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Amateur Astronomy

by Moss & Jones

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1.
Shepherds' Delight (It's Not Time To Go To Bed) 04:03
lyrics
The moon’s a ghost in the blue Not a cloud in sight; the heat is still here too Church bells ring; we all count to eight It’s starting to get late; what to do? The stars come out in the east One by one they blink; the sky’s still pink in the west Green bottle empty on the grass But we all have a glass, and it’s full And it’s not time to go to bed, not yet, let’s stay up a little while longer And it’s not time to go to bed, not yet, let’s stay up a little while longer The solar lights have come on Twinkling in the tree; it means there’s no more sun Church bells from far across the town Chime in their countdown; one to nine But it’s not time to go to bed, not yet, let’s stay up a little while longer It’s not time to go to bed, not yet, let’s stay up a little while longer Summer won’t be here forever; autumn will creep up on us before we know And let’s make the most of the summer by staying out here And this is twilight now Flower colours dim; they seem larger somehow Ten chimes; or was it eleven? Or even more again? We don’t know. ‘Cause it’s not time to go to bed, not yet, let’s stay up a little while longer And it’s not time to go to bed, not yet, let’s stay up a little while longer And it’s not time to go to bed, not yet, let’s stay up a little while longer And it’s not time to go to bed, not yet, let’s stay up a little while longer.
2.
(There's No Such Thing As) Wandering Stars 01:33
lyrics
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.......................................................... it's just a bad dream; there's no such thing as wandering stars; they're just planets; there's no such thing as lost souls.
3.
I See The Moon 00:59
lyrics
I see the moon; the moon sees me, down through the leaves of the old oak tree. Please let the light that shines on me shine on the one I love?
4.
Millbrook 04:21
lyrics
We dug in the garden and found little tiles there in the soil, turquoise and blue The turquoise tiles had gold round the edges, so we played with them as if they were magic money. And do you remember that later that year we dug further under the soil bank? We found an ancient fireplace denuded of its tiles; that was our magic money. The ice van on that old estate drove around and around in the winter months I’m not sure what it was selling then, but it probably wasn’t ice cream. We stood in that garden as dusk turned to nightfall, wearing our nighties, two little girls. If we had had lanterns we would look like ‘carnation lily lily rose’ the painting. And did you stand with me as I saw the comet blazing its trail across the sky? I was just eight years old; you were turning seven in two weeks; did you see Halley’s comet? The ice van on that old estate drove around and around in the winter months I’m not sure what it was selling then, but it probably wasn’t ice cream. Dramatis personae: the boy learning ballet, sunbathing Sandra, Aunt Barbara And so many more: that petty woman who put the bollards up for her personal car park. Perpetual sunshine is what I remember from holidays when let loose from school Where we sang about worlds without flowers, air without breeze and skies without any sunshine. The ice cream van on that old estate drove around and around in the winter months I’m not sure what it was selling then, but it probably wasn’t ice cream Oh sister, sister mine so much time has passed; too much to unwind When Halley comes again, will you watch with me in the garden? We dug in the garden and found little tiles there in the soil, turquoise and blue The turquoise tiles had gold round the edges, so we played with them as if they were magic money.
5.
Ella Brown 03:47
lyrics
I first saw her at a party across a crowded room. Glass in hand, and booming laugh, and a beautiful costume: Ella wore a navy dress with stars spilled down the front; with bright red hair and walking boots she looked so confident. (Chorus) Oh Ella Brown with your hair so bright; your hips so round and your head held high; beauty wrapped in eloquence; Ella Brown I loved you once. Ella let me follow her; disciple, or a pet; not a lover, not as such; not ready for all that yet. I spent my time in awe of her but she rarely let me close. I told myself I didn't care; it was all experience. (Chorus) We walked under the stars one night, the milky way a blur. I had a weight lodged on my chest and passed it onto her. I asked her if she felt for me the way I felt inside. She said, "my dear, I never have. But nor have I ever lied." Sometimes you love. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes you learn. Sometimes you love. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes you learn. Chorus x 3, third time finishes with "oh Ella Brown I THOUGHT I loved you once."
6.
Amateur Astronomy 03:03
lyrics
When the night is clear and the stars are out (I never did see the stars that allegedly shine. I want to go back inside and sit by the fire): amateur astronomy. Smithy Lane, February or March; you said, "come out and watch the stars, this time with binoculars" - put them to my eyes and gasped: amateur astronomy. Did you never see the stars? Then you'll never know how bright they shine! Did you never see the stars? Then you'll never know how bright they shine!
7.
Stars And Moon And Me And You, Love 06:33
lyrics
My son is at his father's house; I miss him when he is not here. I go into his empty room; I shut the curtains, close the door, but the same moon shines on both of us and I know he's loved there very much. Yes, the same moon shines on both of us, and he's back with me on Monday.
8.
Frosty Nights (When I Was Your Age) 02:42
lyrics
When I was your age, summer was so long... When I was your age, I loved the summer. I ran and I climbed and I played, but winter came, and nights folded in, enveloping the sky in midnight blue from four o'clock on chilly afternoons, but how I loved, oh how I loved... Frosty nights, with Orion rising in the East, how I loved frosty nights, with Orion rising in the East. I'd go and look outside on a frosty night. I'd run and fetch binoculars, look under Orion's belt, nebula M42 nestled there. I'd draw a line along the belt, use the line to point to stars (further off some swam in pairs; different hues). I knew from charts where I would find planets on a given night, or with naked eye I'd find Pleiades, oh how I loved... Frosty nights, with Orion rising in the East (etc.) But as I aged, stars disappeared, replaced by many fears; the general kit of adult life (gas meters, rent arrears) but thanks to you, now that you're your age, you ask me to show you stars... and go outside for... Frosty nights, with Orion rising in the East (etc.) Oh frosty nights, at your age; at your age!

credits

released June 28, 2015

All songs (except parts of track one and sample on track four) recorded and produced by Andy Bowes at Catalyst Studios, St. Helens, Merseyside. Ruth plays a violin loaned from Michael Phoenix Violins, Bluecoat, Liverpool (all other instruments belong to Moss & Jones).

Huge thanks to those friends and family who bought vouchers for Catalyst Studios for a wedding present.

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Moss & Jones Merseyside, UK

The folk-inspired duo Moss & Jones consists of Ruth Moss & Marc Jones, a multi-instrumental musical couple (just married!) from Merseyside!

Folky goodness" - RatholeRadio.org
"That old English folky feel but with a sense of...something in the woodshed" - LIverpoolBands.co.uk ... more

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