Book of Numbers

from Blue Gold by Myshkin

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    A spare, spooky, rootsy collection of original love and prison songs. In a jewel case with an eight page booklet with all lyrics, and original collage artwork by Myshkin.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Blue Gold via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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    10
    releases

    Get all 10 Myshkin Warbler releases available on Bandcamp and save 10%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Ravens (single), Peace (single), Trust and the High Wire, Faithless (single), That Diamond Lust, Sigh Semaphore, Corvidae, Rosebud Bullets, and 2 more. , and , .

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lyrics

10 YARDS OF PRINTED COTTON
COULD HAVE MADE ONE WINTER DRESS APIECE
FOR 2 TEENAGE GIRLS IN LONDON
MADE BOLD BY YOUTH AND POVERTY
DID LYDIA TRIP DID I CRY OUT
WERE WE SEEN SMILING NERVOUSLY
OUTSIDE THE SHOP WE WERE CAUGHT
SENTENCED TO SWING FROM THE TYBURN TREE
6 MONTHS LONG ALL MY BROWN EYES SAW
WERE THE BLACK CELLS OF NEWGATE JAIL
BUT THEY COULD NEVER HANG US ALL
THE PLACED ME ON THE PRINCE OF WALES
BY MERCY OF HIS MAJESTY
ON MAY 13TH THAT SHIP DID SAIL
UPON THE SEAS BEYOND THE SEAS
EXILE TO THE END OF THE WORLD
11 SHIPS CROSSED THE ATLANTIC TWICE 
HEAVY WITH HUMAN CARGO
WE LAY IN HOLDS BUILT FOR TEA AND SPICE
NO LIGHT OR WIND OR ROOM BELOW
THE SOLDIERS USED US AS THEY WOULD
SHACKLED OUR ARMS WHEN THEY WERE DONE
FOR BEING BAD AND NEVER GOOD
FOR BEING BOUGHT BY SOLDIERS RUM
IF YOU FIND THE STONE DOWN AT SACKVILLE REACH
WHERE LIE THE BONES OF ANN FORBES HUXLEY
YOU’LL KNOW ONLY THAT I SLUMBER AFTER LIVING 80 YEARS
BUT THERE IS A BOOK OF NUMBERS THAT IS BURIED WITH ME HERE
1 MAD NIGHT ON VIRGIN SOIL
BY MORNING THERE WAS NOT ONE VIRGIN LEFT
BEAUTY IN ONE DAY CAN BE SPOILED
I FOUND A MAN THE VERY NEXT
WITH HAND AND HOE WE PLANTED WHEAT
THE SEED WE SOWED DID NOT APPEAR
THE SEED IN ME BORE FRUIT BUT SWEET
SHE DIED BEFORE SHE’D LIVED A YEAR
12 WEEKS BEFORE RELIEF ARRIVED 
THEY SENT ONE THIRD OF US TO HELL
MAROONED ON CRUEL NORFOLK ISLE
OUR SHIP IN SPLINTERS STARVING STILL
WE LIVED BY EATING MUTTON BIRDS
WE LOST OUR CROPS TO GIANT RATS
OUR BACKS WERE LASHED OUR BELLIES BURNED
MY HANDS THEY BLED FROM NORFOLK FLAX
3 CHILDREN I DID BIRTH AND SUCKLE
I MARRIED WILLIAM DRING
HE HAD A QUICK SLY GRIN AND HARD WHITE KNUCKLES
HE WAS THE GREATEST RASCAL LIVING
THE RUM CORPS SOLDIERS OWNED THE TOWN
ONE OF THEM THOUGHT HE COULD OWN ME
MY WILLIAM KNOCKED THAT SOLDIER DOWN
THEIR DUEL SPARKED A MUTINY
IF YOU FIND THE STONE DOWN AT SACKVILLE REACH
WHERE LIE THE BONES OF ANN FORBES HUXLEY
YOU’LL KNOW ONLY THAT I SLUMBER AFTER LIVING 80 YEARS
BUT THERE IS A BOOK OF NUMBERS THAT IS BURIED WITH ME HERE
4 YEARS I WATCHED HOW EVERY SHIP
THAT CAME FROM SYDNEY WAS RECEIVED
EACH BATCH OF CONVICT WOMEN STRIPPED
AND AUCTIONED INTO SLAVERY
THEY CALLED US WHORES AND BATS AND CRACKS
THEY CALLED US CATTLE AND CONVENIENTS
I CLUNG TO WILLIAM LIKE A RAFT
TILL WE WERE FREE AND ON THE MAINLAND
7 BITTER YEARS A PRISONER SPENT
OF GOVERNMENT AND MARRIAGE BOTH
BUT A PRISON TERM CAN NEVER END
IF THERE’S NO HOPE OF CARRIAGE HOME
I SERVED MY TIME OUT AND THROUGH
I GAVE MY WILLIAM DRING THE SLIP
HE WAS A PRETTY LOUT AND TRUE
BUT I WAS TIRED OF BEING HIT
70 ACRES ON THE HAWKSBURY
I FARMED WITH THOMAS HUXLEY JONES
I NAMED IT PARADISE AND HE
DID HIS BEST TO MAKE IT SO
WE BATTLED FLOOD AND FIRE AND DEBT
AND RAISED TEN CHILDREN WITH OUR HANDS
I AM THE STAIN, DISDAINED AND YET
I WOVE THE FABRIC OF THIS LAND
IF YOU FIND THE STONE DOWN AT SACKVILLE REACH
WHERE LIE THE BONES OF ANN FORBES HUXLEY
YOU’LL KNOW ONLY THAT I SLUMBER AFTER LIVING 80 YEARS
BUT THERE IS A BOOK OF NUMBERS THAT IS BURIED WITH ME HERE
IF YOU FIND THE STONE DOWN AT SACKVILLE REACH
WHERE LIE THE BONES OF THE LAST OF THE FIRST FLEET
YOU’LL KNOW THAT I AM BURIED AND MY PAGES GONE TO DUST
BUT MANY THOUSAND OF YOU CARRY MY BOOK OF NUMBERS IN YOUR BLOOD.
WINTER 97 NOLA
© MYSHKIN 1997

credits

from Blue Gold, released June 1, 1998

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Myshkin Warbler Astoria, Oregon

Myshkin and an ever-evolving crew of restless gamblers—string, horn, drum, key, and and wave players. Passions range from tango to electronica, folk-noir to gypsy-swing to modern classical to rocknroll. Literate & spooky. Myshkin mostly plays guitars. When warm, she sings like a shiver down your chakras. Like a heart breaking all wide open. Like one in utter control of uncontrollable things. ... more

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