Dead Can Dance

7. I Am Stretched On Your Grave

I am stretched on your grave
And will lie there forever
With your hands held in mine
I'd be sure we'd not sever
My apple tree my brightness
'Tis time we were together
For I smell of the earth
And am stained by the weather

When my family thinks
That I'm safe in my bed
From night until morning
I am stretched at your head
Calling out to the air
With tears both hot and wild
Oh I grieve for the girl
That I loved as a child

The priests and the friars
Behold me in dread
Because I still love you
My love and you're dead
I would still be your shelter
From rain and from storm
And with you in your cold grave
I cannot sleep warm

8. I Can See Now

Ever loved a woman who made you feel tall?
Ever loved a man who made you feel small?

If you were a sailor
I'd raise the anchor
To sail the sea
In search of you and me
And god

Conjures currents to break our fragile boats
And both the innocent and the damned
Are swallowed up in his wake

If you were a huntress
I'd be your bow
For your silver arrows
To seek out his heart

Ever loved a woman who made you feel tall?
Ever loved a man who made you feel small?

Who are you to complain
For lack of understanding?
We are all created equal
In just one thing alone

Alone in your thoughts that ??? you through your life
They'll take you outwards to the dark edge of time
And there's nothing more dangerous
Than a man with nothing to lose
Nothing to live for
And nothing to prove

9. American Dreaming

I need my conscience to keep watch over me
To protect me from myself
So I can wear honesty like a crown on my head
When I walk into the promised land

We've been too long American dreaming
And I think we've all lost the way
Forlorn somnambulistic maniacal in the dark

I'm in love with an American girl
Though she's my best friend
I love her surreptitious smile
That hides the pain within her

And we'll go dancing in the rings of laughter
And live along by the shores
???

Yeah-ee, on the lea the rising wind blows
Fay-hee, on the lea the rising wind blows
How long how long?

??? in the grounds of ??? we've left behind
Turned back by the foot of the doorway
Never lost and found

We've been too long American dreaming
I think we've all lost the heart
??? somnambulistic maniacal in the dark

Yeah-ee, on the lea the rising wind blows
Fay-hee, on the lea the rising wind blows
How long how long?

11. Oman

From the body to the soul
Where our hearts lead we must go
Wherever love may flow

15. Don't Fade Away

Don't fade away
My brown-eyed girl
Come walk with me
I'll fill your heart with joy
And we'll dance through our isolation
Seeking solace in the wisdom we bestow
Turning thoughts to the here and everafter
Consuming fears in our fiery halos

Say what you mean
Mean what you say
I've heard that innocence
Has led us all astray

But don't let them make you and break you
The world is filled with their broken empty dreams
Silence is their only virtue
Locked away inside their silent screams

But for now
Let us dance away
This starry night
Filled with the glow of fiery stars
And with the dawn
Our sun will rise
Bringing a symphony of bird cries

Don't bring me down now
Let me stay here for awhile
You know life's too short
Let me bathe here in your smile
I'm transcending
The fall from the garden

Goodnight

Other

I Am Stretched On Your Grave
Traditional verse--King/S. O'Connor

I am stretched on your grave
And will lie there forever
If your hands were in mine
I'd be sure we'd not sever
My apple tree my brightness
It's time we were together
For I smell of the earth
And am worn by the weather

When my family thinks
That I'm safe in my bed
From night until morning
I am stretched at your head
Calling out to the air
With tears both hot and wild
My grief for the girl
That I loved as a child

Do you remember
The night we were lost
In the shade of the blackthorn
And the chill of the frost
Thanks be to Jesus
We did what was right
And your maidenhood still
Is your pillar of light

The priests and the friars
Approach me in dread
Because I still love you
My love and you're dead
I still would be your shelter
Through rain and through storm
And with you in your cold grave
I cannot sleep warm

So I'm stretched on your grave
And will lie there forever
If you hands were in mine
I'd be sure we'd not sever
My apple tree my brightness
It's time we were together
For I smell of the earth
And am worn by the weather

The Unquiet Grave

I am stretched on your grave, and you will find me there always; if I had the bounty of your arms I should never leave you. Little apple, my beloved, it is time for me to lie with you; there is the cold smell of clay on me, the tan of the sun and the wind.

There is a lock on my heart, which is filled with love for you, and melancholy beneath it as black as the sloes. If anything happens to me, and death overthrows me, I shall become a fairy wind-gust down on the meadows before you.

When my family thinks that I am in my bed, it is on your grave I am stretched from night till morning, telling my distress and lamenting bitterly for my quiet lovely girl who was bethrothed to me as a child.

Do you remember the night when you and I were under the blackthorn tree, and the night freezing? A hundred praises to jesus that we did nothing harmful, and that your crown of maidenhood is a tree of light before you!

The priests and the monks every day are angry with me for being in love with you, young girl, when you are dead. I would be a shelter from the wind for you and protection from the rain for you; and oh, keen sorrow to my heart that you are under the earth!

From the book entitled 'A Celtic Miscellany', Penguin Books, Penguin Classic Edition 1951.
This is an early set of lyrics for the tradtional Irish folk song, 'The Unquiet Grave', which Brendan Perry sings as 'I Am Stretched on Your Grave'. This is a prosaic interpretation of a Gaelic written song. Of interest here are the lyrics that Brendan and Sinead O'connor do not sing.

Tristan

The following insight thanks to Sean Devine (sdev@GCI-NET.COM) and Patrick Burke (burke@UCLA.EDU):

The passage that Lisa Gerrard sings at the end of "Tristan" is from Gottfried von Strassburg's "Tristan und Isolde" first published ca.1210:

"nein" dahter allez wider sich
"No," thought he, all against himself,
"la stan, Tristan, versinne dich,
"Leave [her] alone, Tristan, consider [this,]/come to your senses,
niemer genim es keine war."**
It was never easy for anyone."
so wolte et ie daz herze dar;**
The heart would ever have it so; (approx.)
wider sinem willen crieget er,
He gets the opposite of what he wills, (lit.: Contrary to his will he receives.).
er gerte widerr,siner ger:
He desired against his own desire. (Or even: He strove against his own lust; Er gehrte gegen seine Gier.).

Note that "herze" is neuter, so "er" apparently refers to Tristan again (although heart would seem to be logical, too). Also the verb tenses at the end do appear to be mixed, as I have written them, although "krieget" could be a past form clipped for metrical purposes.

**: line ommited from DCD version. These two lines (11747-8) are the generic, moralizing ones, so DCD include only the ones that relate most directly to Tristan. Maybe.

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7. I Am Stretched On Your Grave I am stretched on your grave And will lie there forever With your hands held in mine I'd be sure we'd not sever My apple tree my brightness 'Tis time we were together For I smell of the earth And am stained by the weather When my family thinks That I'm safe in my bed From night until morning I am stretched at your head Calling out to the air With tears both hot and wild Oh I grieve for the girl That I loved as a child The priests and the friars Behold me in dread Because I still love you My love and you're dead I would still be your shelter From rain and from storm And with you in your cold grave I cannot sleep warm 8. I Can See Now Ever loved a woman who made you feel tall? Ever loved a man who made you feel small? If you were a sailor I'd raise the anchor To sail the sea In search of you and me And god Conjures currents to break our fragile boats And both the innocent and the damned Are swallowed up in his wake If you were a huntress I'd be your bow For your silver arrows To seek out his heart Ever loved a woman who made you feel tall? Ever loved a man who made you feel small? Who are you to complain For lack of understanding? We are all created equal In just one thing alone Alone in your thoughts that ??? you through your life They'll take you outwards to the dark edge of time And there's nothing more dangerous Than a man with nothing to lose Nothing to live for And nothing to prove 9. American Dreaming I need my conscience to keep watch over me To protect me from myself So I can wear honesty like a crown on my head When I walk into the promised land We've been too long American dreaming And I think we've all lost the way Forlorn somnambulistic maniacal in the dark I'm in love with an American girl Though she's my best friend I love her surreptitious smile That hides the pain within her And we'll go dancing in the rings of laughter And live along by the shores ??? Yeah-ee, on the lea the rising wind blows Fay-hee, on the lea the rising wind blows How long how long? ??? in the grounds of ??? we've left behind Turned back by the foot of the doorway Never lost and found We've been too long American dreaming I think we've all lost the heart ??? somnambulistic maniacal in the dark Yeah-ee, on the lea the rising wind blows Fay-hee, on the lea the rising wind blows How long how long? 11. Oman From the body to the soul Where our hearts lead we must go Wherever love may flow 15. Don't Fade Away Don't fade away My brown-eyed girl Come walk with me I'll fill your heart with joy And we'll dance through our isolation Seeking solace in the wisdom we bestow Turning thoughts to the here and everafter Consuming fears in our fiery halos Say what you mean Mean what you say I've heard that innocence Has led us all astray But don't let them make you and break you The world is filled with their broken empty dreams Silence is their only virtue Locked away inside their silent screams But for now Let us dance away This starry night Filled with the glow of fiery stars And with the dawn Our sun will rise Bringing a symphony of bird cries Don't bring me down now Let me stay here for awhile You know life's too short Let me bathe here in your smile I'm transcending The fall from the garden Goodnight Other I Am Stretched On Your Grave Traditional verse--King/S. O'Connor I am stretched on your grave And will lie there forever If your hands were in mine I'd be sure we'd not sever My apple tree my brightness It's time we were together For I smell of the earth And am worn by the weather When my family thinks That I'm safe in my bed From night until morning I am stretched at your head Calling out to the air With tears both hot and wild My grief for the girl That I loved as a child Do you remember The night we were lost In the shade of the blackthorn And the chill of the frost Thanks be to Jesus We did what was right And your maidenhood still Is your pillar of light The priests and the friars Approach me in dread Because I still love you My love and you're dead I still would be your shelter Through rain and through storm And with you in your cold grave I cannot sleep warm So I'm stretched on your grave And will lie there forever If you hands were in mine I'd be sure we'd not sever My apple tree my brightness It's time we were together For I smell of the earth And am worn by the weather The Unquiet Grave I am stretched on your grave, and you will find me there always; if I had the bounty of your arms I should never leave you. Little apple, my beloved, it is time for me to lie with you; there is the cold smell of clay on me, the tan of the sun and the wind. There is a lock on my heart, which is filled with love for you, and melancholy beneath it as black as the sloes. If anything happens to me, and death overthrows me, I shall become a fairy wind-gust down on the meadows before you. When my family thinks that I am in my bed, it is on your grave I am stretched from night till morning, telling my distress and lamenting bitterly for my quiet lovely girl who was bethrothed to me as a child. Do you remember the night when you and I were under the blackthorn tree, and the night freezing? A hundred praises to jesus that we did nothing harmful, and that your crown of maidenhood is a tree of light before you! The priests and the monks every day are angry with me for being in love with you, young girl, when you are dead. I would be a shelter from the wind for you and protection from the rain for you; and oh, keen sorrow to my heart that you are under the earth! From the book entitled 'A Celtic Miscellany', Penguin Books, Penguin Classic Edition 1951. This is an early set of lyrics for the tradtional Irish folk song, 'The Unquiet Grave', which Brendan Perry sings as 'I Am Stretched on Your Grave'. This is a prosaic interpretation of a Gaelic written song. Of interest here are the lyrics that Brendan and Sinead O'connor do not sing. Tristan The following insight thanks to Sean Devine (sdev@GCI-NET.COM) and Patrick Burke (burke@UCLA.EDU): The passage that Lisa Gerrard sings at the end of "Tristan" is from Gottfried von Strassburg's "Tristan und Isolde" first published ca.1210: "nein" dahter allez wider sich "No," thought he, all against himself, "la stan, Tristan, versinne dich, "Leave [her] alone, Tristan, consider [this,]/come to your senses, niemer genim es keine war."** It was never easy for anyone." so wolte et ie daz herze dar;** The heart would ever have it so; (approx.) wider sinem willen crieget er, He gets the opposite of what he wills, (lit.: Contrary to his will he receives.). er gerte widerr,siner ger: He desired against his own desire. (Or even: He strove against his own lust; Er gehrte gegen seine Gier.). Note that "herze" is neuter, so "er" apparently refers to Tristan again (although heart would seem to be logical, too). Also the verb tenses at the end do appear to be mixed, as I have written them, although "krieget" could be a past form clipped for metrical purposes. **: line ommited from DCD version. These two lines (11747-8) are the generic, moralizing ones, so DCD include only the ones that relate most directly to Tristan. Maybe.
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