Momento Mori

(First played live in April 2022, released as the b-side of Single Twelve of 24 Songs in December 2022)
Written by David Gedge / Jon Stewart / Melanie Howard / Nicholas Wellauer

Official Lyrics:

You drift through life and say: “I’ll do it another day” because you do what you always do
And, yes, you’re going to scoff, but you always put things off
Surely the goal is to take control

And you would see what I mean if you could just stop being so nonchalant

And look how all the trees have already lost their leaves
This year’s going to disappear
And you know that it’s true, the world won’t wait for you
You’ve got to make a move

You can’t ignore that there’s a door that is just waiting for you to unlock
It’s not just about you; it affects me, too
We’re all running against the clock

I can see the mountains from here and they don’t look too high
I can see the mountains from here and they don’t look too high

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The Loneliest Time of Year

(Never played live, released as the a-side of Single Twelve of 24 Songs in December 2022)
Written by David Gedge / Jon Stewart / Melanie Howard / Nicholas Wellauer

Official Lyrics:

And can you hear the waves?
This is where I gave my promise to always be here, at your side
So, will you be better off without me?
Well, that is something that only you can decide

I don’t want to pull on your heartstrings but I’ve given you everything; every single thing that you’ve asked me for
I’ve always tried to show concern without asking for anything in return and that’s because I learnt to love you more and more

And so, I’m asking, then, if you could think again before you disappear into thin air because I can’t believe that this just might be the final Christmas that we share

And the weather’s appalling; how can you think of leaving now?
And, look, the snow’s just started falling; this is what Christmas is about

And I know you’d like to spend this time with your wonderful new friend but could we maybe just pretend that you are staying here for another day?
Oh, does it have to end this way?
Let’s not make Christmas Day the loneliest time of year

And the weather’s appalling; how can you think of leaving now?
And, look, the snow’s just started falling; this is what Christmas is about

The weather’s appalling; how can you think of leaving now?
The snow’s just started falling; this is what Christmas is about
The weather’s appalling; how can you think of leaving now?
The snow’s just started falling; this is what Christmas is about

Plot Twist

(First played live in April 2022, released as the b-side of Single Eleven of 24 Songs in November 2022)
Written by David Gedge / Jon Stewart / Melanie Howard / Nicholas Wellauer

Official Lyrics:

There was a girl that he used to know
He really does miss her
Yeah, he’s that joker in the photo
The one who tried to kiss her

Life always just gets in the way
Were they ever meant to be together?
There was a plot twist and then they never even found out whether

She cared as much as he did
He was too scared to ask her
You can’t decide who you fall in love with
It’s risking disaster

Life always just gets in the way
Were they ever meant to be together?
And, until they met again today, he’d been trying his best to just forget her

And it all happened so quickly
The final scene’s impending
The clock keeps on ticking
Looks like we’ve reached the ending
Two, three, four

They used to send each other Fall songs
She tried to teach him Spanish
But then he waited for much too long
She just seemed to vanish

Life always just gets in the way
Were they ever meant to be together?
And, until they met again today, he’d been trying his best to just forget her

And it all happened so quickly
The final scene’s impending
The clock keeps on ticking
Looks like we’ve reached the ending
Two, three, four

Science Fiction

(First played live in April 2022, released as the a-side of Single Eleven of 24 Songs in November 2022)
Written by David Gedge / Jon Stewart / Melanie Howard / Nicholas Wellauer

Official Lyrics:

Aliens have landed
I don’t know what they’ve demanded but the Earth will never be the same again
They said: “Take us to your leader,” you know, the usual procedure
They demolished all our barricades
And then I woke up and the world was just the same as it was yesterday
We broke up but I still call your name, like I do every day

And, in the not-so-distant future, the world’s run by a computer that takes care of every single thing we need but, if you’ve seen any movie, you’ll know things never go smoothly and we’ll face a huge disaster, guaranteed
And then I woke up and the world was just the same as it was yesterday
We broke up but I still call your name, like I do every day

And I’d do anything, anything, anything, anything to stop myself from thinking about you
Yes, I’d do anything, anything, anything, anything to stop myself from thinking about you

And I really need to shake off this addiction but, instead, I’m sat here watching science fiction
I took this retro spaceship for an interstellar day trip and I went as fast as Einstein would allow
It belongs to some mad scientist; I don’t know how he acquired it but a time machine would suit me better now
So I could wake up and have the world be just the same as it was yesterday
We didn’t break up and you still call my name, you never went away

And I’d do anything, anything, anything, anything to stop myself from thinking about you
Yes, I’d do anything, anything, anything, anything to stop myself from thinking about you
Yes, I’d do anything, anything, anything, anything to stop myself from thinking about you
Yes, I’d do anything, anything, anything, anything to stop myself from thinking about you
Oh

Whodunnit

(Never played live, released as the b-side of Single Ten of 24 Songs in October 2022)
Written by David Gedge / Jon Stewart / Melanie Howard / Nicholas Wellauer

Official Lyrics:

You’re living for the moment but I’ll give it a miss because it really, really wasn’t meant to end like this
And for you I went further than I have been before
You got away with murder which I’ll regret for evermore

So, let me ask you, let me ask you, let me ask you how you thought you get away with doing something like that
Well, it transpires you’re a liar and I think it’s time to call it a day
And, darling, that’s where we’re at

Because you have stolen something from me that I can never replace and you have caused catastrophe
You’re a complete disgrace

You’re living for the moment but I’ll give it a miss because it really, really wasn’t meant to end like this

So, let me ask you, let me ask you, let me ask you how you thought you get away with doing something like that
Well, it transpires you’re a liar and I think it’s time to call it a day
And, darling, that’s where we’re at

Because you have stolen something from me that I can never replace and you have caused catastrophe
You’re a complete disgrace
Yeah, you have stolen something from me that I can never replace

Astronomic

(Never played live, released as the a-side of Single Ten of 24 Songs in October 2022)
Written by David Gedge / Jon Stewart / Melanie Howard / Nicholas Wellauer

Official Lyrics:

This is one amazing fantasy
Faster than the speed of sound
I’m unreservedly spellbound
This is exactly where I want to be
Faster than the speed of light
Lying in your arms tonight

Stand back, this is an emergency because you’re atomic
And now we’re flying; it’s death defying
And you can see further than I can see; you’re astronomic
Well, first you save me then you enslave me

I was in a spaceship hurtling through the void
I was hiding away on an asteroid
So, am I feeling good?
No, I’m overjoyed!
I thought there’s no way someone that looks like you could ever be with someone like me but do the stars all align when you need them to?

This is one amazing fantasy
Faster than the speed of sound
I’m unreservedly spellbound
This is exactly where I want to be
Faster than the speed of light
Lying in your arms tonight

I’m moving five times quicker since you called me; I’m hypersonic
Because, when my phone rang, that was a big bang!

I was in a spaceship hurtling through the void
I was hiding away on an asteroid
So, am I feeling good?
No, I’m overjoyed!
I thought there’s no way someone that looks like you could ever be with someone like me but do the stars all align when you need them to?

Summer

(First played live in August 2022, released as the b-side on Single Nine of 24 Songs in September 2022)
Written by David Gedge / Jon Stewart / Melanie Howard / Nicholas Wellauer

Official Lyrics:

That colour looks great on you but, come to think, well, didn’t it always?
I never stopped loving you; no, it’s true
I just went and found even more ways

I’ve been waiting for the summer to return
Feeling number and number, until I learn

That you’ve been back for a while
So, are you really home for good, now?
And, oh, I’ve missed that smile and I just need to say this, somehow

 I’ve been waiting for the summer to return and now the world’s back in colour as far as I’m concerned

 So, just hold on, this is dynamite
We still have time to get it right and, if you don’t care, well, don’t sweat it
Just don’t you dare tell me to forget it because I love you now like I loved you then
Could you ever see yourself back with me again?
I hope you don’t think that I’m pushing too hard but I’ve got to say that I’m ready when you are

Don’t you just love this summer breeze and days that last forever?
The sound of bumble bees
I’ll be here for you whenever

I’ve been waiting for the summer to return and now the world’s back in colour as far as I’m concerned

So, just hold on, this is dynamite
We still have time to get it right and, if you don’t care, well, don’t sweat it
Just don’t you dare tell me to forget it
I love you now like I loved you then
Could you ever see yourself back with me again?
I hope you don’t think that I’m pushing too hard but I’ve got to say that I’m ready when you are

I’ve been waiting for the summer to return
I’ve been waiting for the summer to return
I’ve been waiting for the summer to return
I’ve been waiting for the summer to return

We All Came From The Sea

(Never played live , released as the a-side on Single Nine of 24 Songs in September 2022)
Written by David Gedge / Jon Stewart / Melanie Howard / Nicholas Wellauer

Official Lyrics:

It’s been so long since I’ve seen you smiling but I still don’t think that you should leave because it was over before it had ever really begun, so, just forget all about it
There’s really no point in us fighting because what did that ever achieve?
You say you didn’t even really really have any fun but, somehow, I doubt it

Everyone’s just human and we all make big mistakes like these but I’ll always be here for you, when push comes to shove, like I hope you would for me because you came back to me and that is all that matters
Darling, please, sometimes, you know, it hurts us just to be in love, so, really, don’t worry

You have frankly nothing to be – that I can see – sorry about
You, him, me, we all came from the sea with no jealousy
We can work it out

It’s been so long since I’ve seen you smiling but I still don’t think that you should leave because it was over before it had ever really begun, so, just forget all about it
There’s really no point in us fighting because what did that ever achieve?
You say you didn’t even really really have any fun and while, somehow, I doubt it

You have frankly nothing to be – that I can see – sorry about
You, him, me, we all came from the sea with no jealousy
We can work it out

Each Time You Open Your Eyes

(First played live in January 2022 , released as the a-side on Single Eight of 24 Songs in August 2022)
Written by David Gedge / Charles Layton/ Danielle Wadey / Terry de Castro

Official Lyrics:

Each time you open your eyes, I feel myself falling a little more in love because that’s what you’re made of
And you just don’t realise how you’re so enthralling because that’s the way that you are ; it’s really quite bizarre

And I will make this promise to you, no harm will ever come to you while I’m near; I’ll always hear
And if there’s a storm, then I will shield you
You’ll always know which side I’m on because, without you, well, I’m not anyone
We might have bad days but I will always thank my lucky stars the world revealed you

And I have always loved you; I’ve just been too scared to show it
Never knowing what to say
So, I let you walk away
But now, I’m sticking like glue and, darling, you know it won’t ever happen again; I’ve changed so much since then

And I will make this promise to you, no harm will ever come to you while I’m near; I’ll always hear
And if there’s a storm, then I will shield you
You’ll always know which side I’m on because, without you, well, I’m not anyone
We might have bad days but I will always thank my lucky stars the world revealed you

Telemark

(Originally part of the live set back in 2019, heavily re-worked and released as the b-side on Single Seven of 24 Songs in July 2022).
Written by David Gedge / Charles Layton / Danielle Wadey / Melanie Howard

Official Lyrics:

When we walked across the shingle, did something happen, when you touched my hand?
I don’t understand
You asked me if I was single but I couldn’t speak because I was terrified; I just wanted to hide
What I really wanted was to lie and tell you I was available

You started writing but you gave me a number I couldn’t call; I didn’t want to lose everything
And, of course, it was inviting but I should’ve just run full speed out of there and just disappeared; that much is clear
And did I tell you that I was available?

And I would love to say I am but I’m trying hard not to be that man
Yes, I would love to say I can but I’m trying hard not to be that man

You said: “Up on the mountain, the snowfall gets later and later every year but winter is almost here”
I left you by the river side
You really knew exactly what to say but I still had to walk away because, even here in Telemark, I’m not available

And I would love to say I am but I’m trying hard not to be that man
Yes, I would love to say I can
I’m trying hard not to be that man