THE WEDDING AT STANTON DREW
(Words and music; Colin Reece)
The sun shone hot on the holy grey stone walls of the village church
And from their homes along the road the villagers they marched
All in their best they all were dressed to greet the bride and groom
Yes laughter filled the air that fateful day at Stanton Drew.
The sermon o'er the couple kiss the service now is done
And to the village green the congregation now must run
The piper strikes a merry note and boldly starts to play
We'll eat and drink and laugh and sing and dance away the day
Riff
All the food is gone, the wine's all drunk, they only want to dance
And any pretty girl who wants to rest can't stand a chance
But as the village clock strikes twelve to end the wedding day
The piper blows his last note and his music fades away.
Chorus: "Oh piper won't you play for me" the lady softly begged
But the piper stood with his pipes by his side and he firmly shook his
head
"Midnight has struck, it's Sunday now, I can no longer play
For it's only the Devil's Children will dance on the Sabbath Day."
They laugh, they scoff, they scorn the man for having such beliefs
But trusted men of God will always stand close by their faith
No bribery nor change to praise could ever bring him back
And no-one noticed join the ring, the man all dressed in black
Chorus:
Riff
"What can I do?" the lady cried," we'd only just begun
But with no music for you ears you might as well go home."
"I'll play the violin for you." A voice came from the back
And that is when they turned and saw the man all dressed in black
Well no-one new just what it was that chilled your very soul
But something in this stranger's way just made your blood run cold
But as his music soared away up through the village street
The rhythm held each wedding guest and brought them to their feet.
Instrumental
They danced and danced til each and every one was fit to drop
And all the time the fiddler played they found they could not stop
Then with an evil laugh the man refused to slow the pace
And then with a howl, threw back his cowl to reveal the Devil's face
Chorus:
The wind it howled, the lightning flashed, the thunder loudly cracked
"I'll make you dance" the Devil laughed, "til the flesh falls from your
back"
Then suddenly the music stopped the man in black was gone
Of the bride and the groom and their wedding guests there was
nothing left but stone
Chorus:
The sun came up on Sunday morn and the dew lay on the ground
The piper stood by the ring of stones and he sadly looked around
He understood just what he saw, his eyes were full of tears
And all the while the lady's words kept ringing in his ears
"Oh piper won't you play for me" the lady had softly begged
As the piper stood with his pipes by his side he sadly shook his head
"Midnight it came it's Sunday now I could no longer play
And it was only the Devil's children that danced on the Sabbath
Day."
Chorus:
http://www.colinreece.co.uk/lyrics.htm