My friend Paul Rooney, a fellow strummer who's given me a few tips on stomp boxes and the like here and there over the years, went on holiday to Fuerteventura a while back and reported that he'd met a guy over there who did everything for everyone - a useful bugger apparently - and made the trip swing. "He was the Swiss Army knife of Fuerteventura."
Never one to miss an opportunity or appropriate someone else's good idea when they are presented, I immediately stored this glorious proclamation in the part of my brain labelled "ideas" and waited until I got an idea for a tune.
Eventually I did and a song was birthed. This is another 'McNabbian' tone poem rich in stream of consciousness profundity and inscrutability. It went through many configurations before we arrived at this take, it could have gone in so many different directions. Played live once in what seems like another life.
14) Swiss Army Knife Of Furteventura
Swiss army knife of Fuerteventura,
pressed to my chest, the quest for the curer,
marshal your pawns on the lawns where the fawns,
run and play as the day has its way...
Swiss army knife of Fuerteventura,
memories blessed and washed until purer,
so sweet the taste that we waste made in haste,
where a princess evolved from a dream still unseen,
sailor, steer me to the siren's call, jailor free the guiltless, pardon all,
Swiss army knife of Fuerteventura,
golden, the dawn, the stoic endurer,
cast in the fires where the liars were inspired now fall tired, though still wired,
from the prayers you sent,
Swiss army knife of Fuerteventura,
come home today, please reassure her,
far from the noise, still her poise, and her grace, and her face,
at her place where the future blooms,
starlight, yes I see more life before me,
burn bright, bring the weak and hurt before me,
fly right, make my enemy adore me,
take flight, heave away boys, heave away,
heave away, heave away, heave away....
Swiss army knife of Fuerteventura.
Written by R.I.McNabb © Peermusic (UK) Ltd. 2020
Ian McNabb: Lead vocal, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Mellotron. Ciaron Bell: Backing vocals. Alan Uncivil: French horn. Strings: Kate O'Brien. Bass: Jason Falkner. Drums: Nick
Kilroe.
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