RunDog Lyrics

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Some of you who come along to the gigs are curious as to what we're actually singing about. If you've got the C.D. you will probably have discovered that the lyrics are printed on the inside cover (and some of you won't), but either way here's a selection of a few of the songs to date, and also a brief insight into what inspired them.

button What's it matter to you?
button Harpers Store
button Dance in the dark
button Tri deg un, Tri deg dau
button Are you coming out tonight
button Pouring rain
button Breuddwyd Llong Fawr
button Morfa Frenhinas (trad)
button Roll on (big river)
button Ten o'clock turnaround

Look out for ' *' Non-Welsh speakers may find the following information useful

What's it matter to you?

This is basically a song about how we can all get pissed off with our lives (from couch potato to petty tyrant) and really would like our lives to be just a little easier and a bit nicer. I'd just learned a new open E chord from Andy and by playing it in various positions and shapes, came up with the music very quickly and the lyrics even quicker.

Someone outside's got a gun in their hand,
Expressing some views which you don't understand
But anyway - what does it matter to you?
You're tucked up nice all cosy and warm
Doors locked tight against the raging storm
But anyway - what does it matter to you?

No voice in your head to keep driving you mad
Don't you know that it says - Oh yeah yeah
If my life - could be oh so fine

Sometimes feels that I'm slightly deranged
Revolutions in my heart but it won't take the strain
But anyway - what does it matter to you?
You live a simple life compared to mine
Doing 9 till 5 my body's doing overtime
But anyway - what does it matter to you?

Got a voice in your head is it driving you mad
You don't know that it says - Oh yeah yeah
If my life - could be oh so fine

I've got inspirations, aspirations
Want the world at my feet, be the leader of nations
But anyway - what does it matter to you?
Settle down get chilled in front of your TV
Put your feet up friend you make it look too easy
But anyway - what does it matter to you?

Got a buzz in your head and it's driving you mad
Don't you know that it says - oh yeah yeah
If my life - could just be - oh so fine

Words & Music R. Chester. Additional guitar arrangement/lead -
A. Jones. © 1993 R. Chester. © 2001. Rundogrun.

Harpers Store

This is the second song I ever wrote on the accordion. At the time I was listening to a lot of Cajun & Tex Mex music, the simplicity of the driving rhythm and 2-chord structure (evident in much of this music) appealed to my talents. The lyrics just emphasise the culture that, once the weeks work is done, "it's time to party!" This song lay forgotten for several years but was revived when we realised just how enjoyable it was to play and, although it's only two chords G & D (plus a single C at the end which Andy came up with) the tune drives along nicely, people can relate to the song and have a bit of fun......Russ.

Many were the times
I would come down from the station,
To stand beside the crossroads
Outside Harpers general store,
I'd press my nose against his window,
Watch the people going to and fro,
They bought what they liked,
If they liked what they saw.

Some bought the household goods
and some liked fancy trinkets,
And some bought the kind of things
I'd never seen before,
They bought the things that came in handy
While others liked their candy
But the thing I like the best
Was when old Harper shut his store.

Well come on Friday night
Harper closed on down and then,
The folks all went to Henri's bar,
out off the interstate 10,
They'd Shuffle in and shuffle out
Two stepping it about
They loved dancing to his music
They loved dancing to his band.

Shuffle in shuffle out
Shuffle in and shuffle out
Two stepping it about
Shuffle in and shuffle out

Words & Music © 1988. R. Chester - © 2001 Rundogrun

Dance in the dark

This was originally written in 1997 but never got used because Andy couldn't play the rhythm to the original version. The lyrics were written at the time when my marriage was in turmoil. Jennie (my wife) and I, felt like we were growing apart and didn't really understand each other any more, so we decided to do something about it and so arranged to meet each other on a date in Beddgelert. I took the camper van along and parked up next to the school ground and park. The rest is in the lyrics (sorry kids!) and yes, 20 years later…we're still married…Oh…nearly forgot, I changed the rhythm of the tune.

I hear your footsteps, across the yard,
I hear the rain falling, it's coming down oh so hard,
Hey you look just like a pretty mess,
But you couldn't care less because you're laughing so hard.

One, two, three, five-seven minutes more together
Not much time to change our clothes,
Or change the weather in the dark.

Come inside do you want to dance?
Or take a chance; go on the swings up in the park?
Do you want to eat some ice cream?
Do you want to watch some TV?
Or do you want to fuck me?
Or do you want to say goodbye tonight?
Don't say goodnight.

Do you want to touch things, do you want to go fast?
Do you like singing? do you like romance?
Do you like thunder? do you like lightning?
Do you find it frightening? Exiting?
Afraid of heights? Do you want to go higher?
Fight elation? Feel desire?
Couldn't get closer, couldn't get wilder,
Couldn't get hotter, hearts on fire!

High, high, fly by,
Low, low, don't go

High, high, on a swing in the park,
We're getting low, low, shall we dance in the dark.

High, high fly by, no no don't go

Words & Music © 1996. R. Chester. © 2001. Rundogrun.

Tri deg un, tri deg dau

(Thirty one, thirty two.) *Pronounced 'tree deg een, tree deg dye
I'd been working on this tune for a few days, and had just put the finishing touches to it with the title 'Can't be sad all day long'. Time to relax! I settled down to watch England v Wales rugby game, best game I've ever seen, the result 31 - 32 to Wales…Da iawn Gymru! …Change the title!!!

Music & arrangement © R. Chester. 1997
© 1998 Rundogrun.

Coming out tonight

In many other parts of the UK 'going out' for a night can often involve a theatre, restaurant, pubs, clubs or popping round to your friends house. In the depths of rural Wales (a mile to your nearest neighbour, 6 miles to the nearest bus stop, 8 miles to the closest pub)going out can be made a whole lot simpler - step outside your home, light a bonfire, grab a bottle of wine and watch the night happen!

Hey are you coming out tonight,
It's cold outside - there's a fire burning bright,
and I can keep you warm
Hey are you coming out tonight,
It's cold outside - there's a fire burning bright,
and I can keep you warm

Watch the flames burning through the night
I see your face by the dancing light
Watch the fire burning autumn bright
It's burning on and on and on and on and on and on.

You're sat down beside me,
Northern lights turn green to gold.
And other dreams unfold - before our restless eyes
The moutains suprise me
Steal their peaks from starry skies, tears of mist slip down their sides
To linger - then are gone.

Watch the flames burning through the night
I see your face by the dancing light
Watch the fire burning autumn bright
It's burning on and on and on and on and on and on.

Say your words softly
Trace your breath upon the air
See your words hang frozen there, to linger - then are gone
Clouds are spun lightly
The full moon rushes overhead
Casts it's light in silver thread - then falls into the dawn

Watch the flames burning through the night
I see your face by the dancing light
Watch the fire burning autumn bright
It's burning on and on and on and on and on and on.

Hey, - have you seen a stranger scene?
Played in the depths of all your dreams?br> Lay there wondering where you've been?

Hey are you coming out tonight,
It's cold outside - there's a fire burning bright,
and I can keep you warm
Hey are you coming out tonight,
It's cold outside - there's a fire burning bright,
and I can keep you warm
Hey are you coming out tonight,
It's cold outside - there's a fire burning bright.

Words & Music -R. Chester.
© 2003 Rundogrun.

Pouring Rain

Pouring rain

For some people it never rains - it pours!

There's a girl that I know
She lives in a house called 'pouring rain'
She sings about the liars, and the losers
- and the love that she's known,
You can tell in her eyes,
She'll never see them again,
Her life got drowned in sadness,
Now she lives in pouring rain.

There's a girl that I know
She lives in a house called 'pouring rain'
And every time she leaves it she is curious to know why -
- there's no sun in her sky but the shadows remain
And she thinks about all the lovers
She kissed in pouring rain

There's a girl that I know
She keeps herself locked away
And the flood of her tears can't be seen in pouring rain

Words & Music -R. Chester. © 2008. R. Chester © 2009 Rundogrun

Breuddwyd Llong Fawr

(Dream of the big ship) *Pronouced "braythwid thlong vow'r
This tune tells the story of the 'Clio' - the hulk of a sailing ship which lay in the Menai staits and was used as a workhouse/borstal until as late as the 1930's. As everyone of the older generation in Gwynedd and Anglesey knows, the threat of being sent to 'The Big Ship' if you were bad was every child's worst nightmare - though the dream in this case is the ship itself imagining it's former glory days.

Music & arrangement © 2006. A.M. Jones © 2008 Rundogrun

Morfa Frenhinas

This is a traditional Welsh tune which Andy & I picked up in the pub from a fiddle player (and maker) Dafydd Roberts…'Pops' of Penrhyndeudraeth. We've re-arranged it to suit our needs…hope we haven't done too much damage to it!

Arrangement -A.Jones & R. Chester.
© 2001. Rundogrun.

Roll on (big river)

Heat, humidity, lazy days, porch swings, harmonicas, blues, scratched records - all evoking memories we never had!

Ten o'clock turnaround

While waiting for Andy and a friend to call round before going to the pub one night, I was mucking about on the accordion from 9.30 until they arrived (10 o'clock) this tune just came to me. The unfortunate thing was that later, playing in the pub, I ripped the ligaments in my left wrist and was unable to play the tune or accordion again for 8 months (lucky I recorded it at the time!)

Music -R. Chester.
© 2001. R. Chester.© 2003 Rundogrun.

Our music is not designed to be played quietly...For best results...Crank it up!