Music

Evening Train

Mick's debut album is to be launched in New York City in Summer 2005.

From his debut EP, 'Mick Flannery':

Christmas Past	[.mp3 ]	[.ram ]	[ lyrics ]
Creak in the door	[.mp3 ]	[.ram ]	[ lyrics ]
The Beast in Me	[.mp3 ]	[.ram ]	[ lyrics ]
The Birds and the Bees	[.mp3 ]	[.ram ]	[ lyrics ]
What You Would Sow	[.mp3 ]	[.ram ]	[ lyrics ]

Other songs © 2004, Mick Flannery

Bawnafinny Hill	[ ]	[ lyrics ]
Franky's	[ ]	[ lyrics ]
Lisadel	[ ]	[instrumental]
One's Regret	[ ]	[ lyrics ]
Rock Star	[ ]	[ lyrics ]
Some Old Crime	[ ]	[ lyrics ]
Take It On The Chin	[ ]	[ lyrics ] [explanation]
Thief	[ ]	[ lyrics ]
When I have a Dollar	[ ]	[ lyrics ]

Lyrics

Christmas Past

Snowmen in the field I see
Ride the coal-bags down the hill with me
Hey look you've got Rudolf's nose
Put my hat on you'll get cold

Now let's have a snowball fight
I always want you on my side
Sit down by the fire with me
Let's try and climb the Christmas tree

And you and I alone will go
And I will walk you all the way back home
And we will talk about our school and things
And I will see you tomorrow please

Oh yeah I forgot this part
This is where you break my heart
You told me that you loved me then
Did you really mean it friend

And don't go telling me lies love, tell me the truth love,
Cause that way I won't have to know love
Won't have to see love, won't have to ask the Ghost of Christmas Past.

Creak In The Door

I told you before 'bout that creak in the door,
What time do ya call this?
The dog's bowl is empty and the scuttle needs coal,
so be done 'fore your father gets in.

Where the hell is your brother?
Is he playing cards again?
Don't he love his mother?
Why can't he find some friends?

So you're in, I'm ill, will you bring my glass,
and roll one while you're there.
There's bread in the back but it of the last
so leave your father a share.

Did you talk with Luther this evening?
I heard 'bout what he's done.
No I haven't see him,
I think he's on the run.

Ma I won't wanna tell my friends
'bout when when I was young.

There's twenty on the table, will you go to the town.
A bottle and a packet of skins.
And ask for your brother while you're down
You're gonna find out where he's been.

I tried and tried to help him,
You know don't ya son?
Ya I know what you tried Ma,
I know what you've done.

And I won't wanna tell my friends
'bout when I was young.

One's Regret

I have lost every ring,
I have broken every chain,
And I've burned every bridge on my way.

I have worn out all my welcome,
I have scorned each fond approach,
And I've torn up every song I ever played.

I have one heart,
One head,
And one bundle
Of one's regret.

I have placed myself in races
That raced through lonely places,
But I never could escape my own parole.

I have chased it and I have caught it,
I have faced it and I have fought it,
But I've wasted every chance to lose control.

I have one heart,
One head,
And one bundle
Of one's regret.

Take It On The Chin

Vocals for	(Andy Dunne)	Ray	Lyrics in bold print
	(Rory O'Brien)	Luther	Lyrics in italics
	(Ricky Lynch)	Paulie	Lyrics underlined
	(Mick Flannery)	John	Lyrics in normal text

Verse 1

I put fifty fine dollars on this hand.
I'm in. I'm out.Not a chance.
So only one of you dolls wanna dance,
Boy you'd better have some balls in those pants.

Gimme two cards. One card. Oh look at that!
Try to fill a flush up to bite me in the ass.
Jese,you must think Lady Luck is up there hidin' in your hat,
Or you're tryin' to fuckin' fool me boy we'll see about that.

It's a hundred to play now,
we'll see what you weigh now,
the pot is getting hotter boy we'll see if you stay round.

Chorus

Oh the road,the riverboat,
Take it on the chin and deal again,
Till your money's spent.

Verse 2

Jacks or better,twos are wild,
Man I haven't won a round in a while,
This whiskey must be cloudin' my mind,
I'm getting older could be losin' my style.

Hey John,I hear you're leavin' us
Headin' off to better parts,
Don't you go forget us now.
I hope you're gonna send a card.

Ya I'm headin down south a while,
You know me just the wife and I,
I hear the weather's mighty fine,
Down by Saint Columbentine.

But God knows I need a break from ye,
And payin' your kids college fees,
You'll miss my money more than me,
Hey why don't the two of you calm down
you're actin' like a pair of...

Shut the fuck up,what the fuck's it got to do with you.
I don't see your money here so you don't get to contribute
Nothin' to this little battle me and the boy are havin'..

You gonna play or you gonna talk all day,
If you don't got the money throw those cards away.
Ah you're bluffin' you got nothin',
I say read em and weep cause I'm in.

Chorus x2

The Beast In Me

Four reputations
we are able and patient,
And we just walked into your bar

Go on and look me in the eye
with all my alibis.
I don't think so man,do you

But when it was time to go
I went and walked my way alone.

And two headlamps and an engine
were waiting in the road
I walked right into it

I should have seen it coming
If I had not been drinking
I might have turned around

But the beast down in the hole
He comes up and he roars

When faced with unbound hatred
When pushed and when persuaded
I have no limits man

I tasted my own blood
I swung till I stood up
And I faced the three of them

And the beast in me unleashed
I hope you never see

The Birds And The Bees

The beekeeper
On our road,
Mary Sweeney said that he lived alone.
So I called up
To his house
And I asked him what was that all about?

He looked a bit mad but I was just little
So he didn't really show me the door.
He said son it's like I told you before
There's only one bee gets the queen for his own
And that wasn't me.

The birdwatcher
He looked down.
I heard Mary say that his wife left town.
Come here son,he said to me,
I got something that I want you to see.

See the blackbird doing his best there
That's a cuckoo in his nest,
All he has she's going to take it away,
Ain't no feeling like feeling betrayed,
Ain't that for sure.

And I tell ya, it wasn't nice,
Findin' out they weren't just telling lies.
And Mrs.Sweeney, where were you?
You missed a field day, no one sang out my blues.
But you know son what I'm gonna tell you
Is what I wish that they had said.
It don't matter how many teachers you get
You're still gonna have to learn for yourself,
The birds and the bees.

What You Would Sow

Look who's come to save me,
My loving flesh and blood.
Oh man this is touching.

I'd hug ya if I could.
Oh man this is just the way
I imagined it would go.

But you can run your martyrs role,
You will know by the end man
When it's just about to rain,
Like a train,it's gonna hit ya
That ya could if only you tried
But you lied and you cheated man
So no-one came to help.

Frankie wait I'm sorry.
I really need your help.
All this has me worried.
Oh man this is hell.

I really need the money man,
Gonna die if I don't.

But you will reap what you will sow
Jese you know, they were right man
I just left it all too late, and now fate
It is callin' for the road,
Would anyone like to buy me a drink
Cause I won't be here for long.

Bawnafinny Hill

Gonna to put a house up on Bawnafinny Hill
I won't have a telephone and I won't pay no bills
Gonna gaze across on the graveyard field
And I might take you walking by the old abandoned mill

Only my very best friends
Will be able to get past my dog
So give me my, give me my, give me my money,
I want to get on

I've been a rover and I will always be
Never found nowhere to feel like home to me
Gonna to see the sunrise in ever foreign land
I will be a movin' before it sets again

Only my very best friends
Will I allow to tag along
So give me my, give me my, give me my money,
I want to get on

But life is so no one knows how it will go
Till it's gone

Thief

You got up this morning and the world was still
Shades of gray and unpaid bills
Singing its merry old song

You thought fate was calling
But it wasn't man
Stays away from unwashed hands
And it ain't goin to help you along

The whirlwind gonna blow
Mother loves you but mother knows
That you're a thief and so

You save your same old shit
And you would know me so you'd think
But you don't know the half of it
So don't try kid to tell me so

Oh how I wish that I had been a sailor's son
I wouldn't owe a note to any one
And be as thick as my bastard skin
Then I think of them and how they raised me
Slow and cold and ageless
And Jesus look at the mess I'm in

And no, I don't know the real you
But God knows you fucked up too
Just take a look at you

You save your same old shit
And you would know me so you'd think
But you don't know the half of it
So don't call me kid and don't talk down

When I've got a Dollar

He is such a loser
He is fool for
Playing cards with such men
He don't know his luck's end

But why would I be bothered
Why would I be bothered
Why would I be bothered
When I've got a dollar
When I've got a dollar

Things are well now
Oh how there's always the sign
That something's hiding
Where you don't wanna look
You're afraid of your eyes

I am such a dreamer
I am such a fool for
Sending my affection
In all the wrong directions

But why would I be bothered
Why would I be bothered
Why would I be bothered
When I've got a dollar
When I've got a dollar

Things are well now
Oh how there's always the sign
That something's hiding
Where you don't wanna look
You're afraid of your eyes

Some Old Crime

John Cale you knew my son,
I saw you with him once,
Yeah we were friends he said,
As thick as thieves I bet.

Says he what do you mean?
For years and years I'm clean,
But what were you back then?
He didn't answer and I said

You and I we'd better see eye to eye Jack
I ain't here to toy or to be coy I just want my boy back
I've got a feeling,
You know something,
I don't know,

Now just hold on he said,
I never meant for that,
What was I supposed to do?
Your son he was a fool,

Ya it was him they caught,
We should have both got off,
But he was always slow,
I could do nothin' and I

Won't do time for some old crime that I got away with,
You go down you go down you don't bring no one else in,
I've got a feelin',
That your son,
Knows too well.

My boy was thrown in jail,
We couldn't make his bail,
It broke his mothers heart,
But no he wouldn't rat

He let you get away,
And then for both he paid,
You say that you are clean,
Where is your conscience?

Have you no regrets? Ain't it hit ya yet? It's been seven years
All this time for your crime from his life is cleared,
I got a feelin',
That your turn,
Is coming soon.

Franky's

Shaky's out walkin the line,
Sheriff says he couldn't drive a nail through wine.
And Roomy's gone to dinner with Kate,
Headin' on the straight and narrow, pickin' a faith,

Moreover how's it goin' Franky ain't it cold tonight?
Best way to beat it is with the moonshine

And I say don't give me my lecture,
I'll tell you when I've had enough,
Only here for the few sure,
Got to get back to my cottage of love.

Rodell ain't no good at pool,
Losin' all his money should have stuck to the stool,
And Bernie got fired today,
He hit some fella with a saw they say

And it's a pity bout the drugstore catchin' fire
Used to be a bar there called 'The Thatch and Wire'

But they say time catches us all boys
Say you're better off hitchin' a ride
Like the hare and the tortoise
Everybody gets a little tired

You know I don't know how you stick me at all
You and me Joe we hold the fort when they're gone,
Hey Franky just one more round,
Surely you can have one yourself by now,

Well then it's see you all later cause I got to go
Caroline is gonna have my head you know

But they say time catches us all boys
Say your better off hitchin' a ride
Like the hare and the tortoise
Everybody gets a little tired

Mick Flannery - Folk Rock singer/songwriter from Cork, Ireland

Mick Flannery

"...blows you away... Does Tom Waits know that somebody else has his voice? But then Mick is very much his own man as well: he's fantastic." Lillian Smith in Irish Times, April 16, 2005