The Amber Shift: Time’s Tales booklet

THE AMBER SHIFT TIME’S TALES

ALSO FEATURING: NANA TSIBOE • JAMES McMILLAN • JEM TURPIN • MIKE HATCHARD • RUSSELL FIELD • ANDY CROOKES

THE AMBER BAND IS:

THANKS TO ALL INCLUDING:

AMBER: Vocals CLIVE TIMPERLEY: Guitars, banjo & ukelele ROB SANDS: Guitars, tablas & congas ALISTAIR FRANKLIN: Bass & keyboard

PHOTOGRAPHY: EDDIE ODEL, MICK THE DOG, VAL CORNFIELD DESIGN: ERICA SMITH MATRIARCHAL SUPPORT: VIOLET LEAFE

PHOTO: MICK THE DOG

& DEDICATED TO OUR LOVELY CHILDREN: GRACEY, DEE AND ILI

TIME’S TALES – KA Leafe

SENSES AFLAME – RC Sands (For Amber)

I met my poet-prince at only 17 And from the very start I was his Earthly Queen But after 10 long years, Beset by all my fears, I walked away one morning With one bag

Feel my pulse as its racing Hear my heart beat like a drum Lay your dreams upon my breast And let the healing come

Then innocence and ignorance both played their part I set my foolish pride And doing so, broke his heart I would not turn around, I would not regain ground The gypsy in me led me down that path Chorus: And over the years I have cried For my lonely spirit and my senseless pride They say for every soul there is one mate But I was damaged, foolish, twisted my own fate!

So in my middle years, I find myself At sea, without my oars, Sat on the shelf!

My girls are grown and gone My passion still is strong But poet-princes are thin on the ground Yes! Now I am in training as a matriarch (ha ha!)

Seeking for a consort to ignite the spark The passion and the pain, we will relive again Until once more we walk The Way of Love.

(Repeat Chorus…)

So I light up a candle, and I tend the flame I have myself to forgive, and noone to blame I’ve lived through all these years, I’ve lived through all these tears, And only Time will tell my story’s end

Touch my skin as its flushing Blood swells my lips into bloom Place your desires between my thighs And sing the healing tune Chorus: I have travelled from a cruel world Because of all you’ve said and done And now I’m moving in a new world I believe the healing has begun See my pupils dilating Can’t catch my breath if I try Take all their lies from out of my mind And pierce them through their eyes His love may have left me wanting For the love he didn’t have inside Now vacate his flesh from underneath my dress And feed it to the flies Repeat Chorus…

The healing has begun!

AMBER TANGO – KA Leafe

And… (Repeat Chorus)

Chorus: Take me, but take me to your heart Take me where we don’t have to part I don’t need marriage with a horse and carriage Just take me, but take me to your heart Take me where love is not a sin Take me and love me from within Don’t want to be your mother Just your lady and your lover, So take me, but take me to your heart

I want to be your dove Be the counterpart you love Never mind the social mores We will create living our way I don’t need fame or fortune Don’t care for politics or sporting Just our own special fortés And some fun into our 80s

I’ve been used and abused, I’ve been loved and set above, Designated to the kitchen, or treated like a kitten I’ve been barked at like a dog and sat on like a log Burnt my soul with my desiring Burnt the food while I’m aspiring…

(Repeat Chorus) I need tenderness to feel I need intention to be real Don’t need games, I’ve had too many Have no fear of intimacy I’ve got silver in my gold Never do what I am told But might do anything you ask If you just take off your mask…

So… Take me, at this point we ‘beguine’ Take me where we can only win I will walk with you, and we will do what we will do, Just take me, but take me to your heart!

(Repeat last line)

SHAKESPEARE GOES NASHVILLE

YELLOW BASKET

Sometimes my Lovers Gaze Sees beauty that it does amaze We were soulmates for one week But you don’t want to feel this thing too deep So I won’t watch you when you sleep.

But I will softly walk away And I will oh, so gently pray This love is borrowed out of time So I will never call you mine.

Her basket is brimming as she almost floats She shows no pretence, her passion comes with innocence Her basket of wicker had so much to give Whilst she still had all of her life left to live

Maybe this thing is done Maybe this course is run I will softly walk away And I will oh, so gently pray This love is borrowed out of time So I will never call you mine.

Shall I be the one to go?

Shall I be the one who knows How it is for both of us So I don’t even make a fuss?

The acheing years came too soon. She sat by the fire and gazed at the moon Remembering the children that she never did have, But oh! how she danced at those summer fayres, Igniting the sparks in her eyes and with straw in her hair.

(Repeat last four lines)

She sits by the fire and dreams of a life she has not yet lived She hung up her broom a little too soon, had nowt left to give.

Leafe/Sands

Art thou my lover still?

Hast thee the heart or will To change the negative to good And nourish passion with soul food, Enter the bridal chamber deep And wallow there for a whole week Or shall I softly walk away And shall I oh so gently pray Or will this love become sublime And will you ever call me thine?

(Repeat last line)

Leafe/Sands

She sits by the fire and dreams of a life she has not yet lived She hung up her broom a little too soon, had nothing to give.

With sadness supressed, righteous solitude The lovers enjoyed seemed so, so very brief But oh! how she danced at those summer fayres Igniting the sparks in her eyes and with straw in her hair.

By glowing sunlight, by darkness of night, she sits and relives!

Oh by flickering flames, the basket of wicker becomes full again!

Oh how she danced, and she danced, and she danced…

(Repeat to fade…)

THE HAUNTING (For Mimi)

SOLACE

I see the haunting in your eyes, my friend Please know you’re not the only one I too was stolen out of time, my friend And know the pain from which you run

Solace from the light returns with the night And I am here waiting… waiting for the dark And what must be borne returns with the dawn And I am here waiting… waiting for the dark Waiting for the dark… I’m waiting for the dark… waiting for the night

KA Leafe: Lyric & melody Timperley/Franklin: Musical arrangement

That pain that brought you to your knees, my friend Becomes the fire from which to rise And when you find your phoenix wings I know That that will be reflected in your eyes They are the robbers, we the robbed, my friend Yet, we do not just pass it on!

Their highway mask we throw aside, my friend And we refuse to put it on We are the strong ones, they the weak We the awaking, they asleep We’ll turn their curse into a blessing In doing so, we live again La la la, refrain I see the haunting in your eyes, my friend Please know you’re not the only one I too was stolen out of time, Mimi And know the pain from which you run Repeat rest of song, plus ‘In doing so we live again’

Leafe/Sands/Timperley

I live this double life, walk the edge of a knife My life hangs in the balance, waiting for the dark If I ask myself twice, I’ll say yes to this life Now I’m loving the mystery, the mystery of life Mystery of life… mystery of life… ooooooh!

(Repeat first verse) Oooooooo…

Reprise: It’s all about change Life’s all about now The only thing is change Life’s all about change And all about this moment (Repeat with variations) Oooooooo, aaaaaaaaaa, ooooooo, aaaaaaaa (repeated) I’m waiting for the dark

UNIVERSAL SPIRIT RC Sands

Universal Spirit, Ensemble play Clarity of mind Intent on living Heartache turns to sorrow Sadness turns to doubt Karma likes to borrow And work its own way out (repeat) Universal singer, A heart at play A charity of kind A chance for giving Sunrise comes tomorrow Silence tends to shout Karma likes to borrow And work its own way out (repeat) Vocalese…

The Music of the Spheres

Universal spirit it’s essential Can’t write it down with a pencil Tried really hard, it’s mental, I’m looking for a calmer place.

Universal spirit it’s immaterial Runs through my veins, it’s arterial Impresses my soul like a miracle Open my heart and I’m vulnerable But that’s cool.

I stand tall.

Like the Wall of China – What could be a finer sublimer rhymer!

I’m just a blip in reality Held in place by a gravity Time and space couldn’t harness me I’m looking for a calmer place.

Space, it’s a big place So I sew my seeds like a dreamer And tend the soil like a gardener I harvest my goods like a farmer And I eat the fruits of my karma.

Vocalese…

BEYOND BARRIERS KA Leafe

Living with death and loss makes each moment more poignant We feel the mortal coil, use all our senses The burning facades, the broken lives we lead Roll on ’til extinguished, Yet I believe love lies beyond all For in my heart, all returns again to love Each breaking makes of me, a woman knowing more of love That love endures, scorches the heart of me That love endures, becomes a part of me All human joy and pain paint life’s rich tapestries Though lives are lost, spirit remains unchanged And so we live and love, we dream and strive and grow We taste the mortal coil, use all our senses Our backs against the wall, we learn, we toil, we fall And yet I know that love lies beyond all For in my heart, all returns again to love Each breaking makes of me, a woman knowing more of love That love endures, cleanses the heart of me That love endures, becomes a part of me All human joy and love paint life’s rich tapestries Though loves are lost, our souls remain unstained La la la, la la la…

Reprise: We will not give up hope.

We’ll raise a glass to you.

We’ll raise our voice in song Use all our senses We will rise when we fall We won’t lose sight of love As we move beyond barriers.

RUDE HIPPO RC Sands

I was interrupted by something I never thought I’d see A rude hippopotamus under a rhubarb tree Yes! A rude hippopotamus under a rhubarb tree!

On a crumble beach next to a custard sea.

I don’t know what was wrong with his attitude But he came across being VERY rude Huffing and snorting and drinking teas From flying saucers made by mosquito bees.

OK! So the shades are cool, but the heels gotta go He thought I was rude when I told him so.

Still abrupt and discourteous, then it hit me with a thud!

The rude hippopotamus was so rude ‘cos he had no mud!

FROM A TO X (Tribute to John Berger)

Leafe/Sands

Memories of laughter Freckles on your skin Your shoes upon the path The dust we’re walking in.

Strength in your arms And tenderness in hands The tears that flow from eyes And the sweetness of the mouth Tonight I’m thinking of you Hand between my thighs Sometimes my heart trembles In terror of their lies The strategy of resistance Is to enter from the side A subtle, sideways movement That takes them by surprise Words spoken in the evening Bring a truth that can be ‘held’ Most promises are broken But what we share is used to meld…

Night-time into day Another sun will rise And birds fly in the same sky Viewed from our separate window frames Chorus: And so I pray tonight That there will come a good day For laying down of arms And raising hearts And I call again For a gathering of light That my compatriots Sleep safe another night

Your prison is these four walls My prison, life without My town it is in ruins And my neighbour, he is gone?

These wars were made by men While the earth gives life to all My friend so warm, was shot As the tanks began to roll Our governments are crazy They are not blind at all They know just what they do They wish to see us fall Anthem: We people of these lands Hold faith within our hearts Believing in ‘their’ lies Makes us grow into their ‘parts’ They work to their own ends They work to make our pall The master plan was then, is now To make slaves of us all Chorus: And so I pray tonight That there will come a good day For laying down of arms And raising up of hearts And I call again For a gathering of light That my compatriots Sleep safe another night Another night… (repeat until end)

THAT TRUTH

(For Dee) Leafe/Sands/Timperley Life flies by and I’m struck by debris Battered and fallen I lie And when all pain is passed I’m left with beauty And the truth of love Time flies by and I’m crushed by gravity Broken and empty I lie And when all pain is passed I’m left with beauty And the truth of love And when all pain is passed I’m left with beauty And the truth of love Days go by before my eyes My hair grows long I’ve no more tears left to cry Yet when all pain is past I’m left with beauty And the truth of love World spins round I stand still Cast my net wide Catching a Harvest of Sound And when all pain is past I’m left with beauty And the truth of love And when all pain is past I’m left with beauty And the truth of love Atoms are angels, Madam says So have no fear.

There is no bridge right now, And no suspended tears!

Lives fly by and come around Rivers flow, on their way back to ground But when all pain is passed I’m left with beauty And the truth of love Life flies by and I’m struck by debris Battered and fallen I lie But when all pain is passed I’m left with beauty And the truth of love And when all pain is passed I’m left with beauty And the truth of love And when all pain is passed I’m left with beauty And the truth of love I… I… I… I… I… I AM that truth (Repeat) That’s the truth, The truth of love (Many repeats, with background voice saying: ‘I am that truth he is that truth she is that truth you are that truth they are that truth we are that truth’) I AM that truth That’s the truth of love. You know it is.

RECORDED & MIXED BY JAMES McMILLAN PRODUCED BY ROB SANDS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: K A LEAFE

ADDITIONAL PERFORMERS:

THE BAND

ANDY CROOKES: Kit drums on ‘Times Tales’, ‘Amber Tango’, ‘The Haunting’, ‘Solace’ and ‘That Truth’

AMBER: Lead vocals, wooden whistle, megaphone & all female backing vocals – except last line of ‘That Truth’: CAROL SANIGAR CLIVE TIMPERLEY: Steel and nylon-stringed guitars, 12-string guitar, 6-string electric guitar, banjo & slide banjo, ukelele ROB SANDS: Rhythm guitar, plus lead guitar on ‘Rude Hippo’, tablas, congas, recorder and rap, male backing vocals and tambourine on ‘Beyond Barriers’ ALISTAIR FRANKLIN: Bass guitar, double bass on ‘Shakespeare Goes Nashville’, moog on ‘Beyond Barriers’ and keyboard on ‘Solace’

RUSSELL FIELD: Kit drums on ‘Yellow Basket’ ‘Universal Spirit’, ‘Beyond Barriers’, ‘Rude Hippo’ and ‘From A to X’

JAMES MCMILLAN

RUSSELL FIELD

MIKE HATCHARD: Hammond organ, baby grand, violin, clarinet JAMES McMILLAN: Trumpet, valve trombone, cornet

MIKE HATCHARD

NANA TSIBOE Kit drums on ‘ Senses Aflame’ and ‘Shakespeare Goes Nashville’ JEM TURPIN: Harmonica

NANA TSIBOE

HAND CLAPS: James, Rob and Clive

ALISTAIR FRANKLIN, ROB SANDS, AMBER, ANDY CROOKES, CLIVE TIMPERLEY PHOTO: MICK THE DOG

MALE CHOIR VOICES: James, Rob and Clive

JEM TURPIN