Kicking Out Time (c) John Lanyon and John Corlett, 2002 Scrappin' with my baby She said "I've had enough Here's a ticket, lover, Get back on the bus It's kicking-out time It's kicking-out time Don't care if it's raining It's kicking-out time." Standing at the dock gates Leaving with my mates The boss is standing grinning "I don't like your face" It's kicking-out time It's kicking-out time My ship's going down the river It's kicking-out time. Sittin' at the piano I think I've found some rest The blues, you're my baby The blues, you're my bequest It's kicking-out time It's kicking-out time Play my lazy rhythm I'm kicking out time.
John Lanyon writes:
Kicking Out Time was not kingB's first attempt at original composition but it was the first original song to become part of the regular kingB repertoire and audience favourite.
At the end of one of our rehearsals Cat explained he had been out for a bike-ride and a particular riff and tempo had suggested themselves to him. He promptly demonstrated it on bass and I said "I think I can write some lyrics to fit". The next day, in my lunchbreak I wrote the entire lyrics. At the next rehearsal we ran through it and we so pleased with ourselves we just played it over and over.
Currently we use Kicking Out Time as a feature for our harmonica player, Ian Grierson.
Silverman (c) John Lanyon, 2007 Silverman, lucky charm I know you miss your friend Silverman, lucky charm Your time is 1 a.m. Silverman, lucky charm Cross my palm with Blues Silverman, lucky charm I hope it works for you Silverman, lucky charm A silver dollar on your chain Silverman, lucky charm You pay for all that pain Silverman, lucky charm It's a long shift in the mine Silver man, lucky charm I'd say you bear the signs Silverman, lucky charm A wise man shall be loved Silverman, lucky charm You know that is enough Silverman, lucky charm Cross my palm with Blues Silverman, lucky charm I hope it works for you
John Lanyon writes:
I wrote Silverman in the summer of 2007. Usually the words come first but with this song the feel and melody were there right from the start. The melody I play as an intro and outro emerged the very first time we jammed on Silverman (just me, Ian Harmonica and Ian Drums).
Oxford blues promoter Philip Guy-Davis is known as Silver Phil because he wears a lot of silver jewelry. I asked him about it and he says he wears it for luck. I think you can see the song as being about the way we seek good fortune in life - the bright streak of metal that will transform our lives and cancel out our negative experiences.
I like the song to be played and sung with "atti-tood"!
Countdown to the Blues (c) John Corlett, 2007 I call you up, on the telephone A busy line, or you're not home "Leave a message, give your name" You say you're working, but all the same I think it's a countdown, Countdown to the blues You changed your car, a little more style You changed your hair, let it grow awhile You're wearing clothes I've never seen Now I figured out what it means I believe it's a countdown, Countdown to the blues You're buying things I didn't ask for Giving me gifts like never before Then at night, we're far apart Is it the secret of a guilty heart? Feels like a countdown, Countdown to the blues I saw your friend, the other day I went to speak, he walked away He knows there's something going on He can't tell me, but he knows it's wrong It must be a countdown, Countdown to the blues Am I crazy? losing my mind? Maybe suspicious, but I'm not blind You're acting strange, that I can see I've got the feeling you're leaving me I think it's a countdown, Countdown to the blues I believe it's a countdown, Countdown to the blues I believe it's a countdown, Countdown to the blues
John Corlett writes:
The idea for this song, and the overall shape, came to me while walking back to the car after a gig in Burford by Eugene 'Hideaway' Bridges on a beautiful summer night. I think it was generally inspired by his superbly fluent and melodic songwriting style, rather than being based on anything more specific. I developed the song by asking people about the subtle signs that tell you your partner is cheating (I had a few of my own to start with!). With the band it went round a few different rhythmic versions before settling on the current one, which is somewhere between 'I Heard it Through the Grapevine' and 'The Thrill is Gone'.
Last updated: 07-Mar-08, 21.00