Lyr Add: The Angel of Lyon (Tom Russell)

Subject: Lyr Add: ANGEL OF LYON (T Russell, S Young)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Aug 98 - 10:14 PM

This was requested in another thread. I was planning a nap for this afternoon, but I couldn’t take my nap in good conscience until I typed this.

The Angel of Lyon
by Tom Russell & Steve Young © 1993, Frontera Music, ASCAP

He had a vision of Anne Marie with a rosary in her hand
So it’s "Exit the Rainmaker" - the old grey flannel man
With a closet full of business suits, he left a letter near the phone
It said: "I’m on my way to Paradise…to see my Angel of Lyon

Then he caught a train to Brussels, he ordered cognac and croissants
He made a mental list of things he owned but didn’t want
Ah, the buildings and the real estate….the antique glass and stone.
He’s trade a vow of poverty to see his Angel of Lyon

And he sang "Ave Maria," or at least the parts he knew
And watched the shadow of the train on the towns that they rolled through
And he closed his eyes and saw two rivers: the Rhône and the Saône
The male and female spirit of the city of Lyon.

Then he waited on the bridge where they’d met a year before
But the days turned into weeks until the seasons numbered four
And his clothes grew worn and ragged, as through the town he roamed
Searching every open window for the Angel of Lyon

There’s a thousand candles burning in the basilica tonight
Where Sister Eve Maria is the keeper of the light
And down a dream of alleyways walks a saint of rag and bone
The madman torn asunder by the Angel of Lyon

Hmm. Interesting song. I guess the guy is obsessed with a French nun named Sister Eve Maria, whose civilian name was Anne Marie. Good song, but I wonder if there’s a story behind it that we don’t know.
-Joe Offer-

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The above was transferred from another thread. We still need chords to satisfy the request below.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: The Angel of Lyon
From: GUEST,tequilaron
Date: 11 May 02 - 03:58 PM

Anyone have the lyrics and chords for "The Angel of Lyon" by Tom Russell and Steve Young. Thanks. Ron.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Angel of Lyon
From: Midchuck
Date: 11 May 02 - 05:06 PM

I can probably sit here and type the lyrics cold, from memory...I love that song dearly...I will try to get them out if someone doesn't have them already.

But what's the point if you don't have Andrew Hardin to play guitar for you? His breaks on that song are one of the wonders of the modern world.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Angel of Lyon
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 May 02 - 06:46 PM

Found it on this site with the verse "And he sang Ave Maria," in slightly different form, used both before and after "Now there's a thousand candles"
Before:
And he sang Ave Maria, at least the parts he knew,
And he watched his shadow on the walls of the streets he walked through,
And he crossed those sacred rivers, the Rhone and the Saone,
But they would not give him the secret of the Angel of Lyon.

After:
And he sang Ave Maria, at least the parts he knew,
And he watched his shadow on the walls of the streets he walked through,
And he crossed those sacred rivers, the Rhone and the Saone,
But they never gave up the secret of the Angel of Lyon.
Angel of Lyon
I think these add a little to the "feel" of the song, which reminds me of Jacques Brel and his wonderful, atmospheric songs. A good one, Joe.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Angel of Lyon
From: GUEST,tequilaron
Date: 13 May 02 - 04:06 PM

Peter, you are so right about Andrew Hardin. He is an amazing guitarist. Thanks for the lyrics guys. Any help on the chords would be appreciated. Thanks. Ron.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Angel of Lyon
From: GUEST,Res
Date: 22 May 02 - 07:46 PM

Steve Young said that he was playing a club in Lyon and kept seening this beautiful woman in the back of the room. She kept fading in and out of view because of the thick smoke in the room, (he says they must issue cigarettes at birth in France), and he gave that vision to Tom Russell who wrote the lyrics. Now, we all know that Tom Russell gives co-writer credits to Steve. Perhaps Steve is just being modest.

I play the song in a drop-D tuning and actually just mute the bass string, then 5th fret. The rest of the guitar work is "g" 7th fret, "d" at the 5th fret and finally "d" in the first position.

Wish I could play guitar like Andrew Hardin, ...but then, not many can. Hope this helps. If not, bc me at [e-mail] and I'll try to help. -- Res

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Angel of Lyon
From: GUEST,tequilaron
Date: 24 May 02 - 12:49 PM

Res, Thanks, for the chords. I will give it a shot. Ron.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Angel of Lyon
From: Mark Clark
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 12:44 AM

GUEST,Res, the guy who supplied the chords for this song above, was Neal Smelser, a wonderful singer and performer in his own right and this is one of the songs he loved to do. He posted the chords because I sent him a link to this thread asking him to help.

I'm sorry to report that Neal died suddenly on June 26 of a massive heart attack. His cyber friend, Hervé Oudet, in Paris does an Internet radio broadcast called Americana in Paris and dedicated his July 7 program (pgm #13) to Neal. Perhaps it will be in the archives, if so, it includes a couple of tracks from the CD Neal was working on when he died.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Angel of Lyon
From: Mark Clark
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 12:52 AM

Oops, I was wrong about the date. The Americana in Paris program I referenced above hasn't aired yet. It will air tomorrow (09.07.2002) at 8:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time and again at 4:00 PM EDT.

      - Mark