When They Were Young

from Utopia by Martin & Bell

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about

Recuperating in hospital in summer 2017 I filled a long mislaid notebook with a series of medical/mortality poems. This is the only one that still survives. Pretty self-explanatory, I think. The separation of the ages generations is one of the most delimiting and destructive aspects of so called civilisation.
It, obviously, weakens the evolutionary gene pool. That’s why it's so important and good to see forward thinking institutions where long-term aged in-care patients benefit from the visitations of younger folk.
This piece is, humbly, made to participate in such commingling. An international hit in waiting, sing-song singalong.

lyrics

WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG

A force of nature, up against the odds, 
Conjures magic fire down from the Gods. 
The dreams and fixers beyond the ship of state. 
They get to be the Captain, the Frigger and the First Mate.  Off to sail with the wild ones and taste salt on the tongue.  They do it when they’re old 
Llike they did when they were young. 
When they were young dreams lit up the sky. 
They got to spin the gold, take wing from home and fly.  They got to live beyond the thoughts of mortal man, 
To do what they weren’t told to do 
And forge a star-crossed plan. 
Now, the mountains crumble and palaces turn to dust  There is virtually nothing in this fake world that you can trust.  The radio no longer plays its love-blessed peaceful ode.  The transmission’s been interrupted 
Because they lost the sacred code. 
The end, it is approaching and it gets louder every hour.  There’s something fearful coming 
And you can feel its terrible power. 
It sounds through the wind as it blows across the land.  You don’t need Billy Yates to tell you 
The second coming is at hand. 
But the song of hope still plays and its melody is sung,  And it sounds just as sweet as it did when they were young.  When they were young, those were golden days. 
The sky was full of rainbow to block out the damp and greys,  The nights went on forever 
And you could float far out into space. 
You could get to be the champion 
And the winner of the race. 
When they were young, a force of nature, 
Up against the odds 
Conjures magic fire down from the Gods.  Dreamers and fixers beyond the ship of state 
Get to be the Captain, the Frigger and the First Mate. 
Off to sail with the wild ones and taste salt on the tongue.  To do it when they’re old like they did when they were young.  When they were young. 
When they were young.

credits

from Utopia, released February 1, 2019
Gavin Martin - Words, Martin Bell - Music

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about

The Headstrong Mining Company Plymouth, UK

The Headstrong Mining Company is the latest incarnation of the creative partnership of Multi-Instrumentalist Martin Bell ( Ex. The Wonder Stuff) and Spoken Word Artist / Music Critic Gavin Martin (NME, Daily Mirror). The dashing pair also go under the names "Martin & Bell", as well as "Bell and the Irishman. ... more