Muffled bells will ring out from noon on Friday 9th September 2022
to mark the death of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11
Our queen our queen our queen our queen
Sorry song sorry song sorry song
Bells ring ring bells bells ring ring
Gone gone gone
Gone gone gone
The Chorus (Strophe)
Air of the tomb
And Catacomb
Myrrh
Whisper of death with
sweet cold breath
Myrrh
Drowsy with sleep
Anoint the feet
Myrrh
Weave in the wreath
The shudder of death
Myrrh
Chill cold knell
And long farewell
Myrrh
Peter
If I'd been put before a judge
Or taken up by Cesar's men
I would have stood and shouted loud
I would have have said I'm Jesus' friend
His follower, disciple too, his rock, his man his brother true
I would have stood so proud
I didn't think that it would count
Such lowly stupid fools
With all their nonsense fears and threats
Their ignorance and tenner bets
Such scoundrels thugs and thieves
Why waste the truth on these?
But when I heard that dreadful Cock
And heard it crow and crow
I understood that truth cannot
Be used only for show
Pilate
an innocent
man
Just like me
Did nothing wrong
Just didn't belong
Should have kept quiet
Should have followed the rules
Should never have said he was
King of the Jews
An innocent man
just like me
Basically good
Just misunderstood
I washed my hands of it
Didn't agree with it
But went along with it
to protect me
Gave them the murderer
Let him go free
Let them nail Jesus
Onto the tree
Just went along with it
Didn't agree with it
An innocent man
That's me
Just an innocent man
That's me
Judas
nothing can undo
the time
this noose
my folly
my sin
no one could forgive
me ever
or pity
my horror
my pain
never again
his smile
his eyes
his holy bread
his wine
no more love
or clan
no hope
just this body
and this rope
Barabbas
They shouted my name
To be cut from the tree
"Barabbas the murderer
Let it be he"
And I will forget how he nodded to me
Barabbas the murderer
I will be free
Barabbas the sinner
Cut down from the tree
Let me forget
How he looked at me
Barabbas the murderer
Cut from the tree
Try to forget
And try to be free
The soldier
We struck him and scourged him
With thorn wood with sticks
With iron brutality
I didn't flinch
One of the soldiers
One of the men
One of the ones
Who would do it again
Swallowed my sickness
Showed them no weakness
Struck that poor man
Again and again
One of the soldiers
One of the men
One of the ones
Who would do it again
Later alone
In terrible shame
I saw his eyes wincing
In fear and in pain
One of the soldiers
One of the men
One of the ones
Who would do it again
Joseph
Who heard my cry
My son? my wife?
This broken jar?
My longing and despair
And I stood witness
To my son, my wife,
The soldiers, Cesar, God
And all my love
And all my hate
Was there
Testament of the Thief
No one could help me
Torment and terror
Torment and terror
And terrible pain
Horror and helplessness
Over and over
My body was broken
Again and again
Worse than the deepest most terrible hunger
Worse than that terrible hunger and pain
Hung on a tree I hungered for safety
Hungered for death and an end to my pain
Nearing the end my as my head fell sideways
Looked at the man who was tortured there too
I couldn't hear the words that he uttered
I didn't need to
Because I knew
That he would make sure to see me in Heaven
And for a second my spirit rose too
Felt a great love in my heart as it ended
For he was Jesus
And his word was true
Three Witnesses
We usually go
Take stones to throw
An afternoon's sport
sometimes we throw dirt
Drink cheap red wine
Have a good time
Today was such fun
the scourging was done
He screamed when they nailed
His hands to the tree
He screamed when they nailed
His feet to the trunk
We were quite drunk
And jeered drunkenly
So he died at last
Sometime after three
Then came a strange silence
Fell even on me
The sky grew so black
A terrible crack
That terrible light
It struck us and pinned us
We witnesses three
We'd jeered while this man
Was nailed to a tree
We'd sang while he died
Mocked his agony
Thought it would be fun
A holiday see?
But now I am sure
That God could see me
Now I am sure
He should have been free
'Cos maybe
Just maybe
It could have been me
The Chorus
Wind him and hold him
Wounds and scars of pain
Cover and enfold him
Wind the sheet again
Bind him and hold him
linen woven fine
Wrap him and soothe him
Wind the cloth again
Comfort and cool him
Myrrh and linen bind
Cover and protect him
Wind the cloth again
Comfort and hold him
Bandage the pain
Robed in our sorrow
Wind the cloth again
Magdalene
no woman's land
no place for tears
this empty silence very loud
these holes, so black and deep
An awful wish
That he would not
Have been "the one"
Because he is
And all is love and all is gone
And all and all and all is one
And never will I find him
Alive again for me
The Chorus: On the third day (the
Sabbath)
Linens and incense
And more bitter myrrh
To sweeten the tomb
With smoke and clean air
Wash his face
Kiss his hand
Ice cold Divine
Cover and keep him
For now
For all time. ( Repeat while walking)
Worse even than death
Betrayal and shame
His body is taken
The tomb is undone
Thieves or bad villains
Or cruel Cesar's men
Have stolen our Lord
His body is gone
Such bitter anguish
The shroud is thrown down
His body is taken
His body is gone
Women of anguish
Women of pain
We cannot rest
Till we find him again
Weep again
Weep again
Mourning women
His body is taken
The tomb is undone
Mary
Torn hollow heart
Won't beat
My chest a cave of blood
My son
Warm
Life and breath ?
With fear
I shape his name
Christ is Risen
He is among us
How can it be
He that was crucified?
Yes it is He
He walks in a veil of light
Pure light
A calm light
Walks with his friends
and
With his family
He is among us
How can it be?
He carries the wounds
On his living body
He was entombed
But now he is free
Jesus the Nazarene
Walks again
Talks again
Walks in a pure light
A calm light
A Whole light
Is here with us
Back with us
Breathing the air
With us
Back with His friends
And with His family
It's true
Our Lord Jesus
Is risen
Is free
He who was crucified
On
He really is with us
Breaks holy bread with us
Blesses us
All of us
Even the worst of us
He counts as
Friends
And his family
This is the blessing
The promise
The healing
The Spring
And the bough
Of all Mystery
Jesus has Risen
And is among us
He that was dead
Is risen and free
Thomas
The wound
Tasted of iron,
Old blood,
Pain;
But still..
The eyes
So changed,
Keen, clear,
Cold;
Not him..
Said "Thomas"
Shook my shoulder,
Smiled
Again,
I knew him then
Final Chorus Antistrophe
Beautiful
Solemn
Incense smell
Ring the bell
Raise the fire of
Sacramental
Heavy high
And Head bowed low
Swing the censor
To and fro
Ash and smoke and
Breath of balm
Gum from wood
Of Asian trees
Ching of chain
Swing the Censor
High and low
Ash like snow
END
