Category: Lyrics

Words and music by Robbie Smith

The moment is right for a night on the boardwalk
To see the sights and the lights on the town
Yeah, the moment is right for a night making sweet talk
To see the starlight shining down

The moment is right for loving
It’s right for something they’d never see
Not in a thousand dreams
The moment is right for kissing
It’s right for wishing on a thousand twinkling stars

Yeah, yeah now
Who knows what we’ll be going through in the days that lie ahead
So let’s raise a toast and we’ll make the most of the minutes and hours instead

Instrumental

The moment is right for a bright new beginning
To see the laughter and music abound
Yeah, the moment is right taking flight with the winnings
The wheels of fortune spinning ‘round

The moment is right for sharing
It’s right for daring to try it all, go out and have a ball
The moment is right for playing
It’s right for swaying to a thousand flamenco guitars

Yeah, yeah now
Who knows what we’ll be going through in the days that lie ahead
So let’s raise a toast and we’ll make the most of the minutes and hours instead

It’s gonna be sweeter
You’re gonna be treated sweeter
Sweeter when the sun goes down
The moon above ya, ooh I’m gonna love ya
Love ya, love ya, love ya now

The moment is right

Words and music by Robbie Smith

A baby’s crying greets the morning
The year is 1825
A Scottish day is newly dawning
On a new life

They named him Angus MacAskill
And he grew strong and he grew tall
And he worked hard upon the land ’til
He heard the sea call

Instrumental

The sailing ships have crossed the ocean
Through tempest winds and writhing sea
To bring a giant to an island
Draped in mystery

He used his strength to aid the weaker
Until that dark and fateful day
He fell through ship’s deck with a anchor
And so still he lay

Instrumental

A mother’s crying meets the evening
The year is 1863
A Cape Breton day is slowly dying
On a life that’s been and gone away

Words and music by Robbie Smith

It’s time, it’s time
You’re born and all is new now
So cry and cry
Make your presence known

Oh the meaning of, oh the meaning of our lives
So you cling to love, so you hope that you’ll survive

It’s time, it’s time
Let’s see how you are doing now
Oh my, oh my
My, my, how you have grown!
Earth’s clay for the molding

Oh the meaning of, oh the meaning of our lives
Oh you ask, what is love? Oh you listen to the soft replies

It’s time, it’s time
The dance is overdue now
Dance eye to eye, let the light of love be shown
Life’s mystery unfolding

Oh the meaning of, oh the meaning of our lives
So you fall in love, so your wedding day arrives

It’s time, it’s time
Your son’s a father too now
Oh my, oh my
My, my, how time has flown!
Something still withholding

Oh the meaning of, oh the meaning of our lives
So you give them love, and upon your love they thrive

It’s time, it’s time
After all that you’ve been through now
It’s time, it’s time
To face the great unknown
And face it all alone

Oh the meaning of, oh the meaning of our lives
Oh the meaning of, oh the meaning of our lives

It’s time, it’s time
You’re born and all is new now

Oh the meaning of, oh the meaning of our lives
Love’s the meaning of, love’s the meaning of our lives
The meaning of our lives

Words and music by Robbie Smith

High on a hill my heart is searching
For my brother as he marches on his way
All the world seems to glisten and to smile at his returning
Oh, how we’ve yearned for the day when he’d say

How’s the farm and how’s the family?
It’s been much too long since I ventured back this way
There were times when I thought I’d never see this blessed valley
But now I’m home – home to stay

And we’ll pull, we’ll pull together
We’ll work for the sake of getting something done
Yes, we’ll pull, we’ll pull together
We’ll help one another – aye, together we’ll pull as one

Instrumental

And as for me, I’ve been saving all my wages
For a horse and a plough and a piece of decent land
No, there’s no need to coax me – I’ve been planning this for ages
And now, with heart and with hand

We will pull, we’ll pull together
We’ll turn this muddy ground into a golden field of corn
Yes, we’ll pull, we’ll pull together
And gaze upon a harvest as we rise up in the early morn

Instrumental

And now, as we gather ’round this table
With a toast to be pledged and a future to be planned
We’re a clan re-united and for that we’re truly grateful
And for as long as we can

We will pull, we’ll pull together
We’ll work for the sake of getting something done
Yes, we’ll pull, we’ll pull together
We’ll help one another – aye, together we’ll pull as one
Yes, we’ll help one another and together we’ll pull as one!

Instrumental

Words and music by Robbie Smith

Oh, I heard a music man
A travelling music man
Playing in the county fair
Singing to the open air

Something drew me to his sound
And, slowly, others gathered ’round
He caught a glance from each new face
Each a listener to embrace

His heart was in each word he sang
In tune with every note that rang
With sensitive and gifted rhymes
He brought us back to simpler times

He played us something we all knew
Passed the hat – the nickels flew
Made the children laugh and then
A waltz to make us dance again

He had the crowd in his hand – oh, the music man
We were a part of his song, he had us singing along
Spreading joy through this land – oh, the music man
Oh-oh-ho, the travelling music man

He never strained to raise his voice
To capture hearts against their choice
To those who chose to turn away
He had no message to convey

Filled the old folks eyes with tears
Songs recalling sweeter years
Every old song sounding new
Every new song ringing true

And from the corner of his eye
He saw a young girl fair and shy
Chose a song her heart to stir
Something special just for her

With humble threads of harmony
He wove a choral tapestry
The gentle cadence echoed on
But all too soon the music man was gone

But we were all in his hand – oh, the music man
We were a part of his song, he had us singing along
Spreading joy through this land – oh, the music man
Oh-oh-ho, the travelling music man
Oh-oh-ho… the travelling music man

Words and music written by Robbie Smith

Some sweet day I shall wake up in a new land
Lift my eyes to the Heavens and behold
My soul will rise into the skies above the islands
And I shall know the glories of a story still untold

Some sweet day I shall lay down all my troubles
Find a haven where my fears will be consoled
And I shall kneel and feel His presence and be thankful
And slowly, ever slowly, the answers will unfold

Instrumental

But ’til that day I shall stay and raise my children
To try to do what’s right for them will be my goal
I’ll watch them grow and when I know that I can leave them
Hey hey Lord you can have my heart, you can take my soul

Some sweet day
Some sweet day
Some sweet day
Some sweet day

Words and music by Robbie Smith

He’s a drinking man and a working man and a lover of the gin
And there’s no telling how many scapes he’s been in
He’s a gambler and a traveller and he’s partial to a fight
But he’s a fool for the ladies in the middle of the night

Well he fell in love with young Sadie
She’s the apple of every man’s eye
And while the band played Rosie O’Grady
Well he promised her then that he’d make her his bride

And she replied:
Listen Sonny you’ve got money but you don’t have love in your heart, for me –
Take it from me it’s easy to see,
Now when we’re ready we’ll go steady but ’til then this love in my heart, can’t be free –
Can’t you see –

Well he sat awhile and he thought awhile of his dancehall delight
And then he trimmed down his whiskers ’til til he thought they looked right (just right)
And he went to pray every sabbath day and he gave away his gin
And then he showed up one morning with some flowers and grin

And he said, here I am again Sadie
Put away all those dresses of red
I intend to make you a lady
With your own cozy home and your own feather bed

And she said:
Listen Sonny I’ll look funny walking down the aisle dressed in white, can’t you see –
Take it from me it’s hard to believe,
But when we marry and you carry me across the threshold of life, we’ll be free –
You and me –

Ooh…

Words and music by Robbie Smith
Based upon a suggestion by Anne Smith

Mimmie walks by a stream to her garden
And takes the sunflower seeds from her apron;
She sees a bright yellow field in a vision –
Her heart is always in tune with each new season.

Mimmie you were here – waiting by the door,
Doing all you could, but wanting to do more;
Though the years were brief and now we are apart –
You left a clear impression in my heart.

Mimmie carries fresh hay to the stable –
Then picks Mayflowers to grace someone’s table;
She tucks her little ones in to their trundle,
And reads them nursery rhymes beside the candle.

Mimmie you were there – caring for us all –
Always there to try to catch us when we’d fall;
Though the winter came and I knew you couldn’t stay,
I’ve kept a clear impression to this day.

Mimmie knows her summer colours are fading –
But she sows them into a quilt she is making;
Mimmie tends to the young and the aging –
She brings them into the world and mourns their leaving.

Mimmie you were here – waiting by the door,
Doing all you could, but wanting to do more;
For over half my life – that’s how long we’ve been apart
But you’re closer now than ever in my heart.

Words and music by Robbie Smith

Follow a secret passageway
To a place where I keep my yesterdays –
To a room where children’s music plays –
In a place called “Wayback When”;

Oh, the hands on the clock they clap with joy
As a little toy drummer makes some noise –
The world was safe for girls and boys
And can be once again.

I was always busy – always in a hurry,
Take a look in my diary – my pages are all empty…

Won’t you come along for the ride?
Dim the lights – I’ll show some slides –
In every one my childhood hides
And wants to come alive;

Hallowe’en masks, electric trains,
Hula hoops and daisy chains –
The past is dust but the thought remains
Just waiting to be revived…

If only for an evening I want to be young once more
Dreaming and believing In the things I once believed before…

Drop a coin in my piggybank
And I’ll show you to my goldfish tank
Where my favourite battleship sailed and sank
At least a hundred times;

Liquorice pipes and party cones –
You were Watson, I was Holmes –
Detecting clues with fine tooth combs
We solved about a hundred crimes…

If only for an evening I want to be young once more
Dreaming and believing in the things I once believed before
(I went and became a man)

See those marks beside the door
Where I measured my height in days of yore
They start at three feet off the floor
And end right about here;

Everything tasted sweeter then
How I love to visit “Wayback When”
But Yesterday has reached its end
And Tomorrow’s drawing near…

Wave goodbye, wave goodbye to “Wayback When” – wave goodbye
Thinking of “Wayback when”
Ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh you know I’m thinking of “Wayback When”
Thinking of Wayback When…”Wayback When”.

Words and music written by Robbie Smith

I know I spend my time – not with people but with melodies and rhymes;
And my restless mind keeps finding new directions as my temperature climbs;
But when the music’s flowing into dream light –
With all my senses glowing til they take flight –
The soul of the music released from the heart of a song.

And so I drift away recalling fallen heroes – as their music plays…
And I saw Stevie Ray following brother Jimi – hey-ay-ay – through a purple haze…
And to hear what they were playing gave me – sad eyes –
They turned to me saying, brother – don’t cry –
We knew from the start that the ending was part of the song
It was part of the song –
It’s all right – it’s all right – the ending is part of the song.

Music was a gift – it seemed to come from above…
Yes, it was a gift – it was almost like love –
Oo-oo-ooh, almost like love – oo-oo-ooh – almost like love.

And so I spend my days trapped inside a soundscape that leads to endless passageways;
I know I’ll end my days trying to find my way – through the music-maze
But when I reach the ending – lost in deep sleep –
With all my colours blending, brothers – don’t weep –
I knew from the start that the ending was part of this song –
It was part of the song –
It’s all right – it’s all right – the ending is part of…
The soul of the music released from the heart of…
I knew from the start – the ending is part of the song.

Giving myself to the music – there’s nothing else but the music;
Giving my heart to the music – becoming a part of the music –
I feel like I’m part of the music…
Spiralling down, spiralling down through the music.

Words: Robert S. Smith
Music: Robbie C. Smith

Ho hum – here we come smuggling in the booty
Right by the customs’ eye and the federal duty
Ho hum ye demon rum slithering in the harbour
Through the fog a hold of grog bound for smuggler’s barter

And it’s ears pealed and lips sealed and eyes to the fog before us
Think quick and move slick – the bootlegger’s waitin’ for us
Heave ho the kegs overboard into the dory
Ho hum the rum is come

Instrumental break

Ho hum – fingers numb – steering her by an old wreck
Running low the crew go scurrying on the poopdeck
Ho hum – some glum – bidding the booty bye bye
Away we go to get some mo’ to keep the lubbers pie-eyed

And it’s ears pealed and lips sealed and eyes to the fog before us
Think quick and move slick – the bootlegger’s waitin’ for us
Heave ho the kegs overboard into the dory
Ho hum the rum is come

And it’s ears pealed and lips sealed and eyes to the fog before us
Think quick and look slick – the bootlegger’s waitin’ for us
Heave ho the kegs overboard into the dory
Ho hum the rum is come – ho hum the rum is come
Ho hum the rum is…

Words: Robert S. Smith
Music: Robbie Smith

I have been kind to the whaler,
And I have been kind to the whale,
For my soul is the soul of a sailor,
As I whittle the era of sail.

And I carve out the whalebone awaiting
The strokes of my whittling knife,
And the bones and my blade find a mating
That treats of the sea-faring life.

And the lap of my blade on the whitening shoal
Carves lightly in scrimshaw my sea-tendered soul…

And I swear if this soul of a whaler
Was wrecked on the sea-broken stones,
I’d take it as kind if some sailor
So honoured my whitening bones…
Yes, I’d take it as kind if some sailor
So honoured my whitening bones.