ENGLAND 1914

Questions?
Song Title
ENGLAND 1914
Writers
Mctell
Publisher
ESSEX MUSIC INTERNATIONAL, INC. (ASCAP)
Co-Publisher
Non-TRO Affiliate
% Publisher Controls
100%
Territory Controlled
US AND CANADA
Themes/Keywords
1970's, Magic, Mysterious, Night, Quiet, Sleep, Streets, Sunset, War
Lyrics
Night stirs her inky finger
In the water of the day,
The tired sun drops slowly in the sky,
And ev’rywhere the gentle air
Hangs heavy with the day-song,
Evening calls the lamplighter to come.

Children’s wooden hoops
Go clattering down the street,
Soon they’re called inside, it’s getting late.
The brown canal now splashed with red
Reflects on swallows’ wings.
The lamplighter knows the song the evening sings.

But the gas-lamps stand like soldiers,
Hiss warnings to the wind,
Their evening vespers prophesy of war.
The world divides and men take sides,
The spark bursts into flame.
Nothing can be quite the same again.

A dog barks in the distance,
Child cries in her sleep,
The night waits for the dawn with baited breath.
The old school, the old rule,
Rung out on a muffin man’s bell,
The lamplighter has made his nightly call.

Dreams of hope and peace
Sent clattering down the streets,
Empty like the promises they’ve made.
The wars rage on, and if I’m wrong,
Will someone please explain
That peace is not the lamplighter,
‘Cos he’s not coming back again.

Recordings

Recording Artist Genre Mood Arrangement Era iTunes
Ralph McTell Contemporary Folk Calm, Mellow, Relaxed Acoustic Guitar, Strings, Vocal 1960's Buy >

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