Funny what inspires a song - a chicken of ours had died and was in shed waiting to be buried. As I came home from work to do the deed I noticed red kites circling overhead - could they smell poor old Scruffy? Anyway, digging the hole on a warm afternoon, an image of the old indian burial came to mind - on a platform left for the birds to pick clean - would have saved me a lot of bother and not a bad way to be recycled. So that was the only line I had Leave me to the kites. As I was trying to work it out I had a faster rhythmin mind but couldn't work out how to sing over it so slowed it down a little. I suppose it's a dark line to start with, but if there was a sense of "I've done something bad enough to leave me to be scattered by wild animals" then that naturally led to the first verse, somehow. The doom bar, for those who don't know is a sand bar in Cornwall which has been responsible for quite a few groundings and wrecks in its time. It's also a nice pint of real ale.
Leave me to the kites
I cried when I watched that mermaid drown
I cried as my hands held her head down
Leave me to the kites
Leave me to the crows
Leave me where the tide won't go
She whispered you must fear the sea
That siren's whisper maddens me
Leave me to the kites
Leave me to the crows
Leave me where the west wind blows
I stole a kiss she stole my heart
Now I'm cursed till oceans part
Leave me to the kites
Leave me to the crows
Leave me where the doom bar grows
