Every Face Is Turned My Way (2020-04)


Tracks

01: Friends Along The Way
02: Quite Well Known
03: Rock & Roll
04: As Evening Shadows Fall
05: Friday Afternoon
06: The Bird Falls From The Twig
07: When The Medicine’s Working
08: Any Kind Of Life
09: Rise & Fall
10: The Circus Is In Town
11: Wings
12: One Last Song


A collection of songs that provide a loose narrative of my life as a professional musician… it’s been
an endlessly fascinating ride!

I’ve made and lost many?”Friends Along The Way”… this song is for them!

I wish I had a quid for every time somebody has asked me if I am famous… think about it! There was a
very brief moment when I was?”Quite Well Known”… I didn’t actually care for it very much.

Patsy Matheson told me that she once read somewhere that writing an acoustic based song called?”Rock &
Roll”?was a big no-no… so of course, she went ahead and did it. Great song. Now I’ve done it too…
we’re such rebels!

“As Evening Shadows Fall”: I was in a duo with Christine Collister for seven years… we were great.

“Friday Afternoon”?talks about my making the move from Manchester to London in pursuit of success in the
music industry. Clearly a brilliant plan…

I often wonder what else I could have done with my life if I hadn’t been a musician.?”The Bird Falls From
The Twig”?provides the answer… nothing!

“When The Medicine’s Working”…. I used to drink a lot. I thought it might help me make better music.
It actually helped make me a better boozer…

I wrote?”Any Kind Of Life”?whilst stationary for a very long time in a traffic jam on the M6. I was very late
for the gig…

“Rise & Fall”?is pretty self explanatory…. what goes up must come down. But… what starts out as down
can also stay down forever!

“The Circus Is In Town”: I’ve always felt there was a strong element of the circus in the way rock shows are
presented, particularly in the very large venues. Maybe more animals in rock & roll?

I still have my Lloyd Johnson suit… I suspect it won’t fit me now! I lost my?”Wings”?many years ago, though…

For somebody who stopped drinking alcohol in 1985, I’ve spent a great deal of time in pubs down the
years! It seems that there’s always?”One Last Song”?to be sung…


Credits

Singing and playing by CG
Songs written by CG
Published by Gregsongs, administered by BMG Rights Management, UK
Recorded and mixed at Gregsonics, Saddleworth, UK by CG
Mastered by Andy Seward
Produced by Clive Gregson
Design by Amelia Sanders
Photographs by Sara Porter


Thanks

Paul Adshead, All at BMG, Lorraine Carpenter, Missy Feeley, Ged Green, Andy Murray, Stuart Palmer,
All at John Pearse Strings, Sara Porter, Amelia Sanders, Andy Seward, John Stirling


Lyrics

FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY

Well I started out with nothing, then I gave it all away,
Love and heartache were the tools of my trade,
And when I put them to the task, they did all that I could ask,
Never once did I hear them complain,
I?m the January man, Valentine card in my hand,
Mad March Hare, April Fool, King of the May,
June, July and August too, I sing and dance the whole year through,
And I made some friends along the way?

It?s a rugged uphill journey when the odds won?t ride with you,
Still I roll the dice and live the life they choose,
Every bar-room, every dancehall, every nightclub, every stage,
I look out and every face is turned my way,
I?m the January man, Valentine card in my hand,
Mad March Hare, April Fool, King of the May,
June, July and August too, I sing and dance the whole year through,
And I lost some friends along the way?

And if I ever get to thinking ?bout the way it all went down,
The way I live the words of every song I sing,
About every single footstep through every one street town,
Well you know, I wouldn?t change a thing,
I?m the January man, Valentine card in my hand,
Mad March Hare, April Fool, King of the May,
June, July and August too, I sing and dance my whole life through,
And I?ll see my friends along the way,
Oh, I?ll see my friends along the way,
Yeah, I?ll see my friends along the way?

QUITE WELL KNOWN

One morning bright and early, I rose up with the sun,
So much to see, so much to say, so much to be done,
I never gave a second thought as to how the seeds are sown,
But that was all those years ago, when I was quite well known…

One too many mornings, one too many songs,
Where every note was soaked in wine, never knew a night so long,
And as I tried to focus, I knew my race was run,
But that was all those years ago, when I was quite well known…

It?s easy to fall for the myth of immortality,
You?re looking at the living proof that what will be will be,
And every scar upon my heart cost a fortune for to own,
So much for all those years ago, when I was quite well known…

It?s easy to fall for the myth of immortality,
You?re looking at the living proof that what will be will be,
And every scar upon my heart cost a fortune for to own,
So much for all those years ago, when I was quite well known…

Well these days every morning is a blessing and a curse,
But I guess that things can always be a whole lot worse,
Everybody dreams about their moment in the sun,
I lived the dream way back when I was quite well known,
Now I?m ploughed and scattered, like all the seeds I?ve sown?
Hallelujah, happy days, when I was quite well known?

ROCK & ROLL

Rhythm and blues and northern soul,
Protest songs and jelly roll,
Tamla Motown, Sun and Stax,
All of my dreams pressed in shellac,
I?m dizzy Miss Lizzie, don’t you understand,
I want to do more than hold your hand,
Cos nothing ever meant more to me,
Than a big bass riff in the key of E,
Four in a bar and four on the floor,
Let’s have a big hand for rock and roll,
Let’s have a big hand for rock and roll….

Gibson, Fender, Rickenbacker, Gretsch,
I never grew tired of the cutting edge,
No AC30 ever let me down,
There?s something about that ringing sound,
I?m shakin? all over and it?s plain to see,
The rockin? pneumonia?s got a hold of me,
Can?t get enough of what feels good,
Six steel strings rock on wood,
Walking the dog, doing the stroll,
Let’s have a big hand for rock and roll,
Let’s have a big hand for rock and roll….

All around the world, the groove goes on,
Sometimes it feels like one long song,
Got a catchy chorus, you can all join in,
Doesn?t even matter if you can?t sing,
They didn?t fit brakes to this old car,
We can?t stop now, we?ve gone too far,
Keep on banging that big back beat,
In every home, on every street,
You?re never too young, you?re never too old,
Let’s have a big hand for rock and roll,
Let’s have a big hand for rock and roll,
Let’s have a big hand for rock and roll,
Let’s have a big hand for rock and roll….

AS EVENING SHADOWS FALL

As evening shadows fall,
That?s when I think of you,
The glories I recall,
As evening shadows fall?

I praise those restless days,
Salute the reckless nights,
I hear temptation call,
As evening shadows fall?

We were the greatest thing,
We were the best,
We built this up from scratch,
Then laid it all to rest?

I know we broke the rules,
We made them write some more,
Do you still kick down walls?
As evening shadows fall?

We were the sun and moon,
Venus and Mars,
We wanted everything,
We were true stars?

As evening shadows fall,
That?s when I think of you,
The glories I recall,
As evening shadows fall,
As evening shadows fall?

FRIDAY AFTERNOON

I left home in a hurry one Friday afternoon,
With only that week’s wages to my name,
I believe my departure didn’t come a day too soon,
And I knew that things would never be the same…

So I rolled down to London with no purpose and no plan,
Just a vague desire to seek fortune and fame,
And somewhere on the journey the boy became a man,
And I knew that things would never be the same…

To cause pain and sorrow was the last thing on my mind,
I traded my tomorrows to stake my claim,
And every now and then I missed the girl I left behind,
But I knew that things would never be the same…

They say the man who’s tired of London is a man who’s tired of life,
But too many lonely nights dimmed my flame,
When I slipped from hanging in to barely getting by,
I knew that things would never be the same…

Gonna shuffle down the boozer and buy myself a drink,
In the company of strangers, there’s no shame,
I will sit down in the corner and try not to think….
And if I could just start over from that Friday afternoon…
Ah but I know that things would never be the same…

THE BIRD FALLS FROM THE TWIG

The bird falls from the twig,
The cold earth breaks its fall,
Bird lives to fly another day,
Riding the mistral,
Just like that high flying bird,
I grow tired, my burden gets too big,
I want to lay my body down,
The bird falls from the twig?

Diesel fogs the sky,
Lights shimmer in the haze,
As far from now as I can be,
Counting down the days,
Out on the blistering road,
Caught between the tanker and the rig,
I?m forever homeward bound,
The bird falls from the twig?

I count off common time,
Bass man takes the cue,
The voice forgets the words,
What you going to do?
Here where the saxophones wheeze,
Fiddlers scratch out a jig,
I?m right where I?m supposed to be,
The bird falls from the twig,
And here where the saxophones wheeze,
And fiddlers scratch out a jig,
I?m right where I?m supposed to be,
The bird falls from the twig,
The bird falls from the twig,
The bird falls from the twig
The bird falls from the twig?

WHEN THE MEDICINE?S WORKING

When the medicine?s working, it?s powerful stuff,
When the medicine?s working, can?t get enough,
When the medicine?s working, it?s a beautiful thing,
When the medicine?s working, I can really sing?

Creosote clouds in a crimson sky,
Can?t make it rain, no matter how I try,
The world keeps turning while I am still,
Pushing this rock up an endless hill?

When the medicine?s working, it?s powerful stuff,
When the medicine?s working, can?t get enough,
When the medicine?s working, it?s a beautiful thing,
When the medicine?s working, I can really sing?

Troubled times bring troubled lives,
Can I hold on till help arrives?
Whatever it takes, that?s what I need,
I?ve got an empty heart and a habit to feed?

I remember a time when things were good?
Way back when before the flood,
The air was still, the winds blew fair,
I need some help to get back there?

When the medicine?s working, it?s powerful stuff,
When the medicine?s working, can?t get enough,
When the medicine?s working, it?s a beautiful thing,
When the medicine?s working, I can really sing,
I can really sing, I can really sing?

ANY KIND OF LIFE

I?m looking out of my window,
Sitting in the traffic go slow,
I listen to the radio phone in,
Everybody wailing and moaning,
Is that any kind of life, any kind of life,
Oh, any kind of life, any kind of life at all?

I?m here at the departure gate,
Everything is running late,
Weather?s got the east coast shut down,
I?m thinking ?bout an English town,
Is that any kind of life, any kind of life,
Oh, any kind of life, any kind of life at all?

The moment that I found my voice,
I never really had a choice,
I packed my things and ran along,
Always chasing after one more song,
Is that any kind of life, any kind of life,
Oh, any kind of life, any kind of life at all,
Any kind of life at all, any kind of life at all?

RISE & FALL

Sometimes I lie awake at night and think about the past,
All those endless summers before the die was cast,
Beyond that far horizon, backs against the wall,
Caught up in the spiral, oh, the rise and fall?

Somewhere I slipped across that line where a boy becomes a man,
Where anything is possible but nothing goes as planned,
Out in the middle distance the mediocre calls,
Caught up in the spiral, oh, the rise and fall?

Somehow I always find a way to walk the beaten track,
Until I reach the tipping point where there?s no turning back,
And while I?m tumbling down to earth, I think I?m standing tall,
Caught up in the spiral, oh, the rise and fall?
Caught up in the spiral, oh, the rise and fall?

THE CIRCUS IS IN TOWN

Listen up, what?s that sound, flashing lights all around,
Can?t you see the circus is in town?

Loosen up, forget your woes, time to lighten up your load,
Come on out, the circus is in town?

Take a break from real life, bring your friends, bring the wife,
It?s fun for all, the circus is in town?

Sing along with the crowd, act the fool, dancing?s allowed,
Shake a leg, the circus is in town?

The band?s all here, one bangs the drum, one hits the strings,
The song gets sung,
Play your part, the circus is in town?

It?s a show, it?s all an act, tall tales told as a matter of fact,
It?ll rock your world, the circus is in town,
It?ll rock your world, the circus is in town?

WINGS

The world was that much smaller,
The sky a brighter blue,
When fortune came a-calling,
I knew what I must do?

With nothing but a six string,
And a black Lloyd Johnson suit,
I was off to find Nirvana,
Off to cut my tangled roots?

The man?s a fool who gambles,
When the stakes are so high,
But back when I had wings,
I could really fly?

I?ve known all kinds of madness,
Talked to people on the brink,
Heard their tales of misadventure,
Seen how low a soul can sink?

The man?s a fool who gambles,
When the stakes are so high,
But back when I had wings,
Well, I could really fly?

Now I?m just glad to be here,
In my rock and roll shoes,
And if you ask me for another song,
Well, how could I refuse??

The man?s a fool who gambles,
When the stakes are so high,
But back when I had wings,
I could really fly,
But back when I had wings,
Well, I could really fly?

ONE LAST SONG

One more boozer, one last song,
Simple pleasures, all night long,
Come the morning, I?ll be long gone,
One more boozer, one last song?

Such sad stories, tales from the edge,
Lovers and losers, life on the ledge,
It?s take to the lifeboats, kicking old Buddha?s gong,
One more boozer, one last song?

I made three wishes, none of them came true,
So when the circus called my name, what else could I do??

But break out the banjo, strike up the band,
Lead the life of Riley, all across this land,
Beer stained blues and heartache, always tag along,
One more boozer, one last song,
One more boozer, one last song?


← Back to Discography