Get all 13 Nick Harper releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Tempus Fugitive, Phantastes, Lies! Lies! Lies!, Smithereens, Harperspace, Instrumental, Treasure Island, Miracles For Beginners, and 5 more.
1. |
Miracles For Beginners
04:00
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Back from the naughty step
I can’t remember what it was I did wrong
I was in the wilderness so damned long I wore a groove in it
It was incredible that you wanted to be my little girl
But we had to grow all the way up
It’s a shame about that
But what a good time we’ve had
You hold me up – I keep you warm
I fill your cup after dinner
All along we perform
Miracles for beginners
Back in the olden days they’d have said that you fell from above
We’re too sophisticated for that old stuff so forget about it
If there was a next world it’d be missing one
Prayers would have been answered as you fell into mine
But some people see angels all the time so forget about it
We know a song about it
And I’ll sing your praise on Sunday morning
But we don’t have church and we are not sinners
We don’t ask god – we’re just performing
Miracles for beginners
You hold me up – I keep you warm
I fill your cup after dinner
All along we perform
Miracles for beginners
All along we perform
Miracles for beginners
Miracles for beginners
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2. |
Blue Sky Thinking
03:53
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I dreamt of a dream of a girl I saw
I wanted to see her around some more - blue sky thinking
Beautiful, kind, and all adored
Easy to write a love song for - blue sky thinking
Blue sky thinking
Let me dream of having you
Blue sky thinking
Let my blue sky dream come true
We’d live in a house with a roof of straw
With small leaded windows and old wooden floors - blue sky thinking
With our children - two and two is four
What’s important to us now will be for evermore - blue sky thinking
Blue sky thinking
Let me dream of having you
Blue sky thinking
Let my blue sky dream come true
I’d be the crazy boy, you’d be the sweetest girl
Together we will save the world – blue sky thinking
I’d write you the perfect song no-one’s ever heard
That says ‘I love you’ with three little words – blue sky thinking
It was blue sky thinking
Let me dream of life with you
It was blue sky thinking
Made my blue sky dream come true
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3. |
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I followed my father’s baggage train to the field of the cloth of gold
To try and lend some honour to the family name on the field of the cloth of gold
Am I to be denied my rightful claim on the field of the cloth of gold?
I rested across the valley with the vermin in the stable
About a million miles from the ermine and the sable
Where the fat king laughs out loud and mocks a sermon at his table
On the field of the cloth of gold
Well I puffed out my chest and I took a look around the field of the cloth of gold
I covered up my crest but left my colours unbound on the field of the cloth of gold
You’d never have guessed the amount of mad fools I found on the field of the cloth of gold
There were minstrels and mountebanks and harpers and clowns
Cudgelling the air with a riot of a sound
And jousting to the death for a tiny patch of ground
On the field of the cloth of gold
So the first day was done as the second day begun
When I spent my coin and I had my fun on the field of the cloth of gold
We split a line of elms in the midday sun on the field of the cloth of gold
No one ever said we were there to get anything done on the field of the cloth of gold
I tried my parley with the ladies, so fine and so fair
There was something going on, but there was wine a-going spare
And in the end I got blind drunk and they yelled, “What the hell is he doing here
On the field of the cloth of gold?”
So the second day was done
With a thumping head the third begun
I was with the smiths and the squires from the English shires on the field of the cloth of gold
Hoisting the good sir knight with their Archimedic wires on the field of the cloth of gold
He’s such a heavy weight it’s not just the horse that tires
On the field of the cloth of gold
I asked the king for his grace and his mercy
With a waft of his ring and cuff of lace he turned and cursed me
To a pretty French princess all rosy face and dainty curtsey
On the field of the cloth of gold
And the third day was the last
The time flew by so
Those days on that field were the best
Yes yes yes!
Let the long flags flutter let the falcons fly above the field of the cloth of gold
Framed up against a beautiful day’s blue sky on the field of the cloth of gold
We must look pretty small from up there you and I on the field of the cloth of gold
So spare a thought for the goodly folk chained up by poverty
But kings fortunes spent on tournaments can change the way you see
But on the whole I know where I would rather be
On the field of the cloth of gold
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4. |
Magic Feather
03:03
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Little rook in the midst of the parliament
They hop and chatter, but everybody knows he’s going to be sent away
Because he’s white, He’s got a red eye
The trees are ringing with the cackles in the twilight
Little rook takes one last look and takes flight – he’s away
Because he’s white, He’s got a red eye
Can you believe that his family cannot be allowed to be together
By the very same tribe that helped the elephant fly
With a beautiful lie and a magic feather?
The dark orb high in the tallest ash tree alone
In the upturned branches – sceptres for a throne
It’s alright
How can it be that a family cannot be allowed to be together
By the very same tribe that helped the elephant fly
With a beautiful lie and a magic feather?
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5. |
Evo
03:58
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My heart made glad today
By a man who gave some away
Who lives a life worth living
Down Bolivia way
With a joy you get from giving
And not from what you’re paid
The world needs men like Evo Morales
To show the rest of us the way
He likes football to be played with the feet - not the hands
He’s using them to take back his own land
Well I had to laugh today
About the fuss they made
Cos Evo wore a chompa
When he met the King of Spain
Well he wouldn’t have worn the uniform
Where the suit with the face hold sway
World leaders need men like Evo to lead them
To lead us to a better day
He likes football to be played with the feet – not the hands
And he’s kicking the empire’s troopers out - claiming back his land
Morality evolving
What is in a name?
When a problem needs it’s solving
Do you have to play some game?
Send in men like Evo
Get it done today
The world needs men like Evo Morales
To show the rest of us the way
He likes football to be played with the feet – not the hands
All the world over people want their freedom in their own land
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6. |
2 Secs.
04:53
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He shapes his mouth and the air takes the sound
That narrows and swells unseen valleys and mounds
That surge through the ether and barge in her ears
Down happy canals two syllables steer
Where tributaries join with the flow of the years
And sing to her heart from their gondolier
And the waveforms dance back to him when she speaks
And give up their treasures between their peaks
They build it in their heads
This is what they said:
He say, ‘Love you’
She say, ‘Love you’
Two seconds of thoughtless affection is all
To build up the temple with marble white walls
A habit unthinking gives voice to the feeling
To paint the long frieze on the beautiful ceiling
A touch and a stroke and a kiss and a smile
The door made of oak and the red roof tiles
Two words two secs a look and a sigh
On a little stone bridge at least a mile high
They build it in their heads
This is what they said:
He say: ‘Love you’
She say: ‘Love you’
……
‘Love you’
‘Love you’
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7. |
Always
04:55
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Really know ya love ya dearly
See ya want ya near me
Always always
Like a social gambler playing roulette - Having been diagnosed by Dr. Tourrette
But having no conventional boundary set - I fly
When I look back on the world – Then I see the one who loves me
I am the one who loves you - Not because you do, just because I do
I was born to give life a shake
I’m a half-baked snake make no mistake
But everyone seems to be on the make - I fly
When I look back on the world – There I see the one who loves me
I am the one who loves you - Not because you do, just because I do
Really know ya love ya dearly
See ya want ya near me
Always always
It really is about what you give and not what you get
And it’s no damned good if it’s full of regret
But I haven’t done anything that bad yet - I fly
When I look back on the world – Then I see the one who loves me
I am the one who loves you – Not because you do, just because I do
These clichés are clichés because they are true
And we live them through like we‘re bound to do
So let me say hey babe hey you yes you I love you
When I look back on it all – it’s you who makes it all
I am the one who loves you – not because you do, just because I do
Really know ya’s love ya dearly
See ya want ya near me
Always always
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8. |
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I’m a badly drawn cartoon in the wind up to waking up
My hair’s gone ka-boom, fell out with my face and they ain’t making up
I’ve got to drive a million miles, but my misery stays a secret
Because I’m going to roll over and kiss you while you’re still warm from sleeping
Your love has saved me from myself
Down the stairs and out of the door and I jump into the car
But my brain begins its boiling before I get very far
It’s funny how time stands still when you’re driving under bridges in the rain
I was thinking about bailing out, but a smile flickers into flame – your love
Your love has saved me from myself
Finally I get into town and all the lights are green
But no one at the junction’s moving – they can hear the siren’s scream
And you can feel the tribe working together because some poor soul’s in trouble
And my thoughts read, ‘I love you’ in a little white bubble
Your love has saved me from myself
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9. |
Communication
05:09
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Whether us comes, it takes the time it takes
Whether us goes away forever
All we can say, it takes the time it takes
Helps us to stay this way together
As one, in line, in deep, in time
Our wandering fates, separate yet intertwine, underneath the same skies
At once free, ever unified
Reckless and strong, helpless and needy for someone
Making our way on, tracing our paces back on themselves
It’s free and it’s wild, feeling the child within one another
Helping each other, walking away together
And with no hesitation, communication
Wandering fates, separate yet intertwine, underneath the same skies
We’re at once free, ever unified
Decisive aware, childish and dithering
Needing to share, unselfish considering
That we’re led by momentum feeling the force of Father Time
Reading the river, riding its course with open minds
And with no hesitation, communication
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10. |
Simple
05:00
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Naked - simple
No drums no bass no style nice easy pace - simple
Same chords different order nothing to declare at the border – simple
Same cut same chase same old shoes same old face – simple
Same faults same flaws doh ray me and that’s all - simple
I’ve got everything I need and more
Glass of wine laugh and a joke a good time down the line – if it ain’t broke – simple
Acoustic guitar and a kiss on the cheek – edited highlights of the week – simple
Food clothing shelter – simple
Life the universe and everything – simple
We’ve got everything we need and more
No symbol no logo no product placement no market knowhow no no no - simple
No enticing jiggery-cakery no icing from the half-bakery - simple
1 2 3 – simple
Life the universe and everything – simple
All together now
We’ve got everything we need and more
42. Yes it’s true I am - simple
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Nick Harper England, UK
TEMPUS FUGITIVE
The new album.
It's about time.
Slabs of sonic beauty from Nick and Tchad Blake groove through the portals to meet the immortals ..
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