Metro Theatre, Sydney NSW, Australia, Oct 19, 2007

I left the house left the room with the foxy on my back
And my supplies in a magic pack
And I followed the sound of music
Not up a hill … but down to an old wharf shack

Inside I heard the trumpets call
I salute to the champions on the wall
And in the jazz of squalls and impassioned brawls she danced

And the night she looked so fine to me
Oh I am a man on an Odyssey
And so tie me to the mast I must believe!

Wow didi didi I just had to look
I said wow didi didi how those hips they shook
Eye patch tongue ring little black book
Welcome fishies to my hook

And the tiny chefs they waved their giant knives
And the dark goumas they flicked dynamite
Still I kept the sight of my desire

And this one thing’s sure I made no apologies
Lights dimmed but she shone like mythology
And I must admit she felt so alive

Chorus

She waves for everybody down on the floor
As if to pray to the gods of the festival
And there we were in the depths of the wild below

Her face so close I could taste the distant shores
She whispered ‘wait for the trumpet’s call’
It’s not exactly love it’s to adore

Chorus

The Empire Horns:
Ross Irwin (Trumpet), Kieran Conrau (Trombone)

Triple J’s AWOL Concert, Burnie TAS, Australia, Oct 13, 2007

The weekend is the weekend
And it’s sunny in the park
I’ll stay here with my beer and fish and chips till it gets dark
I’ve got a lot of homework
But homework he can wait
I never start my homework till its already too late
My parents say think about your future and my teachers say the same
But it’s hard
When there’s a basketball game in the park
It’s 1998
And everybody’s saying:
“Harry, you’re going to be a lawyer some day…”
It’s Monday bloody Monday
And there’s two things I forgot
I forgot to do my homework
And I’ve only got one sock
I’m halfway through a test
But I just can’t concentrate
I’m sitting next to Fontaine
I want to ask her on a date
I really want to start a conversation
But each time she walks past
I start choking on my pencil
And fall flat on my ass
I need to concentrate
I have to get this grade
Or I might fail to be a lawyer someday
BRIDGE
But just right now
Can’ think of anything better to do
Than just sit down at the piano and a write this tune
And maybe later
Maybe later in the afternoon
I’ll sit back and relax
And think of all the things I’m going to do…
CHORUS
Someday…
I’ll buy an old car
Someday…
I’ll get that car to start
Someday…
I’ll learn how to drive too
And then Someday…
Imagine all the things I could do.
(That was 1998 now
Bring it forward to the present day now
Cause some things have changed
but some things never change)
The weekend is the weekend
And it’s sunny in the park
I’ll stay here with my beer and fish ‘n’ chips till it gets dark
I just saw Peter Parsons
Who used to be in my class
I always gave him wedgies cause I thought he worked too hard
He said, “Harry, life is great –
I feel so happy these days –
I’m a litigation lawyer –
So I got it made
I’m going out with Fontaine
Rememer her from tenth grade?
I drive a Porsche so I can’t complain…”
BRIDGE
Shit! And look at me can’t think of anything better to do
That just sit down at the piano and write this tune
And maybe later
Maybe later in the afternoon
I’ll sit back and relax and think of all the things I’m going to do…
CHORUS

Woodford Folk Festival, QLD, Australia, Dec 28, 2007

[FELIX]
It doesn’t matter what I say it doesn’t matter what I do
It seems I’m going to have to change my look for you cos
I’ve got two shoes but they’ve been walked too far
And I think that we could float from evening to the stars
When I see you in the distance with your friends
I look around and then I look down at my threads
It’s inappropriate that I should present like a
Retired matador with unpaid rent
So many nights I’m still thinking about you
And so many nights you step in and I walk through
So he doesn’t care except he still combs his hair
So what am I supposed to do?
I bought a suit and I bought a top hat
And I put a red stripe down the side of my slacks
Went to the barber got my hair cut high
And I bought a ticket for the opera tonight
But when and I see you your bodice and your pride
It’s nice to greet you with an interrupted stride, besides
You say ‘Good evening’ you don’t say ‘Goodnight’
And I can’t deny that
So many nights I’m still thinking about you
And so many nights until I changed my suit
And when I’m bare don’t need to comb my hair
Cos I found what to do
Put your waistcoat on
So many nights …
So many nights …
Put your waistcoat on
String Section:
Su-Ying Aw (Viola), Robert John (Violin), Mark Zorz (Violin), Leah Hooper (Cello)

Iwaki Auditorium, Melbourne VIC, Australia, Oct 5, 2007

[HARRY ANGUS]
Girl in the park one day
Killing all the bugs on the pavement
Seems like she got a nasty streak
But she does it in a beautiful way

Like a bullet from a gun
She sparks and then she runs
The only thing she’s sure of
Is that no one really understands

Sometimes … talking about
Things just seem so strange
Lie awake in the lonely night
Things just seem so strange

Maybe it’s all prearranged
Tears on an empty page
Look out the window see the full moon bloom and
This is what he says

Don’t you worry
When you feel so lonely, cos
Everyone’s lonely
They’re all crazy too
Like their mothers
Like their fathers
Everyone’s crazy

Sometimes she gets this way
About her when she sways
Slips into a liquid tune
And vanishes away

And it’s only for herself
She can’t bring anyone else
Everyone’s got a special box
That they keep on a dusty shelf

Such a beautiful dangerous thing
Beautiful and strange
Making love to the night itself
Beautiful and strange

Maybe it’s all prearranged
Tears on an empty page
Look out the window see the full moon bloom
This is what he says

Don’t you worry
If people call you crazy cos
Everyone’s crazy
They’re all lonely too
Like their mothers
Like their fathers
Everyone’s crazy
Under a lonely moon

The Empire Horns:
Ross Irwin (Trumpet), Kieran Conrau (Trombone)

String Section:
Su-Ying Aw (Viola), Robert John (Violin), Mark Zorz (Violin), Leah Hooper (Cello)

Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne VIC, Australia, Feb 3, 2008

Trabendo, Paris, June 11, 2007

Days Like These [F REIBL, H ANGUS, O McGILL]
To the gods in the sky
there’s one thing you can do
you can send us some sun
and we’ll play you this tune
because sitting in our room
lying down with a scoob
and the sunshine
through our window
It’s days like these
that make us happy
like a puppy getting lucky
with Lassie hassle-free
hours passing by
with the beat one two
said it’s days like these kicking back
just doing what we do
Number one I’d find some
loving in the sun
with someone that can make me
growl and hum say hmmm…
a boom boom shak
and the beat that she throw at me
knocking me flat
Number two
I’d cruise where the grass is smooth
and the sound of the sea
is a dreamy melody
snooze all afternoon
till the night time wake me
cos shakedown soon
Number three
I’d be dancing like a monkey up a tree
find sweet simplicity
by kissing my honey
get funky like Bond
when he’s played by Connery
and get crafty
like Don Corleone
Four
watching Oliver jam a little more
remember the night when I saw
what i never never never seen before
Lavender wrestling a rich wild boar

CHORUS
HARRY’S NIGHT TIME RHYME
And dirty hands
I like them see
they make the music that we play
sound oh so sweet
and my mother always made me eat broccoli
and now look at me
i’m as strong as can be
so put some spice in my sauce
honey in my tea
an ace up my sleeve
and a slinky plan b
and most importantly
my mad family
they named me lucky
and for that I’ll sing about
days like these

Shepherds Bush Empire, London, UK, Aug 3, 2006

Metropolis, Montreal QC, Canada, Oct 5, 2006

[F REIBL]
I had nine lives but I lost all of them
and I’ve been searching in the night
and I’ve been searching in the rain
I tried to find them
but they disappeared
they walked away they dressed in black
they left my side and all I say
is that I wasted time
when I looked for them
for now I know that things gone past
are never to be found again
no never never again
I had nine lives
but lost all of them
I had a plan
but never finished it
and I’ve been searching for the thought
and I’ve been searching in a haze
I try all days
to remember it
but now the blueprint in my mind has gone
my mind forgot the colour of direction
and my eyes they see the hands
that could have built
that could have constructed
the empire in my mind
the empire
I’ll never find
I had a plan
but that was where it ended

Bowery Ballroom, New York NY, USA, Feb 13, 2007

[F REIBL, H ANGUS]
And for all of the sweet loving that
I have received
in the sun in the rain
by the moon by the sea
there is one time that I’m thinking of
one time where one woman
did knock me off my feet
and my knees were shaking
and my jaw was dropping
and my eyes were squinting
and my smile was growing
and my pants were bulging
and my hands were sweating
and my chest was beating
so I cry ‘excuse me,
what is the secret to your song?’
Cause when you’re walking along
when you’re walking along…
Your legs are a melody my hands
would like to play
and your hips are a note
that does take me away
and your face and your eyes and your hair
and your waist and your smile
drive me to distraction
she turned and she gave the evil eye
‘why thankyou’ she said
then she sigh ‘ah there’s one thing
I think you failed to mention…’
‘What?’ I said then she said
‘It’s the rhythm you forgot’
and right then I knew what was what
and she snuck to my lips
and she kissed them
said ‘young man
I’ll show you some rhythm’
And she’ll show you some rhythm
And since then ha
the rhythm’s been running through my veins
in my thoughts in my eyes
in my head it’s insane
it’s the thing that does drive me
to scream
on the street when I think of some
places it’s taken me
I feel horny when I thinking of some of that rhythm in my mind
what she gave what she gives to me
all of the time
say a little bit of sweet loving in your day
all my friends know it keeps the
bad thoughts away
so sing with your hips my baby
when you’re dancing to this tune
and when this tune is through
we’ll sneak to some place
and continue to…
say sing with your hips my baby
when you’re dancing to this tune
and when this tune is through
we’ll sneak to some place and
continue to –
she said I’ll show you some rhythm
And she’ll show you some rhythm

Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne VIC,Australia, Feb 3, 2008H ANGUS]

Song and melodies change and change
and sway
but they still stay the same
the songs that we sung when the dark days come
are the songs that we sung when we chased them away
if I ever found a pot of gold
I’d buy bottles untold of the nectar of the vines
I’m going to die with a twinkle in my eye
‘cause I sung songs spun stories loved laughed and drank wine
Tomorrow is another day
the cats are out to play, to play
that old rusty spaceship wants to sail
into the milky way again
on a river of red red wine
Run…
(let’s have some)
Fun…
(we’ll)
Drink…
(a toast to the)
Sun…
In summer the bushfires rage and rage
and rage
on such beautiful days
and we fight them with water that runs through the cracks
water we’re desperately trying to save
so I’ll just live on wine and water my vines
and sleep on the wind with the fires right behind
and sing on the beaches and dance through the night
oh we’ll cry ‘pass the wine, pass the wine, pass the wine’
Run…
(let’s have some)
Fun…
(we’ll)
Drink…
(a toast to the)
Sun…
Oh what a beautiful day today!
today’s a day to celebrate
grab your bucket, grab your spade
we’re heading down to Half Moon Bay
I saw a plane go into a cloud
I’m drunk I’m happy I’m singing and loud
two o’clock in the arvo, but hey that’s allowed…
I’m having a good time and of that I am proud

Iwaki Auditorium, Melbourne VIC, Australia, Oct 5, 2007

And when it happens it’s like
honey and pain
horns in the rain
misty seas and mysteries
a dog with no name
it’s that time again
not sure if I’m sleeping
but the vision’s as clear
as fog on the pier
someone fishing aimlessly
a thought’s an idea
a sound is an ear
and gods with none believing
being chased by the lamb
a knife in its hand
looked down from that mountain
saw the moon get a tan
on the beach with no sand
something came and something ran
to make up my mind
is it bleak or it fine?
She looked a little doubtful
smirked and said it’s divine
to light with no lime
sometimes
Oh it’s too late I can’t stop
moving my mouth
I’ll shush but I’ll shout
something’s got a hold of me
those words coming out
like froth on a stout
dreamboat’s sailing into
stormy weather I see
salty debris
cows and tigers jumping at some
mad dignity
but passionately we’ll be
oh finding
ways without words
to sing and to purr
loving without declarations
stuttered and slurred
elephants blurred
nerves resisting urges serve
to speak with no sight
a bat taking flight
only to find tooth marks
in that sex dynamite
my girl’s got a bite
that’s right

Metro Theatre, Sydney NSW, Australia, Oct 19, 2007

[F, REIBL]
This is a song that came upon me
one night
when the news it had been telling me
about one more war and one more fight
and ‘aeh’ I sighed but then
I thought about my friends
then I wrote this declaration
just in case the world end
Our guns
we shot them in the things we said
ah we didn’t need no bullets
cos we rely on some words instead
kill someone in argument
outwit them with our brains
and we’d kill ourselves laughing
at the funny things we’d say
And bombs
we had them saved for special times
when the crew would call a shakedown
we break down a party landmine
women that so sexy
they explode us with their looks
ah we blowing up some speakers
jumping round till the ground shook
And missiles
they were the roadtrips that we launched
t-t-tripping across this island
starting missions at the break of dawn
yawn and smile say
‘what direction shall we take?’
‘Somewhere where it warm and wet’
this be the route we’d always take and
Our weapons were our instruments
made from timber and steel
we never yielded to conformity
but stood like kings
in a chariot that’s riding on a
record wheel
And our airforce flying
when the frisbee in the sky
have a session while we’re smoking
now we’re feeling extra high
and we’d sneak into a carpark
with the skaties on our back
and we’re flying down the levels howling
‘on the attack now on the attack’
And battles
they happened in these dancehalls
see we’d rather fight with music
choosing one the rhythm war
battle at these shakedowns
and we battle at these gigs
we do battle in our bedrooms
made some sweet love to the beat
Then our allies grew
wherever we would roam
see whenever we’re together
any stranger feel at home
in a way we are an army
but this army not destruct
no instead we’re doing simple things
good loving find it run amuck
This be a declaration
written about my friends
it’s engraved into this song
so they know I’m not forgetting them
see maybe if the world contained
more people like these
then the news would not be telling me
about all that warfare endlessly and
Our weapons were our instruments
made from timber and steel
we never yielded to conformity
but stood like kings
in a chariot that’s riding on
a record wheel

Triple J’s AWOL Concert, Burnie TAS, Australia, Oct 13, 2007

Metro Theatre, Sydney NSW, Australia, Oct 18, 2007

If frisy hair was a metaphor
for festival time
then this woman is a goddess
of that festival shrine, met her
– at a jam
in that garden of sorts
I must confess god bless
some impure thoughts
“show us the money”
was the call of the night
but no money could have bought
even a piece of her pride, there might
have been a sea of people
I don’t know, because
all I could see
was how this woman she glowed so
-Aeh it’s a pleasure to meet you
ya look like one incredible creature
wanna treat you fine
lets dance and grind
get so funk-inflicted it’s a crime
you’re divine you’re sublime
and well you blow my mind
She caterpillar so good
that all the greeks go “killa”
break and enter take ya like a glass of milk
then “spill ya”
saw her coming what a scene
what I mean is
she got that sex coffee beam
but she tastes like vanilla
well alright she ignite
when we hit the floor
like the vroom on a V8 super commodore
now if it makes a good story
well it’s just worthwhile
with her’s like dealing stories
in that sprinkla style and so
-Aeh it’s a pleasure to meet you
ya look like one incredible creature
wanna treat you fine
lets dance and grind
get so funk-inflicted it’s a crime
you’re divine you’re sublime
and well you blow my mind

Triple J’s AWOL Concert, Burnie TAS, Australia, Oct 13, 2007

[F REIBL]
Walking down the street
with some evil in my eye
and some thoughts in my head
that were making me feel high
on my head was a hoodi
in my ears was some bass
was walking by my dog
when I saw that sexy face
come towards me
with a little cheeky smile
if she was a phone
I’d pick her up and dial
the fire brigade
or zero zero zero
she stopped me in my tracks
and I said ‘mmm hchello hchello…’
I was sleeping in the sand
with some dreams in my head
that were causing an extension
to the towel and my bed
and the waves were rolling
like the curves on those legs
of a sweet beach bella
with that centrefold spread
in the midst of the slumber
I heard some footsteps creeping
and I woke to discover
the woman I’d been dreaming
she knelt down beside
said ‘can I share your pillow?’
I rolled over and I said
‘well hchello hchello…’
Some like money making
some like cars
and some like the houses
with the rooftop spas
and some like to gossip
about some rich sugar daddies
but me and my friends
we like the golden brown honeys
and some like watching people
living on TV
that’s a little strange
if you’re asking me
cos I like to eat and laugh
and **** and play down low
these are the things I know
well hchello hchello…
Welcome to this night
welcome to this song
welcome to these rhymes
that be going on and on
welcome to the empire
and the funky empire tunes
but most of all welcome
to the bellas in this room…
well hchello hchello

Metropolis, Montreal QC, Canada, Oct 5, 2006

Metropolis, Montreal QC, Canada, Oct 5, 2006

Iwaki Auditorium, Melbourne VIC, Australia, Oct 4, 2007

One day one woman asked him
‘what do you to survive?’
he said ‘oh my dear listen here’
and this is what he cried
On my feet I wear two shoes for dancing
‘dancing to be free’
my feet they’re paying tribute to
the Bobby Marley legacy
My knees they’ve got some cuts and bruises
from skating all my days
when i’m skating with my friends
my troubles drift away
I say my legs they’re wearing baggy pants
I like to move around
cos getting down and jumping up
these are some good things that I found
Aeehhhiiiaaaaa
boom shak the empire be rising
Aeehhhiiiaaaaa
boom shak we making some lovin
Aeehhhiiiaaaaa
boom shak the greedy men running
Aeehhhiiiaaaaa
boom shak got two shoes for dancin
My waist it’s got a slinky belt
with a clip that’s quick to open
because loving is the sweetest thing
and from my waist it happen
And my stomachs got some tasty food
that’s making me feel good
cos sharing some meals is something
i wish the world could do
And my chest it wears a singlet
ah my chest it beating proud
my chest suggest I am a man
that no institution can knock down
And around my neck is superstition
hanging from a chain
because i’ve got my gods but in the end
I make my own way
CHORUS
My mouth it’s got a great big smile
that shows some great big teeth
to friends it brings a happiness
and to enemies it means defeat
And my eyes they’ve got some vision
that can see through many lies
ah my eyes they look for better things
the better things to see in life
And my ears are wearing head phones
that do play my favourite songs
not music i’m told to like
but the songs that make me dance along
Cos on my feet are shoes for dancing
‘dancing to be free’
my feet they’re paying tribute to
the bobby marley legacy

Woodford Folk Festival, QLD, Australia, Dec 28, 2007

I’ve got a key
And a piece of paper in my pocket deep
In my pocket piece of paper and a key
as I wander through the street
War is there a war
or is there isn’t a war anymore?
Somebody told me that nothing is for sure
Can you hear the ocean roar
On each street is a tree
In the distance the desert sleeps
Sometimes a sigh is a song
And a breath is a melody
Oceans rise and oceans fall
So just what does tomorrow mean?
I give smile a give a song
For one moment’s eternity
Na na na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
Oh but it’s some mob
Some mob that brought me here I know it is my job
To seek my fortune Nanna thank you for this mob
Remember you now you are gone
If I went away
Tropical island somewhere sunny every day
But everyone I ever cared about remained
Would I tan or would I fade?
So every morning he wake
Spend his day at the daybreak
And every spoonful he take
Be of something his own make
Mountains rise and mountains fall
So just what does forever mean?
I give a smile I give a song
For one moment’s eternity
CHORUS

Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne VIC, Australia, Feb 3, 2008And though you’d like to hear a song

That sings everything’s all right
The temperature is warm
The fire horses sleep
So gently comes the night

Now close your eyes and stare
The ground they’re on is bare
But once it was as deep
And wild as giants’ dreams
It’s no longer there

And all of our desires
Could mirror skies with flames
And smoke out heaven’s halls
Who was that you called?
They’re no longer there

Here it goes again …

What would you leave behind when all your fields are dead
When your territories are dried out and your cities drowned and swept?
What would you leave behind when those who bear your name
Are born in that place that you wrecked?
What would you leave behind when you’re no longer there?

Would you sail to distant shores
And hide within the haze?
Softly close your door
Pretend the world was saved
And wait for heaven’s call?

Or would you turn and face the sea
And calm decide you care?
There’s chance but if you dare
And swift as honour’s steeds
Before it’s no longer there

Here it goes again …

Chorus

To deny or to despair
They’re really just the same
And everything between
It means we have to change
Cos when a one forgets
Their world begins to fade
And all the shapes and shades
That made their colours see
Well they suddenly turn grey
Then they’re no longer there

String Section:
Su-Ying Aw (Viola), Robert John (Violin), Mark Zorz (Violin), Leah Hooper (Cello)

Slide Guitar:
John Porter

– Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne VIC, Australia, Feb 3, 2008

[HARRY ANGUS]
Something
Something kissed my lips
Something
Something brushed my fingertips
The north binds battle
In the car park
And the darkness
Is the darkness

Somewhere
The night is on the run
With a bottle of ouzo
And a rusty gun
The north wind
Is like a Spanish Guitar
Soaked in petrol
Burning on the bar

Let the dead raise their heads
And the dying leave their beds

She didn’t believe what her mama said
And she clambered out the window in the darkness

And behind you in the night
A million dogs come out to fight …

It’s the empire that be rising rising
Rising through the night …

Something
Something give me strength
I’m burning
Burning on the brink
The north wind
Is like cinnamon and wine
And the darkness
Is the darkness

String Section:
Su-Ying Aw (Viola), Robert John (Violin), Mark Zorz (Violin), Leah Hooper (Cello)

Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne VIC, Australia, Feb 3, 2008

[FELIX]

I climb the ladder of those black and white keys
They take me out and into places some are real and some imaginary
And though she sways between a mystery and light
She walks with me, she walks with me alone into the night

Tonight I see the sunny moon is rising again
Three seasons passed since you were here then disappeared a friend
Yet now exploded from its dreams back in that place oh how it beams
And I see that you were glowing in the shadows
And you’ve been here all along
Ah you never left my side and now I feel my arms grow
Stronger

You may forget the details and you can forget the dates but never
Forget the moment when the night revealed her face
To be poor by lack of money but by god be rich in prize
I found my youth’s desire dark within her eyes
And the tent kept breathing something and then she cried –
‘Hold on we’re going somewhere else tonight’
We’re going somewhere else tonight baby yeh!

And my friends they are the heroes of the loneliness that’s life
And though everyone has a weakness only some they are defiant
While most of us can see only a few have the gift of sight
Would you walk with me
Would you walk with me alone into the night?

The sun is set