The Miser’s Will – Parts 1, 2 and 3

I’ve been writing a series of steampunky narrative songs, collectively called The Miser’s Will.

Here are demo recordings of the first three (Of an eventual 5 – Nearly finished!). Rough first drafts, just vocal and acoustic guitar.

The Cartographer’s Tale

What The Orderly Saw

Watermen’s Square

Lyrics are below.

Once I’ve finished it, I’m thinking I’ll do another online gig to share them live with (A tiny section of) the world.

The Miser’s Will I: The Cartographer’s Tale

And I’ll confess, I didn’t know what I would find
I drew these maps, but I didn’t make the marks that you see
Follow, follow said the letter and so I did
And I’ll confess, I didn’t know what I would find

Drawing maps should lead you so far astray

Hello my love look what I foundHidden in a hole in the ground
I dug these metal claws out of the earth and I don’t know why

I’ll confess, it’s strangest tale I have heard
I recieved this map, with instructions to follow and dig.
Dig dig dig, is what it said and so I did,
And now I’m bound to take what I found to London town

Drawing maps shouldn’t lead me so far astray

Hello my love look what I found Hidden in a hole in the ground
They’re brass and gold and leather too Dead yet somehow feel alive
I dug these metal claws out of the ground and I don’t know why

Are you the one who sent for me?
The will’s executer?
Are you the one who wants these claws,
Are you the man I seek?
Put down the gun, I did as you asked Put down the gun please

Drawing maps shouldn’t lead you so far astray

Goodbye my love, cos what I found
Hidden in a hole in the ground
has cost me everything that I hold dear
Has cost me everything that we shared
Goodbye my love
Where I go now is not shown on any map
I return to you if only I could
If only I knew the way
I dug those metal claws out of the ground and I don’t know why.

The Miser’s Will II: What the Orderly Saw

I pushed the trolley,
that killed me dead

I pushed the trolley
that carried the corpse
That killed me dead

I pushed the trolley
That carried the corpse
the doctor cut the brain out of
That killed me dead

He placed it in a jar with chemicals
Electric pulses racing through the flesh

I pushed the trolley that carried the corpse the doctor cut the brain out of,
I watched the doctor meet the man that killed me dead

I pushed the trolley that carried the corpse the doctor cut the brain out of
I watched the doctor meet the man that shot the doctor through the head then killed me dead

Placed it in a jar with chemicals
Electric pulses racing through the flesh
Grey matter revived beyond its time

He thinks death’s an illness to be treated, the doctor said to me
Well even the dead can be cheated the doctor said to me
He asked for more than they agreed, the doctor’s dead
But the man in black spotted me, and so I fled

I’ve seen you have you seen me, have you come to shut me up?
His booted feet upon the floor, come to shut me up
The smoking gun in his hand come to shut me up
I don’t remember my last, Only what I saw

He placed it in a jar with chemicals

The Miser’s Will III: Watermen’s Square

Stories can change, rumours can spread, facts can grow with the telling
But what we pulled up from the depths of the thames, was as dark and strange as they say.
Ribs made of rust and tendons of steel, mishapen and twisted with age.
The toll of years beneath the waves had all but obscured the human shape

In watermen’s square, we sleep with the lights on
In watermen’s square, we all hide away

Beneath greying skies we smuggled it back, back to the watermen’s square.
Gas lamps alight, we studied and starred, but made head nor tail of our find
Five past midnight, a black form appeared, stood at the gates of the square
He said I believe that what you’ve found doesn’t belong to you, I’ll be taking it now

In watermen’s square, we sleep with the lights on
In watermen’s square, we all hide away

We had told no-one, of the structure we pulled up
We had told no-one, yet the stranger still appeared
He produced papers, but we didn’t read them, we just let him take it.

In watermen’s square, we sleep with the lights on
In watermen’s square, we all hide away