At the border
At the border Today, July 4, 2013, I found (or maybe re-found) the comment made below by Doug in Feb. 2010, which prompted me to find out more about the song.
Al Stewart (original 1976, from the "Year of the Cat" album)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmaCOQLvwvo
"On The Border"
The fishing boats go out across the evening water
Smuggling guns and arms across the Spanish border
The wind whips up the waves so loud
The ghost moon sails among the clouds
Turns the rifles into silver on the border
On my wall the colours of the maps are running
From Africa the winds they talk of changes coming
The torches flare up in the night
The hand that sets the farms alight
Has spread the word to those who're waiting on the border
In the village where I grew up
Nothing seems the same
Still you never see the change from day to day
And no-one notices the customs slip away
Late last night the rain was knocking at my window
I moved across the darkened room and in the lampglow
I thought I saw down in the street
The spirit of the century
Telling us that we're all standing on the border
In the islands where I grew up
Nothing seems the same
It's just the patterns that remain
An empty shell
But there's a strangeness in the air you feel too well
The fishing boats go out across the evening water
Smuggling guns and arms across the Spanish border
The wind whips up the waves so loud
The ghost moon sails among the clouds
Turns the rifles into silver on the border
On the border
On the border
On the border
Writer: Alistair Ian Stewart
Copyright: Dick James Music Ltd., Gwyneth Music Ltd.
a youtube mix of songs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa89bt0GZvQ&list=RD02vCslASOabUI
Al Stewart (original 1976, from the "Year of the Cat" album)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmaCOQLvwvo
"On The Border"
The fishing boats go out across the evening water
Smuggling guns and arms across the Spanish border
The wind whips up the waves so loud
The ghost moon sails among the clouds
Turns the rifles into silver on the border
On my wall the colours of the maps are running
From Africa the winds they talk of changes coming
The torches flare up in the night
The hand that sets the farms alight
Has spread the word to those who're waiting on the border
In the village where I grew up
Nothing seems the same
Still you never see the change from day to day
And no-one notices the customs slip away
Late last night the rain was knocking at my window
I moved across the darkened room and in the lampglow
I thought I saw down in the street
The spirit of the century
Telling us that we're all standing on the border
In the islands where I grew up
Nothing seems the same
It's just the patterns that remain
An empty shell
But there's a strangeness in the air you feel too well
The fishing boats go out across the evening water
Smuggling guns and arms across the Spanish border
The wind whips up the waves so loud
The ghost moon sails among the clouds
Turns the rifles into silver on the border
On the border
On the border
On the border
Writer: Alistair Ian Stewart
Copyright: Dick James Music Ltd., Gwyneth Music Ltd.
a youtube mix of songs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa89bt0GZvQ&list=RD02vCslASOabUI
Comments
-
on 2010-Feb-01 10:56:55 Anonymous coward said Doug
Makes me think of a great song called "On the Border", which was written by Al Stewart and on the "B" side of his "Year of the Cat" album. -
on 2013-Jul-07 17:26:06 Anonymous coward said Doug
I saw Al Stewart live in concert at the Tower Theatre (69th Street, Philadelphia) in 1976. It was outstanding!
I listened to many different types of music in those days. I really really like how Al Stewart integrated history into his songwriting and compositions.
I'm glad you enjoy the song. I still play "On the Border" on my School Bus route in the wee hours of the morning and I've never had anyone object to it. Like I always tell my riders,
"Good music (whether old or new) is timeless."
Photo info
Random image
