Execution Row
(Words and music; Colin Reece & Damien Aked)

From the Album 'Good and Plenty' by Colin Reece

The only song I've ever co-written.
Damien Aked and myself sat down one summer's afternoon in his back garden
determined not to get up again until we'd written a song.
I remember we took the first line regarding the 'ox-bird' from a cryptic clue
in the daily newspaper's crossword. 
The rest probably came from the bottom of a couple of bottles of Merlot

The ox-bird guarding o'er the tower was looking down at me

His eyes were misted over white, I don't think he could see

The blind man leads the deaf man

While the deaf man leads the lame

And who will I be leading when the last man calls my name.

The raven shakes his wings another stone comes falling down

As if to say although I'm blind I'll always spot the clown

The fool he leads the wise man

When the joker gives the call

But the joker follows no-one for the joker leads them all.

But who are you to say that I'm the man to play the fool

When you're the one who's leading both the evil and the cruel

I'd rather play the wise man cos I'm the one who knows

What it's like to be the last man on Execution Row.

God help all the blind men, all the deaf and all the lame

And pray for all of those who have to die in sin and shame

I'd rather give my eyes, my ears

And everything I own

And lead the joker by the hand on Execution Row.

But who are you to say that I'm the man to play the fool

When you're the one who's leading both the evil and the cruel

I'd rather play the wise man cos I'm the one who knows

What it's like to be the last man on Execution Row.

The ox-bird guarding o'er the tower was looking down at me

His eyes were misted over white, I don't think he could see

I'd rather give my eyes, my ears

And everything I own

And lead the joker by the hand on Execution Row.