ALBUM: Omsk (1983) The Nits are: Henk Hofstede Vocals, dulcimer, keyboards Rob Kloet Drums, lyra Michiel Peters Vocals, mandolin, guitars Robert Jan Stips Vocals, polysix, variophon, grand piano Note : These are the lyrics as they appear on the CD booklet. If any additions or corrections are to be made, please drop a line : Pascal Mouret (pascal@bofix.univ-mrs.fr) @SONG: A Touch of Henry Moore (Hofstede) Sometimes I hear the hammer of steel Sometimes I hear the grindstone turn And I am looking looking Sometimes I see the cool wet stone Sometimes I see the tin white skin And I am looking looking Hesitating so afraid to touch And there is more to it Than meets the eye knew it And there is more to it Than meets the eye knew it A reclining figure Made of brass and steel It's a perfect mixture How I think and feel And there is more to it I know A touch of Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth Monday In a slow train Outside The falling rain And I am looking @SONG: Unpleasant Surprise (Peters) The first time we met You were walking down the street A copy of blonde on blonde Under your arm The first time we met You were lost in your overcoat A face that couldn't care less Nothing is something No one can do without You told me but later Asked to see me again The first time we met You were taking your coffee black Oh oh oh unpleasant surprise The first time Last time we met You were locked up in some suburb A cynic lost in his critical views You told me that lately you are Taking things seriously Oh oh oh unpleasant surprise Nothing's still something No one can do without You told me but later asked To see me again Your friends have all settled Some even made the grade Oh oh oh unpleasant surprise Finally you got to face it @SONG: The Vermillion Pencil (Hofstede) Your picture on a wall I can see it It's too small Your picture On a wall Cannot touch it Hold it closer now Now I'm waiting on your doorstep One of the objects You cannot win you cannot have I am standing in the greenhouse Among the apples You cannot see you cannot smell Your picture on a wall I can see it It's too small The simple little things I understand I can feel it Hold it closer now Now I'm headstrong and I wonder One of the objects You cannot touch you cannot feel The vermillion pencil Is in the right hand The colours I like I understand @SONG: Springtime Coming Soon (Stips) Down in the airshaft Of the old hotel Doors on both sides Of a concrete cell No sign of daylight No happy view A two-pillow mattress One hardly used And a man lies still His face up to the moon The sound of footsteps In the corridor Two hands knocking On a pair of doors The black and shiny Limousine Comes to a standstill Silently And the man behind the wheel he croons a tune It's a clear day springtime coming soon @SONG: Tons of Ink (Hofstede) Only rich men can buy Things the poor man can make You've got nothing And they've got plenty Like a tree falling down Hits a grape on the ground They will crush the poor man's head In books You can sit beside everyone In deckchairs travel an ocean In books You're a queen for the afternoon Till the husband steps inside Tons of ink Make millions think Tons of ink Make you think Is it you love is this true love Is it you I'm thinking of love Is it your lip it's a tulip Is it you I'm thinking of Tons of ink Make millions think Tons of ink Make you think Only poor men can read All the papers they need In the dustbins of the town @SONG: Jardin d'Hiver (Hofstede) Strange day In the middle of winter Cold day In the middle of winter Winter garden Jardin d'hiver Bundle of light between buildings Bundle of light between two trees Tu ne viendras pas ce soir Snow falls Tu ne viendras pas ce soir Strange day In the middle of winter Cold day In the middle of winter @SONG: Nescio (Hofstede) Nescio Questo paradiso Nescio Nella bocca del luppo Nescio Lo straniero Š morto Nescio Questo paradiso I jumped off a bridge And went swimming for hours And nobody nobody's looking I came to a hotel with Double rooms and showers And nobody nobody's knocking The phone rings on a nightstand Somebody whispers 'hello' I don't know Too many words after so many miles Somebody whispers 'hello' I don't know I don't know Nescio Questo paradiso Nescio Questo quadro Š bello @SONG: Walls Have Ears (Hofstede) Look at all the pictures Look at all the words Even if it's not true They will write it They are making money Of your private life Coming to your parties Uninvited Don't you talk Dip your pens in poisoned ink Like a straw in milk and vinegar Don't you talk I think the walls have ears tonight @SONG: Spirits Awake (Peters) Shake your rattle fly your kite There's evil in the dark Spirits awake spirits awake Hear the sad song on the water Someone passed away Spirits awake spirits awake Two worlds side by side In broad daylight in darkest night Spirits awake spirits awake Don't offend the ghosts the jinns That hide behind the bush Spirits awake You cannot see them you cannot touch them Yet they're all too real Spirits awake spirits awake Did you see the garden girls go by? @SONG: Walter and Conny (Stips) [Instrumental] @SONG: The Cold Eye (Peters) Looking out my window Looking at this dirty part of town Looking out my window Cold eyes looking cold eyes looking down You should see them going Going down not noticing the slope You should see them going Empty faces faces without hope Doctor, it's not that I can't sleep I call on you it's something else I tell you doctor, reality is haunting me Cos' everything's exactly as it is There's no magic There's no mystery in the night No adventure Only losers, in the morning light Doctor, I hate to bother you but take a look yourself you see it's true now Doctor, I'm haunted by reality Cos' everything's exactly as it is The best surprise is no surprise @SONG: Shadow of a Doubt (Hofstede) Oh I'm undecided What I'm going to do now Have to think it over What I'm going to do now I can be a singer In the next apartment Waiting for the orchestra To step inside Almost fall asleep Behind the dark piano Waiting for the silence Of the night In the wee small hours Of a Sunday morning I am undecided What I'm going to do now I can be a painter In an empty basement Still life on the table Till the lights go out Still there's some desire In the dark behind me I can feel the shadow Of a doubt Undecided What I'm going to do now @SONG: Indoor Painting (Outdoor Sketching) (Hofstede) Indoor painting - outdoor sketching Ceci n'est pas une pipe @SONG: Clean Shirt in Paris (Hofstede) Could it be the strange man he's Headline news Long, thin and glasses and Snakeskin shoes Was it something he said 'bout the Weather and read on a dirty Magazine I have seen his face before The tools of his trade are Dangerous and mean His hands are dirty his shirt is Always clean (he said) And I have seen his face @SONG: Man of Straw (Peters) I'm the man of straw standing in The meadow-ow Chasing crows away they call me A scarecrow Man of straw (oh oh oh) I'm the man of straw they call me A scarecrow-ow I stand here all day long in the Rain and snow Man of straw