Rag-and-Bone Man

[Donna]

Something else a bit different. Hope you enjoy it.

Background: Rag-and-bone men used to travel with a cart from village to village, collecting rags, bones, and other discarded items. I thought I'd apply the notion to human behaviour, which so often involves the to-ing and fro-ing between decisions, a state of 'betwixt and between'.
 
Music/arrangement/vocals: Michael Zaneski
Lyric & melody: Donna Devine
 
Rag-and-Bone Man
 
V1
I’m here to retrieve
All the times you’ve wasted
Every precious moment
[That] You’ve never tasted
 
V2
[The] vows that you broke
Will become my treasure
Chances you squandered
I'll cherish at leisure
 
Chorus
I'm a rag-and-bone man
I scavenge in hearts
Ones that beat betwixt and between
A rag-and-bone man
In a beat-up cart
I haul your remnants of love
To my scrap heap of dreams
 
V3
A dealer in junk
I'm in all your tomorrows
Waiting while you forfeit
The life that you've borrowed
 
I'm a rag-and-bone man
I scavenge in hearts
Ones that beat betwixt and between
A rag-and-bone man
In a beat-up cart
I haul your remnants of love
To my scrap heap of dreams
 
Bridge
I’m doing you a favour
Taking what you don't need
But I leave enough behind
So your loneliness can feed
 
I'm a rag-and-bone man
I scavenge in hearts
Ones that beat betwixt and between
A rag-and-bone man
In a beat-up cart
I haul your remnants of love
To my scrap heap of dreams
 
© 2015 Donna Devine

[Billy]

What a Gem of a song. This is excellent, Donna and Micheal.

I love the "Swing Noire" or "Jazz Manouche" feel of this song. I love the metaphorical use. I would never of come up with something so clever. A rag-and-bone man. When you think about it, it's meaning becomes so clear.
 
How ironic that a song called Rag-and-bone man would carry so much soul and sophistication. Out of interest, in London we used to call Rag-and-bone men "Totters."   

Thanks for sharing. That'll go on a CD for the car.

[PVD]

Great write Donna, excellently crafted and the vocals and arrangement work quite well.

P.S. You're showing your age with the rage man, he long gone along with spats.

Well done

Paul

[Donna]

Thanks, Billy. So pleased you enjoyed this. I hope you have many hours of listening pleasure in the car. I've passed your lovely comment on to Michael.

Paul, thanks for listening, and for your comment.
Of course, I've never actually seen a Rag-and-Bone Man. Long before my time.

Donna

[Paulo]

There's a french flavour right from the begining when the accordion starts...

... That singer should pronounce very strong on the "RRR", lol...

... Different song but very nice.

[Donna]

Thank you for giving this a listen, Paulo.

Donna

[stoman]

Wonderful!

The vocal performance is awesome, and the song is perfectly arranged and mixed. No need to mention the high quality of your lyrics.

[CosmicDolphin]

Sounds like it should be in one of those scary animated Tim Burton movies !  Great Stuff, very different and unique

CD

[Albino]

Wonderful!

The vocal performance is awesome, and the song is perfectly arranged and mixed. No need to mention the high quality of your lyrics.

Exactly. On all counts.

Sounds like it should be in one of those scary animated Tim Burton movies !  Great Stuff, very different and unique

CD

Yes it does. I Love it.

[Zax]

This is very cool!!   

Really enjoyed the listen.  Well done!

Frank

[Donna]

Steffen, CD, Albina, and Frank, thank you so much for giving this a listen, and for your kind comments.

Donna

[SmithC]

This is such an excellent composition Donna..... and equally sang by Michael 

I've already started humming the song......wonderful collaboration.

Smithie

[Donna]

Thank you, Smithie. That the song got you humming is a compliment indeed.

Donna