Labyrinth
Busker
Journal
Brian Robert Pearce
Brian Pearce busked the streets and bars of Europe between the years 1994 and 2000. In addition he busked in New York while participating in the TIGHTROPE musical, a play written by Ken Post [ with Bonnie Burns].
The journal exists, at present, as approx. 750,000 hand written words formatted in about 55 segments.

home.buskerbrian.com
(formerly located at  http://hometown.aol.co.uk/pa111111117/ ) 
has moved, and is now located at http://buskerbrian.com/home/

Lyrics

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Lyrics:

Only in my dreams


Orpheus
 
Uptown Suzy

Time to play

Sectarian
 
Glad I'm not you

Poverty Row

Little Black Sheep

Atalanta
 
Busker walking

Do you know what it's like?

The wall

 
 
 
 

ONLY IN MY DREAMS

I had a dream last night
and there I was with you
To love and hold you tight
is like a dream come true

It's great to see you again
Through it all you still look the same
Nice to see all our feelings remain
after looking at life with a cynical view

Only in my dreams
do my dreams come true

Here we are
in reality
Least it is far as I can see
Pinch myself
Can this really be?
I awake from my dream
and you're not here with me

The mountain rivers aren't free
The water leads to the sea
Much the same as me
My memories lead to my dreams

Only in my dreams
do my dreams come true
 
 
 
 

ORPHEUS

Just me and my guitar plus a lead overdub

Moving on through the Hades flame
Walking on through his love and pain
He knows he can't look back
so forward he must go
Taking paths that may bless or haunt
Ghostly voices that caress or taunt
He doesn't look around
above him or below
Who's behind him...up ahead...he will know

Tears are falling as he hears the sound
of gentle voices saying "Look around!"
He knows he can't look back
so forward is his aim
Angry voices shout out "Stop and stare!
That path you're taking isn't really there!"
He doesn't look around
His path remains the same
Who's behind him...up ahead...he'll take the blame

Moving forward he can hope to see
a place where he has found a sanctuary
A place he can look back
to see her standing there
Looking back into the Hades flame
would mean he'd never see his girl again
He doesn't look around
whatever his despair
Who's behind him...up ahead...he'll find somewhere
 
 
 
 
 

UPTOWN SUZY

Uptown Suzy had a thing with Murray
I guess he knew it and it made him worry
Cos he never answered
She sure don't call
And they're both waiting
for the axe to fall

Uptown Suzy had this thing with Murray
She went and left him
cos he would not hurry
Now he hasn't
heard from her at all
But he's still waiting
for the axe to fall

Bright-eyed Sally said to restless Murray
"Stop being restless
Try and stop your scurry
She's making whoopie
She might even call"
But they're both waiting
for the axe to fall

People think it's strange
This thing 'bout Murray
"She went and left him
so why should he worry?"
They look for angles
but they don't know at all
And he's still waiting
for the axe to fall
 

TIME TO PLAY

I've been following the sun
looking for a heart to share
I have had a lot of fun
but 'till I met you - life was bare
Bumming round the world
seeing things I'd never seen
I met many pretty girls
but they're never what they seem

Oh, these days - affect me in many ways
Time to play
but maybe my hopes were too great

Talking to you, girl
Won't you hear the things I say
You're the only worldly pearl
I could treasure in this way
I got shivers down my spine
and a terror in my heart
Did you see me spill my wine?
That's how scared I am we'll part

Oh, your face - affects me in many ways
Lost in space
'till I can see you again

Yes, I know you think I'm wrong
Guess I have my point of view
I'm not coming on all strong
but I do have things to do
We have said it all before
and it always ends the same
Can we mention it no more
'cause I always get the blame

Oh, these days - affect me in many ways
Kissed your face
and made love the rest of the day
 
 
 
 

SECTARIAN

A smiling man
with Irish pride
coddles his daughter on his knees
and there beside
the Christmas tree
he tells her what
the Yuletide means

Young child
of only five years old
the Season of Goodwill
preserves the hope of what should be
and with God's grace
there could be still

As child looks up
with trusting eyes
she hears the story he does tell
But near the end
the door bursts in
and bullets turn
the place to Hell

"Oh Da!
Why have you fallen down?
Your story isn't told!
Oh Da!
Please will you talk to me?
Oh Da, you're feeling awful cold"

Now Irish eyes
must weep again
Another father lost to kin
But weep far more
for Irish young
to have to see
incarnate sin

Poor child
You're only five years old
You loved
your father so
His eyes are closed
He's lost to you
no matter how
the future grows

And now they try
to justify
They say he's of a terror gang
The terror gang
deny that's true
You tell me where
the difference hangs

The sons
and daughters of this land
must shape
the future years
The choice
is peace and brotherhood
Or war and fear
and blood and tears

A child
was born in Israel
to speak
of God's goodwill
He spoke
of how the world should be
but through man's hate
We're not there still
 
 
 
 

Glad I'm not you

I guess it's hard to really understand
the moods that flow through me
I fall to bits and then I need a hand
It's something life will be

I'm not the world's most rational mind
too busy looking to see
I'm not the most reliable kind
too busy seeking to be
 

And I will claim I am ever there
even though I have flown elsewhere
I speak of Love
and I mean what I say
you will find me back one day

I'm nothing perfect
I do what I can
and my aim is to be true
but what you said
I really can't stand
and I'm glad that I'm not you
 

I'm like a cloud rolling into the sun
for the ones I love too well
I do my best
but the things I have done
can seem icy rain that fell

And if I'm sun shining into their hearts
Still there seems to come a day
when all we have is falling apart
and the sun just hides away

Some will look
but still they won't see
any point for faith in me
They want the cure
without any pain
Not the struggle
just the gain

I'm nothing perfect
I do what I can
You can say the same to me too
but if you choose to not understand
hey, I'm glad that I'm not you
 

But deep inside
I'm down on my knees
and my love's a prayer for you
If I could be
a warm gentle breeze
don't you think I'd be that too

I feel your fear
your pain
and your doubt
like a knife that cuts inside
It twists and turns
'til the blood pouring out
is the sorrow I can't hide

I'm nothing perfect
I do what I can
and that's not enough, it's true
But if you can't see
my gift in your hand
well, I'm glad
I'm glad
Glad that I'm not you
 
 
 
 

POVERTY ROW

Won,t you come with me
Come to Poverty Row
There,s a sight to see
See the stricken poor grow

Growing dust in the factories long closed down
and the houses are crumbling to the ground
Like to find some work
but there's none around
 
 
 

Prostitutes compete
here in Poverty Row
Got kids who must eat
here in Poverty Row

How much more will it take till we draw the line
Idle gangs in the alleyways turn to crime
Is the country so blind to the danger signs?
 
 
 

Won't you come with me
come to Poverty Row
There's a sight to see
see the stricken poor grow

Ain't it strange that the sun rarely shines round here
and the narrowed stares of faces filled with fear
Oh, there's no way out
That much is clear

Poverty Row
Poverty Row
Poverty Row
 
 

LITTLE BLACK SHEEP
 

Little Black Sheep
Don't cry
Keep your faith
Hold your head high
Be yourself
You are fine
and watch those White Sheep come into line
 
 

They say you must change
from acting so strange
and they say
you should be what they choose to arrange
you to be

Little Black Sheep
In time
you will find
other sheep of your kind
and they'll help you to see
you can be
what you want to be
 
 

White Sheep want you to hide
what you're feeling inside
While they run for their shelter
they see that you ride
through the storm

Little Black Sheep
Don't cry
Keep your faith
Hope your head high
Be yourself
You are fine
and watch those white sheep
come into line

They say you must change
from acting so strange
and they say
you should be
what they choose to arrange
you to be
 
 

Little Black Sheep
In time
You will find other sheep of your kind
and they'll help you to see
You can be
what you want to be
You can be
what you want to be
 
 
 

ATALANTA

As I run more faster than you
Draw out the line
That's what I'll do
I'm the swiftest mortal alive
I don't have to scheme or connive

I hear you throw that javelin well
well, you can throw it halfway to hell
I ain't got emotion to sell
I'm under father's spell

My mind says," Look to myself-
and keep that heart safely stored on a shelf"
and with my mind I'll run 'till I win
If you can't beat me
I'll call that a sin

I hear you throw that javelin well
But you can throw it halfway to hell
I ain't got emotion to sell
I'm under father's spell

Hey, what's the deal?
I feel so unsure
My mind was fast
but not anymore
You used your mind in a way I can't see
How did a butterfly catch and sting me?

Man, you threw that javelin well
and then you threw me halfway to hell
But I ain't got emotion to sell
I'm under father's spell
No, I ain't got emotion to sell
I'm under Daddy's spell

Your crazy mind has cast this on me
We tasted fruit where we should not be
Never more will we taste each other
But we can be like sister and brother

They call me Atalanta
Are you Melanion?
They call me Atalanta
an' you Melanion
They call me Atalanta
 
 

Busker Walking

See him walking down the road
Do you wonder where he's been?
Got a guitar round his back
Do you wonder what he's seen?

There are lines of ingrained tension
telling tales across his face
and eyes that speak of stories
being lost without a trace

When he sings
he shares emotion
that he trapped within each song
and the memories stir him briefly
With the next song they are gone

There is something strange about his way
Remote
He sits alone
Do you wonder, "Is he happy?"
as he wanders on his own

People try
and people worry
to be as normal as they can
But he doesn't try to be that
He is strange
this mystery man

See him walking down the road
Do you wonder where he's been?
Got a guitar round his back
Do you wonder what he's seen?
 
 
 

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE?
Lead Vocal:- Brian
Guitar:- Brian
Backing vocals:- Inge and Agnes

Do you know what it's like to be hungry and thirsty
without any money at all
Do you know what it's like to have no home or shelter
with no one close by you can call
Do you know what it's like to be walking for hours
yet still you know you must go on
Do you know what it's like to keep faith in you inside
when all of your faith...outside...has gone

I know what it is to do all these things
I lived through the pride and the shame
I reached for the stars and I fell through the floor
still to come more of the same
My wealth is my diary, my strength, my experience
my soul you will find in my song
My pride is the difference I'll make to my loved ones
if I live my life......keeping faith strong

Do you know what it's like to cry for your loved ones
but still you feel you let them down
Do you know what it's like to walk cities of strangers
with no one familiar around
Do you know what it's like to sleep in a subway
and try to escape from the cold
Do you know what it's like to have no state support you
To win or die....on your own

I know what it is...etc.

Do you know what it's like to depend on creation
like writing this song for your ears
Do you know what it's like to live life as adventure
not ekeing it out with your fears
Do you know what it's like to have friends who will aid you
through love of the person you are
Do you know what it's like to have richness of spirit
and thankfulness...for getting this far

I know what it is...etc.
 
 
 
 
 

THE WALL

And the wall
grows higher
every time...every...

It seems a long time since I felt in love
being swept by irrational mood
Seems such a time since my heart burnt with fire
and the love songs I wrote were its food
Been a long time since my spirit was lifted
by romantic walks arm in arm
Been such a time since the words of a lover
inspired me
or fed me alarm

and the wall...grows higher
and the wall...grows higher...every time...every time
and love...that's hard to climb
it's hard to climb
so hard to....

Chilling out on mediocrity
with a shield of feigned indifference
Turn my mind into a walled city
and give my heart no recompense
Nothing takes you to intense
since you jumped down off of that fence
of sensuality or sense
sensuality or sense
and the wall now seems immense

and the wall...etc.

I stand here for silent crusaders
inflamed by the news
by the way that the media
impose on us their views
Hey, they seem to think this knowledge
will help keep me in touch
full of soapbox, kiss n' tell bulls**t
It doesn't reach me that much

No, the wall...etc.

There's a hill called Gurten
It's close at hand
Could ascend any day to the top
and stand
just to try to let my heart run free
Instead I let the whole thing be
It's sense or sensuality
sense or sensuality
sense or sensuality
I'd love to love
but can't you see
I'd love to love
but can't you see
I'm a captive
of the wall in me

and the wall....etc.
 

Labyrinth Busker Journal - Brian Robert Pearce

Labyrinth Busker Journal