From the Spalpeens, to Urban Clearway, to Callinan-Flynn and from touring with Elton John, Jon Hiseman, Bert Jansch, Billy Connolly and many others to recording what is thought of now as a keynote album 'Freedom's Lament'

Now, new wave singer-songwriter Sean Tyrrell has discovered my material and has recorded three songs on his 'Cry Of A Dreamer' album and may record more. Click on www.seantyrrell.com

This page is a record of David Callinan as performer and singer-songwriter with a collection of some song lyrics. Some songs here have been published, some haven't. As far as I am aware none of the publishing companies exist today and I have no knowledge of catalogues or lists having been acquired. If this is a mistake and you stumble here somehow and recognise something, do let me know. Otherwise, all material on this page is my sole copyright.

David Callinan

I have no money the old man said
Not even a penny to buy me bread
I sit alone by the dockyard wall
And hear the wind blow my country’s call

They gave my son a gun of steel
To go and fight while I sit and kneel
And pray that he will come back some day
Not see me die in a foreign clay

A thousand years my eyes have seen
Now I smell the blood on this land so green
The cannons roar and brave men die
And all around hear the women cry

All at my feet a flower does grow
Its petals are white like the morning snow
It’s the flower of truth but who will see
Only the wind and God – and me

The red, the green and the yellow fruit
Will be harvested in the evening
The gentle drops of golden rain
From the amber sun will be falling
And I will search through the forests of the day
For the flower that was planted
In my father’s garden
In my father’s garden

A single speck of silver light
Was sent spinning down from Vega
It rested on my true love’s hair
And shimmering did receive her
No more she’ll wear the purple cloak of night
But shine like light unveiling
In my father’s garden
In my father’s garden

And to a tower stony cold
Our footsteps shall lead us
And echoless our voices hushed
No sound we hear around us
My love will case a flower in the dust
And banish evil slowly
In my father’s garden
In my father’s garden

(written about the death of my father )

December wrapped her icy fingers in my brain
January’s dressed in black
Don’t you know he’s never coming back

If a single blade of grass bowed its head and died
Would the forest cease to grow
Does anyone pretend to know

Chorus
Would you believe if the sea was suddenly still
Halted by the hand of wisdom
Would you believe the man upon the hill
Would you believe him
Would you believe him

The seagull builds her nest upon the clifftop and the stones
January blows a storm
Above the wind the sun is warm

Washington morning burning like dry leaves
Perfume of lilac and musty french wine
Washington morning yawning and sleeping
Lazily peeping from windy sunshine

People are walking, standing or talking
Hands in their pockets, their feet on the ground
The morning is shaking her head o’er the creaking
Branches that stretch out to see what they’ve found

Chorus
Clean as the wind blows, softly the grass grows
Stately the statues are gazing at me
Washington morning, Washington morning
Easy to love

Carry me safely down to the river
The towering palace of whiteness to see
Colour me rainbow Washington morning
Laughing and dancing I’m happy to be

Johnny Diamond is dead
Put a bullet through his head
Nothing much was said
But Johnny Diamond lies dead

All for love of Betsy Anne
A daring robbery he planned
But the cops they got their man
They put the gun in Johnny’s hand

Chorus
A box of jewels lies broken
Scattered all on the ground
Johnny’s one last token
To the only love he’d ever found

Betsy Ann did cry and moan
Everything I have is gone
Best man a girl ever had
And he was forced to be bad

And in the papers next day
The story was he got away
And shot himself by mistake
The Lord have mercy for his sake

The sun hung like a red watermelon
The breeze shook her hair against the rain
And wheels made of rings and bracelets made from drops of rain
Leave no trace upon my lady’s eyes

Chorus
Goodbye Marianne, when will I see you again
When the Earth turns one more circle]
And lost days die in the hollows of time

The days of change have crept into our way of life
We leave as we loved, with fire and with pain
But wheels made of rings and bracelets from drops of rain
Leave no trace upon my lady’s eyes

Chorus

Now the time is here, I won’t make a fuss
I’ll leave without recriminations
It’s clear that I’ve reached a milestone in my life

If I lose my way, I’ll run back to you
Full of such anticipation
Will you look at me as a figure from the past

Chorus
Time is a one way lane
Try turning back and you lose again
Life disappears so fast, so make the good times last
Time is never on your side

As we swing through the years, smiling through the tears
I look at you with fascination
But time flies by with the beating of my heart

Nothing stays the same, everything must change
But your smile still brings elation
Is it really time for the two of us to part

Chorus

His guilt is plain to see said the mayor to the clown
Hang him from the highest tree said the crown
And let the wind blow him to and fro
Beautiful Apollo

He is just a little child said the midwife to the preacher
But when he grows just think of all he could teach her
Burn him in the park on a pyre of evergreen timber

There is something in his eyes said the poor man to the Queen
But where has he come from and where has he been
There are fifty howling hounds in my palace to receive him

Let me light the flame said the banker to the grocer
It’s such a terrible shame said the Princess to her lover
Why don’t we wait till Sunday when it will all be over

Who dares to keep him meanwhile said the servant to the master
Keep him in your pen said the landlord to the farmer
Well that’s all right with me if I get my picture in the paper

We will dance around his body said the ladies of the choir
Then we’ll pray and we’ll give thanks as the flames they rise higher
And then let it be said, Apollo is dead.

You interface with me
I interface with you
You look fine tonight
On my VDU

But if we ever met I’d want to make you feel all right - With a megabyte
You’re my computer lover lighting up the night - The starry night
My software program keeps me right in touch with you - My hardware too
I want to meet you but
You’re in another galaxy
On a world called Ecstasy

Through floppy disk
We talk basically
I hear your voice
As you touch the key

But if we…(rpt)

I will follow my love where e’er she’ll flee o’er mountain and sea
To the ocean west of the wind where no one will follow me
Where a man may be called by his name, no shame, no penalty

Chorus
Beyond the Pale
Let tyranny fail
For I know that my future will be
To roam homeless but free
Beyond the Pale

The love that possessed me was strong for I’ve done no wrong
And when the leaves turned to brown the sounds of the town were gone
And the hunger pains of the land were easily found

Chorus

While the tide has ebbed and has flowed each mountain road I try
To escape the darkening sun for shelter I fly
For the lingering memories that fade with the dawn I sigh

Chorus

I’m just sitting here thinking about me now
Wondering just how much I have changed since last year
Last year I thought I knew why the sun shone and flowers grew
For all the wild young children a’growing
All the wild young children

I’m just lying here dreaming about you now
Wondering if you have found your way from last year
Your topsy turvy friends have left in an empty shell
That’s why the wild young children keep growing
All the wild young children

Chorus
Scattering flowers in the path of the dawn
Your body wrapped in the wispy winds of the morning

The paper sailing boats that we made are gone now
And did your heart go with the wind that took them
But if I had touched your mind with mine
Would you have known the time
With all the wild young children still growing
All the wild young children

Too many lonely nights
Hanging round your door
Hoping for a second chance with you.

Too many empty hours
Looking out for love
Hoping for a chance to tell the truth

Chorus
Won’t you hold me, roll me, fold me in your arms
So much depends on being together
Hold me, roll me, fold me in your arms
Too late to leave, too late to send me back

Too many times have I
Thought I was always right
I never trusted you enough to say

That I believe in you
I want to try again
At least let’s talk about it and be friends

Chorus

Refrain
It’s never been as easy as this to fall in love
It’s never been as easy as this
We can’t afford to miss
The second time around
The second time around

Chorus

We came up the hard way
You and I were friends
We fought our way together to the top

We grew up together
I watched your every move
Cos you had what it took to be a star

Chorus
And I said, give a little bit to me
Give a little bit, give a little bit
Give a little bit to me
You know we only meant to change the world

I lived in your shadow
I knew you inside out
I knew how you’d behave when things go rough

But you knew how to use me
You left me high and dry
With nothing left to lose

The horizon is hazy and the sun is dripping with light
In vain I have followed her footprints all through the night
Ocean ripples, sand blows, silence

My first love has gone in a shroud of autumn mist
Gone with the breeze leaving memories of times we have kissed
Sea shells murmur secrets to me

Chorus
Could be better this way
Than ever I’d know
The games that we played
Seem a long time ago

A little bird follows the scent of the morning sea
Lying on the edge of the wind he is following me
Like driftwood floating my love leaves me

I’m not sure of myself and I’m snatching at things to believe
Tracing patterns of shadows with pebbles beneath my feet
Sun glows, warming, creeping dawnlight