neil donovan
singer songwriter
neil's songs
My songs are in a range of styles – fingerstyle folk to pop to rock to reggae. I write songs based on the many highs and lows experienced over living away from ‘home’ and travelling the world since 2002. Have a listen and see what speaks to you!
Featured Videos
Neil's music gallery - Singapore Days
Hong Kong Days
Lyrics and Chords
“I believe in the power of music to change lives. I need my music to speak to me, I need lyrics that I can identify with, chords and lyrics that inspire me, entertain me, move me, destroy me, console me….that’s the power of music to me. I hope these songs, lyrics and chords speak to you to.”
Neil Donovan
For those too gentle to walk amongst the wolves
Original songs with lyrics
V1
This town yeah it change and then….
They said it don’t matter when
All around is blowing down
Cause you won’t worry anyhow
Woohoo, Hoo, Hoo……
Woohoo, Hoo, Hoo……..
V2
And all my life I’ve watched them say,
He don’t matter anyway
Cause no one cares in this old town
‘Cept the ones that live without
Bridge
And one by one
They gone and then it come
So your turn prove
As though we pick and choose
Chorus
Come and let’s fly out
Let’s escape this town for always
You and I castaways
I heard of a place
On the road to somewhere
You and I we’ll get there x 4
V3
And so far it has not been told
Of those that did the brave the bold
When everything was spinning round
And all the lying tongues were found
Woohoo, Hoo, Hoo
Woohoo, Hoo, Hoo
V4
From a dark time sprung a hope
A place where dreams never grow old
And once again we proved them wrong
And now the legends sing our songs
Woohoo Hoo Hoo
Woohoo Hoo Hoo
Bridge
Chorus
V1
I step out on, the misty wave
Graffiti bombed
Arches rumble with the train
Thoughts echo here, calls to you
We were once
Invincible together stay
Bridge
And we, we are still the same
And we, we will never change
V2
Was it you down, in the baixa bar?
Smoke screened
Songs dance pulsing lights on me
Everywhere, I’m seeing things
Seeing us
This city robbed me of all I have
Bridge
And we, we are still the same
And we, we will never change
Chorus
The river run fast
The river run deep
Our love locked in this city to keep
It knows all we were
All the
Ancient walls
The tales they’ve told
Of folks like us who rise and fall
We know all we were
For all I know
Summer…..is soon
V3
Gulls cry out, fishermen brawl
Then you
Appear up ahead and stir my soul
Searched in vein….never lost you
To dream…
Just lost my way in this city of shame
And we, we are still the same
And we, we will never change
V1
A ripped up scratchcard
Reminds me of your life
And when they come and ask me
I can see why they try
V2
Pieces on the floor
Carries the need to cope
I can see myself there
In the scattered remains of hope
Chorus
And if you need
To let this go
Let me go
But if you want
To let it show
Let it go
V3
Bus-stop forlorn
Like our breakfast this morn
So what’s for dinner love?
No surprise…..we knew we would
V4
I think I saw a spark
But your replies seem sparse
It’s not our fault
Could you please, pass me, the salt
Chorus
And if you need
To let this go
Let me go
But if you want
To let it show
Let it go
Bridge
And once I said that I could feel
Your look at me like you were real
It’s not as though they didn’t say
We were destined this to be this way.
We were destined to be this way
Chorus
And if you need
To let this go
Let me go
But if you want
To let it show
Let it go
V1
The pace of the water seems to have changed
And by this river I should know
Cause it consumes me how it goes
We got together to be alone
V2
It’s this point here that it meets the sea
There’s a festival here in June
Is it the sound of the sunset or the moon?
These moments always come too soon
These moments always come to soon
Chorus
Did I promise to hold you tight
Did I say it would be alright
I thought you knew if from the start
We swapped a life for a taste
We thought our dreams lay in this place / would never fade
I thought you had it in your heart
But you let us fall apart
V3
O’er this old bridge much has crossed
These crumbling walls and art shows
Did we laugh once through the smoke
The faces still carrying hope
V4
These Cobbled streets fill a million dreams
There’s life everywhere I’m an addict
So tell me how we came to this
Put on a record, blow a kiss
Back to the us we didn’t need to fix
Chorus x2
Did I promise to hold you tight
Did I say it would be alright
I thought you knew if from the start
We swapped a life for a taste
We thought our dreams lay in this place / would never fade
I thought you had it in your heart
But you let us fall apart
V1
Away along the river bank, a drink not far ahead I’ll see it again
Cause this is where I feel at home and
Dandelions and witching talk and burdock folk that know I’d do it again
Cause yonder hills is where I roam
Chorus
Say……you…will……don’t leave me alone
You know I’m no good on my own
Say…..you…feel…..what I feel too
Did I ever drift away from you?
V2
Folks round here they call it when you’re five pints deep and all good so it is then
Cause I’ll roll along the bank back home
Rustic scenes and country dreams and old routines they seem like old friends
It’ll be there when your ego ends
Chorus
Say……you…will……don’t leave me alone
You know I’m no good on my own
Say…..you…feel…..what I feel too
Did I ever drift away from you?
V3
Old Tom’s got the shotgun out the hounds have stole the prize we’re all fair game
And Uncle Jimmy feels the same so
Spinning tales of log fire blues in leather shoes what’s news? To this I’ll toast
And off our rockers we will go
Chorus
Say……you…will……don’t leave me alone
You know I’m no good on my own
Say…..you…feel…..what I feel too
Did I ever drift away from you?
Outro
Home is where the heart is
And I’m coming soon
I’m coming back to you my darling x4
Hunter becomes the hunted
I wasn’t waiting for the pain you
Put love up on the table I
Could not hide not again
Are you the same?
Tripping through the dark streets
Do you even know the names of
The ones you left behind
Or will you let them in ignite
My fadista style shame?
Why not turn the lights down
And with it raise my hopes so
This love still feeling shiny
Like it’s new not recycled
Maybe damaged but hey
What’s that on the radio
I’ve heard that one before it’s
A painting of a scene it’s
Love locked in a routine
Is this to be our theme?
Sorry for all the complications
I’m not used to exclusivity
I’ll believe it when I see it
When you say it’s all for me
Who are we to see?
Hunter becomes the hunted
I had been waiting for the pain but
With your love up both exposed us
I couldn’t let me down again
And we go forward and back again x 3
The pick of the month:
What I’ve been listening to this past month
Musician mate of the month
Discover fantastic music here! This month, Pablo Tani, an incredible sax player. Check him out on instagram @tanimusic
Neil's Music News
Neil’s just completed the selection process for the first of his TRIPLE ALBUM! January Sunset will be released in January 2023 (maybe!). Neil will be filming takes, making music videos, and rehearsing like mad to get his songs down and up to speed! Maybe!