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MARMION ROAD Version 2

by David Heavenor

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Nick Smith
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kshema
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about

I used to walk back and forth to primary school (and briefly secondary) along Marmion Road in the Scottish town of North Berwick. Rosanne was a friend who used to chum me on her bike when I did my cub 'bob a job' round the town houses. It's a kind of love song for the house and town where I used to lie awake at night listening to the murmur of the sea and the plaintive cries of the gulls. A boat was actually washed up one night after a storm and we used to go and play on it and one of the boys even thought we could start the engine... it gradually disappeared into the sand over time. The picture is from an Estate Agent 's brochure when they were selling the house a few years back. The view is from my bedroom window looking out towards The Craig in the Firth of Forth and seeing this along with other pictures of the rooms was incredibly eerie after all these years. It was one of three songs I've written on the piano...

lyrics

MARMION ROAD


A house by the sea, a child tossed on his sleep
The shale shifts under the bay, shapes rise up from the deep
The Hallow's Eve Ship paints white sails on the indigo blue
Midnight Captain's grim face shows a storm will break through


The ketch beached in the night, her dog howled for the crew
The Saturday boys cried out 'She's in one whole piece too..'
'Let's all sail away' shouted Bill, 'What a blabbermouth' we all bawled'
By Spring tide she was lost to Flot and Jetsam's crab claws


And her long white gown tumbles down this Autumn evening
And the lightning cracks, interrupts our breathing
And all the words I lack
Fill up all the space between the stars


Sparkledark, who tailored your gown?
Just like my Taffeta girl, your sequins light up this town
See Rosanne float like the moon, lonely as sin
What a lovely cradle of light for my night to rest in

Have you lilies to crush, a dead man's arms to break through
Where the old house gathers dust and memories fasten like glue?
Now hush child, don't you cry, don't fret any more
Your Moon-Ship waits for you just off the lee shore


Rosanna you're warm, Rosanna I'm cold
Go on chum me back home down Marmion Road

credits

released September 8, 2014
Voice, guitar and piano: David Heavenor
Strings David Scott

From the album THE AUTOMATIC EYE

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David Heavenor Edinburgh, UK

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Support David's next recording at https://ko- fi.com/davidheavenor

David Heavenor is a Scottish singer songwriter based in Edinburgh Scotland. He has produced 8 albums plus 3 EP's.

I'm Watching Rosanna. ' An insightful song....beautifully written and observed. Iain Anderson. BBC Radio

'Jenny & the Cold Caller. One of the best songs ever written...' Ricky Ross ... more

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