The first effort is called "Mondura Dam"  (1.3Mb) . It's a song I wrote just a few years ago and never recorded at the time. It's just like a postcard really, a holiday snap to remind me of a lovely place. The tune was also inpired by the situation, from the rythym of walking downhill carrying water.

Here are the words:

Mondura Dam

When you dam a river, the valley forms a lake
The trees stand out like boat masts, how much water does it take
to feed a small town?

If you feed the magpies, they won't leave you alone
Let's go find some firewood, tonight we'll be alone
under the starshine

   Mondura Dam, that's where I am, with my fire and my pan
   I'm up on Mondura Dam

Pelicans are fishing, cruising up and down
When you stock a lake with fish then all the birds will come around
It's easy living

As long as we have water, there's no need to move on
and when we've finished cooking, we'll throw all the firewood on
and have a flare up

When you dam a river, the valley forms a lake
you may lose some woodland , but the natural park it makes
is free for everyone

return to Andy Roberts Music

Evening Star by Roy Harper

This is the song from the album "Death or Glory" by Roy Harper for which I devised a way of playing it in dropped D tuning.

Download the MP3 of my version here(1.3Mb)

San Fransisco by Maxime le Forestier

I learned this song while staying with a friend in Poitiers, in 1974. In those days, french songs weren't very fashionable in France, all the young people were listening to British and American music. Sometimes an older patriot would interrupt me in the Paris Metro and complain "Pourquoi toujours en anglais?" so I would start singing one of the two french songs I'd learnt and then they'd have to give me 10Francs.

Download the MP3 of my version here(1.6Mb)

Here are the lyrics, thanks to Catherine.

C'est une maison bleue
Adossée à la colline
On y vient à pied
On ne frappe pas
Ceux qui vivent là
Ont jeté la clé

On se retrouve ensemble
Après des années de route
Et on vient s'asseoir
Autour du repas
Tout le monde est là
A 5 heures du soir

Quand San Francisco s'embrume
Quand San Francisco s'allume
San Francisco

Où êtes-vous
Lizzard et Luc
Psylvia
Attendez-moi

Nageant dans le brouillard
Enlacés, roulant dans l'herbe
On écoutera
Tom à la guitare
Phil à la kena
Jusqu'à la nuit noire

Un autre arrivera
Pour nous dire des nouvelles
D'un qui reviendra 
Dans un an ou deux
Puisqu'il est heureux
On s'endormira

Quand San Francisco se lève
Quand San Francisco se lève
San Francisco

Où êtes-vous
Lizzard et Luc
Psylvia
Attendez-moi

C'est une maison bleue
Accrochée à ma mémoire
On y vient à pied
On ne frappe pas
Ceux qui vivent là
On jeté la clé

Peuplée de cheveux longs
De grands lits et de musique
Peuplée de lumière 
Et peuplée de fous
Elle sera dernière 
A rester debout

Si San Francisco s'effondre
Si San Francisco s'effondre
San Francisco

Où êtes-vous
Lizzard et Luc
Psylvia
Attendez-moi

Postcards ( of Scarborough ) by Michael Chapman

Probably Michael Chapman's most popular song from the album

"Fully Qualified Survivor"

Download the MP3 of my version here(1.6Mb)

Primrose Hill by Loudon Wainwright

After seeing Loudon Wainwright at the Jazz cafe, Camden Town London on July 24th 2000 I was inspired to visit Primrose Hill for the first time, came back and recorded this song the next day.

- from the album "Little Ship"

Download the MP3 of my version here(2.0Mb)

return to Andy's Music