‘Day The Ravens Left The Tower, The (1985 Marcus Studios rough mix)’ [4:35] (Macdonald/Peters), The Alarm
Lead Vocals:Mike Peters
Lyrics
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I've swept the floors of all my kings I've opened doors and let the tourists in Days of wine and roses Prime ministers, red robes These days are gone I've stood on guard as my Queens were born I've cut the grass on many English lawns Of strawberries and ice cream Of cricket and cold beer These days London Tower's falling Parliament's ablaze Buckingham Palace has gone Somewhere in the distance my darling she's a crying I should be by her side This is the day the ravens left the tower This is the day the ravens fly away Fly away, fly away Fly away, fly away Fly away I've stood on the Changing of the Guards To the Bloody Tower watching the Crown Jewels A penny for the guy sir? Will you vote left or right? These days London Bridge is falling. St. Pauls Cathedral burns The tower blocks are gone Somewhere in the distance my darling she's a crying I should be by her side This is the day the ravens left the tower This is the day the ravens fly away Fly away, fly away Fly away, fly away Fly away, fly away Fly away, fly away I hope I never see the dawning of the day When all the ravens in the Tower fly away Oh darling I will be home soon Darling I will be home soon Ring a ring a roses, a pocket full of posies Atishoo, Atishoo, we all fall down
Notes
:Backing track rough mix.
A piano & vocal version recorded live in the studio.
Recorded at Marcus Studios, Westbourne Grovem London, June – July 1985.
Mixed at Marcus Studios 27th June 1985.
Mike Peters Notes
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Dave Sharp Notes
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Eddie MacDonald Notes
:”The Day The Ravens Left The Tower” is my favourite song from “Strength”. I wrote it when I had a bad attack of flu. After suffering the hallucinations one gets from the illness, a TV advert for The Tower Of London had lodges in my brain, and I looked into the folklore that says the day the ravens leave the Tower will be the day that England falls. I tried to set the song as a nightmare where everything’s falling down around you. But the twist is that it turned out to be a love song. Through all the mayhem, hopefully you’ll be with the person you love most of all.
(Strength Tour Program, 1985)
Nigel Twist Notes
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