Answer #19 - Because it's Sunday

Clock of the World evolved during the week-long Darwin Songhouse Project in Shrewsbury, England, last March.  I wrote it, pondering whether we could evolve fast to survive ourselves.  The other three women in the Songhouse added their beautiful voices to it - Karine Polwart, Emily Smith and Rachael McShane. Why post it today?  Ah, well.  You know... the live performance is on the new album.

Clock of the World
I am pondering the citizenry of the place I live -
privilege and advantage, but a willingness to give
These droves and droves of immigrants came teeming across
the plains - the cavalry behind them, and we are what remains

And if you've got a dollar, someone'll give you something for it
but a little more'll get you something nicer, I'm sure of it
Maybe a watch that's made in China from the trunk of someone's car
or a lifesize cardboard cut-out of a famous movie star

But somewhere, bells are ringing, somewhere someone's marrying
or a casket someone's carrying - a crowd somewhere is gathering
and somewhere a bell is marking what is passing and sublime
like the clock of the world, keeping perfect, holy time

Ravenous and beautiful - it's all beyond me, I admit
I can buy it if I want it, but I don't need so much of it
And the price will need repaying - don't know how it will be met
But bells go on ringing, grace may find us yet

Or will angels stumble, weary, tired of tasks they've been assigned?
Chimes ringing resoundly, while they hold the firing lines?
With great imagination we call these creatures from the air
and as easily convince ourselves that they were never there

But somewhere, bells are ringing, somewhere someone's marrying
or a casket someone's carrying - a crowd somewhere is gathering
and somewhere a bell is marking what is passing and sublime
like the clock of the world, keeping perfect, holy time

I am listening for a church bell, and I know, somewhere, it rings
reading Darwin by the window, in the order of natural things
There is grandeur in his viewpoint, these evolutionary strains
Still, nothing's quiet on the Eastern Front, so the cavalry remains
always the cavalry remains

And if you've got a dollar, someone'll give you something for it
but a little more'll get you something nicer, I'm sure of it
Here's a painting of a woman - maybe all the way from Rome!
Look how sad and pretty.  She's so far away from home

But somewhere, bells are ringing, somewhere someone's marrying
or a casket someone's carrying - a crowd somewhere is gathering
and somewhere a bell is marking what is passing and sublime
like the clock of the world, keeping perfect, holy time