After a few months of rehearsal we realised that we had a very interesting blend of voices. Everyone was very comfortable and adept at harmony singing. With this in mind the idea came to me to open a song with a four part harmony chorus (the fourth bass part being provided by our engineer Greg on the recording) in a ‘Come All Ye’ traditional English folk style (the interesting twist being Stephen’s Irish brogue coming to the fore!).
I’ve always been intrigued by the human notion of the creation of things like dance crazes etc. in times of war, hardship and disaster throughout history. A version of this idea crept into the song as it progressed, the disaster in this case being the devastating impact of human behaviour on our environment and the living environment of all creatures - corporate greed and profit at any cost and the dismissive ambivalence of many towards this.
The song is set in an almost pre-apocalyptic world of denial…complete with rousing ‘party on’ chorus.
Music and lyrics by Steph Miller
lyrics
Fill up the cup and pass it on
Through winter chill and summer storm
Free falling fast, no safety net
With friend and foe no sad regret
Will you see the ashes and the flames
Trees carved with symbols and names
The silos dry, the burning trains
The embers at your door?
Curtains drawn, the cattle blind
All turn away, no scene, no crime
The skin it blisters, the faults and lies
Are taken to the grave
Fill up the cup and pass it on
Through winter chill and summer storm
Free falling fast, no safety net
With friend and foe no sad regret
Will you be there when the lights go out
When the temples fall and faith in doubt?
Will you still wear the crown of thorns
As you push up to the wire?
The lanes are full of hounds and thieves
A beggar's life spent on his knees
The weavers scheme and the schemers weave
Through streets of Midas gold
Fill up the cup and pass it on
Through winter chill and summer storm
Free falling fast, no safety net
With friend and foe no sad regret
The halls of industry echo on
The loudest voice, the largest stone
But never drown a fellow soul
In the gilt sack that you've made
Fill up the cup and pass it on
Through winter chill and summer storm
Free falling fast, no safety net
With friend and foe no sad regret
Fill up the cup and pass it on
Through winter chill and summer storm
Free falling fast, no safety net
With friend and foe no sad regret
credits
from Railplane,
released July 20, 2022
Steph Miller - guitar, octave mandolin, mandocello, bass, electric guitar, tin whistle, accordion, violin, vocals
Stephen Mitchell - bodhrán, drum kit, tambourine, backing vocals
Edmond Kairouz - octave mandolin, banjo, flute, backing vocals
Greg Ryan - additional cymbals, backing vocals
Recorded in the shed by Greg Ryan
Mixed by Greg Ryan and Michael Bates
Mastered by William Bowden - King Willy Sound
Produced by Greg Ryan, Michael Bates and Railplane
Former bandmate of Steph's in The Scream, and Railplane co-producer, Michael Bates' Visiting Aliens project.The Target features The Scream lineup with Winter Station drummer Tully Ryan. Railplane
