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Free Agent

by Ian Bruce

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    FREE AGENT, my fourth solo CD sees another change of label. Now on Ronnie Simpson's IONA Records. The album sees a few changes in style. Anything from hints of Reggae to out and out rock with a bit of everything else in between. I think it works very well. It was generally very well received. Sadly it suffered the same fate as Out of Office, my's previous CD. (Have you been keeping up? LOL!) Iona were front loading the artists' payback. £8.00 per copy. Paying the mortgage became tough with the small profits. Again I stopped carrying it. Hence low sales again. I was disappointed. I love this CD. Again there's a load of what I consider my best 'stuff' on here.

    The download includes a PDF of the cover and booklet.

    By the way..This is really a LISMOR album. Perhaps they have it on their site as a download? I don't know. I suppose you should really look there first if you want a copy. Thanks.

    http://www.allcelticmusic.com/artists/Ian%20Bruce.html
    ... more
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  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 22 Ian Bruce releases available on Bandcamp and save 40%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Together Forever (CMR 2023 Album of The Year), The Land We Love, Children of Blue, The Naked Truth Vol 1 Remastered, Auld Hat New Heids Vol 1, Ain't That Pretty?, Above Wild Water, Hits & Pieces (The first 30 years), and 14 more. , and , .

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1.
2.
BIZZIE LIZZIE (Ian M. Bruce) Lizzie lived in the first house past Peebles Drive. It changed into Lauder around the time that Lizzie died. She'd walk by and "Hello" we'd say; Sometimes I'd run away. She'd be bewildered, sometimes annoyed. Sometimes I'd greet her, sometimes avoid; Running, hiding behind the wall Till we didn't talk at all. . . CHORUS I'm sorry Lizzie, Bizzie Lizzie. If I could only explain. I'm sorry Lizzie, ever Bizzie Lizzie, But I'm never gonna see you again. There was a raincoat I hated to wear. For this old mackintosh I didn't care. Don't look now, I don't want you to see This old raincoat on me. CHORUS Lizzie lived in the first house past Peebles Drive. It changed into Lauder around the time that Lizzie died. She'd walk by and "Hello" we'd say. Sometimes I'd run away. CHORUS
3.
HEARTS OF OHIO (Ian M. Bruce) Athens, Ohio in weather cold as ice. You warmed and welcomed me, Both times, I've been there twice. I stayed with Jed the first time and a fine man is he. Same goes for Jerry Sullivan, Shade U.S.33. CHORUS: Hearts of O- hi-o, Your valley's thick with snow And it's never gonna cool ya down Hearts of Ohio. Hutchison J.D. is a hell of a man. J.D. plays music like no one else can. But he took the time to listen.. I played 'Another Fool's Cafe'. I couldn't lick his boots But he said he liked it anyway. The weather man's been warning, "There's gonna be deep snow! If your figurin' on leavin, Now's the time to go." So so long Appalachia Before the blizzard starts. I leave behind, in bitter cold, Warm, warm hearts.
4.
FIND OUT WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE (Ian M. Bruce) CHORUS: In times like these you find out who your friends are, Bitter words I hear. But in such times, remember who those friends are; The ones who are always near. I've been down, face to the ground. Evil feet kick me when I'm gagged and Bound They stamp on my head; They grind my nose in the dirt. Such unrelenting anger and hurt. I've been used and abused, wrongly accused; Some perfect rights have been blankly refused. Jealousy jibes me, scorn slaps my face. Petered - out promises, lost without trace. When from a thin thread your future suspends Don't be down hearted by fair weather friends In times like these you find out who your friends are. Bitter words I hear. But in such times remember who those friends are, The ones who are always near. NEAR!
5.
6.
7.
Corners 04:23
CORNERS (Ian M. Bruce/Ian J. Walker) Singing Na Na Na, etc. In the corner of a country, In the corner of a town, In the corner of his room, There's a man sitting down In restful preparation for another working day, And his little shop downstairs is a million miles away, For the evening. The lights shine on Broadway, Man lands on the moon, Paul Simon writes American Tune. The big world rolls on by. A different way is waiting But he never thinks to try. So, in the corner of a country, In the corner of a town, In the corner of his room. .'' ' There's a man sitting down. And if the notion takes him There's a jigsaw on the go, Or his unwitting fingers just work remote control For the T.V. And he just sings Na Na Na etc. In the corner of a country, In the corner of a town, In the corner of an office, There's a girl sitting down. Everyday she sits with her fingers on the keys. When she's not typing she's making cups of tea, Sometimes coffee. Big Yellow Taxi, Well it Drove 0l' Dixie Down. "You've got a friend", in every town. Where fingers play piano Admiration flares. Fingers typing memos, no-one really cares. So, in the corner of a country, In the corner of a town, In the corner of an office, There's a girl sitting down. Does it never get her down ? Does she never want to show There's so much to this girl no-one will ever know? It's locked inside her. And she just sings Na Na Na etc. In the corner of this country, In the corner of this town, In the corner of this room, Is there someone who's singing Na Na Na etc.?
8.
9.
Bad Bet 03:27
BAD BET (Ian M. Bruce/Clark Sorley) Stepping down the street trying not to stand on the lines Looking for some good luck in these hard hard times Looking for my share of what all the others get Every risk I take is just a bad bad bet. Doing all the things for luck I've heard we should Salt over my left shoulder and I knock on wood If I don't take my umbrella then rain I always get Every risk I take is just a bad bad bet. Bad bat...Bad bet I should've gone left but I went right Should've been loose but I was tight I know just what I could use A great big chunk of good good news I'm the most unlucky guy you've ever seen If I had a lucky number it would be thirteen I avoid breaking mirrors but I still get into debt. Every risk I take is just a bad bad bet. Bad bet I should've gone up but I went down Everyone's square when I was round I got holes on holes on both my shoes Where's my chunk of good good news? Stepping down the street trying not to stand on the lines Looking for some good luck in these hard hard times Looking for my share of what all the others get Every risk I take is just a bad bad bet.
10.
THE ANCHOR LINE (Ian M. Bruce/Ian J. Walker) Cameronia's moving now. Take me away to Bombay. Tugs hauling, stern and bow, Take me away to Suez. CHORUS The anchor line sails today. 'Take me away to Bombay. "Anchors aweigh!" the Captain says Take me away to Suez One more liner gone to sea. Take me away to Bombay. Another dream that's lost to me. Take me away to Suez. CHORUS So many parts I long to see. Take me away to Bombay. But deepest roots are holding me. Take me away to Suez. CHORUS Left alone on Prince's Quay. Never beholding Bombay. Turning back to Polmadie. Never seeing Suez.
11.
THE DAWN OF A BRAND NEW DAY (Ian M. Bruce/ Gavin Stevenson) Fae the silence only a spring Sunday morning can claim, The cackle o' hens, fae somewhere close at hand came. Soft reassurance, delivered fae harm. One by one by one realising your charms. CHORUS O Mother Nature, we meet at last. Strange we never met in the past. You say I walked by you in every place, But, today, for the first time, I saw the sun in yer face. Today for the first time I saw the sun in yer face. The cushies in the fir wood crooned a lazy tune. Ma mind ceased tae wander, alive tae every soond. Heard the leaves on the trees and the buzzin' o' fleas. A lark headed for heaven and sang on the sweet scented breeze. CHORUS A tingle shot through me. For once my soul leapt and laughed. Wis there mair than the pine in thon tiny wee waft? The sensation o' spring blew ma cobwebs away. A natural high at the dawn of a brand new day. CHORUS
12.
Free Agents 04:25
FREE AGENTS (Ian M. Bruce) CHORUS: I dreamt she held the hand of someone new. Free agents can do. I gotta find out if it's true. So, I thought, if you don't mind, I'd ask you? I'd ask you? She won't believe me But I think of her a lot I remember little moments that she'll think I forgot. Still I don't deserve her. It's my fault we're apart. Fearing for my freedom brought an end before the start. I can't make the change. I'm too long in the tooth. But the nights are long and lonely To tell the honest truth. So I spin in confusion, And I'd just confuse her too. So don't tell her I was asking. That's the safest thing to do. Tell me she's happy. Please tell me she still gleams. Is she holding hands, just like in my dreams? If she has another, Then he's one lucky guy. And I'll curse this crazy fool, Who let such a chance go by.
13.
THE LADIES LEFT BEHIND (Ian M. Bruce) "Where are all the gentlemen?" The question crossed my mind. For here we have their widows, The ladies left behind. They've all come to the party, To sit down in a row Of sad eyes saying "Nowhere else to go". CHORUS The ladies don't take to the floor. The ladies don't dance any more. "Is there still ambition?" The question crossed my mind. "Did they grow too old to dream?" The ladies left behind. "Is there still steel will frailty denies? Have they yielded to time As it ever faster flies?" CHORUS "And who will be waiting?" The question crossed my mind. "Who will kiss the tears from Will their loved ones greet them At some great golden gate? Will Peter hear them shout "Hey, this was worth the wait?" CHORUS Many years have passed Since these questions crossed my mind, And we've become the ones That the ladies left behind. Were their expectations realised Upon that final call? For all those little ladies Was there anything at all? CHORUS Maybe they met gentlemen. Are they somewhere dancing again?
14.

credits

released June 1, 1994

IAN BRUCE - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin.
CLARK SORLEY - Keyboards, Percussion, Backing Vocals.
HAMISH BAYNE - Tin Whistle, Concertina.
MICK DONELLY - Saxophone
DAVE HOLLAND - Steel Guitar
ANDY McGLASSON - Drums, Percussion.
AVRIL JAMIESON - Backing Vocals
ROBBIE DALE - Electric Guitar
ALAN MAIRS - Fiddle

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Ian Bruce Cupar, UK

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