Lyrics of Sting
Canary In A Coalmine
Can't Stand Losing You
Children's Crusade
Come Down In Time*
Consider Me Gone
Contact
Conversation With A Dog
Cushie Butterfield*
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Canary in a Coal Mine

First to fall over when the atmosphere is less than perfect
Your sensibilities are shaken by the slightest defect
You live you life like a canary in a coalmine
You get so dizzy even walking in a straight line

You say you want to spend the winter in Firenza
You're so afraid to catch a dose of influenza
You live your life like a canary in a coalmine
You get so dizzy even walking in a straight line

Canary in a coalmine
Canary in a coalmine
Canary in a coalmine

Now if I tell you that you suffer from delusions
You pay your analyst to reach the same conclusions
You live your life like a canary in a coalmine
You get so dizzy even walking in a straight line

Canary in a coalmine
Canary in a coalmine
Canary in a coalmine

First to fall over when the atmosphere is less than perfect
Your sensibilities are shaken by the slightest defect
You live your life like a canary in a coalmine
You get so dizzy even walking in a straight line
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Can't Stand Losing You

I've called you so many times today
And I guess it's all true what your girlfriends say
That you don't ever want to see me again
And your brother's gonna kill me and he's six feet ten
I guess you'd call it cowardice
But I'm not prepared to go on like this

I can't, I can't
I can't stand losing
I can't, I can't
I can't stand losing
I can't, I can't
I can't
I can't stand losing you

I see you've sent my letters back
And my LP records and they're all scratched
I can't see the point in another day
When nobody listens to a word I say
You can call it lack of confidence
But to carry on living doesn't make no sense

I can't, I can't
I can't stand losing
I can't, I can't
I can't stand losing

I guess this is our last goodbye
And you don't care so I won't cry
But you'll be sorry when I'm dead
And all this guilt will be on your head
I guess you'd call it suicide
But I'm too full to swallow my pride

I can't, I can't 
I can't stand losing
I can't stand losing you
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Children's Crusade

Young men, soldiers, nineteen fourteen
Marching through countries they'd never seen
Virgins with rifles, a game of charades
All for a children's crusade

Pawns in the game are not victims of chance
Strewn on the fields of Belgium and France
Poppies for young men, death's bitter trade
All of these young lives betrayed

The children of England would never be slaves
They're trapped on the wire and dying in waves
The flower of England face down in the mud
And stained in the blood of a whole generation

Corpulent generals safe behind lines
History's lessons drowned in red wine
Poppies for young men, death's bitter trade
All of those young lives betrayed
All for a children's crusade

The children of England would never be slaves
They're trapped on the wire and dying in waves
The flower of England face down in the mud
And stained in the blood of a whole generation

Midnight in Soho nineteen eighty four
Fixing in doorways, opium slaves
Poppies for young men, such bitter trade
All of those young lives betrayed
All for a children's crusade
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Come Down in Time

In the quiet silent seconds I turned off the light switch
And I came down to meet you in the half light the moon left
While a cluster of night jars sang some songs out of tune
A mantle of bright light shone down from a room

Come down in time I still hear her say
So clear in my ear like it was today
Come down in time was the message she gave
Come down in time and I'll meet you half way

Well I don't know if I should have heard her as yet
But a true love like hers is a hard love to get
And I've walked most all the way and I ain't heard her call
And I'm getting to thinking if she's coming at all

Come down in time I still hear her say
So clear in my ear like it was today
Come down in time was the message she gave
Come down in time and I'll meet you half way

There are women and women, and some hold you tight
While some leave you counting the stars in the night
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Consider Me Gone

There were rooms of forgiveness
In the house that we share
But the space has been emptied
Of whatever was there
There were cupboards of patience
There were shelf loads of care
But whoever came calling
Found nobody there
After today, consider me gone

Roses have thorns and shining waters mud
And cancer lurks deep in the sweetest bud
Clouds and eclipses stain the moon and the sun
And history reeks of the wrongs we have done
After today, consider me gone

I've spent too many years at war with myself
The doctor has told me it's no good for my health
To search for perfection is all very well
But to look for heaven is to live here in hell

After today, consider me gone
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Contact

I've got a lump in my throat about the note you wrote
I'd come on over but I haven't got a raincoat

Have we got contact
You and me?
Have we got touchdown
Can't we be?

I've got contacts in my book and in my eyes
My good connection on the telephone never lies

Have we got contact
You and me?
Have we got touchdown
Can't we be?

I've got a list of the people I have known
I'm never alone on the end of a phone

Have we got contact
You and me?
Have we got touchdown
Can't we be?

I've got a lump in my throat about the note you wrote
I'd come on over but I haven't got a raincoat
I'd come on over but I haven't got a raincoat
-------------------------------------------
Conversation With A Dog


I asked my dog what he thought the best in man
He said, "The love you dispense to me twice daily from a can."
I said, "Why do you think my question funny?
And where would you be without my money?"
I said, "There may be some quality in us you must treasure."
"It's despair," he said, "of which your money is the measure."

Walk like a dog     
Like anybody can

I said, "What about our politics, philosophy, our history?"
He said, "If there is something admirable in these it is a mystery."
"But there must be something in our system tell me at your leisure."
"It's despair," he said, "of which your borders are the measure."

Walk like a dog     
Talk like a man
Walk like a dog     
Like anybody can

I said, "What about technology, computers, nuclear fission?"
"I'm terrified of radiation, hate the television."
I said, "There must be something in our scientific treasure."
"It's despair," he said, "of which your weapons are the measure."

"Feed me, you can beat me.  I will love you till I die.
But don't ask for admiration and don't ever ask me why."
I said, "Why wait till now to demonstrate displeasure?"
"It's despair," he said, "of which my silence was the measure."

Walk like a dog     
Talk like a man
Walk like a dog     
Like anybody can
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Cushie Butterfield

 
I'm a broken-hearted keelman
and I'm o'er head in love
With a young lass from Gyetsid
And I call 'er my dove

Her name's Cushie Butterfield
And she sells yellow clay
And 'er cousins a muckman
And they call him Tom Gray

CHORUS
She's a big lass
She's a bonny lass
And she likes her beer
And I call her Cushie Butterfield
And I wish she was here

Her eyes is like two holes
In a blanket burnt through
And her breath in the mornin'
Would scare a young coo

She wears big galoshes
And her stockings once was white
And her bed gown it's lilac
And her hat's never straight

CHORUS

Cushie Butterfield

Aa's a broken hairted keel man and Aa's ower heed in luv
Wiv a young lass in Gyetsid an Aa caal hor me duv
Hor nyem's Cushie Butterfield and she sells Yalla clay
And her cousin is a muckman and they caall ”im Tom Gray.

Chorus- She's a big lass an' a bonnie lass an' she likes hor beer
An they caall hor Cushie Butterfield an' aa wish she war heor

Her eyes are like two holes in a blanket bornt throo,
An' her brows in a mornin wad spyen a young coo;
An' when aw heer her shootin  "will ye buy ony clay,"
Like a candy man's trumpet, it steels ma young hart away.

Ye'll oft see hor doon at Sangit when the fresh harrin cims in,
She's like a bagfull o'saadust tied roond wiv a string;
She weers big galoshes tee, an' hor stockins once was white,
An' hor bedgoon it's laelock, but hor hat's nivver strite.

Chorus

Whan Aa axed hor te marry us, she started te laff;
"Noo, nyen o'yor munkey tricks, for Aa like nee such chaff"
Then she started a' blubblin' an' roared like a bull,
An' the cheps on the Keel ses As's nowt but a fyeul.

Chorus

She sez "The chep that gets me'll heh to work ivry day,
An when he cums hyem at neets heŠll heh te gan an' seek clay;
An' when he's away seekin't aal myek balls an' sing'
Weel may the keel row that my laddies in !"

Chorus

Noo, aw heer she hes anuther chep, an' he hews at Shipcote'
If aw thowt she wad deceive me, ah'd sure cut me throat;
Aal doon the river sailin, anŠsing "Aam afloat,"
Biddin addo te Cushy Butterfield anŠ the chep at Shipcote.

Chorus
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