Lovers in the City

1995
produced by Tanita Tikaram(*) or Thomas Newman(#)

I Might Be Crying

What  didn't know back then
Was that I might be crying
It is such a simple sentiment
To steal the show
And what I didn't know back then
Is that I might be losing you
And still I wouldn't know

And now I suck up to the pale moonlight
Like it's gonna lead me home
And I shiver in my tired clothes
As if that could keep me warm
And now I stare across the dirty river
And I'm sure upon this bridge I'll see you
Cos I dreamt I'd kiss you up there

What I didn't know back then
Is how great the sin
How time goes so slowly
When you're cheating on a friend
And what I didn't know back then
Is that I might be needing you

Yeah I might be needing you
The need it doesn't end
And now I stare across the dirty river
And I breathe the dirty air
And I'm sure upon the bridge I'll see you
'Cos I dreamt I'd kiss you there

What I didn't know back then
Was that I might be crying
It's such a simple sentiment
To steal the show

Tanita Tikaram, vocals & shadow vocals

Jennifer Warnes, vocal chant

Steve Williams, percussion track & bass

Noel Langley, trumpet

Chris ‘Snake’ Davies, sax

Neil Sidwell, trombone

with The Valentine Strings arranged and conducted by Thomas Newman

vocal chant arranged by Jennifer Warnes

Bloodlines

You can't call hell
A quiet town
But you walked so shell-shocked
Have you found a way to stand?
Your head is high
You have, oh, such curious hands

Did they mantion?
Special faces
And your young mind
And foreign places

And I wonder
Where you come from
I know they have no answers
But their bloodlines

Can you call?
This land a friend
You looked so hopeful
Have you found a way to send this soul
To, oh, such a curious end

For this sadness
Am I made strong?
For my sadness
Must be shared by someone

Ande I wonder
Where you come from
I know I have no answers
But my bloodlines

To know that I am not the only one
To know that my love is for everyone
To hold it in my heart
To hold it in my heart
To hold it in my heart

And I wonder
Where you come from
I know I have no answers
But my bloodlines

Tanita Tikaram, vocals

Thomas Newman, piano, drums programme & processed harmonica

Michael Fisher, bataas

Rick Cox, radio skids & processed guitar

George Bud, phonograph

Neil Sidwell, trombone

Feeding The Witches

If I - won't be - able
To hold - a good - conversation
If I - feel - big - and ballooning
If I - turn up - today

If I - can't be - appreciated
I - won't be - 'preciated - at all
And if I - look - red - and - confusing
Well, I - am all - of the above

'Cos, I've been
Feeding the witches
Feeding them straw
Feeding the witches
The witches
The witches
Who live next door
You'd think
They'd have no milk, they'd
Have no honey
You'd think
They would prefer - petroleum
You'd think
they'd have rat's eyes
Not like Aunt sally
Yeah - you'd think
They wouldn't smile - just like your mum

Since I've been
Feeding the witches
Feeding them straw
I am
Falling for witches
The witches
Who live next door
They live next door
They live next door

If I - start wrong - too drunk - to continue
And - if - can't shout
I can't do - things - I used to
I'll be

Joining the witches
Feeding them straw
I'll be feeding the witches
The witches
Yes I'll be
Joining the witches
Feeding them straw, I'll be
Joining the witches
The witches who live next door

Tanita Tikaram, vocals

and the London Session Orchestra arranged and conducted by Gavyn Wright

Happy Taxi

Criss-cross laces
You have the centre
You have the cinnamon
In the centre
You shouldn't be alone
You should just pick up yourself
And shine yourself
And make yourself fit a bran new maybe
in the side streets
You been walking
I have been walking too
So, you know the faces
You know how they'll flirt with you

Well, I know my favourite language
Well, it trickles down my mouth
If this is me
Being close to you
Being somewhere like the last night we spend together
That is something next to nothing
That is something
So, I got my truth of many colours
I got my fears
Another shade
But when I'm riding my happy taxi
I guess I got it made

Who's that creeping?
In the street there
Who's that creeping?
By your window
She might know something
She might show you some things
You never really want to share forever
Mean forever
'Cos it feels so slow

We drove out like something special
In our special rags
Well, I know that something special happens!
When we drive our sad to happy
We go driving
In our happy taxi
in our happy taxi

I am not the
First street preacher
Not the first to
Want to lead you
Not the first to
Leave your money
Not the first to
Leave your home
Not the first to
Leave forever
Glad to go
When love has gone

So where am I going?
Where am I going tonight?
So where am I staying?
In my happy moonlight
In my happy taxi
In my happy taxi
In my happy taxi
In my happy taxi
In my happy taxi
In my happy taxi
Would you drive on down
Would you drive on down
Would you drive on down
In my happy taxi
In my happy taxi

Tanita Tikaram, vocals

Thomas Newman, drum programme

Rick Cox, drum programme & processed guitar

Michael Landau, electric guitar

John Beaslee, piano

Michael Fisher, processed metals, ocarinas & lujohn

Jennifer Warnes, backing vocals

Tanita and Thomas, processed guitar

My Love Tonight

And I
Go dancing for a little
Have never felt so little
Fear the stars in their eyes
You feel them lie
So close
You never dare to breathe
You never dare the stars
In their eyes
Their eyes

Am I?
Supposed to even say
Suppose I even say
I see they're lovers eyes
Their love - tonight

So loose
It never seemed so much
It never seemed so
So why?
So why?
My love tonight

And I -
Will never need this much
Will never see the moon so starry eyed
My love tonight
My love and I
My love and I

Tanita Tikaram, vocals & guitar

Tony Pleeth, cello

Helen Liebmann, cello

Paul Kegg, cello

Martin Loveday, cello

Gavyn Wright, viaola & string arrangement

commissioned for the Abitare il tempo exhibition

Lovers In The City

I'd never call this an unpleasant situation
I'd never teach you how to lie
But sometimes I have been walking numb
And I must catch myself before I cry
Before I cry
I never call anything ugly
I never call anything strange and alone
I never want to, take things lightly
Like they have never been my own

Oh, don't - now I haven't heard it yet
Oh, don't - I havn't heard
But I know them - and they are inclined to see
Just who is
And isn't
A lover in the city

I always thought I would be star bright
I always thought you'd feel it too
But sometimes I have been making conversation
And I must catch myself
Before I'm down
I'm down on you
I never think they would be scaring me
scared couples in the cold
They look so fine in their eagerness
I wonder to myself just how they know

Oh, don't - now I haven't heard it yet
Oh, don't - I havn't heard
But I know them - and they are inclined to see
Just who is
And isn't
A lover in the city

I swear
I'm staking out the whole world
I swear
I'm staking out the whole world
I'm staking out the whole world

I could never entertain you
I'd be far too scared to try
But sometimes I have been talking dumb
And I forget myself
And I forget myself
And don't ask, why?

Oh, don't - now I haven't heard it yet
Oh, don't - I havn't heard
But I know them - and they are inclined to see
Just who is
And isn't
A lover in the city

Tanita Tikaram, vocals

Rick Cox, drum programme

Michael Fisher, percussion

John Beaslee, piano

Martin Landau, electric guitar

Jennifer Warnes, backing vocals

with The Valentine Strings arranged and conducted by Thomas Newman

Yodelling Song

The first time you stole flowers from the grave
Then, the second time, you shaved your head, you had been saved
By the very friendly, Jesus man
And all he said, "Well, I'm your brother, man"

In the winter time you - you wore patch-work hard-me-downs
In the summer time - you were all bronzed, while I was brown
And they didn't ask you where you got the candy
No, they didn't ask you where you got the tan

In the morning time - we played travels in the sea
In the evening time - we had reduced the sea to me
But your mother saved us - from your daddy's hand
Yeah - your mother saved us - from your daddy's hand
From your daddy
From your daddy

With my adult mind -
You know my body feels so strange
If they'd only sign away my life to me
I could be much saner
If they'd only learn to let me
Freedom seek
The world would be less mean
But they never know - how to let you go
But they never know - how to leace me

Yodel - ee
Yod - el - ee

Tanita Tikaram, vocals & guitar

Suzie Katayama, cello

Larry Corbett, cello

Jim Keltner, drums

Jimmy Johnson, bass

David Lindley, bass

Don Edwards, yodelling

Sid Page, violin

Wonderful Shadow

You've a beautiful body and a wonderful mind
These are things I've been stumbling towards
And I think you've been kind towards me

There are wonderful moments
The gifts I've received
And the knowledge is hurting
But I guess it comes back to the things that you no longer need

I'm an evil young hustler
To be so curious
These are evil young thoughts here
To be so jealous, so jealous
When a beautiful thought can
Can be just thrown away
'Cos i tell you - I'm used to looking and turning my back on them

Some things you say
Just to be sociable
And somethings you feel
'Cos you're young and you're gullible
And sometimes I'm watching
Sometimes I'm too scared
And sometimes I'm able, I'm useful
I'm holding you
Holding you

You've a beautiful body
And a wonderful mind
These are things I've been stumbling towards
And I think you've been kind towards me

I'm a wonderful shadow
Whose sweetness is brief
For there's nothing like lovers
Who cry in the night
Wanting to need you
and wanting to need you
And hoping that you'll feel it too
Yes, you

Tanita Tikaram, vocals

Mark Cresswell, guitar

Adam Kirk, guitar

Steve Williams, percussion & bass

London Session Orchestra, strings

strings arranged and conducted by Gavyn Wright

drum track created and programmed by Steve Williams

Women Who Cheat On The World

Oh, my
When you are not all together
And you feel your face is a fiery place
For many tears
Who looks upon a picture and really feels a thrill
Oh, not me
Who looks into their past and feels they could leave

And you'd think by looking at his soul
That it really is his woman who'd cheat on the world
Who'd cheat on the world

Oh, my
When you are not really moving
And you feel your feet have been put to sleep
For many years
Who looks into a city
And really feels at home
Oh, not me
Who looks into the dark
And yearns to be free

And you'd think by looking at his soul
That it really is his woman who'd cheat on the world
Who'd cheat on the world

Boy,
A lot of things are very simple
A lot of things are logical
When held into your hands
Boy,
A lot of things are very simple
A lot of things are very simple
And they fall apart
When they fall apart

Oh, my
When you are not really living
And you feel your heart
Is the biggest part of all your fears
Who looks upon a lover and really feels desire
Oh, not me
Who looks into themselves and likes what they see

And you'd think by looking at his soul
That it really is his woman who'd cheat on the world
Who'd cheat on the world
Who'd cheat on the world
Who'd cheat on the world
Who'd cheat on the world
Who'd cheat on the world

Tanita Tikaram, guitar, vocals & atmospheric fabric

Jimmy Johnson, bass

Jim Keltner, drums

Michael Fisher, lujohn, bloogles

Jennifer Warnes, backing vocals

Rick Cox, processed guitar

with The Valentine Strings arranged and conducted by Thomas Newman

Leaving The Party

Give me a reason
For leaving the party
I'll leave by the entrance
The same way I came
I'm not
Here to enjoy you, I'm
Here to endure you
I'm leaving the party
The same way I came

It's so fine
Stormin' across the sea
It's alright
What the drunk is explaining to me
It's OK - I haven't seen anyone at all
It's all night
I've been waiting
It's all night
I've been waiting

Give me a reason
For leaving the party
I'll leave by the entrance
The same way I came
I'm not
Here to enjoy you, I'm
Here to endure you
I'm leaving the party
The same way I came

It's alright
These are my oldest suede shoes
It's alright
I feel Elvisy
I get the blues too
It's OK
But I will pass upon this pipe
It's OK
Since I don't see anyone tonight

Give me a reason
For leaving the party
I'll leave by the entrance
The same way I came
I'm not
Here to enjoy you, I'm
Here to endure you
I'm leaving the party
The same way I came

It's so fine
Sharing your stories with me
It's alright in explaining

I still get to sleep with me
It's OK
I haven't seen anyone at all
It's all night
I've been waiting
It's all night
I've been waiting

Give me a reason
For leaving the party
I'll leave by the entrance
The same way I came
I'm not
Here to enjoy you, I'm
Here to endure you
I'm leaving the party
The same way I came

Tanita Tikaram, vocals & guitar

and the London Session Orcahestra arranged and conducted by Gavyn Wright featuring

Chris Laurence, bass

Phil Todd, solo sax