Richard Thompson - Beeswing

I was nineteen when I came to town, they called it the Summer of Love
They were burning babies, burning flags. The hawks against the doves
I took a job in the steamie down on Cauldrum Street
And I fell in love with a laundry girl who was working next to me

Oh she was a rare thing, fine as a bee's wing
So fine a breath of wind might blow her away
She was a lost child, oh she was running wild
She said "As long as there's no price on love, I'll stay.
And you wouldn't want me any other way"

Brown hair zig-zag around her face and a look of half-surprise
Like a fox caught in the headlights, there was animal in her eyes
She said "Young man, oh can't you see I'm not the factory kind
If you don't take me out of here I'll surely lose my mind"

Oh she was a rare thing, fine as a bee's wing
So fine that I might crush her where she lay
She was a lost child, she was running wild
She said "As long as there's no price on love, I'll stay.
And you wouldn't want me any other way"

We busked around the market towns and picked fruit down in Kent
And we could tinker lamps and pots and knives wherever we went
And I said that we might settle down, get a few acres dug
Fire burning in the hearth and babies on the rug
She said "Oh man, you foolish man, it surely sounds like hell.
You might be lord of half the world, you'll not own me as well"

Oh she was a rare thing, fine as a bee's wing
So fine a breath of wind might blow her away
She was a lost child, oh she was running wild
She said "As long as there's no price on love, I'll stay.
And you wouldn't want me any other way"

We was camping down the Gower one time, the work was pretty good
She thought we shouldn't wait for the frost and I thought maybe we should
We was drinking more in those days and tempers reached a pitch
And like a fool I let her run with the rambling itch

Oh the last I heard she's sleeping rough back on the Derby beat
White Horse in her hip pocket and a wolfhound at her feet
And they say she even married once, a man named Romany Brown
But even a gypsy caravan was too much settling down
And they say her flower is faded now, hard weather and hard booze
But maybe that's just the price you pay for the chains you refuse

Oh she was a rare thing, fine as a bee's wing
And I miss her more than ever words could say
If I could just taste all of her wildness now
If I could hold her in my arms today
Well I wouldn't want her any other way

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Richard
• Thompson
• Fairport
• Convention

[400OTD]

it just doesn't get any better ....Look up "Well Crafted Song" in the dictionary... the words and music to Beeswing will be the definition.

Superb!!

[curlytail55]

This song is excellent and richard sings it well but search Youtube for 'Luke Murray sings' to hear a guy with a great voice who sings it with total feeling. Can't seem to find any other work from this Luke - unless you know differently of course....

[nobuckshot]

Always thought Cristy Moore wrote this.Thanks for the education.

[SharonGardner1]

Never heard this artist until today. What a great voice

[SupernalOne]

"the English Bob Dylan"

[signofthebeast666]

Does anyone have a pretty accurate TAB of this version? I got a good bit of it, though the rhythm and coordination of the right hand will probably take a lifetime to get. A worthy endeavor compared to what else I've experienced in my 65 years.

[MsLouis3]

@sexandsugar3 top comment friend!

[MsLouis3]

one word..special...well two...really special

[zhanay]

@spacedragonsinspace Download the most recent version of Real Player. It will give you the option of recording this song. Then you can convert to an MP3 and open it with Itunes. Unless you object to not paying for it...

[MrIpomoea]

@MrConeman love christy too... and have to agree about this one

[sexandsugar3]

I'm in tears every time I listen to this song ... So beautiful