Big Country - The Crossing (Stuart and Bruce, 1981)

When Stuart Adamson first got together with Bruce Watson and started writing songs in May and June of 1981, a room in the Townhill Community Centre in Dunfermline was used as a makeshift studio. There as just a duo and armed with guitars, drum machine, keyboard and a Tascam 4 track portastudio, they wrote and recorded the first 9 songs that would set the foundation of the new collaboration that would come be known as Big Country. Harvest Home, Heart and Soul, Angle Park, Wake, Lost Patrol, We Could Laugh, Echoes, The Crossing and Inwards were those first 9 songs written and recorded. Officially, only Harvest Home, Angle Park and We Could Laugh have been released. (The Crossing 30th Anniversary Deluxe CD) The Crossing - the original first recording of one of Big Country's most loved b-sides. The idea for the music of the song came from Bruce and his band The Delinquents, the very original instrumental version of which can be found here:    • Big Country - The Crossing & Angle Park (e...   There are also some minor lyrical differences between the finished Steve Lillywhite version and the demo version found on Rarities IV, which can be found by searching https://bigcountryinfo.com/originals/... where you'll find both versions. This version also has some minor variations to both of those and being the earliest, you can see what was changed over time to the final version that adorned the Chance 12” single. I have transcribed as best as possible what I believe is correct for this version but if you hear anything else or have suggestions, please leave a comment. Also, a little frustratingly, the intro and first two stanzas are missing from this clip. Asterisks mark where the song picks up in the lyrics below. **** Maps on the back of your hands point to the cross Scratches on walls in a room draw out your loss Your islands are conquered and You are returned to the throne Martyrs take penance and Fill up the mattress with stones Pull straws with holy men Stain all the atlas pink And let us find a beach **** In some small fishing town Stand in the wind if the carousels spin Wear out your welcome again Stand on the shore of mountains And take your rib down to the sea Stand in the wind if the carousels spin Wear out your welcome again Mornings hit hard with an uncontrollable light Piercing the senses that click deep in the night Crouched in a pillow of straw feet on the floor Creeping a path to the mat that holds back the door Pull straws with holy men Stain all the atlas pink And let us find a beach In some small fishing town Stand in the wind if the carousels spin Wear out your welcome again Stand on the silence of mountains And take your rib down to the sea Stand in the wind if the carousels spin Wear out your welcome again Build up great railways that run Through the horns of the moon Line a new city with cast iron museum walls Explain your machines to the lords feed them with tools Bring out the skill in your skin polish your hair Pull straws with holy men Stain all the atlas pink And let us find a beach In some small fishing town Stand in the wind if the carousels spin Wear out your welcome again Stand on the silence of mountains and Take your rib down to the sea Stand in the wind if the carousels spin Wear out your welcome again Celebrating 40 years of Big Country - 1981 to 2021. Stay Alive!