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Beautiful You

by Friends

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1.
This Is The Start 03:56
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This is the start of a beautiful friendship Don’t worry will it last, forget about the past This is the start of another adventure Don’t try to see the end, the time ahead is ours to spend I look at things today In a different kind of way I’ll tell you all I’ve heard And tomorrow there’s a whole new World there outside Roads leading worldwide Suddenly it’s real And I only hope you feel what I can feel This is the start of a day to remember I know because I know, my instinct tells me so This is the start of a glorious summer Enjoy it while we can, and don’t forget where we began Disappear from out of view And I could soon believe that I was dreaming, simply dreaming Suddenly the vision clears And I can see you standing in the sun This is the start of a brilliant morning The burning sky is clear, the future goes from here This is the start, where the blossom is falling It’s one day at a time, we’ll find what only we can find This is the start of a magical journey With only you and me, we’re travelling for free This is the start of a shimmering highway We’ll follow where it goes The way the river flows Whichever way the breezes blow Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd
2.
When The Sun Shines 06:10
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Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Wake up every morning feeling pretty much the same Lie until the sunlight’s streaming through the room again And I walk down the hall and step out through the door to the day And I say Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Moving through the people as the city comes alive Crawling down the underground and out the other side And I climb up the stairs, and I’m finally there on my way And I say Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo And when the sun shines And when the grass grows And under blue skies And when the breeze blows That’s when I feel That I’m alive Why I believe That I’m alive That’s how I know That I’m alive I’ve come alive Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo And when the rain falls And when the air’s cold And when the ghosts call And when the mist’s low And in the chill wind And when my eyes freeze And when no birds sing And in the bare trees And through the long nights And through the dark days And in the half light And when the sky’s grey And in the full moon And in the wild storm It’s going to come soon We’re going to be warm Get home every evening, feeling nearly half asleep The days are long and heavy and there’s music through the street And I lie on the wall as the light slowly falls from the day And I say Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo And when the sun shines And when the grass grows And under blue skies And when the breeze blows That’s when I feel That I’m alive Why I believe That I’m alive That’s how I know That I’m alive I’ve come alive Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd
3.
Beautiful To Me 05:10
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The music that you play, that song you’re always singing And everything you say, it’s beautiful to me The poems that you wrote, the pictures that you painted The letters that you send, are beautiful to me Everywhere I look I see you all around The sunlight and the dark, your face in every crowd The sudden moves you make, as though you’re always dancing The smile that’s on your face, it’s beautiful to me The funny things you say, your very strange expressions To hear them every day, is beautiful to me The way you cut your hair, I’ve still seen nothing like it The crazy things you wear, are beautiful to me And when you’re not around, I feel you in my dreams And often talk aloud, to hear if you reply Clear enough to see that everything about you Is beautiful to me, I have to tell you so Hard to disagree, can be no doubt about it I try to make you see, you’re beautiful to me Everywhere you go it feels that I could follow As though I’d always known where every road would lead Strange how things have gone, it’s funny how it happened Whoever could have told what’s beautiful to me? And all around the house, to hear the sound of laughter And even when you cry, it’s music in the air December to July, I’ve seen you in all weathers And frozen or ablaze, you’re beautiful to me To see and touch and taste, you fill my senses high And how you call my name that makes me feel so fine The way you fill the space, the way the light surrounds you Your shadow on the lawn is beautiful to me Clear enough to see that everything about you Is beautiful to me, I have to tell you so Hard to disagree, can be no doubt about it I try to make you see, you’re beautiful to me Clear enough to see, you might as well believe it You’re beautiful to me, I’ll tell you one more time Easy to explain, I can’t deny my feelings I’ll say it once again, you’re beautiful to me Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd
4.
The Story Of My Life 02:27
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I’ve got those daylight blues again I’m keeping undercover Hungover from some lost weekend And longing for another This has been the story of my life See the affair from where I stand This wasn’t meant to happen An unexpected change of plan It’s a repeating pattern This has been the story of my life God, this isn’t the first or last time Just an average nervous breakdown See the delicate state that I’m in Some impossible situation This has been the story of my life Yes it’s been a long hard road Guess that’s how the story always goes And every time we’re getting near Create a fresh disaster Throughout my brilliant career I’m the acknowledged master Should have been my crowning glory This has been the story of my life God, this isn’t the first or last time Just an average nervous breakdown See the delicate state that I’m in Some impossible situation Has to be the final warning This has been the story of my life Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd
5.
Over The Hills 04:28
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Over there, what can you see? Far from here, where we could be The fields are green As far as your tired eyes can reach Seem so high, forever the same Where they rise, the end of the plains Take me now Where are we heading for? Try again, I might tell you later Ask me when the night’s turning into day Where I’ve been the sun’s shining over the hills I’ve seen the sun rising over the hills So green, the spring showers over the hills I dream of living there over the hills Slowing down, now that we’re near Come this far once every year Closer now Where the horizon was Clear ahead, away in the distance Here instead, we can’t wait another day Feel the sun, the dark clouds over the hills have gone There’s blue skies over the hills Come on, we’ve dreamed of running over the hills So long, I’ll show you what’s over the hills Far above, reach for the sky Seen the world, but never so high Breathing deep, starting to climb Go on ahead, I’ll follow behind Come with me, a new day over the hills We’ll see a clear morning over the hills Can we make everything into a place To be, a new world over the hills Feel the sound, the songs coming over the hills I’ve found the new music over the hills Around the air’s full of beauty and light The ground is moving there over the hills Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd
6.
Special You 03:27
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I start to see you everywhere Then you freeze me with a stare I try to find out who you are And all you say is blah blah blah Darling get out of my dreams Darling you know what I mean The people that you know The places that you go The things you think about The stars above your house I never thought I’d find the special you I fill the air with drunken words Or sit beside you in a church Stumble through the village streets I want to be here every week Darling you already know Darling I’m sure that it shows The things I never knew The other side of you You opened up my eyes I never realised The pleasure when we meet The bottom of your street I’m glad that I could find the special you You’re the vision in my eyes Sacred mother, sacred child You’re the sound I want to hear Getting closer, getting clear I’ll tell you something you don’t know A secret that I’ve never told You speak to me in foreign words In beauty that I’ve never heard I’m happy when you’re near I wish that you were here I mean it when I say You take my breath away You’re quieter than the breeze You’re wilder than the sea I’ll tell you how I feel I promise this is real I’m glad I got to know the special you Whatever people say They can’t take this away You’re filling up my time You’re always on my mind Seeing something grow Somehow I just know I’m giving this to you The best that I can do I’m glad that I could find the special you I never want to lose the special you There’ll never be another special you There’s just the one and only special you Beautiful you, beautiful you Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd
7.
No Regrets 05:19
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No, no regrets For what has happened And hasn’t yet No, no regrets, no regrets, no regrets In some alternate life I could have been a national hero Don’t quite get it right And now I’m turning into some local weirdo Might have hit the heights Instead of only hitting the streets of nowhere No, no regrets For all the passion I ever felt No, no regrets, no regrets, no regrets Take some good idea It turns into another disaster Make it through the years And stagger to whatever may follow after Slipped right through my hands And time and money slipping away like water Saw it there and blew it all away Meant to save it for another day No, no regrets What looked like failure Was my success No, no regrets, no regrets, no regrets Some time before I die I want to know if you could have loved me You know I had to try Or never be forgiven for doing nothing Say you understand Or even better promise me you’ll remember You stripped me down and walked all over me Turned me round and got inside of me No, no regrets For always trying I did my best No, no regrets, no regrets, no regrets No regrets, no regrets, no regrets, no regrets No regrets Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd
8.
The Avenues 04:07
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Keep moving on now, don’t look back Open road you’re staring at Gone away, cut off my past (I knew you, I knew you) Made it big, I’m home at last (No-one remembers you now) One thing I have still to do Is make an ancient dream come true And live my perfect life with you In a big house in the avenues And I will drive with you Down the avenues And I will drive with you Down the avenues The avenues of spring The avenues of summer The avenues of home The avenues of time Never ends, a single track Straight ahead and no way back On and on till out of sight Midnight sun, no day or night Nothing show and nothing give (Hide away, hide away) Live to work or work to live (Lie awake, lie awake) One way in and one way out (Cry for me, cry for me) All that’s left to dream about (Silently, silently) One thing I have still to do I’m coming back to be with you One thing I can still believe Say you want the same as me Only thing I need to do I want to see the avenues Driven on, unsatisfied (Harder now, harder now) Biggest fear, run out of time (Faster now, faster now) I listened once, I listened twice (Come to me, come to me) Gave it up, and got a life (Out of here, out of here now) One thing I must still achieve Fulfil a lifelong fantasy To know you want to be with me By the fountains under almond trees And I will drive with you Down the avenues And I will drive with you Down the avenues And I will fly with you Down the avenues The avenues of spring The avenues of summer The avenues of night The avenues of morning The avenues of time Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd
9.
So You Say 03:04
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I see you standing in the rain And now I’m waiting there again I think it’s love “Well so does everybody else” Or so you say It doesn’t have to be this way Don’t want to play your silly games “You wouldn’t want me if I couldn’t still be free” Or so you say Blinded by your beauty The kind of things you’re doing to me Dazzled by the sunlight Frightened that I’ll give myself away Or so you say, or so you say, or so you say Blinded by your beauty Frightened by your naked cruelty Flattered that you choose me Staggered by the ways you use me The more I think about you The less I want to be around you The more I thought I knew you The less I ever mattered to you I can’t believe the things I’m hearing myself say You only wanted me to fill some empty days I never dreamed that I could still feel jealousy You never meant to let me think you wanted me It only seems like yesterday I know the memories will fade “Whatever happened would have happened anyway” Or so you say Blinded by your beauty The kind of things you’re doing to me Dazzled by the sunlight Your shadow’s where I’m feeling alright You really are amazing I can’t explain how I’m behaving End of situation One more night and you’ll be on your way Or so you say, or so you say Or so you say, or so you say Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd
10.
Village In My Mind 04:25
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Reaching back to find The summers left behind The village in my mind was always here The railway tracks have gone The churchyard’s overgrown The school was closed in 1917 Forever stays the way it’s always been Lying on the riverbank to feel the sun Walk along the village green to see your chosen one The mornings drifting on The afternoons so long, so long, so long, so long Their voices everywhere The Sunday evening prayers Fade into the air and disappear And echo down the ninety missing years The midday sun at harvest time still burns the fields Running down the shaded lanes beside the turning wheels The golden wives and men Will never come again, again, again, again Faded like the photographs from years of sun The choir has gone, the boys and girls Sing on and on and on and on The poppies once a year And carved in stone still clear The names of fifty heroes in the square Remembered through the breezes in the air And I know I’ll never find it anywhere The village in my mind was never there Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd
11.
Schooldays 03:04
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I think about you now and then I don’t suppose you keep in touch with anyone You must remember me from way back when I Crowned myself the king of cool Making waves and breaking all the rules We said we’d never make a plan And after twenty years just listen to yourself The very best days of your life have vanished Disappeared into the air Traded for domestic bliss somewhere Checking for reality Fading in my memory I just about remember you The crazy things we used to do Got all the pictures on the wall And often try remembering your names Most of you I’ve never seen again All things bright and beautiful And all teachers great and small Twenty-four in ‘68 Who did we appreciate? Not you All the teenage loves and hates and All the kids humiliated All the weddings and divorces Anniversaries and birthdays All of those who never liked me All the ones I fell in love with Jennifer and Alison Just tell me where you’ve gone Yeah yeah yeah You really played the part so well I loved your workers revolutionary phase And when your friends are reunited tell them I went one way by myself You went yours with everybody else Walk ahead and don’t look back I’ll see you by the railway track And half past eight is when we’ll meet Beneath the clock in Eastgate Street Schooldays have gone so fast Seemed just like an everlasting Blue haze and then it’s gone The memories live on and on and on Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd
12.
It Passed Me By 04:47
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I never saw the crowd Until it passed me by Never laughed aloud And never dared to cry Never made a sound And couldn’t hear the noise I never felt the sun Until it passed me by Never climbed the hills And never touched the sky Sheltered from the rain And shaded from the heat I never felt the sun Until it passed me by I never saw the time Until it passed me by Knew that it had gone And often wondered why The ticking of a watch The houses full of clocks I never saw the time Until it passed me by I never saw the chance Until it passed me by Might have changed the world And never dreamed to try Maybe I’d have failed And now I’ll never know I never saw the chance Until it passed me by I never heard your voice Until it passed me by I never felt your love Until you let it die The things I hoped you’d say And wish I hadn’t said I never heard your voice Until it passed me by Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd
13.
And Start Again 04:14
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The light in your eyes Has faded out to grey At night there you hide The times you feel this way The fight is too hard Is all I hear you say You try harder If only we knew What everybody sees Just don’t let them prove What all of them believe The answer you need The words to set you free Are inside you Bring them back again now Sing them round again now Bring them back again And when you’re down And on the ground Just look around And start again When there are doubts With no way out Just hang about And start again And in the end The pain will mend You’ve got a friend So start again Don’t let it drop Don’t ever stop Just pick it up And start again So cry all your tears And give yourself some peace Don’t fight with your fears Just leave what you don’t need Tonight you’re still here And every day will be You’re still trying Keep on trying Keep on trying Don’t stop trying And when you’re down And on the ground Just look around And start again When there are doubts With no way out Just hang about And start again And in the end The pain will mend You’ve got a friend So start again Don’t let it drop Don’t ever stop Just pick it up And start again Stop looking down Start looking round And join the crowd And start again Don’t think about Those ancient doubts Just shout it out And start again Don’t let it show Just let it go Do what you know And start again When nothing helps There’s no-one else Just be yourself And start again Written by William Jones Published by Summerhouse Music Ltd

about

Beautiful You retains the characteristic qualities of Friends music – catchy melodies, great trumpet riffs and intricate guitar patterns, with a very English sound - whilst developing the band's style in several new directions. While a couple of the songs maintain the stripped-down feel of Folk Songs, the new album is a return to the rich, full band sound which characterised Friends' work up to the release of Sundrowned.

From the summery optimism of This Is The Start and When The Sun Shines, to the haunting nostalgia of Village In My Mind and It Passed Me By, to the Latin-tinged pop of So You Say, the thirteen tracks of Beautiful You offer the complete Friends experience, and more.

credits

released July 25, 2011

William Jones: voice, acoustic, electric & acoustic 12-string guitar
Katherine Dow Blyton: voice
Al Wood: trumpet, flute
Richard Buckton: electric guitar
Jon Kirby: keyboards
Edwin Pearson: bass
Martin Parker: drums, percussion

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Friends City Of London, UK

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