1. Red Like A Beating Heart (3:42)

Let’s pick apart this perfect dayLet’s have it all out on the tableLet’s see what we really meant to sayLet’s conduct an investigation

And if you meant it, really meant itPut my letters in a box, in a boxWrap it and make it like artPaint it red like a rose, like a roseRed like a beating, red like a beating, Red like a beating heart

Let’s read the tea leaves on this oneLet’s see what’s in the rain-cloudsLet’s see what the I Ching has to sayLet’s really hash it all out

SJ McArdle – vocal, acoustic and electric guitars, harmonicaJohn O’Dwyer – bassEnda Gavin – drumsJosh Johnston – organ

2. All Haste/All Speed (3:37)

Someone’s trod on a wandering sodWho knows where this might lead?Someone’s been through to somewhere they were drawn toAll haste and all speed

Someone’s crossed that old shaky bridgeAnd they cross it aloneMany travel and many leaveBut none come ever homeThe same wayThe same wayThe same

Someone’s gone somewhere they’ve pondered onWho knows where this might lead?Someone’s been there and met a billionaireAll haste and all speed

Is it better not to knowWhat would really see us right?Is it better just to beWhere we are when comes the night?

Someone’s seen what they could have beenWho knows where this might lead?Someone’s made up their mind that they’re paid upAll haste and all speed

SJ McArdle – vocal, acoustic and electric guitarsJohn O’Dwyer – bass, backing vocalEnda Gavin – drumsGillian Durnin – backing vocals

3. Sweetheart (2:49)

Oh wrecked again todayMaybe you were rightWhat’s tragic on a Sunday morningIs always funny on a Saturday nightAlways funny on a Saturday night

Sky red like beating heartsShepherd’s delightShepherd’s baby didn’t leave himIn the middle of a Saturday nightIn the middle of a Saturday night

Sweetheart now’s the time for youSweetheart today’s your daySweetheart pack up all your stuff andSweetheart run away

Crap TV on a Sunday morningSoap operas and fightsJust business on the radioIt seems so long since Saturday nightSo long since Saturday night

SJ McArdle – vocal, acoustic guitar, 12-string electric guitar, harmonica, e-bow, tambourineJohn O’Dwyer – bassEnda Gavin – drumsAideen Morrissey, Garret Brady, Neil McAvinia – backing vocals

4. Whaler’s Prayer (3:09)

It’s cold and it’s darkHere on my watch tonightAnd the others are sleepingBelow decks as is rightAnd they’ve closed up the galleyAnd they’ve killed all the lightsAnd the others are sleepingWith their eyes shut down tight

And we all pray the same prayerIn our fevery bunks down thereSave us from brineSave us from brackKeep our wives lonesomeAnd let us come some way back

The timbers are creakingAnd it’s filthy and coldAnd I’d rather be swingingDown there in the holdAnd the sperm whales are monstrousThey are angry and boldAnd I’d rather see dry landThan an ocean of gold

SJ McArdle – vocal, acoustic and electric guitars, piano, organ, mandolinJohn O’Dwyer – bass, backing vocalEnda Gavin – drumsGillian Durnin – backing vocals

5. Caroline (4:28)

I saw you up on that altarYou were swelling up with prideYou looked up during Fauré’s PavaneAnd you wouldn’t catch my eyeThis should have been easyGod knows it’s been ten years or more

Oh Caroline: it’s not like I miss youBut I think of you from time to time

I loved you, I loved your parentsI was friendly with your dogsSchemes and dreams and plots in the kitchenOutside snow and rain and fogHow did I do so much damage?I bet you can’t even say my name

If I could rewind to those daysI would not know how to startProbably I’d still be confusedProbably I’d still break your heart

SJ McArdle – vocal, acoustic guitar, 12-string electric guitarJosh Johnston – pianoStewart Agnew – backing vocals

6. Till The Docklands Drown (4:04)

Oh God get me out of this townOh God get me out of this townI can’t wait till the factories shut downI can’t wait till the docklands drownSo God get me out of this town

Oh God get me out of this placeOh God get me out of this placeI don’t care if I never see another familiar faceI don’t care who wins this sad, stupid raceSo God get me out of this place

Bruised valley where I clearly do not belongI don’t remember youEmpty bowling alley where I clearly do not belongI don’t remember youAngry rally where I clearly do not belongI don’t remember youI don’t recall you being round here at all

Oh God don’t let me get stuck hereOh God don’t let me get stuck hereThey’re scared of everything I hold dearAnd they pull everything down with their fearSo God don’t let me get stuck here

SJ McArdle – vocal, acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, mandolin, shaky eggs, tambourineJohn O’Dwyer – bassEnda Gavin – drums

7. Bad Love (3:20)

Johnny is a big man on the jobAnd he comes home and he acts like a childNicola swears she’ll kick him out some dayBut it’s so cold outside

And they’re sick of the songs About hearts and flowers In the real worldMaybe there’s such a thing as bad love

But then there has to be some good love

Summertime has an effect on BenIt’s like an Elvis movie, he goes girl crazyMaybe he’d get off his arse and get him a girlIf he wasn’t so lazy

Look at all the people out looking for loveIn the most unlikely of placesMaybe after a time you just take what you getAnd you don’t dare look in their faces

SJ McArdle – vocals, 6- and 12-string electric guitarsJohn O’Dwyer – bass, backing vocalsEnda Gavin – drumsStewart Agnew – backing vocalsNeil Conlon – cornetRory Conlon – saxophoneBrian Murphy – trombone

8. The Sweetest Star (4:20)

Drunk and deliriousSeeking the mysteriousTwisted and starry-eyedI still find my way home

I look up on a clear nightSo many stars I can’t steer rightBetween the Plough and the Little BearYou are the sweetest star

Narky and ashamed of itScared of being blamed for itGrumpy as an old bulldogI still find my way home

SJ McArdle – vocal, acoustic and electric guitarsJohn O’Dwyer – bass, backing vocalEnda Gavin – drums

9. Happy Day (2:53)

Oh happy dayThe sun’s not gonna shineI can stay indoors and maybeHave a glass of wineOh happy dayThe post ain’t gonna comeTonight the stars will stay behindThe clouds just like the sun

Oh happy day now that you finally got your wayAnd there was nothing left to sayOh happy day

Oh happy dayThe birds have all gone southYou can drink champagne all nightAnd never have to watch your mouthOh happy dayYou are out of my sightI can call some friends and drinkAnd I know I won’t sleep tonight

SJ McArdle – vocal, acoustic guitar, 12-string electric guitar, slide guitarJohn O’Dwyer – bass, backing vocalEnda Gavin – drumsGillian Durnin – backing vocals

10. Saul Of Tarsus (3:08)

I’ve seen down the roadI’ve seen the morning of a new dayI’ve been waylaidNow I have light to show the wayI’ve seen blank canvasI’ve seen everything I know turn whiteI’ve been bewilderedNow I recognise the light

At nine comes the wisdom of the owlAt ten the gift of doing rightEleven brings me all this graceAnd the demons all return at midnightThe demons all return at midnight

I’ve seen your intentionI have seen what I’m supposed to doIt’s not that I know any betterIt’s that I’m terrified to lose youI’ve seen the hammerI’ve seen how to build with my own handI know now how to fix thisAnd beat the red out of this land

SJ McArdle – vocal, acoustic guitar, e-bow, tambourines, doorJohn O’Dwyer – bassJosh Johnston – organ

11. Sleepless Night (2:34)

The butterfly clipsYou keep on your lipsPrevent you from speaking the truthThat the wind in the treeAnd the leaf in its leeBelong with each otherLike Judges and Ruth

Oh for an hour or twoI almost got through to youNow time has finished with usAnd now all of our songs will be blue

The tear in your eyeOh the gallons you’ve criedWill stop you from going asleepThe moon is too brightThrough your curtains at nightAnd morning is safe in its keep

The morning will breakAnd you should awakeBut your eyes have finally closedAnd in late afternoonJust the memory of the moonWill remain as you pull on your clothes

SJ McArdle – vocal, acoustic guitar, mandolin, hand clapsJohn O’Dwyer – bassEnda Gavin – drumsStewart Agnew – backing vocalsShane Gavin – hand claps

12. Motion Sickness (5:15)

Sure things changeSo must governmentsAnd so must you and IVote me inBe my oppositionOr be in favour, say ‘aye’

Sometimes travel gets so awfully hardAs we move from end to endJust remember why you’re travellingAnd motion sickness is your friend

Sure things changeSo must caterpillarsAnd so must you and ICould we breakOut of our cocoonsIf we didn’t even try?

Sure things changeSo must moons and seasonsAnd so must you and IIt’s okIf you wane on meAs long as you’re back in my sky

SJ McArdle – vocal, acoustic guitar, 12-string electric guitar, tambourineJohn O’Dwyer – bassEnda Gavin – drumsJosh Johnston – piano

All songs written by Stephen Joseph McArdle © 2005 (IMRO/MCPS). Lyrics used by permission.

Performed by SJ McArdle and The Heavy-Hearted (Enda Gavin and John O’Dwyer).

Produced by Derek Turner and SJ McArdle. Mixed by Derek Turner and Jason Varley. Recorded by Jason Varley at Tumbleweed Studios, Dundalk.

Mastered by Aidan Foley at Masterlabs, Dublin.

Sleeve design by David Graham and Caoimhe Mulroy at Once Upon Design. Band photos by John Durnin. Inside photos by David Graham. Illustrations by SJ McArdle.

For further information, please visit www.sjmcardle.com

Thank you:Everyone listed in the credits for such sterling work and love and effort, way above and beyond – you all rock very much.Thanks also to: Jürgen Marien, Martina Zue and all at CITO (Grüß Gott!); Andrew Cassidy, The Infidels and all at the Tourist’sRest; Mark Deary and all at the Spirit Store; all at Carberry’s; Gavan Kierans/Anna Livia FM; Áine Carberry/LMFM; DroghedaIndependent; Hot Press; all at The Sound Shop; Ricky Warwick; Bob Cheevers; Mick Moore/CD World; Darren, Collette and all at Calipo Theatre & Picture Co; Rosemary Collier and the Drogheda Borough Council Arts Office; McArdles world-wide,especially Cíarán, Felix, Choppy and Pockets; Mary Durnin; friends, supporters and members of the news list. Special thanks toAndrea and the families McArdle, Gavin and O’Dwyer. John would particularly like to thank Bernadette. Joe – you keep the showon the road.