We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Diary of a Decade

by Split Arrow

supported by
/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      £7 GBP  or more

     

1.
FROM THE TIMES I HAVE IN MIND, TIMES THAT WE HAVE SPENT BEFORE, THE MORE WE TRIED THE MORE WE FAILED, TO LEAVE THE FOX BEHIND LATE NIGHT SESSIONS WHERE WE'D PLAY, AND EVERYBODY THERE WOULD SAY, "YOU'LL BE HERE 'TILL THE LIGHT OF DAY, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE FOX BEHIND" SO SEARCH THE FIELDS, THE BARON LAND, ONLY YOU CAN MAKE THAT STAND, YOU KNOW WHAT WE NEED, WE KNOW WHAT THEY NEED, AND WE NEED TO FIND A NEW PLACE, TO LEAVE THE FOX BEHIND SHE SAT GENTLY ON MY KNEE, AND ASKED ME IF I'D LIKE TO SEE, THINGS SHE SAID NO MAN HAD SEEN, IF WE LEAVE THE FOX BEHIND I SMILED AND WONDERED WHAT SHE COULD MEAN, WHAT COULD NO MAN HAVE SEEN? WE'D ALL SEEN THE CHURCH AND VILLAGE GREEN, WHEN WE LEFT THE FOX BEHIND CHORUS BELIEVE AS YOU HIDE, BELIEVE AS YOU HIDE, BELIEVE, LEAVE AS YOU RUN, SING AS YOU SING WHAT SHOULD NOT BE SUNG, NOW IT'S BEGUN, YOU FEAR THE DIRT, AND YOU FEAR THE DARK, BUT YOUR FRIENDS WILL UNDERSTAND YOUR FRIENDS WILL UNDERSTAND CHORUS
2.
TAKE THIS BROKEN MAN, FIX HIM IF YOU CAN, TAKE THOSE EMPTY PROMISES AND BURN THEM IN THE FIRE, TAKE THIS SINKING SHIP, AND GUIDE IT TO THE SAND, MY HANDS ARE TIED, MOUTH IS DRY, JUST GUIDE ME BACK TO LAND. IT'S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME COMING YOU KNOW, IT WAS SO FAR OUT THAT I HAD TO GO, TO MAKE THE MAGIC, CAST THE SPELL, I HAD TO LEAVE HEAVEN FOR HELL CHORUS IF I SAW RED, THEN YOU WOULD SEE BLUE, THE CANVAS FADED AND I JUST SAW YOU, THE BED YOU MADE, WHERE YOU NOW LIE, FOR SOMEONE ELSE WHO'S WILLING TO TRY CHORUS TAKE THOSE BROKEN PROMISES, AND TELL ME THAT THEY'RE LIES, TAKE THOSE EMPTY WORDS AND LOOK INTO MY EYES, YOU SAID IT WAS FOREVER WHEN YOU HELD ME IN YOUR ARMS, FOREVER IS NOW NEVER, BUT I GAVE INTO THOSE CHARMS (X2)
3.
Magic Number 04:27
I KNOW THE MAGIC NUMBER, I KNOW THE SECRET CODE, COULD GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU ASKED FOR, I COULD STOP YOU GROWING OLD. KEEP HER TALKING, KEEP HER TALKING, WHAT DOES SHE KNOW? SHE KEEPS WALKING, SHE KEEPS WALKING, WHERE DOES SHE GO? I SAID TO HER THE MONA LISA DIDN'T SEEM THAT OLD, EVERYTHING WAS FINE BEFORE BUT NOW SHE SEEMS SO COLD. CHORUS SHE SAID SHE THOUGHT THAT MAYBE I WAS WHAT SHE WAS LOOKING FOR, AND MAYBE IF SHE'D CHANGE ME, THEN SHE'D LOVE ME EVEN MORE, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME NOW SHE'S NOT HERE, SHE HAS MADE HER FEELINGS CLEAR, THERE'S OTHERS OUT SHE'D RATHER MEET TONIGHT, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT I DESERVE OTHER THINGS THAN BEING HURT, BEING THROWN OUT IN THE DIRT TONIGHT. CHORUS I SHOUT IT OUT, I SHOUT IT OUT, I COUNT IT OUT, I COUNT IT OUT, I FIND IT OUT, I FIND IT OUT, NEED TO FINALLY GET THROUGH I SHOUT IT OUT, I SHOUT IT OUT, I COUNT IT OUT, I COUNT IT OUT, I FIND IT OUT, I FIND IT OUT, NEED TO GET THROUGH CHORUS
4.
No Prisoners 03:16
ONE FOOT DOWN FIRST, I'LL COME BREAKING THROUGH, WHO’LL COME OUT WORSE, IT'S UP TO YOU I CAN'T BE SURE DON'T TAKE ME DOWN, NO, YOU CAN'T TAKE ME DOWN, YOU CANNOT PLAY ME LIKE A FOOL, DON'T PLAY YOUR CARDS TILL YOU CAN 'FFORD TO LOSE, CAUSE WINNING DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU CAN'T LOSE IT ALL. I WILL TAKE NO PRISONERS TONIGHT, SO YOU MUST STAND BESIDE ME IF YOU WANT YOUR RIGHTS. I WILL TAKE NO PRISONERS TONIGHT, SO TAKE THE PATH YOU KNEW YOU'D ALWAYS CHOOSE. STILL I FEEL BEATEN, STILL I FEEL SO SMALL, WHITE FLAGS AROUND ME, BLOWING IN THE WIND DON'T LOSE THE FAITH THAT YOU CAN BEAT THEM ALL, IF ONLY IN YOUR HEAD, YOU MAKE THE RULES SO YOU CAN BREAK THEM ALL, IF WINNING'S FOR THE WINNER, LOSING'S FOR THE FOOL CHORUS SO IF YOU WANT TO STOP ME NOW, THEN YOU'LL HAVE TO SHOW ME HOW, IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ME NOW, SHOW ME YOU'RE WORTH AND PROVE IT, I'LL CHOSE IT, FOR THE GREY IS GROWING FAST, ANXIETY CRAWLS FROM TOUR HEARTS, BUILDING
5.
Tabak 03:20
6.
His Hands 01:11
HIS HANDS, STIFF AND STUCK, PRECISELY PASSING THINGS, ONE DAY, THEY WILL CONDUCT, AN ORCHESTRA. HIS SKIN, AN OLD MAP OF VEINS, WITH NO ROAD THROUGH, BUT TO LOVE. AND ALL I'M ASKING IS FOR YOU, AND ALL I'M ASKING IS FOR YOUR HANDS.
7.
The Pagan 03:54
HE'S WALKED SO FAR BUT WON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, IF YOU SPEAK TO HIM YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND, THE RITES AND RITUALS THAT HE HAS PLANNED, THE WORSHIPPING OF THE LAND THE SKY UNFOLDS AS HE'S MOVING ON, THE MEANING OF UNCONDITIONAL PEACE, IT'S THE FOREST OF AROEN, MORTIMER, WYRE, THE COLOUR OF PLANTS, THE SOUND OF THE CHOIR. HE KNOWS WHAT, PEOPLE WILL SAY ABOUT HIM, HE GOES ON, LIVING THE LIFE OF THE PAGAN DREAM HE STAYS OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM OF LIFE, NEVER HAD SPACE FOR A FAMILY OR WIFE, THEY TALK TO HIM BUT HE'S KEPT AT ARM'S LENGTH, HE'S THE PINE ON THE OLD OAK TREE. AND HE SEES A WORLD THAT WE CAN''T SEE, NOT LIVING WITH HYPOCRISY, HE FEELS THIS FEELING THAT WE CANNOT KNOW, THE FEELING OF LIFE. SO FOLLOW AS FAR AS YOU CAN GO, EVERYBODY SEEMS TO THINK THAT THEY KNOW, AND HE ASKS THEM "ARE YOU HERE FOR THE SHOW"? FOR THE LIFE OF THE PAGAN HE WATCHED AND LEARNT AS THEY SAT BY, AS HE SAID NOTHING BUT SAW THROUGH TO THEIR SOULS, "IT'S THE LIFE THAT I CHOSE, SO WHY SHOULD YOU JUDGE, THE LIFE OF A PAGAN?"
8.
LOVE ME WHEN I'M AT MY WORST, THAT'S WHEN I NEED YOU MOST, YOU COULD BE AN ANGEL OR YOU COULD BE A GHOST, AND DISAPPEAR WHEN TIMES ARE ROUGH AND HOLD SOMEBODY ELSE, LOVE ME WHEN I'M AT MY WORST THAT'S WHEN I NEED YOU MOST. THERE'S BEEN SMILES AND THERE'S BEEN LAUGHS, THERE'S BEEN ROMANCE AND PICNICS IN THE PARK, BUT SOMETIMES LI-LI-LI-LIFE'S HANDS RISE UP, AND DRAG YOU DOWN INTO THE EARTH, THERE'S BEEN DANCING AND MERRIMENT, THERE'S BEEN ROCK'N'ROLL, SOUL AND BLUES, BUT SOMETIMES LIFE STOPS ROCKING AROUND THE CLOCK, AND WE FIND THE THRILL IS GONE. CHORUS I SAW THE FUTURE FROM THE PAST, WATCHED WITH INTENT AS THE PLOT EVOLVED, DO YOU REMEMBER THE TIME WE HEARD I, ME, MINE, CLAPPED OUT FIESTA '99? AND WE WOULD DANCE IN THE MOONLIGHT STARS, I SAID I'D BE THE FIRST MAN TO THE MOON, TO DANCE THE STREETS WAS NOT ENOUGH, I NEEDED THE MIDNIGHT SKY. CHORUS SOMETIMES WE FIND, WE ARE SOMEWHERE, WE SHOULD NOT BE ON A COLD FRIDAY AFTERNOON, SOMETIMES IT'S THERE, THAT WE CAN PREPARE, TO GET UP FROM THE EARTH WHERE WE ARE LAID.
9.
IN THE GREEN SHROUDS OF IRELAND WHERE MY SPIRIT LIES, ASLEEP IN THE VALLEYS, AWAKE IN THE SKIES, IF I FEEL THE COLD WIND, BRUSH OVER MY FACE, THEN I WILL BE FINE AND I’LL GO WITHOUT CARE. FROM THE BANKS OF THE RIVER I WATCHED THE WATER RUN DRY, AND I KNEW THAT TO STAY THERE, TIME WOULD RUN BY, SO I SANG OUT THIS TUNE THERE AS A LULLABY, TO THE LIFE THAT I’D LIVED AND THE LIFE I SAW DIE. NOW I KNOW WHEN I GET THERE THERE’LL BE SOMETHING FOR ME, FOR THE FAITH I’VE KEPT WITH ME DESPITE WHO SEEM, WHEN WE FOUND OURSELVES LONELY, ALONE IN THE WORLD, IT SEEMS THAT WE FELL TO THE BRICKLAYER’S TOMB. I WILL BUILD YOU A MOUNTAIN IF YOU HAND ME A SPADE, THEN WE’LL STAND AT THE SUMMIT AND FEEL AND FEEL ALL WE’VE MADE, OF THE WORLD THAT HAS CHALLENGED ALL THAT WE ARE, THAT DEMANDED OUR COURAGE AND CEMENTED OUR SCARS.
10.
LOO LA LAY LAND WON'T YOU ASK ME TO STAY? YOU TAKE FROM THE GROUND THEN YOU GIVE ME AWAY, I ASKED FOR THE LEAVES, SHE STOOD UP TO DANCE, LEAVING ME RESTLESS WITHOUT A CHANCE. TAKE FROM THE COTTAGE, THE BRICKS AND THE SAND, JUST KEEP FOR THE FUTURE THE GOODNESS OF LAND, THERE'S SO MANY VIEWS, IT'S SO HARD TO SEE, BEAUTY OF NATURE, BEAUTY OF LAND. I WILL REST HERE FOR THE NIGHT THAT WILL COME, I'LL ANSWER TO NO-ONE BUT THE FARMER AND GUN, I'M THE DAUGHTER OF LAND, THE COUSIN OF EARTH, YOU CAN LIE WITH ME, WE CAN BE ONE. CHILDREN OF EDEN ASK WHAT THEY HAVE DONE, SO MANY QUESTIONS OF WHAT MAN'S BECOME, IF THEY COULD FIND FRUIT BUT STILL NOT RESIST, THE LURE OF TEMPTATION, LAW OF THE LAND. I CANNOT WONDER, YET I CANNOT STAND, HERE IN ONE CITY, HERE IN ONE LAND, IF I CANNOT ASK WHAT NATURE WILL BRING, THEN I CANNOT LISTEN, I WILL JUST SING. LOO LA LAY LAND WON'T YOU ASK ME TO STAY? YOU TAKE FROM THE GROUND THEN YOU GIVE ME AWAY, I ASKED FOR THE LEAVES, SHE STOOD UP TO DANCE, LEAVING ME RESTLESS WITHOUT A CHANCE.
11.
The Clown 02:22
I WILL PERFORM FOR YOU, I WILL BE YOUR MONKEY NOW, JUST DON'T LEAVE ME THERE, WITH BROKEN GLASS AROUND I'LL JUMP, SPIN, WALK THE ROPE, AND SING AS I DO, BUT IF I FALL DOWN, I'LL COME CRUSHING ONTO YOU. SAY WHAT YOU WANT, MEAN WHAT YOU SAY, JUST PLEASE DON'T LET ME STAND IN YOUR WAY, DO WHAT YOU DO, SEE IT RIGHT THROUGH, OPEN UP THE EYES OF THIS CLOWN. APPLAUD MORE AND I WILL DANCE, AND SHOW WHAT I CAN DO, HEAD SPINS, BACK FLIPS AND FIRE BREATHING TOO AND WHILE I AM UP THERE, I'LL SING IT OUT TO YOU, WHILE YOU ARE WALTZING THERE, I'LL SING THIS SWINGING TUNE CHORUS VOCAL HOOK CHORUS
12.
SHE WOULD WAKE UP EVERY MORNING AND RUN TO SEE HIS WORK, FILL HER IMAGINATION FOR THE WONDERS OF THE EARTH, SHE KNEW THE WORLD WAS OUT THERE AND THAT THE TIME WOULD COME TO LEAVE, BUT FOR NOW SHE WOULD LEAVE HERE AND THE STONES WOULD ALWAYS BE. THE STONES WOULD SOMETIMES EMPTY AS PEOPLE WOULD WALK THROUGH, AND SHE'D MAKE WISHES FOR THE NEXT DAY AND HOPE THAT THEY'D COME TRUE, THEY'D ALWAYS BE A PICTURE OF THINGS SHE NEVER KNEW, OR THEY'D TELL HER 'LOVE IS EASY' AND SHE HOPED THAT THAT WAS TRUE. BUT THERE WAS ONE STONE THAT KEPT HER TALES AT BAY, ALWAYS MADE HER THINK TWICE ABOUT WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY, IF SHE'D RIDDEN TWENTY HORSES ACROSS THE RAGING SEA, THEY HUMBLING STONE WOULD TAKE IT DOWN TO THREE. THE STONES WOULD HOLD THEIR MAGIC, THE YEARS OF LIFE THEY'D LED, TAKEN FROM THE SHORE, WHERE NO MAN COULD TREAD, IT COULD BE NO EMPTY JOURNEY FROM THE WATER TO THE LAND, FROM THE ROCKY SHORES OF CORNWALL INTO THE ARTIST'S HAND, CHORUS SO IMAGINE TWENTY YEARS HAD PASSED OF MYSTERY, SHE'S BUILT UP QUITE A COLLECTION THOUGH THE HUMBLING STONE TOOK PRIDE, AMONG THE MANY IMAGES SHE HAD FORMED IN HER OWN MIND, OF THIS SELFLESS, HELPLESS MAN WHO WHO'D GIVE EVERYTHING HE COULD. CHORUS WHILE SPEAKING TO THE TOWNSMEN AND TELLING THEM OF HIM, THEY POINTED TO THE CORNER, A MAN SO COMOTOSED WITH GIN, THEY SAID THERE LIES YOUR ANGEL AND YOU'LL GET NO SENSE OUT OF HIM, SO SHE WENT TO TELL THE TOWNSMEN THAT ALL BECAUSE OF HIM, SHE'S LIVED TOO MODEST LIFE AND PLAYED HER TALES DOWN, SHE HAD TWENTY YEARS OF STORIES LEFT TO TELL THE WORLD, INCLUDING RIDING TWENTY HORSES AS THE RAGING CURRENTS TURN. BUT THERE WAS ONE STONE THAT KEPT HER TALES AT BAY, A GRATITUDE SHE FELT EACH AND EVERY DAY, BUT THE LOYALTY WAS NO MORE AS SHE HAD BECOME AWARE, THAT THE HUMBLING MAN WOULD NEVER HEAR THE TALES SHE'D SHARE.
13.
Last Song 05:34
THIS IS THE LAST SONG I SING ABOUT YOU, THIS IS THE LAST TIME I SAY YOUR NAME, THESE ARE THE LAST CHORDS ON THE PIANO, THE LAST NOTE IN YOUR SONG. ONLY YOU CAN ANSWER, IF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE'S WRONG, ONLY YOU CAN STAND UP, AND KNOW WHERE YOU BELONG. I WILL WALK MY OWN, AND FIND THE THINGS THAT MEAN, EVERYTHING I STAND FOR, AND EVERYTHING I DREAM. ONLY THEN WILL CHANGE, BLOW IT'S WAY RIGHT THROUGH, AND TAKE ME TO THE MOUNTAINS, WHERE THE SUN WILL BURN MY SKIN. NOT KNOWING ALL THE ANSWERS, SHOUTED DEEP WITHIN, NOT KNOWING ANY QUESTIONS, OR WHERE I SHOULD BEGIN. CHORUS THIS IS THE LAST TIME I WRITE ABOUT THIS, THIS IS THE LAST TIME I SAY YOUR NAME, THESE ARE THE LAST WORDS ON THE PAPER, YOU'RE NOT THE SAME THIS IS THE LAST SONG I SING ABOUT YOU, THIS IS THE LAST TIME I SAY YOUR NAME, THESE ARE THE LAST CHORDS ON THE PIANO, THE LAST NOTE IN YOUR SONG. I HELD MY HANDS OUT TO YOU, I FACED INTO THE WIND, I THREW THEM TO THE DOGS, AND I LAY THERE AS THEIR PREY. AND I THINK OF ALL THE PEOPLE, THAT I PUSHED OUT OF MY WAY, AS THEY NOW STAND ABOVE ME, LAUGHING AS I SAY, CHORUS I CALL OUT FOR THEIR HELP NOW, I KNOW WHAT I HAVE DONE, THE DESERT WITHOUT THE WATER, IN THE ICE WITHOUT THE SUN, THOUGH I CAN'T EXPLORE, ALL THAT I'VE BECOME, I NEED SOME LIGHT TO LIGHT MY DARKNESS, SOME LIGHT TO FIND THE SUN. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'LL LIVE WITHOUT YOU, GUIDING MY EVERY MOVE, THE FIRST TIME I'LLL WALK WITHOUT YOU, I'VE NO STEPS LEFT TO PROVE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'LL HAVE ONLY, MYSELF TO ANSWER TO, SOMETIMES YOU FEEL DISCHORDS, WHEN YOU NEED THE HARMONY.

about

An insight into transition

credits

released May 10, 2019

Richard Norris (vocals, guitars, programming), Tekin Mustafa (vocals, guitars), Craig Stratton (violin, banjo), Kel Elliott (double bass), Tom Voce (drums and percussion), Mike Gunn (sax), Ed Barker (clarinet, sax), Hugh Rashleigh (trumpet), Rosemary Lippard (vocals), Alan Burton (Uilleann Pipes), Adel Tuzani (vocals), Cam Dunbar (vocals), Tom Barnwell (vocals), Elliott Rooney (vocals), Ali Hetherington (bass), Ellie Samuels (lyrics) and Jonathon Scarlet (accordion). Artwork by Lucy Borland.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Split Arrow London, UK

Split Arrow are Richard Norris (vocals, guitar, piano) and Tekin Mustafa (vocals, guitar, saz). Their eclectic musical influences are combined to produce their personal take on folk music.

contact / help

Contact Split Arrow

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

If you like Split Arrow, you may also like: