The Road To Ruin Primrose Hill (B. Martyn) Parcels (J. Martyn) Auntie Aviator (J. Martyn, B. Martyn) New Day (J. Martyn) Give Us A Ring (Paul Wheeler) Sorry To Be So Long (J. Martyn, B. Martyn) Tree Green (J. Martyn) Say What You Can (J. Martyn, B. Martyn) Road To Ruin (J. Martyn) Released in November 1970. John had numerous disagreements with Joe Boyd over the production of this album and, because of the numerous overdubs , John felt that the recording lack spontaneity. The album featured the introduction of the talents of bass player Danny Thompson. There was some discussion as to what to call Say What You Can and in the sleeve notes it is also referred to as Let It Happen. The Road to Ruin, John explains " is really an adolescents' views of mortality, you know the idea, isn't all fun, we're all doomed but we may as well enjoy it: we're all going one way, but we may as well get down to it while we're here." "The Road To Ruin stands apart from other John Martyn albums...it enjoys distinctly jazz instrumentation in what is basically a rock format." (Andy Childs, ZigZag No.41) John stopped gigging for some time and spent an increasing amount of time with his family in their home at Hastings. He was soon to become a father for the second time. After Road To Ruin, Joe Boyd disbanded Witchseason and decided that John and Beverley should record solo albums. Of this quiet period John said, "...we hadn't had a number one single, and Radio One didn't like us, and all that kind of stuff. There wasn't too much interest from the A&R men and the powers that be, so Island said, 'Give him six grand and see what he comes up with'....And that's how the next album, Bless The Weather came about." Lyrics - The Road To Ruin Primrose Hill Went to see the sun go down on Primrose Hill The Sunday evening sun go down on Primrose Hill Never could be anything else Never should be anything else Cos I like that kind of lifeI like that kind of life. Never thinking too far ahead Hanging high, I fall to bed That's the only kind of life I've led Just the pictures in your room Smell the rose's sweet perfume While you're around, you've got to hear this tune And all those groovy guysAnd all those groovy guys. We went to see the sun go down on Primrose Hill The Sunday evening sun go down on Primrose Hill Never could be anything else Never should be anything else Cos I like that kind of lifeI like that kind of life Do you like that kind of life? Do you like that kind of life? Do you like that kind of life? Parcels I'll take your sadness, make it mine And leave the madness in your mind Well you know, we have gifts to exchange Turn around, I'll show you mine. The space between us growing small Some time you know, we'll use it all Now you see we have things to receive Turn around, I'll show you mine. And all the things you give me now I'll try to pay you back somehow Well you know, we have things to exchange Turn around, I'll show you mine. I took your sadness, made it mine And you felt my madness in your mind Well you know, we have gifts to exchange Turn around, I'll show you mine. Auntie Aviator Auntie Aviator Sooner than much later, we'll be there Flying high above the clouds Take a look and I'll be everywhere. Zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom I'll never let you down Zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom We'll never touch the ground And if we don't want to We won't come down. Said I was a dreamer That all I ever did was sit and stare Take me out to no-man's land If you want to, I can take you there. Zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom I'll never let you down Zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom We'll never touch the ground She's a good shipShe will fly. Now you're flying with me We can take it easy for a while Cruising far above the clouds All I want to do is see you smile. Zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom I'll never let you down Zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom We'll never touch the ground And if we don't want to We won't come down. And if we don't want to We won't come down And if we don't want to We won't come down And if we don't want to We won't come down. New Day Revolution convolution Circles around the town Give us all some time to think Please let us all come down. Not what you say and not what you hear Not who you love and not who you fear What you feel is realWhat you feel is real. Just behind the yawning morning Look and there's a new day dawning Just behind your shying crying Look and there's a new year lying. Not what you say and not what you hear Not who you love and not who you fear What you feel is realWhat you feel is real. Save your days and save your time You save yours and I'll save mine Drink your water, drink your wine You drink yours and I'll drink mine. Not what you say and not what you fear Not who you love and not who you hear What you feel is realWhat you feel is real. Revolution convolution Circles around the town Give us all some time to think Please let us all come down. Not what you say and not what you hear Not what you love and not what you fear What you feel is realWhat you feel is real. Not what you say and not what you hear Not who you love and not who you hear What you feel is realWhat you feel is real. Give Us A Ring Well now, what's the food like, have you slept well? And do the bugs bite other people? And did the banker give you money? And I saw on the postcard that you wrote it On a beach or on your pillow Or on a book or something stiff. Give us a ring when you get back Try to bring me something back With the customs there Make sure you don't get caught With the things that you bought. Jeffrey, he bought a cactus for the kitchen And the rabbit's been complaining And we sat out on the lawn Well now, I have to go to catch the postman Cos I'm going to the pictures Lots of love, I bet you're brown. Give us a ring when you get back Try to bring me something back With the customs there Make sure you don't get caught With the things that you bought. Give us a ring when you get back Try to bring me something back With the customs there Make sure you don't get caught With the things that you bought. Give us a ring when you get back Give us a ring when you get back Give us a ring when you get back Give us a ring.Don't get caught. Sorry To Be So Long Sorry to be so long Just didn't have the time Haven't been into the town Somebody put me down Sorry to be so long. Can't even put pen to paper Not even if I try Everything's bound to come sooner or later Do you think I'd lie? Sorry to be so late Somebody locked me in Guess it's all down to fate Sit back and let them wait Sorry to be so late. Can't even put pen to paper Not even if I try Everything's bound to come sooner or later Do you think I'd lie? Sorry to take your time Should have my own to lend I've got to get you over my line Just want to make you my friend And I'm sorry to take your time. Can't even put pen to paper Not even if I try - and I have tried Everything's bound to come sooner or later Do you think I'd lie? Sorry to be so long Just didn't have the time Haven't been into the town You know, somebody put me down And I'm sorry to be so long. Can't even put pen to paper Not even if I try Everything's bound to come sooner or later Do you think I'd lie? Tree Green And I've been thinking About the wine we're drinking About the line we're sinking. I'm young as a fool, and green as a tree Happy as a man can naturally be A good year coming, coming running A good year coming soon A good year coming, coming running A good year coming soon. Young as a fool, green as a tree Happy as a man can naturally be With you... And I've been taking All the love you were making Just to keep from shaking. I'm as young as a fool and green as a tree Happy as a man can naturally be I just don't care if it just won't come Cos I know my time's for free I just don't care if it just won't come Cos I know the call's for me. I'm happy as a man can naturally be Living in the middle of a mystery With you. And it's no use grieving About the things you're leaving About the lies deceiving. Young as a fool, and green as a tree Happy as a man can naturally be I just don't care if it just won't come Cos I know my time's for free I just don't care if it just don't come Cos I know the call's for me. It just don't matter, just don't matter at all It just don't matter, just don't matter at all It just don't matter, just don't matter at all It just don't matter, just don't matter at all. Say What You Can You make me shaky The way you play the game And every time it works the same You say what you can, but you can't understand It's bigger than you, and it's true. And if I should wake up screaming It's because of the way we're dealing And I was so scared that we might fall Say what you can, but you can't understand It's bigger than you, and it's true. I think of children Something to leave behind They keep me worried all the time Say what you can, but you can't understand You just have to lie, to get by. And if I should wake up crying It's because of the way we're dying And I'm so scared that we might fall. And if I should wake up screaming It's because of the way we're dealing And I'm so scared that we might fall. You make me shaky The way you play the game And every time it works the same. If I should wake up screaming It's because of the way we're dealing And I'm so scared that we might fall. That we might fallWe might fall We might fallWe might fall. The Road To Ruin The sun was red and the sky was blue And I went rowing on the road to ruin How do you make a day like that? How do you make it real? The geese were making an evening sound And I went raving down the crazy paving How do you make a day like that? How do you make it real? And every day is just a joy to hold The needle is new and the patterns are old How do you make a game like that? How do you make it real? The sun was red and the sky was blue And I went rowing on the road to ruin How do you make a day like that? How do you make it feel? Here I Am Here I am now There you are beside me After years being unhappy Never thought I could be Put all that bad love and evil love way behind me. Hear me right now Hear me right now Hear me right now This is me you’re seeing. Here I am now Got my man beside me Here I am now Got his sweet love to guide me With all that bad love and evil love put right behind me. Hear me right now Hear me right now Hear me right now This is me you’re seeing. Here I am now Got my son beside me Here I am now Got this pure soul to guide me With all that bad love and evil love way behind me He ain’t gonna find me. So hear me right now Hear me right now Hear me right now This is me you’re seeing.