Get all 29 Phil ‘Swill’ Odgers releases available on Bandcamp and save 65%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Far Rockaway - The Songs of Phil Ochs, Christmas In Prison - Live From Swillville - December 2023, There But For Fortune, Questions, Answers & Songs, SWILL'S SURPRISE SESSION (JAN 20TH 2022), GHOSTS OF ROCK N ROLL, Folk at the Fortress, THE BEST OF SWILL'S SUNDAY SESSION VOLUME 2, and 21 more.
Excludes supporter-only releases.
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The Serpent, The Maiden, and The Bear
Words and Music by Phil Odgers
Standing on the porch
Polaris marks the way due north
The moon was full up in the inky grey
Staring into space
Puts us in our place
Drinking in the Milky Way
Paint the galaxy
Put it up for all to see
The silver river flows the winter way
Beauty in the sky
A comet flashes by
Beyond the sun the tail leads it away
The stars are oh so big and bright
They’ll light our trail tonight
Show me the way
Nova’s distant ray
The serpent, the maiden, and the bear
Standing on the porch
Polaris marks the way due north
The moon was full up in the inky grey
Staring into space
Puts us in our place
Drinking in the Milky Way
The stars are oh so big and bright
They’ll light up our trail tonight
Show me the way
Nova’s distant ray
The serpent, the maiden, and the bear
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2. |
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Flower Lady
Word and Music by Phil Ochs
Millionaires and paupers walk the hungry streets
Rich and poor companions of the restless beat
Strangers in a foreign land
Strike a match with trembling hand
Learn too much to ever understand
But nobody's buying flowers from the flower lady
Lover's quarrel, snarl away their happiness
Kisses crumble in a web of loneliness
It's written by the poison pen
Voices break before they bend
The door is slammed
It's over, once again
But nobody's buying flowers from the flower lady
Poets agonize, they cannot find the words
And the stone stares at the sculptor asks "are you absurd?"
The painter paints his brushes black
Through the canvas runs a crack
Portrait of the pain never answers back
But nobody's buying flowers from the flower lady
Soldiers, disillusioned, come home from the war
Sarcastic students tell them not to fight no more
And they argue through the night
Black is black and white is white
Walk away both knowing they are right
But nobody's buying flowers from the flower lady
Smoke dreams of escaping souls are drifting by
Dull the pain of living as they slowly die
Smiles change into a sneer
washed away by whiskey tears
In the quicksand of their mind they disappear
Still nobody's buying flowers from the flower lady
Feeble, aged, people almost to their knees
Complain about the present using memories
Never found their pot of gold
Wrinkled hands pound weary holes
Each line screams out you're old, you're old, you're old
But nobody's buying flowers from the flower lady
And the flower lady hobbles home without a sale
Tattered shreds of petals leave a fading trail
Not a pause to hold a rose
Even she no longer knows
The lamp goes out the evening now is closed
And nobody's buying flowers from the flower lady
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3. |
Brooklyn Bridge
03:56
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The Brooklyn Bridge
Lyrics by Joe Solo, Music by Phil Odgers
"Morning Mr Arthur, I've come to fix the fridge"
He said "I've got a little magnet of the Brooklyn Bridge /
The ice cream melted, nothing much survived
We brought it back from New York
When me wife were still alive”
Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge,
That’s how… I… remember
the Brooklyn Bridge
“But where's me manners, would you like a cup of tea?
What did you say you're here to fix, the fridge, or the TV?"
I said: "I'm no good with tellies I'm here to do the fridge."
He said: "I've got a little magnet of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge,
That’s how… I… remember
the Brooklyn Bridge
“Take no notice of me, son, me mind's not what it was
I lose me way a lot these days, I know I do because
I hear me when I'm talking but there's gaps in what I say
Like when the rain stops under bridges as you drive a motorway
Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge,
That’s how… I remember
the Brooklyn Bridge
I hope the rain stops soon, the fridge man comes at three
Oh, where’s me manners, son? Would you like a cup of tea?
You'll have to drink it black, there’s no milk in this fridge
Look here, I've got a little magnet of the Brooklyn Bridge"
Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge,
That’s how… I remember
Brooklyn Bridge, The Brooklyn Bridge,
That’s how I remember her….
…the Brooklyn Bridge
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4. |
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Last Thing On My Mind Is Regret
Words and Music by Phil Odgers
If I could write a song for you
make every wrong right for you
If I could write a tune that would change the world
If I put pen to paper now,
not save it for later
If I could pass this test I’d fix this mess
But I sit here crack another beer, I ponder and I fret
I write these words, cross them out again, light another cigarette
I know that all the good things in my head I’m going to forget
and the last thing on my mind --- is regret
I took all those golden years from you
blood and sweat and tears from you
Your ma was right when she first clapped eyes me
Cos, she said I wasn’t right for you
you weren’t right for me she knew
But somehow, we saw it through
But I sit here crack another beer, I ponder and I fret
I write these words, cross them out again, light another cigarette
I know that all the good things in my head I’m going to forget
and the last thing on my mind --- is regret
If I could write a song for you
make every wrong right for you
If I could write a tune that would change the world
If I put pen to paper now,
not save it for later
Now if I could pass this test I’d fix this mess
But I sit here crack another beer, I ponder and I fret
Write these words, and I cross em out again, light another cigarette
I know that all the good things in my head I never will forget
and the last thing on my mind is regret
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5. |
Ghost Of Rock N Roll
03:18
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Ghost of Rock ‘n’ Roll
Words and Music by Phil Odgers
Cross his palm with silver cross his palm with gold
Cross his palm with powder, Mr Rock N Roll
Prowling like a wolf, howling at the moon
The spirit of his former self is going to haunt your room
CH
He’s come to eat your heart, he’s come to steal your soul
He’s high, high, high, he’s low, low, low
He’s coming to get you Barbara
The ghost of Rock and Roll
He’ll drain you of your blood, he’ll prey upon your mind
Walking, stalking, disinterred, he’s following Plan 9
From outer space, one step beyond the twilight zone
And the body of his former self will stagger round your home
CH
He’s come to eat your heart, he’s come to steal your soul
He’s high, high, high, he’s low, low, low
He’s coming to get you Barbara
The ghost of Rock and Roll
Gonna never stop, Gonna do voodoo
Pull your strings, do awful things, when he catches you
He’ll snatch your body put a pod under your bed
He can take on any form and hide and inside your head
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6. |
Early Morning Rain
04:00
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In The Early Morning Rain
Words and Music by Gordon Lightfoot
In the early morning rain, with a dollar in my hand,
With an aching in my heart and my pockets full of sand,
I'm a long way from home and I miss my loved ones so,
In the early morning rain with no place to go.
Out on runway number nine a big 707's set to go,
But, I'm stuck here in the grass where the cold wind blows,
Now, the liquor tasted good and the women all were fast,
Well, there she goes, my friend, well she's going down at last.
Hear the mighty engines roar, see the silver bird on high,
She's away and westward bound, far above the clouds she'll fly,
There the morning rain don't fall and the sun always shines,
She'll be flying over my home in about three hours time.
This old airport's got me down, it's no earthly good to me,
'cause I'm stuck here on the ground as cold and drunk as I can be,
You can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train,
So, I'd best be on my way in the early morning rain.
You can't jump a jet plane like you can an old freight train,
So, I'd best be on my way in the early morning rain.
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7. |
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The Desert Has A 1000 Eyes
Words and Music Phil Odgers
On the Ismailia desert road from Port Said to Cairo
It’s a three hour drive from the three green domes
As the sun beats down, we’re melting on the highroad
Sticking to our seats, boiling in our bones
Out in the sand what do I see?
A vision calling to me
And the desert has a thousand eyes on me
V2
Through fields of reeds, whiskey and guitaro
Art deco dreams down by the teeming shore
Where lady liberty brought her light so faro
From the great green sea to the golden door
Out in the sand what do I see?
A vision calling to me
And the desert has a thousand eyes on me
V3
On the Ismailia desert road heading down to Cairo
I saw you out among the dunes
But it was just a dream Ra brought on with the high notes
I was 5000 miles and 100 years from you
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8. |
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Empty Streets & Lovers In The Rain
Lyrics by Robb Johnson, Music by Phil Odgers
Stood here at this station
All you do is wait
Trains and revolutions
They’re always running late
The kids are going shopping
Vodka and cocaine
The world is full of empty streets
And lovers in the rain
That rain just keeps on falling
That’s the story of our lives
Bankers rob you with accountants
Gangsters just got guns and knives
What you gonna do about it?
Stand there and complain?
The world is full of empty streets
And lovers in the rain
M8
The poetry of Monday night
All that love in vain
The world is full of empty streets
And lovers in the rain
When that train rolls in the station
All that work and all those wheels
After all those cancellations
Do you remember how it feels
Take away the take aways
I’ll tell you what remains
The world is full of empty streets
And lovers in the rain
M8
The poetry of Monday night
All that love in vain
The world is full of empty streets
And lovers in the rain
And lovers in the rain
And lovers in the rain
And lovers in the rain
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9. |
Uke Town
03:56
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UKE TOWN
Words and Music Phil Odgers
How you doing, what do you see
You gotta give up the full SP
I just need you to tell me
What’s happening, down in Uke Town
Down in Uke Town
Give it straight from the start to the end
The whole story you try to defend
Don’t hold back ‘my friend’!
What’s happening, down in Uke Town
Down in Uke Town
C’mon fella spill your guts
I wanna hear it all, Soup to Nuts
C’mon now tella, tella tella me true
What in the world come over you
Everything is out of kilter
Everything is out of whack
I’m halfway through Uke Town
There’s no turning back
Down in Uke Town
Down in Uke Town
The paths are paved with good intent
But something in the road got twisted and bent
The money in the pot all got spent
What’s happening, down in Uke Town
Down in Uke Town
Down in Uke Town
Everything is out of kilter
Everything is out of whack
I’m halfway through Uke Town
There’s no turning back
No turning back
There’s robbers on the corner trying to steal your soul,
your blues and your funk and your punk and your rock n roll
Yeah, robbers on the corner trying to steal your soul,
your blues and your funk and your punk and your rock n roll
Down in Uke Town
Down in Uke Town
Down in Uke Town
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10. |
Rage Against The Machine
02:57
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Rage Against The Machine
Words and Music Phil Odgers
I met a man, who told me of a land
Never seen, by the likes of me
Where the air is fresh and the water is clean
Rage against the machine
I met a man who told me of a land
Deep below, where the downcast workers flow
They sweat, they toil, in the steam and the oil,
Rage against the machine
There ain’t no cats in the catacombs
There ain’t no dogs in Yoshiwara rooms
But there’s a beast from hell dancing in a metal shell
Rage against the machine
Maria says we will understand
The mind that plan, the heart that beats, and the building hands
When all is said and done a time will come
Rage against the machine
There ain’t no cats in the catacombs
There ain’t no dogs in Yoshiwara rooms
But there’s a beast from hell dancing in a metal shell
Rage against the machine
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11. |
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The Serpent, The Maiden, and The Bear
Words and Music by Phil Odgers
INTRO = E X4
[E] Standing on the porch
Polaris marks the way due north
The [F#m] moon was full up in the inky [E] grey
Staring into space
[G] Puts us in our [E] place
[G] drinking [A] in the Milky [E] Way
[E] Paint the galaxy
Put it up for all to see
The [F#m] silver river flows the winter [E] way
Beauty in the sky
[G] A comet flashes [E] by
[G] Beyond the sun [A] the tail leads [E] it away (perihelion)
You said the [F#m] stars are oh so [E] big and bright
They’ll [F#m] light up our [E] trail tonight
Show me the way
[G] Nova’s distant [E] ray
The [G] serpent, the [A] maiden, and the [E] bear
Break
[E] Standing on the porch
Polaris marks the way due north
The [F#m] moon was full up in the inky [E] grey
Staring into space
[G] Puts us in our [E] place
[G] drinking [A] in the Milky [E] Way
You said the [F#m] stars are oh so [E] big and bright
They’ll [F#m] light up our[E] trail tonight
Show me the way
[G] Nova distant [E] ray
Show me the way
The [G] serpent, the [A] maiden, and the [E] bear
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Phil ‘Swill’ Odgers London, UK
Phil ‘Swill’ Odgers is singer and a songwriter with legendary UK folk rebel rockers The Men They Couldn’t Hang. He is also a
solo artist in his own right.
Audiences around the world from Cairo to Reykjavik, Brisbane to Vancouver and Berlin to London have submitted to his effervescent and heartfelt vocal style in stadium, theatre, hall and after hours lock in.
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Phil ‘Swill’ Odgers recommends:
Ring The Blues EP
by The Men They Couldn't Hang
The 3rd in a rolling series of digital EP’s from The Men They Couldn't Hang! Track List: Ring The Blues One More Whiskey Ring The Blues Demo Telegram Sam All proceeds go to the TMTCH album fund.
go to album
Campfire Songs
by Naomi Bedford, Paul Simmonds and the Campfire Ensemble
Paul Simmonds from The Men They Couldn't Hang and his partner Naomi Bedford making modern and traditional folk music together
go to album
Australia's very own Mick Thomas - always a sure thing!
go to albumIf you like Phil ‘Swill’ Odgers, you may also like:
Shun Fame
by The Men They Couldn't Hang
supported by 72 fans who also own “GHOSTS OF ROCK N ROLL”
What a tribute, I haven’t the words to say how this group have been the soundtrack to my life, through good and bad. Anything that helps is the least I can do, missed dearly.
go to album
Broadway Melodies (A collection of B Sides and Unreleased Tracks
by The Men They Couldn't Hang
supported by 56 fans who also own “GHOSTS OF ROCK N ROLL”
Another great collection of tunes from the evergreen TMTCH, I'm sure a few will be rolled out over the course of next year's 40th anniversary celebrations. Great to hear Paul taking lead on a couple of tunes, Swill's songs as superb as ever and to round it off with Cush's most vitriol-filled song - and a stonewall classic at that - is just perfect.
go to album
The Edge of the Land
by Katie Spencer
Spencer's indie folk sophomore album was recorded live in the studio over the course of two days.
go to album
