Adventures in Video – Butterfly (Over the Hill)

Recorded as a live video some time ago:

Here’s an audio version captured from the video and mastered to raise the levels slightly:

Backup copy:

A much older, slower version:

Backup copy:

You can’t cage a butterfly / not unless you break his wings
You can’t cage a butterfly / unless you break his wings
You can cage a songbird / but you can’t make him sing

I went over the hill / and I heard some flyer blow
I went over the hill / and I heard that midnight flyer blow
I’ve been too long in the city / time to grab my grip and go

You think I’m fooling / but, honey, it’s a fact
You think I’m fooling / but, honey, it’s a fact
You had a good old mule / but you just broke his back

David Harley

Down to the river (revisited)

This demo was recorded back in the 80s, and the voice was in better shape.

Backup:

More recent version, which is actually not bad (and less ambient noise):

or (backup):

Down to the River: copyright David Harley, 1981

Another example of the sort of song I never write. I’m not really sure where this one came from.

I won’t go down to the river / anyway not yet
There’s too much to do and the water’s cold / and I don’t want my feet wet
I don’t want my feet wet

I won’t go down to the river / I guess I really should
But the sand’s so warm between my toes / and you know it feels so good
I know it does me good

Come on down to the river / it can’t do you harm
You’ve got to learn sometime to sink or swim / and the sun will keep you warm
The sun will keep you warm

I won’t go down to the river / you know I can’t go down
The water’s so still, the sides so steep / I’m scared that I might drown
So scared that I might drown

Come on down to the river / the road’s so hard and rough
If you keep your head and your hands are clean / surely you can’t drown in love?
You can’t drown in love

I can’t go down to the river / I surely can’t go down
My soul is parched but my body aches / and I just know I’ll drown
I know I’ll surely drown

Come on down to the river / it tastes so sweet and cold
Come on down before it gets too late / and wash the mud out of your soul
The mud out of your soul

We’ve got to get on down to the river / we have to learn to trust
Got to wash away all the doubt and fear / before the whole damn’ world dries up
Before the world dries up

Changes [demo]

Backup copy;

Changes

Something’s changed
Could be me, could be you
You used to say you loved me
Now I wonder was that true?
That moving out and moving on look
Hangs heavy in your eyes…

Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
Wonder what became of me and you?
Changes in the wind

There was a time
When nothing kept us apart
But something’s going down
In both our hearts
I lie awake half the night when you’re not there
Wondering who you’re with and where

One more Scotch
One more cigarette
Drinking alone
Remembering too much to forget
Missing you even when you’re in the room
Knowing you won’t be, soon