Get all 17 Cosmo releases available on Bandcamp and save 20%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Just What We Need! Another White Man to Save the Day!, Cop This - THE ALBUM!, Dr. Folkenstein, James Nelson Climbs the Column!!!, The Covid Tapes, Twelve Tidy Tunes from the Timeline - Cosmo & the Welshgarian Mockney All-Stars, I Think You've Got Issues!, Hiraeth, and 9 more.
1. |
These Streets Are Ours
03:28
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Last night I dreamt the neon signs came crashing down
Shattered shopfront glass like jewels lay all around
Checkpoints deserted,
No-one in the soldiers' sights
Could this be real?
Just for tonight?
These streets are ours
This land is ours
Aspiration on remand, imprisoned in our minds
Bodies violated, rotting doing time
Youth we can't protect, is aspiration such a crime?
Right here, right now we crossed the line
These streets are ours
This land is ours
Where we going now the way is clear?
What's the vision now we have no fear?
tell me how are we to fill this space?
Self respect or just get off your face?
Paint the sky or fill the air with song?
Work, study, party all night long?
Love and hope or sit around and laze?
Endless ways to fill up endless days...
When I awoke the neon signs came crashing down
Shattered shopfront glass like jewels lay all around
Checkpoint manned with soldiers in their tanks and jeeps
The teargas put me back to sleep...
These streets are ours
This land is ours
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2. |
Just Ignore 'Em
03:10
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Sometimes I see them in the street, a nasty, loud-mouthed lot
Shouting insults as I pass, they put me on the spot
I turn away, avoid their gaze – I know their sort too well
Your difference or your weakness an excuse to give you hell
Just ignore ‘em, just ignore ‘em
That’s what people say
If you do it long enough they’ll surely go away
Just ignore ‘em, just ignore ‘em
Just keep walking on
Don’t give them the oxygen and soon they’ll all be gone
Now that times are tougher I can see them on the streets
With their banners, voices raised, propaganda sheets
Someone’s filled their heads with words that direct all their hate
Now they’ve got real targets they grow at a mighty rate
Just ignore ‘em, just ignore ‘em
You know the routine
You don’t want any trouble, you don’t want to be seen
Just ignore ‘em, just ignore ‘em
Let’s just hope it stops
Ignore the city centre ‘cos they’re helped out by the cops
Now that it’s all gone awry, what’s all this we see?
These people have got uniforms, guns and authority
They’re breaking down your door today, they’re taking people out
Shocked surprise upon your face, how did this come about?
Just ignore ‘em, just ignore ‘em
Heard it all before?
The price of our inaction has a lot to answer for
Just ignore ‘em, just ignore ‘em
Can’t you see their strings?
The puppet masters paid them off and now they’re running things.
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3. |
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Oh Wasif, you remember when
One summer on the road again
That señorita sent my heart a-quiver?
You were worried sick about your liver?
Every village opened up its arms?
Guitar and oud our lucky charms?
A smoke, a drink for our renown?
Partying as the sun went down?
Oh Wasif, how the nights were long
Full of love and dance and song
And how we managed to pretend
To ourselves it would never end
In the days before the floods
Broken hearts, so much bad blood
Now we’re wallowing in sweet despair
Like the end of a love affair
The gendarmes had their work cut out
Seeing you and me lolling about
What a crazy situation
Different takes on immigration
But when all the boot boys came
You and I felt exactly the same
We both knew we were in the right
Even though we’re both crap in a fight
Oh Wasif, how the nights were long
Full of love and dance and song
And how we managed to pretend
To ourselves it would never end
In the days before the floods
Broken hearts, so much bad blood
Now we’re wallowing in sweet despair
Like the end of a love affair
Last I heard was you left town
Trying to get to higher ground
Waters rising all about you
What would al-Quds do without you?
Sat on desolation row
Your memories inspire me so
And though the reason’s different here
The rising tides are coming near
Oh Wasif, how the nights were long
Full of love and dance and song
And how we managed to pretend
To ourselves it would never end
In the days before the floods
Broken hearts, so much bad blood
Now we’re wallowing in sweet despair
Like the end of a love affair
It’s the end of a love affair….
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4. |
Dawn Raid
04:14
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Hey mister, take your hands off my mum
Tell me now, what have you become?
All that hate there in your eyes
What's it take to brutalise?
Dawn raid
Why must we suffer?
How much more do we have to roam?
Dawn raid
Tougher and tougher
Always just out of reach of home
Hey mister, tell me what is this place?
Why's it hard to make out your face?
If you feel what you're doing's so right
Why in hell are you all cloaked in night?
Dawn raid
Why must we suffer?
How much more do we have to roam?
Dawn raid
Tougher and tougher
Always just out of reach of home
Now we sit pleading what is our fate?
Stuck in limbo how long must we wait?
All these horrors surrounding us here
Out the world's sight yet the brunt of its fear
Dawn raid
Why must we suffer?
How much more do we have to roam?
Dawn raid
Tougher and tougher
Always just out of reach of home
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5. |
Hear The Trumpets Sound
04:01
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Now hear the trumpets sound.
They're calling you and me.
That media glower has more fire power.
Than the queen and her armoury.
Read all about it
Check it out online
Choose your poison carefully
It takes years to refine
You are the subject
They're working on your head
Fermenting prejudgements
Like a cheapo bottle of red
Now hear the trumpets sound.
They're calling you and me.
That media glower has more fire power.
Than the queen and her whole army
Switch on the airwaves
Turn on the TV
Keep in the background
View it with the family
Salaciously insatiable
Your gossipy procurer
And not the poor against the rich
The poor against the poorer
Now hear the trumpets sound.
They're calling you and me.
That media glower has more fire power.
Than the queen and her whole navy
The girl round the corner
Checks out her waistline
Puts her fingers down her throat
And reckons now she's fine
The boy in the cul-de-sac
Sees dreams though the glass ceiling
The pop stars' pimp toasts every click
You just can't beat the feeling
Now hear the trumpets sound.
They're calling you and me.
That media glower has more fire power.
Than the queen and her finery
A politician in a photo
Caught with his pants down
The kids now adults hoping
That what goes round comes around
A D notice slapped on it
No more to be said
brown faces pay the price
And take the flack instead
Now hear the trumpets sound.
They're calling you and me.
That media glower has more fire power.
Than the queen and her purity
Suddenly the word comes through
War is declared
Screaming the headlines
The subjects all are scared
Keep us to your bosom
We'll feed you all the facts
Putty for our policies
This won't hurt, now relax
Now hear the trumpets sound.
They're calling you and me.
That media glower has more fire power.
Than the queen and her armoury
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6. |
The Likes Of Me
03:00
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The Likes Of Me
I can feel your passion
Your outraged sense of pain
But what is your reason
When it's not you in the frame?
The stakes could not be higher
Thanks for your sympathy
But do you know just how it rolls
For the likes of me?
You read all about it
Watch the clips online
Listen to the stories
From those on the front line
In your head it makes sense
In your heart empathy
But do you know just what it's worth
For the likes of me?
Last night I lay dreaming
As the sun went down
I could hear the crackling
Of the guns back in the town
I saw the walls a-tumble
I felt us finally free
From all that separates you
From the likes of me
These hips may bear children
Or maybe not who knows?
And accidents of birth
Should not determine foes
Yet sometimes in struggle
All that sets us free
Is grim determination
Of the likes of me
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7. |
Abdullah's Dilemma
03:16
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Abdullah's dilemma
Abdullah and I sat there down pub one night
Whinging over pints because this country is so shyte
Abdullah cried out suddenly, "My friend, I have a plan!
Let's emigrate to Saudi cos there life is ruddy grand!
"It will be great!
Bet you a tenner!"
And I was caught up in Abdullah's dilemma
But at first I wasn't convinced...
I looked at him all funny and said "Mate, what do you mean?
The stonings, amputations and the lack of booze - bad scene
And no more bacon sarnies, this has to be a joke
"Oh no!" Abdullah winked at me and dragged me for a toke
"It will be great!
Bet you a tenner!"
And I was caught up in Abdullah's dilemma
So what's in it for me then, sunshine?
He said: "You can teach English - you'll earn loadsamoney!!
And sit round in the sun in a gated community
Your petrodollars help to fund the booze and bacon run
The natives just won't bother you - the ladies are all fun!
It will be great!
Bet you a tenner!"
And I was caught up in Abdullah's dilemma
So what about you then, sunshine?
Abdullah said: "Now, me, I am a Muslim but I'm lax
So when I move to Saudi it will help me face the facts
Maybe in the holy places I'll regain my faith
If not I'll call it quits and come and hang out round your place!
It will be great!
Bet you a tenner!"
And I was caught up in Abdullah's dilemma
He had me then I tell ya!
I thought again, hey what the hell, it must be worth a go
So Abdullah and I agreed to Saudi we would go
We both worked our bollocks off and got all the airfare
Checking on the internet what life was like out there
"It will be great!
Bet you a tenner!"
And I was caught up in Abdullah's dilemma
That day in the airport I went through security
But they stopped Abdullah and said: "Look! Disloyalty!
A British Muslim off to Saudi? You're getting short shrift
We've check you're browsing history you're on our no-fly list!"
I got on board
Chucked him a tenner
And I understood Abdullah's dilemma
Oh I took off
Short of a tenner
And I understood Abdullah's dilemma
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8. |
Rich Man's Law
03:04
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Rich Man's Law
This is where my fate found me
With demons sent to confound me
And these high walls all around me
Bound by a rich man's law
He better watch the bed he lies in
Think twice about sending spies in
My spirit will keep on rising
Till I'm bound by his law no more
Was it something in the water
Running though this makeshift shelter
The bodged electrics faltering
That heralded my birth?
I don't care how you spin it
I won't accept this limit
On the world and my place it
On what I'm really worth
The ghetto from the cradle
The factory his ladle
The crumbs there on his table
Our grateful outstretched hands
He can't see my thirsting
The pressure's close to bursting
The one who's last out's first in
I think you understand
The trinkets and the gimmicks
The high life that we mimic
It's turned us into cynics
Just waiting for a pile
Rise up and claim your birthright
Hit hard then party all night
For sure we'll soon be alright
And we'll destroy the files
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9. |
Searching For Songbirds
02:49
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Searching For Songbirds
This is the point where the river
Flows out into the sea
And in this moment I consecrate
There's somewhere calling me
Somewhere where this great injustice
Is all just a thing of the past
And those peacemakers who led us on
Are blown away in this blast
Yet still I know I'm just dreaming
Yet still I know what must be
Please take your arms from round me, love
There's somewhere calling me
This jail they always threaten
Is no more jail than this
These tears are of no consequence
Unless sealed with this kiss
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10. |
Cairo Cafe
04:00
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Speak freely
They can’t hear us now
No judgment
What’s to disavow?
There’s nowhere but here
For us now
Time has clipped it’s wings
Hey, songbird
Throw your head back, sing
There’s nowhere but here
Love in a time of war
They’re coming
I just got the call
Till next time
Remembrance is all
There’s nowhere but here
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11. |
||||
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Last night I dreamt the neon signs came crashing down
Shattered shopfront glass like jewels lay all around
Checkpoints deserted,
No-one in the soldiers' sights
Could this be real?
Just for tonight?
These streets are ours
This land is ours
Aspiration on remand, imprisoned in our minds
Bodies violated, rotting doing time
Youth we can't protect, is aspiration such a crime?
Right here, right now we crossed the line
These streets are ours
This land is ours
Where we going now the way is clear?
What's the vision now we have no fear?
Tell me how we gonna fill this space?
Stop sitting round and getting off your face!
Paint the sky or fill the air with song?
Work, study, party all night long?
Love and hope or sit around and laze?
Endless ways to fill up endless days...
When I awoke the neon signs came crashing down
Shattered shopfront glass like jewels lay all around
Checkpoint manned with soldiers in their tanks and jeeps
The teargas put me back to sleep...
These streets are ours
This land is ours
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Cosmo Cardiff, UK
".. a folksinger for our times with a veritable hive of bees in his bonnet..." Rob Adams, Edinburgh Fringe Review.
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