I have always admired the mystical beauty of Vicky’s compositions, so I consider myself extremely lucky to have been able to collaborate with him. Working with him has been an absolute pleasure.

[J’ai toujours admiré la beauté mystique des compositions de Vicky, alors je me considère extrêmement chanceux d’avoir pu collaborer avec lui. Travailler avec lui a été un plaisir absolu.]

This song is – er – eccentric. I have been diagnosed as a ‘crazy lady’ (by Dr Colab) and I like crows. What can I say? (Sorry it’s not very well recorded ….. )

QUEEN OF THE CROWS

I flew to a great land that was strange to me
With humid heat, white sand and turquoise sea.
In an air-cooled room I slept, troubled in my mind
Until mellow morning gold filtered through the blind.
Above me I heard claws, the sound of raucous cries
Looking out I saw a murder of crows gilded by sunrise.

They fed on black velvet moths, drowsy from the night
Death’s prelude a rustle of feathers and sharp beak’s bite.
As one the crows’ heads turned and they stared at me
All at once I felt trapped inside and ached to be free.

I left my bed of dreams and went down to the street
Something small caught the sun and sparkled at my feet.
I stooped and placed a heart-shaped diamond in my palm
A tall stranger told me: “I can break the riddle of that charm.”

I knew the answer already – my future - why I was here
But I needed the warmth of the stranger and held him near.
He woke to find me gone, a feather beside him on the bed
Brushing the quill along his cheek, he knew he’d been misled.

I was flying fast and high, infinity at my finger tips
Velvet moth and dazzling diamond held between my lips.
For I am the Queen of the Crows