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Barges Lyrics by Ralph McTell

Not Till Tomorrow

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Me and my brother returned to the water
I saw a pike that was two feet long
Two small magicians, each with a jam jar
Cast spells on the water with hazel twig wands

Country boys catch tadpoles, dive into water
Made shy by their laughter, we wandered down stream
And summer rolled o'er us with no complications
'Cept thinking of Mama sometimes in dreams

Stand by the drawbridge, waiting for barges
Waiting around for smiles from the man
Lifting the bridge whilst watching the horses
Dragging the slow boats up the canal

I do remember the times but no number
After the day, but before evening comes
Waiting for castles and kettles with roses
Painted on barges that sailed into the sun

Oh, see the river run, that was by man begun
Open the locks, let the boats sail on
Taking their castles and kettles with roses
With summers of childhood leaving smiles on the man

About “Barges” by Ralph McTell

Read the complete lyrics to "Barges" by Ralph McTell from the album "Not Till Tomorrow". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Folk, Pop.

"Barges" is performed by Ralph McTell. from the album "Not Till Tomorrow" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Barges", explore more songs by Ralph McTell using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Ralph McTell · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Barges" is credited to Ralph McTell. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Barges" appears on "Not Till Tomorrow".

Visit the Ralph McTell artist page at /artist/ralph-mctell for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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