to journey’s end, the last stop on the line?

Just then his adversary left the compartment for a smoke
And Dunning seized the moment to slip the runes into the scoundrel’s coat
It took all his nerve to still his heart and set his features blank
“I believe this is yours sir,” said he and the other accepted it with thanks

“You tricked me! Damn You,” Karswell spat for he knew the game was up
The rascal had run out of time and run out of luck
It only remains for me to describe what fate befell our friend
Suffice to say it was a mean and messy end

Home Demos:-
1) Casting The Runes 7.43
2) Mother, Don’t You Grieve 2.57
3) Carmilla 11.26
4) All The Beautiful People 3.52
5) Somethings Outta Whack 3.09
6) Can’t Believe You 3.43
7) (Gonna Do) Something Stupid 3.36
8) Pick Yourself Up 2.38
9) Unruly Child

Radio Sessions: -
10) Another Me 2.54
11) Dice With The Devil 3.25
12) Dali’s Dream 3.14 (Tracks 10-12 Greek radio session)
13) The Worlds of Johnathan Waverly 2.56
14) Sister, Why Sit By The Window and Weep? 2.42 (Tracks 13-14 German radio session)
15) Edgar Allen Poe 4:00
16) I’m The Result of an Xperiment 2:46 (Tracks 15-16 French radio session)
17) Aleister Crowley 2:37
18) The Great Edwardian Air Raid  3:24
19) Re-Animator 3:02 (Tracks 17-19 New York Radio Session)

Mother Don’t You Grieve (based on the Grimm Brothers’ story ‘The Shroud’)
Mother don’t you cry. Mother don’t you weep
Don’t you know you’ll keep your only son from sleep
Mother don’t you mourn. Mother don’t you grieve
The sun will soon be up and I must take my leave

Mother dry your eyes. Mother save your tears
I beg of you Mother to be of good cheer
Mother let me go, please let me take my leave
I must depart, leaving you alone to grieve

All the soothing lullabies, the sad songs that you’ve sung
All the fairy tales you told to me when I was young
All the dreams you dressed me in, the promises you made
Can’t keep me from my grave

All the bedtime stories that you told to me
Of the kind of man that I’d grow up to be
All the dreams you dressed me in, the promises you made
Can’t keep me from my grave

Carmilla
It grieves me to admit I was a melancholy child
Beset by morbid fancies and more than a mite fragile
One night I woke from fitful sleep, all phantasms had fled
Only to see two tender claws appear o’er the foot end of my bed

I feared a feral creature had strayed in from the woods
But no, ‘twas a winsome girl come to relieve my solitude
She drew me towards her then and lay down by my side
And tenderly embraced me as a lover would his bride

But come the dawn I was aggrieved by a pricking of my skin
Two tiny bites bruised my breast like that of a viper’s sting
And to my horror I did see my sheets were stippled red
And the fiend who had devoured me had fled the marriage bed

The nature of my affliction remained a mystery
listlessness and languor did make a wraith of me
I could not live like others did, a mournful shadow I became
Until that day when, quite by chance, I saw that face again

Those dark and lustrous eyes had me in her thrall
And I could think of nothing else, nothing else at all
Her touch ‘twas like cool marble, her kiss - a glow upon my cheek
I trembled when she spoke of love for her words were bittersweet

My love you have the sharpest tooth and lips of cherry red
You drew the very life from me when you took my maidenhead
Come put your arms about my neck and press your lips to mine
And promise you and I will be together for all time

You guard your secrets close, vain child, and insist it must be so
But ‘tis cruel to keep them from one who would know
Who you are and what you are and all things in between
For I have grave suspicions you are not what you seem

So put your arms about my neck and press your lips to mine
And promise you and I will be together for all time

I suffer, oh such agonies as no mortal soul should bear
For it seems there is no adversity I will not suffer, nor be spared
If only you’d been true to me as I’ve been true to you
If only you had been the one that I thought I knew

But no, it seems you are that venal creature I had feared
And not the fair and trusted friend as you first appeared
For others have since fallen prey to your strange allure
And suffer from a sickness from which there is no cure

Though your heart beats in your breast, your skin is pale and cold
You offer no fragrant embrace nor your hand to hold
You, foul child, corrupted me and me you did betray
I shall not rest until I hound you to your grave

It grieves me to admit I was a melancholy child
Beset by morbid fancies and more than a mite fragile
One night I woke from fitful sleep, all phantasms had fled
Only to see two tender claws appear o’er the foot end of my bed

I feared a feral creature had strayed in from the woods
But no, ‘twas a winsome girl come to relieve my solitude
She drew me towards her then and lay down by my side
And tenderly embraced me as a lover would his bride

But come the dawn I was aggrieved by a pricking of my skin
Two tiny bites bruised my breast like that of a viper’s sting
And to my horror I did see my sheets were stippled red
And the fiend who had devoured me had fled the marriage bed

I Can’t Believe You
I could believe we didn’t get to the moon, that Armstrong took ‘one small step’ in his living room
I could believe that Tricky Dick never lied, that he was just a stooge for some other guy

And I could believe that Elvis didn’t die, that he’s serving at Dunkin’ Donuts, milkshakes and fries

But I can’t believe you. No, I don’t believe you

And I could believe Oswald acted alone, that it was all staged for Stephen King and Oliver Stone
I could believe my ship is coming in, that I’m the sole beneficiary of my hapless Nigerian kith and kin

(Gonna Do Something) Stupid
If you don’t pay attention to me I’m gonna do something real stupid, you wait and see
I’m gonna throw myself off the highest building in town,
and I’ll be laughing all the way down
Yes I’m gonna jump off the 25th floor and leave a greasy spot on the ground
I’m gonna throw myself off and laugh all the way down

Or I might go out like a Roman disgraced
Pity I won’t be there to see the look on your face

Or I might go down to the station and lie down on the tracks,
Cause once you’ve been mangled, you don’t get to come back

You’ll be sorry, oh yeah you’ll be sorry you turned me down

You’ll read about me in the papers and you’ll wish you’d been nice
They’ll name you and shame you and say you’ve a heart made of ice
You didn’t answer my letters, you didn’t return any of my calls
You really didn’t give me any encouragement at all

I’ll tie a stone around my neck and jump in the sea
It’ll be quick, painless and no one will miss me

I could put a pistol to my head and pray I don’t draw a dud
Or put a hole in my head like poor Elmer Fudd

All The Beautiful People
See those pretty girls walking by dressed in all the colours of the sky
Where have they gone, those once so young, those blissed-out children of the sun?

All those bright young butterflies they crashed and burned, they flew too high

All those beautiful people

See those pretty girls walking by dressed in all the colours of the sky
Where have they gone, those soft strange days? Gone in a pastel-coloured haze

It’s all too beautiful for words, it’s all ‘too much’ or so I’ve heard

Somethings Outta Whack
Somethings Outta Whack in my neighborhood, but hey, it’s a beautiful day
Somethings Outta Whack and it ain’t good, but hey, it’s a beautiful day

There goes old Mrs Gray, I wouldn’t want to be her for a day
She’s not got a good word to say ‘bout anyone

There goes mean Mr Brown wearing his best Sunday frown
He’s gonna wear it all around town, til Monday

Hear comes sly Mr Good, always in a disagreeable mood
He wouldn’t give you a smile if he could, but that’s ok

Pick Yourself Up
If you’re down and feeling blue here is something you can do
No need to call the doc just because you’re in a spot

Put some hep into your step, put some shine inside your mind
Don’t you wear that sullen frown, pick yourself up when you feel down.

Pop across from the five and dime to the store with the neon sign
The green cross says ‘Pharmacy’, that’s drug store to you and me
Mother’s little helper’s here, no need for feeling queer,

There’s a pill for every pain, to lighten the load and ease the strain
There’s a cure for every ill whether lotion, cream or pill.
What’s the point of feeling blue? Why let it get to you?
Stare that sucker in the eye, give him a smile as you pass by.

Why take it like a man, get all the help you can.

Unruly Child
He was an unruly child, wore an uncertain smile and so volatile
Oh he was peevish and perverse. And what is decidedly worse he was much given to verse

It’s just too beastly what they say that he is inclined in that way
Such disquieting eyes, you could mistake him for shy, such an unruly child

He seemed so sweet you would weep. Made himself promises that he couldn’t keep
All his pity spent on himself leaving none for nobody else
If you asked me I’d say he is flawed in so many ways, such an unruly child
Oh the things that I would do if I could only be like you