B i o g r a p h y ( by Matt Fink )
”Let Go A Little” It's a line from Denison Witmer's latest album, Denison Witmer, but it's also the lesson that the acoustic singer-songwriter has learned from his first fifteen years of underground success. The release of his self-titled disc—his tenth full-length—comes as an occasion to reflect on what he's learned from a career in music: to be patient, to trust in happy accidents, and to admit every once in a while that he isn't totally in control. In a way, even the start of his musical career was an accident. Hoping to print a hundred or so copies of his first CD, Safe Away (1998), a teenaged Denison found himself stuck with ten times that many, and went on his first tour in an attempt to keep the extras from going to waste. He sold the whole thousand, including one copy that found its way into the hands of the Burnt Toast Vinyl label, and a recording project intended for a tiny audience turned into a full-fledged album release. The title of his seventh album, Are You a Dreamer? (Militia, 2005), offers a clue to Denison's songwriting process. According to Denison, music—or life—is sometimes like a dream, the connections between one idea and another, or one moment and the next, making sense on an intuitive level rather than a rational one. But that's the beauty of a dream: ”I like it when things don't necessarily add up,” says Denison, “and I'm okay with that, when things spin a little bit out of control.” And when his songwriting follows along with that intuitive logic, “instead of necessarily guiding it,” he says, “for me, those have always been the most successful moments creatively.” But calamity struck while Denison was working on the follow-up to his eighth album, 2008's Carry the Weight (Militia). His father fell terminally ill, and Denison took a break from music-making in order to care for him. He helped friend and producer Devin Greenwood build the Honey Jar, a recording studio in Brooklyn, and when he finally returned to finish the EP he had started recording, he instead found himself putting together enough material for a full-length—The Ones Who Wait (Asthmatic Kitty, 2012)—a whole album created, in a sense, by accident. Co-owning a studio has made it possible for him to create a recording using the same intuitive processes that drive his songwriting, rather than showing up with a strict plan for his time in the studio, to bring in trusted collaborators like Greenwood, Sufjan Stevens, and Rosie Thomas, and give them free reign to realize his music. It has given him the control he needs, in other words, to relinquish control. For Denison Witmer, Denison takes the same spirit of quiet acceptance that he has brought to life's mysteries, happy accidents, and even calamities, and turns it towards—as the title might suggest—himself. Citing inspirations as different as Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet and the life of knuckleball pitcher R.A. Dickey, he reflects on the life he's led, from his earliest days on the road. “One day I put out an album, and then I was packing up my car and going on tour. Then ten years in,” he says, “I was still doing the same thing.” The song “Constant Muse” is about those first years: ”I think it's the most direct song on this album, about deciding to keep doing something that chose me, rather than I chose it—and now, choosing it.” Having lost a father, Denison is now father to a son of his own, named Asa, and the new album looks towards the future as much as it reflects upon the past. In another one of those happy accidents, a friend introduced him to a song called “Asa” that just happens to weave the name's different meanings (“healer” in Hebrew, “morning” in Japanese, and so on) into the album's themes of comfort and consolation. In an age of flashy pop hits that give off more light than heat, Denison's music is, like his career, a slow burn, but it offers an enduring warmth. He makes “quiet music” (his words), intimate and introspective, that trusts his audience to bring something of themselves to it. It's an open-ended, patient approach to songwriting. “You could be whatever you want,” goes the first verse of Denison Witmer's ”Made Out for This”—”but I know that you're feeling older.” It could be addressed to the listener, or to a lover, or even to Denison himself. But the second verse sounds less like a love song than a hymn: “I follow the light as it moves,” Denison sings, “And I'm still making my way back to the river.” And while the verses offer reassurance, the refrain is nagged by doubt: “What if I'm just not made out for this?” He doesn't offer easy answers. ”I guess what's encouraging to me,” says Denison, “is that you hear sometimes people, who you never thought they had any doubts about what they're doing, have some doubts.” At the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, given a chance to survey the work of one of his artistic heroes, Denison experienced a small epiphany: no one ever thinks of the obscure, early paintings when they think of the name Van Gogh, but those famous, late masterpieces would have been impossible without them. Even when he was making drawings for art school, Van Gogh was already Van Gogh. “Looking over the arc of a career, there are moments when you got it right and moments where you didn't,” says Denison. “For me, music's always about the process. It's not always about the final product; it's more about the journey. You work song by song and album by album in pursuit of something—I really try to trust that approach.” Denison Witmer, the album, brings Denison Witmer, the artist, one step closer to that something.
Philadelphia Songs - 2002-09-24 -
Sets Of Keys I Won't Let You Down 24 Turned 25 Leaving Philadelphia (Arriving In Seattle) Chestnut Hill Stations Do I Really Have To Remember The Things You Have Seen Saint Cecilia (Ode To Music)
Are You a Dreamer - 2005-07-26 -
Little Flowers Everything But Sleep Ringing Of The Bell Tower Are You A Dreamer East From West California Brown And Blue Castle And Cathedral Worry All The Time Grandma Mary Finding Your Feet Again
The Ones Who Wait - 2012-03-06 -
Hold On Brooklyn With Your Highest Wall Life Before Aesthetics Your Friend Influence Every Passing Day Light On My Face Two And A Glass Rose One More Day Cursing I Live In Your Ghost
Non Albums Tracks - Misc -
Christmas song Everybody knows Gift of grace Healing Time How To Be Alone I Hope This One Never Ends I Tried to Make You Smile I'll Keep It with Mine Meant To Be Paper Doll Postcard Song Sleep Sound St. Jude Two And A Glass Rose You Got Me Good
My Luck, My Love
Say You'll Stick Around Open your life Can you feel me rushing in And unshield your mind I can tell what you are thinking And all you hold inside Was just as much mine The same questions of who The same stories I hide And I know that this is your beginning Blow me a kiss I can feel it hitting my face And what have I missed Why are you leaving my embrace And what's left to do I can think where you are But you know that I can't blow my kisses that far Hold my hand While you're leaving for Japan Say you'll stick around Say you'll stick around Say you'll stick around Don't be surprised Sometimes I think you're way out of my class And push off the time What I'm left with, you're still my photograph
Safe Away
Steven This was the first year of our years together Your mother got sick And your sister got married And this was the first year of our songs together Simple cords are lovely Simple words are heartfelt It's the best friends that need you In my case believe you It's the best friends lives kiss you In my case miss you And you were there on Queen Street When I was feeling down And every word I said felt like it meant nothing The only one I have That understands my blues Is making big predictions Of life on the west coast soon It's the best friends that make you Sometimes they break you It's the best friends that move you In my case see through you It's the best friends that need you Sometimes the leave you It's the best friends lives kiss you In my case I'll miss you It's the best friends that make you Sometimes they break you It's the best friends that move you In my case see through you It's the best friends that need you In my case believe you It's the best friends lives kiss you In my case I'll miss you
Breathe in this life I hear you calling me by name You come around the corner smiling again And I know You're feeling better And so the sun might turn to rain The clouds will come together over us again And they Will soak us to our bones Comfort our thoughts when we're feeling down Say what we need until we come around As a matter of fact A matter of these times When we're all feeling It's getting hard to breathe in this life I'm going back now to the time When we sat out all night and looked to the sky And dreamed it would be our escape And so that night did turn to day The sun so bright and warm And make its way inside of me Send a shiver through my bone Comfort my thoughts when I'm feeling down Say what I need until I come around As a matter of fact A matter of these times When we're all feeling It's getting hard to breath in this life I don't know what I'm doing now I don't know what I'm doing now I make myself so sick inside my bones Comfort my thoughts when I'm feeling down Say what I need until I come around You're the matter of fact The matter of these times When we're all feeling It's getting hard to breath in this life
Over my head Taking myself back to the time When we were in your room You looked straight through the life that I've led The things that I've said made you tired But you could always find the best in me You can always sense the times that I've been falling apart The shape of my heart shows its marks It's a lonely life We both know that Things are gonna change You're over my head, over my mind Walk with my face down and my eyes Over my head, over my mind Walk with my face down Walk with my head down I'm going on two weeks since i last saw The smile that depended on my life For things that she needs I just called to see if you're fine It's a lonely life We both know that Are you safe away You're over my head, over my mind Walk with my face down and my eyes Over my head, over my mind Walk with my face down Walk with my head down This and that All of the words keep coming For me to settle down But I think I heard us falling Before we hit the ground So much for my dark takes On how we got this far Funny that we can't make a thing Of what we really are She sits on the bed She's so beautiful She thinks I'll be scared of what she's feeling It's time you ought to know Time you had the facts I'm feeling like this, if you can live with that I don't believe in some things Like living for myself And I don't believe in loving Unless there's someone else
Closer to the sun Downtown in the fall Across the sidewalks The leaves will all make fossils, left behind Balancing your life this way against mine I know you're in me somewhere I have the marks to prove of this Closer to the sun Out in the open farms To the reason for this growing, I will come And you will be near And I am not old When we are close together we are young If I had no arms to fold into If I had no joys to breathe back to you Surely this could slow the life of mine Surely this could stop the love of mine Far from everyone Down where the river runs To the reason for this valley, i will come And wash myself there Of all of my cares Through mystery and water there is love There is love If I had no arms to fold into If I had no joys to breathe back to you Surely this could slow the life of mine Surely this could stop the love of mine
What will stay What will stay When everything is going, what remains When everything is leaving, when all has slipped away What will stay What will change When everything is different, what's the same When everything is leaving, when all has slipped away What will change Am I safe When everything is going, I'm afraid When everything is changing, if nothing good has stayed Am I safe Miles We'll get in my car around 10:30 that night For the New York City skyline Destination of our sights It's the biggest healing session that I've had for some years The laughter and the driving and the letting go of She seems to have a way of making me feel You always have a way of keeping me real Hold me, my world is closing Help me to keep it open We stand in the parking lots of late afternoons Talking of the ways we pray for healing of wounds She seems to have a way of bringing me down You always have a way of bringing me out Hold me, my world is closing Help me to keep it open We feel the push of The love directed life for us We feel the push of The Christ directed life, the love directed life Hold me, my world is closing Help me to keep it open Dain I look out my window, I'm catching the view Where Queen Street meets chestnut one block west of you These strange conversations will set our hearts free These strange conversations lift burdens from me My friend, come back again Now we're back at my place with Morrissey on play And you missed your Ritalin, you're truest this way Our strange conversations will leave us amused You're faster and clearer, you seem less confused My friend What you're impressed by I get depressed by And what we rely on Is the strength we get by on
Los Angeles I remember thinking That you'd never leave Praying in your bedroom Before I fell asleep I still feel the moment When you came alive Like a poem about springtime Nothing to hide All of these homes Are lined up so straight But here on the inside It's not that way I gave you my life and more From sadness to sunshine, I'm yours, I'm your lost happiness Up in your Los Angeles sky Lately I've been thinking That you'll never know If you don't mark the way back The further you go Lately I've been feeling Like I'm the bright star That fell behind the mountain of feeling you are
Around everything I need to take a look before you go away Before I spend my time with what I need to say You're so free around everyone but me It's the city lights And it's a New York sky You don't want to hear And I'm not ever right You should be with anyone but me We talk around everything I need to hear a word before you go away But you don't speak of my hurt And that might never change You could be with anyone but me We talk around everything
I would call you now This cannot be real Looking out into the cold This window holds a view Of you and I and growing old I would call you now If i had strength on telephones I would call you now And say the words to bring you home This cannot be real Looking out into the rain This window holds a view Of you and I and how things change I would call you now If you weren't sleeping three hours from here I would call you now And sing the words that bring you near I would call you now If you weren't sleeping three hours from here So lay your sweet head down And dream of me So far yet near
I won't leave I think it's fair To say that I knew you best Way back when... The place you live The things you'll do The choice you have that I could never understand You could throw it all away Or you could throw it back to me I won't leave I think it's fair To say you've changed But day by day that's something i can understand You could throw it all away Or you could throw it back to me I won't leave I'm sorry that it ends this way I hope you can still love me I won't leave...
Broken You hate what I said You're scared that there Might be some truth inside all of this That makes your life look bad There's still more to this You said that you Have to go make what you want of this It's not just you involved It's not just you involved What happened to the girl I used to know What happened to the girl I've always loved I hate what you did I'm scared that I Might have to let go for good this time So I get out of line There's still more to this I think that you Know how you hurt me so deep inside And if you don't then you should know If you don't then you should know There's no doubt that we could get through this There's no doubt that you have left him in There's no doubts that I need to forgive There's no doubt that I might stay broken
Of Joy and Sorrow
Forgiven Daniel and for everything this year I never meant to pull your strings so hard In a room with just a door to where you slept If you only heard the secrets that i kept I'm sorry things I said, hurt you bad I'm sorry things I've did, made you sad Do you think I'll be forgiven Do you think I'll be forgiven And it shouldn't have to be so hard to say And I know that I don't have to use big words And the longer I wait it gets hard to say And I know that I don't have to use big words I thought about the day when we first me I knew from there on out you'd be my friend Do you think I'll be forgiven Do you think I'll be forgiven I'm sorry things I said, hurt you bad I'm sorry things I've did, made you sad Do you think I'll be forgiven Do you think I'll be forgiven
Stations
I'll be waiting on your train When you come back Through the western states Where I left you on the platform Life gets so hard But I know that you'll be fine Stations make me think of my own travels All the people And places I've been through When you find that they're the same thing As the people In places that you knew Can you promise me You still love What you loved When you left Will you promise me You still have What you had When you left All I want is to be honest Like the seasons As talk about that slows There's compassion that holds no words It holds no words You feel it as you go Can you promise me You still love What you loved When you left Will you promise me You still have What you had When you left
Rise And Fall Yesterday I felt so sad I came home early from work Fell asleep with my clothes on Woke up when the sun was gone There's an ocean in my heart From the hurt for words we said Trust, these days just feels like Some wave without a shore Everywhere I go I rise and fall Colors they all turn to one Days and weeks and months so fast How can I hold on to that April with your eyes so bright Come and stay with me tonight You hold promise in your hands Hope I understand Everything you say turns night to day Light pours over every word Days and weeks and months so fast Suddenly come rushing back Everywhere I go I rise and fall Feelings they turn into one Days and weeks and months so fast How can I hold on to that How can I hold on to that
Simple life I will live a simple life In a place I understand You were always welcome here With no favourites in my love Never put myself above You were always welcome here Well tomorrow is another day Well tomorrow is another day That is what we'll say, heyay From the poems in your hands To the flowers in the lawn You were always welcome here There are pictures left to see There are songs still left to sing You were always welcome here Well tomorrow is another day Well tomorrow is another day That is what we'll say, heyay, heyay You will know how much I've tried I will be the arms that you can rest inside I will be the place that you could run to hide I will be the ears your secrets can confide Any given day, heyay, heyay Any given day, heyay Any given day
Rock run We are leaving for rock run Weekend's just begun And we are gathered in the car Antique stores and river homes Stretch along the water And they point to where we go It's my first time up to the north And though the day is short We make our plan into the night. Swimming holes and radios That only gets the station That the mountain range lets in And light the way There are angels that are gathered in the sun Light the way We are beautiful but unsure who we are From the trees down to the water's edge We will come April, with your eyes so bright Promise me that you will come and stay with me tonight You hold promise in your hands And hope that I can never Now I finally understand And light the way There are angels that are gathered in the sun Light the way We are beautiful but unsure who we are From the trees down to the water's edge From the trees down to the water's edge Light the way We are beautiful and unsure who we are From the trees down to the water's edge We will come
You and Me You would not believe how this came up Two apartments ago and downtown A picture of you sleeping in my chair I sang songs for you because I cared About you and me You and me Don't tell me that I'm the clever one We live like it's all been said and done Everything I say now feels contrived I just want you to believe I tried I tried hard for you and me You and me There's a little section of my town That reminds me of the place you lived Cherry blossoms blow out of the trees I get lost but I know what I've seen
The '80s It feels like the '80s When we were much smaller But somehow felt bigger than now Come summer, my brother You say you will marry By this time next year will it be You came with a ring The obvious thing And we were all smiling so wide It feels like the '80s When we were much smaller But somehow felt bigger than now Bigger than now It feels like the '80s When our world was honest It sometimes feels less honest now The love of another The cradle and cover By this time next year will it be We long for these things These obvious things When we can feel complete inside It feels like the '80s When our world was honest Nothing seems more honest now More honest now
Yesterday, tomorrow I called your sister To make sure you're all right But she told me that you stepped out for the night So I thought of all the places you could be And your Irish eyes of green And her father turned slowly into light For the hardest five years Of her family life She was lonely so she came to spend the night In my house, in my bed, with me In my house in my bed with me Yesterday, tomorrow Days of joy and sorrow Yesterday, tomorrow Tears of joy and sorrow Yesterday, tomorrow Songs of joy and sorrow Yesterday, tomorrow Waves of joy and sorrow
Light my way Listening to records in the living room, Strings that I attached to things and drag around Photographs that I can't bear my eyes to see Books that I keep on the shelf and never read I have finally found a lamp to light my way I have finally found a way to speak my mind I have finally found a lamp to light my way I have finally found a lamp to light my way
Philadelphia Songs
Sets Of Keys I believe when we were younger We thought that we deserved the sun I met you when you were eighteen I was pushing twenty one The sentiment, the twists and turns begun Living close to Philadelphia We would go there now and then I liked all the different restaurants, Neighborhoods, and river bends Together we made plans that went I would move there first In a year you'd come down And i'd keep my place here You'd find yours across town Sharing sets of keys To our rooms and bigger things We would write our names on this place In a way that could not be erased
I Won't Let You Down Six floors up and two doors down again She misses her family in Japan We stand beside the window in the hall The site of the Drake Tower in the fall Place all that wait on me And I won't let you down I won't let you down I see it gets hard to stay around You and I are like these fallen leaves Let go by the streets named after trees We circle people we do and don't know It's so hard to never feel alone It's so hard to never feel alone Place all that wait on me And I won't let you down I won't let you down I see it gets hard to stay around Place all that wait on me And I won't let you down I see it gets hard to stay around
24 Turned 25 I see you two times a month At the bar around town We have lots of common friends But we don't talk to much of them At your apartment it was late The bus is done but the taxis wait Should we go down to Second Street Or just stay here 'cuz that scene's beat When twenty four turned twenty five I heard you tried to take your life, why You don't really know When twenty four turned twenty five There's so much pressure in these times to be Something that you don't When twenty four turned twenty five You try to hold your head up high, why I don't really know When twenty four turned twenty five Make this the best time of your life, why Well I don't really know
Leaving Philadelphia The yellow city clock Separates all the blocks North south and east from west I watch it glow Tomorrow I will be An airplane in the sky Looking down on this place I romanticize Reflections on glass The bus and taxis pass Tallest buildings Parents and their kids And all the things we did Or wish that we did The northwest coastal rain The purple mountain range Inside you start to change You start to glow Tomorrow I will find A farmhouse close to here With lots of trees and quiet I'll keep my friends near Sailboats on the sound And if you turn around Tallest buildings Markets and storefronts And all the things I want Or wish that I was
Chestnut Hill Light another candle in my room Live another season straight through You're the one that makes me feel nice From all the things you said tonight Early in the morning the streets Run across the shadows of trees But we just stayed inside and lost time We talk til we lose track of time Even in the songs that I sing Do you fear the history they bring Sleeping with my head in your arms You're the one that keeps me from harm Early in December last year The biggest moon fell broken and clear West of where our city lies still Over there on Chestnut Hill Philadelphia Streets turned to ice And my bed felt empty those nights Sleeping with my head on your chest You're the one that knew me the best And you were there so long You were there for so long Will you come back Maybe it's in you that I saw All the hope I thought I Had lost Sleeping with my head on your chest You're the one that knew me the best
Stations I'll be waiting on your train When you come back Through the western states Where I left you on the platform Life gets so hard But I know that you'll be fine Stations make me think of my own travels All the people And places I've been through When you find that they're the same thing As the people In places that you knew Can you promise me You still love What you loved When you left Will you promise me You still have What you had When you left All I want is to be honest Like the seasons As talk about that slows There's compassion that holds no words It holds no words You feel it as you go Can you promise me You still love What you loved When you left Will you promise me You still have What you had When you left
Do I Really Have To Center City on a bus Feelings change from want to must So I pushed the meaning to it all I carry you from place to place said, "This is how I spend my days, Do you understand my shape, my form?" Do I really have to let you go Not if I don't want to Last night spent on the couch Felt your heartbeat pounding out Sounds like someone's footsteps on the floor I dreamt we walked from room to room Opened doors into those parts of you All the memories that I have of us before Do I really have to let you go Do I really have to When someone you love dies You never question where they've gone Like landscapes under snow They're blocks you build more life upon They're the corner of your eye Their quiet arms still comfort you Do I really have to Do I really have to let you go Do I really have to
Remember the things you have seen Day after Day Buildings that stretch Only hope can touch that high Rivers Divide Treetops that line How I tried How I tried Remember the things you have seen The sun that shines down on the world so still Think of the places you'll go Somewhere the language sounds like music to your ears I took off a year I put into words Only hurt and how that feels Changed by a friend Shining a light Only joy and what that yields Remember the things you have seen The way her head felt on your arm that night Think of the places you'll go Somewhere the music sounds like language to your ears Remember the things you have seen Remember the things you have seen Remember, remember Remember the things you have seen
Saint Cecilia (Ode to Music) My love, my Saint Cecilia My red cross, blue mint green You have white angel wings You broke my soft voice to sing The little blue glass beads Tear drops drawn on rosaries You counted Hail Marys Sad music far from me Don't leave me, stay with me Promise you still want me Forever and ever Our love is much better Without you, it's hard to be Optimistic and happy But it's the only thing Life is so worth living
Recovered
Simple Man (Graham Nash) I am a simple man And I sing a simple song I've never been so much in love I've never hurt so bad At the same time I am a simple man And I play a simple tune I wish that I could see you One more time across the room Like the first time I just want to hold you I don't want to hold you down I hear what you're saying And you're spinning my head around And I can't make it alone The ending of the tale Is the singing of the song Make me proud to be your man Only you can make me strong Like the first time I just want to hold you I don't want to hold you down I hear what you're saying And you're spinning my head around I just want to hold you I don't want to hold you down And I can't make it alone I can't make it alone Songbird (Fleetwood Mac) For you, there'll be no more crying For you, the sun will be shining And I feel that when I'm with you It's alright, I know it's right To you, I'll give the world To you, I'll never be cold 'Cause I feel that when I'm with you It's alright, I know it's right And the songbirds are singing Like they know the score And I love you, I love you, I love you Like never before And I wish you all the love in the world But most of all, I wish it from myself And the songbirds are singing Like they know the score And I love you, I love you, I love you Like never before, like never before Love In Mind (Neil Young) Woke up this morning With love in mind It was raining outside But my love still shined Kept me warm Until my plane touched the sky And I've seen love make a fool of a man He tried to make a loser win But I've got nothing to lose I can't get back again Man made rules Been holding back my love Can't hold it back no more Churches long preach sex is wrong Jesus where is nature gone What am I doing here What am I doing here What am I doing here Nightime (Big Star) At nightime, I go out and see the people The air goes cool and hurrying on my way And dressing so sweet, all the people to see They're looking at me, all the people to see And when I set my eyes on you You look like a kitty And when you're in the mood Oh, you look so pretty Caught a glance in your eyes And fell through the skies Glance in your eyes And fell through the skies I'm walking down the freezing street Scarf goes out behind You said, "Get them away" Please don't say a word Get me out of here Get me out of here I hate it here Get me out of here At nightime, I go out and see the people The air goes cool and carrying on my way Glance in your eyes And fell through the skies Glance in your eyes And fell through the skies Farther On (Jackson Browne) In my early years I hid my tears And passed my days alone Adrift on an ocean of loneliness My dreams like nets were thrown To catch the love that I'd heard of In books and films and songs There's a world of illusion and fantasy In the place where the real world belongs Now I look for the beauty in songs To fill my head and lead me on Though my dreams have come up torn and empty As many times as love has come and gone To those gentle ones my memory runs To the laughter we shared at the meals I filled their kitchens and living rooms With my dreams and my broken wheels It was never clear how far or near The gates to my citadel lay They were cutting from stone some dreams of their own But they listened to mine anyway I'm not sure what I'm trying to say It could be I've lost my way Though I keep a watch over the distance Heaven's no closer than it was yesterday And the angels are older They know not to wait up for the sun They look over my shoulder At the maps and the drawings of the journey I've begun Now the distance leads me farther on Though the reasons I once had are gone I keep thinking I'll find what I'm looking for In the sand beneath the dawn And the angels are older They can see that the sun's setting fast They look over my shoulder At the vision of paradise Contained in the light of the past And they lay down behind me To sleep beside the road Till the morning has come Where they know they will find me With my maps and my faith in the distance Moving farther on Brass Buttons (Gram Parsons) Brass buttons, green silks and silver shoes Warm evenings, pale mornings, bottle of blues And the tiny golden pins that she wore up in her hair Brass buttons, green silks and silver shoes My mind was young until she grew My secret thoughts known only by the few It was a dream much to real to be leaned against too long All the time I think she knew Her words still dance inside my head Her comb still lies beside my bed And the sun comes up without her It just doesn't know she's gone But I remember everything she said I remember every word she said All the time I think she knew Brass buttons, green silks and silver shoes So Far Away
(Carole King) So far away Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore It used to be so fine to see your face at my door Doesn't help to know you're just time away Long ago I reached for you and there you stood Holding you again could only do me good Oh, how I wish I could, you're so far away One more song about moving along down the highway I can't say much of anything that's new If I could only work this life out my way I'd rather spend it close to you But you're so far away Traveling around sure gets me down and lonely Nothing left to do but close my mind I sure hope the road don't come to own me There's so many dreams I've yet to find But you're so far away Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore It used to be so fine to see your face at my door Doesn't help to know you're so far away You're so far away You're so far away It Makes No Difference (The Band) It makes no difference where I turn I can't get over you when the flame still burns It makes no difference night or day The shadow never seems to fade away And the sun don't shine anymore And the rains fall down on my door It makes no difference how far I go Like a scar, the hurt will always show It makes no difference who I meet They're just a face in the crowd on a dead-end street And the sun don't shine anymore And the rains fall down on my door Now there's no love As true as the love That dies untold But the clouds Never hung so low Before Without your love, I'm nothing at all Like an empty hall, it's a lonely fall And the sun don't shine anymore And the rains fall down on my door I love you so much It's all I can do Just to keep myself from telling you That I never felt so alone before That I never felt so alone before Suzanne (Leonard Cohen) Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river You can hear the boats go by You can spend the night beside her And you know that she's half crazy But that's why you want to be there And she feeds you tea and oranges That come all the way from China And just when you mean to tell her That you have no love to give her Then she gets you on her wavelength And she lets the river answer That you've always been her lover And you want to travel with her And you want to travel blind And you know that she will trust you For you've touched her perfect body with your mind And Jesus was a sailor When he walked upon the water And he spent a long time watching From his lonely wooden tower And when he knew for certain Only drowning men could see him He said "All men will be sailors then Until the sea shall free them" But he himself was broken Long before the sky would open Forsaken, almost human He sank beneath your wisdom like a stone And you want to travel with him And you want to travel blind And you think maybe you'll trust him For he's touched your perfect body with his mind Now Suzanne takes your hand And she leads you to the river She is wearing rags and feathers From Salvation Army counters And the sun pours down like honey On our lady of the harbour And she shows you where to look Among the garbage and the flowers There are heroes in the seaweed There are children in the morning They are leaning out for love And they will lean that way forever While Suzanne holds the mirror And you want to travel with her And you want to travel blind And you know that you can trust her For she's touched your perfect body with her mind These Days (Jackson Browne) Well I've been out walking I don't do that much talking these days These days These days I seem to think a lot About the things that I forgot to do for you And all the times I had the chance to And I had a lover But it's so hard to risk another these days These days So if I seem to be afraid To live the life that I have made in song It's just that I've been losing so long So I'll keep on moving Things are bound to be improving these days One of these days These days I'll sit on cornerstones And count the time in quarter tones to ten, my friend Don't confront me with my failures I have not forgotten them
The River Bends & Flows Into the Sea
Looking For You It doesn't matter which way you face me North, east, west, or south Put your hands in my two hands Your mouth against my mouth We will lean into the sun Drive without your seatbelt on Come on This city's made of beer These streets are made of wine Her bed is whiskey And her pillow out of grey The smoke that moves across her eyes Like clouds go through the skies I lay down I've been looking for you I've been wandering through the dark I've been looking for you I've been looking for you Where the train breaks from the ground Just north of Second Street Can't watch it seated down I stand on my two feet I like the light there through the window The light goes over me And around I've been looking for you I've been wandering through the dark I've been looking for you I've been wandering through the dark I've been looking for you I've been looking for you It's not so easy if you want to disappear If you don't believe me, stop Ask anybody here How this city has a way Trying to kick you when you're down I got out I've been looking for you I've been wandering through the dark I've been looking for you I've been wandering through the dark I've been looking for you I've been looking for you
Lawyers And White Paper Lawyers and white papers Don't help make love Chicago wind broke The wings of my white dove And I'm sorry, but not sorry Things end this way Do't go, don't stay I heard you've got a new life now New life with all new friends around There's a dotted line That you and I both signed It separates our lives Forever now I'm leaving as fast as The flash of light Let from the source of where Our matches strike And I'm sorry, but not sorry Things end this way Don't go, don't stay Now I sleep in the bed Where we both learned I don't sleep anymore I toss, I turn And I'm sorry, but not sorry Things end this way Don't go, don't stay I'm sorry, not sorry Things end this way Don't go, don't stay
Are You Lonely Read the letter that you sent, but I can't I was talking to our friends, but I'm stressed Give me back a day, I know which one Where the pink light of your room Matched the pink light of the summer Are you lonely, 'cause I've been lonely Are you tired, 'cause I've been tired Another late night on the phone To remind you just how close we've grown The drive to Michigan holds weight in me Thought of someplace I could be myself Though the Midwest feels so tired and scattered We were hurt before, but that doesn't matter anymore, now Are you lonely, 'cause I've been lonely Are you tired, 'cause I've been tired Another late night in the car To remind you just how close we are Since you've been away Every day's a phone call, it's an exit sign How long will you stay? How long will it be until you come back again? Are you lonely, 'cause I've been lonely Are you tired, 'cause I've been tired Another late night in your room To remind you of the lengths gone to
Chestnut Hill Light another candle In my room Live another season Straight through You're the one that makes me Feel nice From all the things you said tonight Early in the morning The streets Run across the shadows Of trees But we just stayed inside and Lost time We talk til we lose track of time Even in the songs that I sing Do you fear the history They bring? Sleeping with my head in Your arms You're the one that keeps me From harm Early in December Last year The biggest moon fell broken and clear West of where our city Lies still Over there on Chestnut Hill Philadelphia Streets turned To ice And my bed felt empty Those nights Sleeping with my head on Your chest You're the one that knew me The best And you were there so long You were there for so long Will you come back Maybe it's in you that I saw All the hope I thought I Had lost Sleeping with my head on Your chest You're the one that knew me The best
All The Days And Nights Saying I'm fine and feeling that way I stepped outside and into the day Through Washington Square In May's warm air I kept on walking With the slightest of care All the days and all the nights Stars that hang in their own skies Books with all the pages turned Forget what you've heard Forget what you've learned It rained and it poured Into this house with no doors And I've been missing since the day that I left But we have our friends A bridge from both ends We've got so much quiet time to turn our lives around All the days and all the nights Stars that hang in their own skies Books with all the pages turned Forget what you've heard Forget what you've learned I thought I saw you in the air I found you in the dark I pulled you to my arms Maybe I hear sounds I can't form into words A thousand little mirrors The face of a girl All the days and all the nights Stars that hang in their own skies Books with all the pages turned Forget what you've heard Forget what you've learned
22 You're my friend in the afternoon Evening comes I don't know what to do You're my friend in the evening Morning comes I don't know what to do Been spending nights with a burned out crowd Dead end bar in a no-name town Been spending days listing my regrets Quit smoking after each cigarette You're the hit on the radio New hits come I don't know what to do Graduate from college I'm 22, I don't know what to do Been working nights on a different job Just count the minutes til sunrise Been spending days sleeping til supper Just don't ask me what day it is You're the talk of the town tonight When the talk is gone I don't know what to do You're the woman I dream of When the dream is gone I don't know what to do Been spending nights on a different bed Alarm goes off in the morning Been spending days wondering just what I've said Keeps me wandering around Been spending years trying to figure you out Same old face in the mirror Always hanging on with the same old crowd No name bar in a dead end town
I Love You April One, two, three, four I love you, April I don't know what else to say The moon shines full at night The sun sines in the day The flowers open up They show their face to you They love you, April They, they don't know what else to do So can you see How much I tried I tried to be Today I feel like part Of something bigger than myself A raindrop in the sea A book between books on a shelf So can you see How much we tried We tried to be I love you, April I don't know what else to say Days Repeating This is how the Winter turns to Springtime The flowers push their way out of the earth This is how the Springtime turns to Summer The sun is up and shines for all it's worth You see, I don't mind the way There's nothing you could say Just keep believing Our days repeating This is how the Summer turns to Autumn The trees ask for forgiveness and let go This is how the Autumn turns to Winter The sky goes white and covers them with snow You see, I don't mind the way There's nothing you could say Just keep believing Our days repeating anyway This is how I asked for forgiveness I opened up my arms to her so wide This is how I told her that I loved her I said, "Don't ever ask me why" It Takes Time Words that hit so close to home and I don't know If I'm ever going to stay here with you now Buildings stretch into the sky, but what's the point How the city that we live turned us around It takes time It takes time It takes time It takes time If you told me you were leaving here next year You'd change all my plans, it could change my plans You could never put a schedule on your heart It takes time to hear things, time to understand It takes time It takes time It takes time It takes time I don't want to know the places you will go I don't want to meet the people that you meet when you get there I am selfish, I will be the first to say It takes time Better Or Worse We wrote our story on a piece of paper And we hung it high up in a tree We watched it float there like a wild flower Watched it blow away so peacefully And I felt better I felt worse I felt better I felt worse Sometimes I go down to the River Shannon Where the sailboats pull up against the shore And where they turn to leave I look for you and me But I'm sad that I can't see it anymore And I feel better I feel worse I feel better I feel worse Count your blessings, Love They tried to tell us If we give everything We won't get jealous I feel better I feel worse I feel better I feel worse
You Could Be Anything Lives don't really end They bleed into the next Rivers bend and flow to the sea Short stories exist So longer ones can live Do you understand what I mean But you could be anything at all Anything you've always wished to be You could be anything at all Anything you've always wished to be You could be anything at all Anything you've always wished to be...
Are You a Dreamer
Little Flowers How you found me out I still never understand Thoughts you can't take with you when you go You were waving flags That bare the colors of your love I didn't know Orange for the vineyards Blue is for the rivers Green goes like a hillside covered now White is not surrender Despite what you've been told It's clouds of hope That fall on you now Save you now Fall on you Fall on you now Save you now One time we met You were outside Floating in the forest I placed my stigmata on your hands Little flowers that you have sown Show people you have known That I am love And fall on you now Save you now Fall on you Fall on you now Save you now And fall on you now Save you now Fall on you Fall on you now Save you now Fall on you now Save you now Fall on you Fall on you now Save you now
Everything But Sleep My room has a big white bed Pictures on the mirrors Books that last a year Everything but sleep Don't you know Nothing won't fit under there The Dowmaker's ghost A heavenly host Everything but sleep Don't you know Everything but sleep Where does it go Everything but sleep On it goes If it weren't for you I could be anywhere I'd rather be here Don't you know Now that I know I'll never feel the same way Everything but sleep Don't you know Everything but sleep On it goes On it goes
Ringing of the Bell Tower Do you hear the ringing of the bell tower Counting off the days you can't replace I would like to think it's not that way All the songs that find you in the city Pull you from your bedroom to the streets Pushing all your sadness underneath There's a song I've been singing All these years as they pass There's a lot of big questions I never ask There's a lot of questions never asked Consider the lilies of the valley Neither do they toil nor they spin Still a quiet hand is watching over them And I became a prodigal and left here Petals out like windmills in the air Waiting for a breeze For any sign of care There's a song I've been singing All these years as they pass There's a lot of big questions I never ask There's a lot of questions never asked
Are You a Dreamer Dream, are you a dreamer Are you a dreamer Do you dream Sleep, are you a sleeper Are you a sleeper Do you sleep When your brown eyes close Do blue skies open up When your breathing slows Your mind run fast and free Will you sleep and dream with me Love, are you my lover Are you my lover Do you love me Save, are you a saviour Are you a saviour Will you save When my blue eyes close Will white clouds lift me up When my body slows My mind run fast and free Do you hold me when I sleep Do you hold me when I sleep When your brown eyes close Do blue skies open up When your breathing slows Your mind run fast and free Will you sleep and dream with me Will you sleep and dream with me Water, I'm walking on water Walking on water for you
East from West Skipping like a stone Across the bluest pools of what I know Don't know where to go Each one leaves a mark Circles through the dark and sinks into The place I need you most As far as the east from the west they say I should know my east from west I know As far as the east from the west they say And I am only human anyway Now for all your cares Put them in the air that I breathe in Until you tell me "no" And for the smallest hands Put them in my hand and I walk on Until you say "let go" As far as the east from the west they say I should know my east from west I know As far as the east from the west they say And I am only human anyway I am only human anyway
California Brow She's the kind of girl that tans to brown Freckles on her elbows and her knees And I'm the boy that passes through these towns I leave before we find out what it means I'll send a letter addressed to you It says you're my California brown and blue Another chorus line gives into waves It fades away So I push through another hotel door And I pull back the bed sheets till they break And I sleep so hard I don't even dream Weightless in the arms of Golden Gate The only music I want to hear Is the sound of the last light that disappears Another songbird gives up its wings it fades away I'll send a letter addressed to you It says you're my California brown and blue Another coast line gives into waves It says you're my California Golden Gate The only music I want to hear Is the sound of the last light that disappears Another songbird gives up its wings It fades away Another songbird gives up its wings It fades away
Castle and Cathedral There's a dream I have It comes back when all the days turn into one I'm in a coat and hat And I'm standing on the coast of England With a castle and cathedral on the sand I reached down to touch the water with my hand Then you turn and say to me "You've been talking in your sleep What did you see, what does it mean?" I was a photograph Of our daytrip from the window of a train The one we cut in half I kept mine and made a bookmark on a page It fell out today as I was getting packed Have I left you here more times than I've come back Like that snowfall out of reach We kept our details underneath Once made of stone, we went for broke I didn't know Are you a dreamer
Worry All The Time Lately I've been waking to The bluest stars that I once slept through The morning hangs like open chords That I fill in with my own thoughts and words I used to worry all the time But I slowed down to live my life To live my life now College campus and warmest grass We sit and watch the people rush to class When did we to decide that life had to be All fasts and cheques, that we lost mystery We used to worry all the time But we slowed down to live our lives To live our lives now We used to worry all the time But we slowed down to live our lives To live our lives now
Grandma Mary Mary, you are the bird inside the hand Of St. Francis in the garden where he stands Handwriting, a birth mark, and a quilt Mother to my mother and to me, and to me Mary, you are the mason jars in spring The kitchen with the view across a hill First memory is a Bible verse in song The organ while my family sings along, we sing along And on the calendar when I leave A little note for you, so you see When I'm gone, I never go too far Your heart is my heart Your blood, my blood When I'm gone, I never get too far Mother to my mother and to me
Finding your feet again This is what it's like Finding your feet again He part of you that couldn't Finally thinks you can You're taking off some time to do this A small apartment bedroom rearranged To know that you are loved You're finding your feet again The part of you that couldn't Finally thinks you can A brownstone on a street in Brooklyn The light tier flash from temperature to time And people do the same You're falling asleep again Part of you a dreamer And part of you is dreamt And you said... Go now in the light of your God Go now in the love of your God Go now in the peace of your God Go now in the joy of your God
Carry The Weight
Beautiful Boys and Girls Sense of home is all of this and more Voice of love flies just beyond the door Contemplating, I no longer change Built my hope according to the day Beautiful boys and girls Beautiful broken world Beautiful boys and girls God if I pray, so long so loud It's that most days you don't make a sound Sense of home was lost along the way Naked bodies buried in my veins Nations rise and buckle in the weight Homesick for the words I couldn't place Beautiful boys and girls Beautiful broken world Beautiful boys and girls God if I pray, so long so hard It's that most days you don't make a sound When you find me at the well Will you comfort me until Will you recognize my face And replace, change Beautiful boys and girls Beautiful broken world...
Life before aesthetics I've got more important things Than shiny diamond rings And modern furniture Life before aesthetics was A nail hole in a wall A borrowed comforter Now I wait until the sound As if I never drowned in my addition I'm not saying that it's right But waking through the night I felt it coming And it crossed my heart When did all this start Stand together, fall apart And it crossed my heart Hear the oceans as they sing The mountains and the spring And all it means to me Life before aesthetics is A mindset that imparts impossibilities Still I waste the chance to give As if I've never lived throughout deletion (?) I'm not telling you it's right But waking through the night I felt it happen And it crossed my heart When did all this start Fall together, stand apart And it crossed my heart And it crossed my heart I've got more important things Than shiny diamond rings And modern furniture. When did all this start Life before aesthetics was A nail hole in a wall A borrowed comforter Stand together, fall apart Hear the oceans as they sing The mountains and the spring And all it means to me And it crossed my heart Life before aesthetics is A mindset that imparts impossibilities
From Here On Out Passing Broken Knee I could hardly speak My apology Felt late at best So I followed you Through your living room Where you offered me Milk from your breast And I took it without knowing it's a trade And we slept together when night turned to day And your eyes were large and yellow like the rain If people call this settling, I've changed I'm a child At the door I empty Perfume all over Your feet From here on out It looks like you and me If our days could be Like piano keys Black and ivory Across the floor Could I lift you up With one single phrase As my fingers shape Into a chord Will I know how every moment should be played That not every note sounds right together Will the meaning be transparent or opaque When they ask me I will say whichever I'm a child I've lost my mother My sense of home Is gone From here on out it all sounds like a song From here on out it looks like you and me From here on out it looks like you and me From here on out it looks like you and me From here on out it looks like you and me From here on out it all sounds like a song From here on out it looks like you and me From here on out it looks like you and me From here on out it looks like you and me From here on out it looks like you and me From here on out it looks like you and me From here on out it all sounds like a song From here on out it looks like you and me Carry The Weight Carry the weight of your brother Carry the weight of your sister I'm not afraid to say I don't know Carry the weight of your father Carry the weight of your mother I'm not ashamed to say I don't know, anymore Carry the weight of your neighbor Carry the weight of a stranger I'm not afraid to say I don't know what to do And so I carry the weight Carry the weight Carry the weight Carry the weight Carry the weight of each other Carry the weight of another I'm not afraid to say I don't know
Isn't It Poetry Isn't it poetry Isn't it poetry Words forces into space I finally know the way I follow works most days Hazel Avenue If lies are blue The truth feels grey Isn't it poetry Singing a harmony Singing a harmony To words that I misplace Strawberry blond and free To follow words away Hazel Avenue The lines were true Somehow erased Isn't it poetry Isn't it poetry Turn your leaves towards heaven Trap your blooms It's a sign the flood is coming soon Our eyes filled with water to, back to I hope someone saves you, saves me too From all of this poetry Isn't it poetry Isn't it poetry Isn't it poetry When you think you've had too much There's still more to come It all keeps adding up When you think you've had too much There's still more to come Keep your heart full of love
Catholic Girl There's a war inside Lighting up my sky There's a war inside And a Catholic girl With and Irish curl She's a Catholic girl How am I gonna know you If I never show you How am I gonna know you, now How am I gonna show you If I never know you How am I gonna show you now Another tree I climb Another song I write You're the tree I climb And I'm the flannel shirt I've got a tag that hurts I'm the flannel shirt How am I supposed to If I never go through How am I supposed to, now How am I gonna go through If I'm not supposed to How am I gonna go through, now How am I gonna know you How am I gonna know you If I never know you How am I gonna know you, now How am I gonna show you If I never know you? How am I gonna show you how And a Catholic girl With and Irish curl She's a Catholic girl And a Catholic girl With and Irish curl She's a Catholic girl
Song Of Songs Now, there is a voice inside the air Words come down They haunt me Hands move from a small back onto A collarbone is bending From the bed at night I called you All the wrongs went right We both knew
From the bed at night I called you All the wrongs went right I showed you Show me, show me...
If You Are The Writer Are you walking with your eyes closed No, I'm wide awake Are you sorry for the others I'm carrying the weight I was hoping that you'd turn around And you'd show me the way Are you walking with your eyes closed No, I feel wide awake By the time I reached the gateway Nothing felt as right I see oil in the water Darkness in the light Though I know the time is only time A place is just a place And A body just a body A face only it's face If you are the water, I am the waves If you are the writer, I am the page If you are the fire, I am the rage You left a light on, in the back of my mistakes If you are the water, I am the waves If you are the writer, I am the page If you are the fire, I am the rage You left a light on, in the back of my mistakes
One More Day What if I was wiser Wouldn't this be easier What I had to do Stung like truth on my tongue I woke up in the city Somehow it got away from me I am one of you You are one of me He was one of us One more day to offer you my love One more day to write it for you Patches on the elbows of my eyes Can't you see how much this hurts me Seven stories high The lifetime hanging over me How was I to know Where there's sense, where there's stars Seven stories high I planted a book of stars How was I to know they'd root in your heart One more day to know the will of God One more day to write it for myself Patches on the elbows of my eyes Can't you see how much I'm trying
Chesapeake Watershed Follow the river sound Taking the words from our mouths We have a long way to go We both know You'll be alright You'll be alright Chesapeake watershed Blue tower overhead Cul-de-sac road My father's home Awake through the night Awake through the night Linens and cedar chests Notepads and instruments Weeks in a row I stayed alone I'll be alright I'll be alright
The Ones Who Wait
Hold On Of all the weather here I like rain the most Of all the drives I've had The Oregon coast Of all the poetry The Nights of Li-Young Lee Of all the songs we sing The songs of love And I know how you've been worried sick for me And I know how you've been taking after me Oh when you're not here The less it seems to me Hold on to you Hold on to me When you closed your eyes You slowly turned to light I slept through each day I stared all night To our history The rings of family trees I backed myself into The in-between How a father always starts out as a son How sometimes you're both Sometimes you're only one How we manifest things far beyond our means I do this for you I did that for me And I know how you've been worried sick for me And I know how you've been taking after me Oh when you're not here The less it seems to me Hold on to you Hold on to me
Brooklyn With Your Highest Wall Brooklyn with your highest wall Summer leaning into fall Someone said there would be a sign on the street Brooklyn with your highest wall I was answering the call Someone said there would be a sign on the streets Wait and see Wait for me Wait for me Wait and see Down below the bridge it's dark I could almost feel St. Mark He was looking for a sign underneath Even if you want you can't Go back to the way it was Even if you want, you can't go back Wait for me Wait and see Wait and see Wait for me Some people can't get enough Others just get swallowed up Others carry their own cup to the street
Life Before Aesthetics I've got more important things Than shiny diamond rings And modern furniture Life before aesthetics was A nail hole in a wall A borrowed comforter Now I wait until the sound Like I never drowned in my addition I would never say what's right It wakes me through the night I felt it happen I crossed my heart When did all this start Stand together, fall apart I crossed my heart Hear the oceans as they sing The mountains and the spring And all they mean to me Life before aesthetics is A mindset that imparts impossibilities Still I waste the chance to give As if I couldn't live throughout deletion (?) I would never say what's right It wakes me through the night I felt it happen I crossed my heart When did all this start Stand together, fall apart I crossed my heart I crossed my heart When did all this start Stand together, fall apart I crossed my heart I've got more important things Than shiny diamond rings And modern furniture Life before aesthetics was A nail hole in a wall A borrowed comforter
Your Friend We fill those rooms between us Every day we die unto ourselves I counted all my blessings I signed my name across you I took yours upon myself I'll be your friend I'll be your friend I'll be your friend I'll be your friend I'll be your friend Oh my love, how could you ever know me like I know myself Oh my love, I wait for you to know me in the ways I know myself I'll be your friend I'll be your friend I'll be your friend I'll be your friend I'll be your friend We were stupid kids All those things we did Scattered our young hearts in the stones In the weeks away How your garden changed But day by day you'd hardly know Now the fruits of our love fall out of the trees and down The fruits of our love fall out of the trees and down The fruits of our love fall out of the trees and down across the ground I'll be your friend
Influence I look for you in summertime I look for you in winter In the faces of my friends In the face of strangers Love me like the way you used to Forgive me for the things that I do Now I wear my influence On the outside of my skin It started with an influence On the inside of my skin Love me like the way you used to Forgive me for the things that I do Take me where the water turns blue Love me like the way you used to Love me like the way you used to Forgive me for the things that I do Take me where the water turns blue Love me like the way you used to
Every Passing Day I don't remember where the pieces fell Pull all the water back up from the well Forgive me my name Spell it the same way as your name I don't remember where the pieces fell Sometimes the moment is a distant sound Watching the weather come up off the ground It turns into rain Falls down the same way as the rain Sometimes the moment is a distant sound I have a friend who used to say If you spend every passing day Turning your crutches into legs You'll find I have a friend who used to say If you spend every passing day Turning your crutches into legs You'll find You're blurring the lines You're blurring the lines I don't wanna try I don't wanna die
Light On My Face Just after two o'clock a.m. There's only drunks on the roads I told you not to You said you still have to go So if you'll be sleeping late Won't you call me when you wake I lay in the darkness and you Will be the light on my face We build our friendships in bottles They take a long time to set Step back and wonder How did we get into that Where we're drowning in the waves Where we're owning our mistakes I was in the darkness and you Became the light on my face Nothing replaces you now Nobody knows how Nothing replaces you now No one and no how
Two And A Glass Rose I remember you in a thrift store dress Rainfall on the taxi roof on the morning we arrived in Amsterdam Two church towers and a glass rose in your eyes Jet lagged on the canal bridge and waiting for the boats to pass us by If I sang a song for you I don't know what it means If I played guitar for you it's lost between the strings It's the way the oldest buildings sink into the street Two church towers and a glass rose in between I consider you like a book I've read You never really had an end so it takes a little while til it all makes sense Two shadows and a glass rose on one stage Passed out in the dressing room and waiting for an instrument of change If I sang a song for you, I don't know what it means If I played guitar for you, it's lot's between the strings It's the way the oldest buildings sink into the streets Two shadows and a glass rose in between I remember you in a thrift store dress I remember you in a thrift store dress I remember you in a thrift store dress I remember you in a thrift store dress
Cursing Cursing in the name of God I'm throwing both my hands up now Cursing in the name of God I'm throwing both my hands up now If you wear the light Gathered around your eyes Maybe you know by now What holds the stars apart Balanced on every choice Someone else's life Questions appear like thorns In my answer's side Cursing in the name of God I'm throwing both my hands up now Cursing in the name of God I'm throwing both my hands up now Messing all the parts up Messing all the parts up And I can see Cursing in the name of God Is what you need Do you have a better idea Than what I have Do you have a better idea Than what I have Do you have a better idea Than what I have Do you have a better idea Than what I have Do you have a better idea Than what I have Do you have a better idea Than what I have
I Live in Your Ghost Silent heart and a listening ear Close your eyes on your golden years I will follow you You will follow me I will follow you Ever after Not a day passes without thoughts (About who you were) Father and son and friend of mine (With cancer inside) Will you only know my children (Through pictures and words) Not a day passes, have you heard I live in your ghost Your ghost lives in me now I live in your ghost You live in the host Ever after Heaven's gates Live in the conscience of the ones who wait We turn all our thoughts to you There's no mistake You have a home for your soul And heaven's gates Live in the conscience of the ones who stayed We ponder our hearts on you There's no mistake You have a home for your soul It's ever after
Denison Witmer
Born Without The Words Oh my God I feel it in my blood The warming of the winter The coming of the flood Springtime's song Born without the words Waiting for a flower Longing to be heard Pushing it's way out of the ground Born Without The Words Feelings too old to die young now I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake You can live your whole life in want Comparing to another As something that you're not Or you can fill the space that you've been given The space that was made for you You and no one else Pushing my way out of the ground I'm ready for it I've grown too old to die young now I'm better for it Born without the words Waiting for a flower Longing to be heard
Keep Moving Brother, Keep Moving Sister I'm determined to change I mark the corner but I'm turning the page To the sound of your voice Like a distant star, my love I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake And I don't care what they say I mark the corner but I'm turning the page To the sound of your voice Like a distant star, my love Keep moving brother Keep moving sister I consider my name The one I'm given and the one I became And the difference between Hangs inside the stars my love I played out every cliché I've been a house not a home as they say And I can't do it anymore I won't do it anymore my love Keep moving brother Keep moving sister I'm determined to change
Constant Muse Is my mind at ease or am I jaded Has the brightest color in me faded Have the simplest things been complicated In a song I was just nineteen when all this started I was sun burned skin and open hearted I was hometown proud, tucked in, and parted In a song In my dreams I'm wide awake And I always have exactly what it takes Oh, my constant muse I have pinned my life on you Chasing words and every mood Into song In my dreams I'm wide awake And I always have exactly what it takes In my dreams I'm wide awake And I always know exactly what to say I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake Oh, my constant muse I have pinned my life on you Chasing words and every mood Into song Is my mind at ease or am I jaded
Made Out For This You could be whatever you want But I know that you're feeling older And I can do whatever I want If you're looking across my shoulders What if I'm just not made out for this I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake I follow the light as it moves I'm still making my way back to the river Where I can fill my cup until its full And lay my body down under the water What if I'm just not made out for this
Let Go A Little I was in my garden Water pouring from my hands I turned around and there you stood You were transparent and you said I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake “Why are you so precious about everything Let go a little”
Asa ( Bry Webb ) Let the sun rise In the morning Let the shadows grow When the evening comes Let your errands wait Until tomorrow Carry on and play And let the day be long When I sing Asa I sing Asa Let the shadows grow To the end of the road I will carry you home I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake There is a healer In this house There is a little hawk In the magnolia tree There is a joy On his sharp gentle wing He teaches me to sing That my will is free When I sing Asa I sing Asa Let the shadows grow To the end of the road I will carry you home When I sing Asa I sing Asa Carry on and play To the end of the day I will carry you home Let the shadows grow To the end of the road I will carry you home I will carry you home I will carry you home I will carry you home I will carry you home
Take More Than You Need Wait with me for just a while When the water in me dries Stay with me all afternoon When the spirit in me moves If you're lying awake With a lifetime to go And the thoughts that you take with you Take more than you know I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake There… where you build your house of prayer Thoughts that tangle in your hair While the world around you stares If you're lying awake With my hands on your waist Wondering what you can take from me Take more than you need I'm not long for this world, baby So much just fell miles behind me I don't long for this world baby Half a life fell miles behind me
Right Behind You April takes the hill, I follow Moments after All across the park, the sound of Children's laughter I don't see the point in waiting Half my life to say All of the things I'm thinking Each and every day I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake I'm right behind you now Right behind you now When your hair falls down and over Both your shoulders My eyes trace the lines of your neck And forever I don't see the point in waiting Half my life to say All of the things I'm thinking Starting with today I'm right behind you now Right behind you now You have a brilliant mind I follow right behind you It's good to keep your hope alive It's good to keep your hope alive now
The Other Side Who waits for you on the other side I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake There is a line I've stretched between us It is a ribbon made of white There is a line I'm tangled in I know that you tried There is a line that moves around you It is a ribbon made of light There is a line that takes you with it I know that it's right Who waits for you on the other side
Take Yourself Seriously I read “Letters To A Young Poet” for you We take books to bed and settle into a groove Our days move so fast, there's still too much to do One of us should open up a window I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake For this reason we will never cease to grow Going beyond great into the greater Patience enough in ourselves that we may endure Simplicity enough to believe it Take yourself seriously Everything mysteriously Take yourself seriously Everything mysteriously
AMERICAN FOURSQUARE American Foursquare An American foursquare On a tree-lined avenue What am I going to do now I sold a house in the city Moving back to the place I grew What else can I say to you Now my new neighbors Say the flowers on my south side Are beautiful in the springtime And my brother and his family Live three blocks toward the park I see them every day A little slow, so I'm taking my time A little slow, but it's what I like It's what I need and like I've got to live in the moment I've got to move to the slightest touch now Take things as they come my way Because the negative predictions And the apathy are far too much I chose not to live that way A little slow, so I'm taking my time A little slow, but it's what I like A little slow, but I'll be alright A little slow, but I'll be just fine Are you implying that I'm not trying Like if you're bored, you're boring I see the point, but I'm all mixed up Would you tell me when you find ? I'd be lost without your love I'm lost without you An American foursquare On a tree-lined avenue What am I going to do now Catalina Love I don't have another choice I'm living in the void When I think about you lately My head fills up with noise You left here two months ago I saw the hand of God swing low And the garden I had planted Was covered in the snow How am I going to let you know that I need your love How am I going to let you go, Catalina Love Everything around went black I sat up in the flash Is it just me who heard it Is it just me who knows There are things I'll never say It will always be that way Forever in your memory Forever in your face How am I going to let you know that I need your love How am I going to let you go, Catalina Love How am I going to let you go How am I going to let you go How am I going to let you go, Catalina Love How am I going to let you go How am I going to let you go How am I going to let you go, Catalina Love I have a special place A place that's just my own My namesake's ash and bones Are buried in the waves I have a special place A place that's just my own My namesake's ash and bones Are buried in the waves Confident Sensitive Child How do you raise a confident and sensitive child Why would you cage an animal that wants to run wild Why would you dam a river, let the water flow through Oh how do you Now I'm holding your hand while we walk to the park I bring the light of the moon when your room goes dark And you're bending my mind into the shape of your heart Oh how I love you Oh how I love you How I love you Oh how I love you Oh how I love you When you feel embarrassment, I do too When you smile with excitement, it's mine too If you're shy in your sorrow, it's my sorrow This is how I love you I do not live vicariously through you You're the most creative thing I do If your eye is on tomorrow, my eyes follow This is how I love you Oh how I love you How I love you Oh how I love you Oh how I love you Oh how I love you How I love you This is how I love you Oh how I love you Save Me From Myself I don't live alone I've two children and a wife When the day folds over I don't have much extra time In my middle age I do the math on give versus take And it still holds true Nothing lost is nothing gained Save me from myself and love me Save me from myself and love me Like a child needs love And a structure to their day I see it all before me Laid out in the simplest way In the modern age My addictions have me caged And the social posturing I feel cynical and vain Save me from myself and love me Save me from myself and love me Save me Save me from myself Save me Save me from myself Save me Save me from myself Save me Save me from myself and love me Save me from myself and love me River Of Music Lay me down on a river of music And push me out back into myself To the chime of a guitar The shake of a drum The walk of a piano The voices that hum Lay me down Where would I be if I didn't have music Light bending through the window Red leaf in the sky By the middle of the week How much can I take Then a song comes through I know that I'll make it We live in a difficult time How do you want to live your life Where are you going to spend your love Isn't that alone enough I'm having a difficult time How do I want to live my life Where am I going to spend my love Isn't that alone enough Isn't love alone enough Isn't love alone enough Birds Of Virginia I can fix your father's chair up for you I can paint the hallway in a day I can drop the subject if you want to I know how late is too late Here I stand beside you in the market Here I carry water to our bed Here I make love with you like a prophet To empty the thoughts in your head You are the light of my home You are the mother of my children You are my calm and you are my wild You are my everything You are the birds of Virginia You've got a universe in you A flash of bright in my winter You are the birds of Virginia One step at a time, love One step at a time, love One step at a time, love One step at a time, love You are the birds of Virginia You've got a universe in you A flash of bright in my winter You are the birds of Virginia You are the birds of Virginia You've got a universe in you A flash of bright in my winter You are the birds of Virginia Every day before me is a god You can bury your face in my shirt And I won't drop you, I won't drop you You're so kind to me, sometimes it hurts Simple And True If you don't reach me from the other side You know how I react You've gone to Paris with your mother It's two weeks until you come back I rearranged all the furniture Just trying to relax And pass my days without you I don't mind the time alone I need the space to clear my head I wash the dishes in the sink and fold the laundry on our bed I tried to follow an idea, somehow lost the thread And that's my day without you Then I found your picture and I put it in a frame Thought about how ten years later, I still feel the same Have the choices I made spilled our lives out on the floor Somehow convinced myself that I'm not welcome anymore I need to see your hands, your eyes, your body through my door Tell me I'm crazy My love for you is simple and it's true I love you I love you I love you I love you Roseanne Roseanne, I still hear your voice It echoes from suburbs outside of Detroit We packed our guitars and our clothes And carved your friend's minivan down the West Coast We go Birthdays and our friends' weddings We missed them all just to play and to sing But you can't be in every place You learn to extend yourself a little grace Six weeks straight out on the road Driving late after the shows Sleep in places nobody knows I would never trade the memory But I would never say it's easy You called when your dad almost died You moved back home and then you had a child The way that you care for them both Roseanne, I've been there I know it's no joke My life is the same as before One eye on my family One eye on the door You know what I'm speaking of The sacrifice we make for the ones that we love Six weeks straight out on the road Driving late after the shows Sleep in places nobody knows I would never trade the memory I would never say it's easy I would never trade the memory But I would never say it's easy I would never trade the memory But I would never say it's easy I would never trade the memory But I would never say it's easy I would never trade the memory But I would never say it's easy Robin One, two, three, five I did it Well, we brought you into our lives hoping you Might introduce our minds to something new So far, it's true because you do So we named you after your grandfather You're our red-bellied Robin in the woods Your heart is good You remind me of your mother You're nothing like your mother You remind me of your brother You're nothing like your brother You're only you Like a language I have spoken from my birth Like a song where I already know the words Like a language I have spoken from my birth Like a song where I already know the words San Francisco Maybe I should book a flight to San Francisco Rent a car and drive up through the redwood trees Where they stand in silence high above my sorrow There's a message there for you and one for me There's a message there for you and one for me I see the child in myself as I get older Still feeling every age that I have ever been And I have joy when the light breaks through the shoulders Of the Pacific giants swaying in the wind I have a lifetime swaying in my mind again I think I'm grieving the death of part of me I think I'm leaving, won't you come with me I think I'm grieving the death of part of me I think I'm leaving, won't you come with me It's everything I've got It's not everything I need It's OK, OK, OK I made my bed here, baby This is where I stay It's everything I know It's not all that I believe It's OK, OK, OK I made my bed here, baby This is where I lay It's everything I've got It's not everything I need It's OK, OK, OK I made my bed here, baby This is where I stay It's everything I know It's not all that I believe It's OK, OK, OK I made my bed here, baby This is where I lay It's everything I've got It's not everything I need It's OK, OK, OK I made my bed here, baby This is where I stay It's everything I know It's not all that I believe It's OK, OK, OK I made my bed here, baby This is where I lay I lay This is where I lay down This is where I lay This is where I lay down This is where I lay Lancaster County Oh Lancaster County All covered in green Was I born into you Were you born into me On the Susquehanna River Inside a valley of stone My need to go away My need to come back home I've been all around the world I've seen a lot of things Tried to open up my mind And fill the space with empathy I go everywhere with you I don't need to be amused I go everywhere with you I've been all around the world I've seen a lot of things When we talk about forgiveness Which way do I go I never meant to close my mind off Make you pull water from a stone Or watch me balance my commitments And my desires to be free You know I want that for you love As much as you want it for me I've been all around the world I've seen a lot of things When I look into your face It's like I haven't seen a thing I'll do anything for you I don't mean to be confused I'll do anything for you I've been all around the world I've been all around the world I've been all around the world I decide to be free I decide to be free I decide to be free
Non Albums Tracks
Christmas song
( The ‘80s EP) Christmas time In the business around that time I could not lift my head enough to see The face that I wanted to see Through the door Where the packages lie on the floor Evergreen and incense in the air There was a year I didn't care With my voice I sang this before, That grace would come and sorrow be no more With my ears I've heard this before That grace would come and sorrow be no more With my knees I bend to the floor Christmas day In the stillness that protects this day The string of lights was strung into a tree A string of lights was strung inside of me I felt at peace and fell asleep I felt at peace And slept
Everybody knows
(The ‘80s EP) I am desperate for a friend Feel like I'm forgotten And alone Counting people I have been And lines across my hands Doesn't help Try, try to be There for me There for me All, all I need Is everything Everything Letters came from lookout mountain Like mercy from a fountain Over me But I have watched things come and go Everybody knows Everybody knows She tried, tried to be There for me There for me All, all I need Is everything Everything
Gift of grace There's a bright star hanging over Bethlehem I was overjoyed so I called to my friends We crossed rivers, deserts, and mountains Just to be with you Take this incense as a symbol of my faith How can I explain how long I've had to wait You're the only gift I've ever wanted How did you know On the day you were born The sky was open as it has been before An angel sang on high We all have hope I've got 30 silver pieces in my hands At the table where you called out to our friends Someone here betrays me in the end But i will be with you We took bread and wine as symbols of your faith How could you explain how long you had to wait Washed my feet, I kissed you on the cheek How did you know On the day you died The sky was open, and it was black as night And you raised your last voice I give you hope Glorious It's glorious Glorious Glorious By your grace I am a Wiseman bearing gifts for you By your grace I have been Judas and turned my back on you By your grace there's never any guilt, now, there's only love On the day you rose Our hearts were open as they had been before Go and tell the world I give you hope It was glorious Glorious Glorious Glorious You're the gift that I have always wanted How did you know You're the gift that I have always wanted How did you know
Healing Time ( River Bends EP ) You don't feel at home Underneath our Pennsylvania sky Covered in guitars Deep inside the music There's a place for you Your parents and your friends You don't think that we know how you feel Waving to your car If we had our choice we'd go along with you We could take a drive Cities and street lights Pass you by We could take a drive You should give your heart Healing time I have been where you are I am well aware that there is hurt That never goes away I have been with you Things I know will not let your hurt carry you Where the river bends I would like to take you there on Sunday I think it would be good For you to watch the quiet water move
How To Be Alone I'm not questioning the way I move I left here for Wisconsin on a Sunday With practiced inability Together what comes close to me I always choose to leave Dreaming but indifferent at best I laid down in the kitchen With the pain across my chest Desire to be simplified The way your stoneholds heat at night There's nothing left to prove And this is how I learn to be alone Story of my life is yours to share A pendulum that swings Across so many things So I will always be first to leave I'm not questioning the things you do Go out all night with strangers on a Friday My practiced insecurity Put prison walls around you So I know you had to leave Proud and independent at your best You curled up with a novel And a sweater on your chest Desire to be rectified The footend of your bed replies, "There's space for you to move" And this is how you learn to be alone Story of your life is mine to share A pendulum that swings You lost so many things So you will always be the first to leave And this is how we learn to be alone The story of our lives is ours to share A pendulum that swings We love so many things So we will always be the first to leave We will always be the first to leave
I Hope This One Never Ends You spent your whole night out with friends I spent my night inside with a book I hope that this one never ends If we don't tell each other where to look Put your favourite music on the stereo I put my favourites on there, too You pick the Beatles like you always do I sing along for you But of all these friends and lovers There is no one compares with you These memories lose their meaning When I think of love as something new Though I know that I'll never lose affection For people and things that went before I know I'll often stop and think about them In my life, I loved you more In my life, I love you more I Tried to Make You Smile In the voice of Stevie Nicks I feel young And I become confused Listening back to Fleetwood Mac And listen back to careful thoughts of you I don't want to lose your friendship now And I've been feeling insecure Maybe we just need some time apart Everybody does for sure Can you see how I tried to make you smile I've always known that I can't change my past But didn't know that I changed for the best You're responsible for what happens to you now The choice of what comes next. So I'm not gonna say I've failed us both I never thought that way of you Maybe we just need some time apart And I don't know what else to do Was it wrong how I tried to make you mine My ears ring with that one line she sings in landslide now It's never been so true I have been afraid of change Because I built my life around you I don't want to lose your friendship now But I've been feeling insecure Maybe we just need some time apart Everybody does for sure Can you see how I tried to make you smile
I'll Keep It with Mine ( A Tribute to Bob Dylan's 'Bringing It All Back Home' LP ) You will search, babe You will search at any cost But how long, babe Can you search for what's not lost Everybody will help you Some people are very kind But if I can save you any time Come on and give it to me I'll keep it with mine I can't help it If you might think that I'm odd For saying that I'm not Loving you for what you are But what you're not Everybody will help you Discover what you set out to find But if I can save you any time Come on and give it to me I'll keep it with mine The train leaves It leaves at half past ten But it'll be back Tomorrow same time again The conductor he's weary He's still stuck on the line But if I can save you any time Come on and give it to me I'll keep it with mine Come on and give it to me I'll keep it with mine Give it to me I'll keep it with mine Give it to me I'll keep it with mine
Meant To Be And the furniture was painted From natural wood to olive green this year And the bedroom was done over To keep up with the fashion of the time And through the doorway there's a couch where We killed the afternoon without a try Through the doorway there's a couch where We killed the afternoon I was pulled for conversation On a payphone at the place downtown you were And I heard traffic in the background I hear it all the time Love you by association Tell myself that I will look ahead, But I will see and smell and hear things I cannot forget And it was clearly never meant to be It was clearly never meant to be It was clearly never meant to be It was clearly never meant to be
Paper Doll (The ‘80s EP) Tonight I'm like a paper doll Dress me in what you wish I had on And I will not say a thing I'll just keep smiling Here I am, wordless again And you dress me up different ways Flat and thin, speechless within And you dress me up different ways But I just can't be sure I'll ever change No, I do not like the clothes I wear I'd sooner loan them to the air But I will not say a thing I'll just keep smiling Here I am, wordless again And you dress me up different ways Flat and thin, speechless within And you dress me up different ways But I just can't be sure I'll ever change Why is it now That you've cut me out Of everything I was used to now And it's not that I'm stamped here no charge, But I will choose not to raise up my voice Here I am, wordless again, wordless again But I just can't be sure I'll ever change Tonight I'm like a paper doll Cut from the page that I once lived on But I cannot say a thing I'll just keep smiling I'll just keep smiling
Postcard Song Today my thoughts were watered down Beneath the flood of London sounds At Lester Square, the underground pulled me below I wish that I could be the sun I'd shine all languages at once I wish that I could be the one you wake up to In a world, that's easy It's so easy on my eyes It's easy, it's so easy for me It's easy, it's so easy on my eyes There is a postcard I will send I will make a skyline sketch Of the bridge and river, cathedrals and all the people here It's as much mine as it is yours Especially our soul's heavy doors That song of our soul's heavy doors we wake up to In a world, that's easy It's so easy on my eyes It's easy, it's so easy for me It's easy, it's so easy on my eyes So if I only live a day If I come back with nothing If I only live a day What should I be In a world, that's easy It's so easy on my eyes It's easy, it's so easy for me It's easy, it's so easy on my eyes
Sleep Sound You're the type That says "I can't find love for my life I've been searching around and around I can't find a thing To keep myself going" You're the type That mounts wings on the birds that don't fly. Oh, still sometimes it seems you're flying inside. How do you get around How do you get around With your feet on the ground In your own way I stay home for tonight And sleep sound on the love that I have. Oh yeah, it's about time I sleep sound on the love that I Have I gone Way too far with this mindset that I'm on I lay up all night thinking About everything I need and Everything I think I need All the love I think I need And all the love I know In my own world I stay home for tonight And sleep sound on the love that I have Oh yeah, it's about time I sleep sound on the love that I have
St. Jude
( River Bends EP ) She was born of missionaries somewhere overseas And now it was that she was brought to me Staring from her farmhouse porch and through a heavy rain She says that inside she felt a change The seed is for the field and the trough is for your hand And this is something we can understand The seed is for the field and the trough is for your hand And this is something we can understand But you feel something wrong And you know what it is And your father will never understand But I can I can pull you out I can pull you out Picture of St. Jude is on the candle that i burned Saint of my lost causes and concerns Alone and in my bedroom My guitar and wooden chair Play out all my thoughts until the end The prayers go soft, you can feel them even more As they echo down the hall and hardwood floor The tubes sound warm and the instrument plays well How long I have waited I can't tell How long I have waited I can't tell
Two And A Glass Rose I remember you in a thrift store dress Rainfall on the taxi roof on the morning we arrived in Amsterdam Two church towers and a glass rose in your eyes Jet lagged on the canal bridge and waiting for the boats to pass us by If I sang a song for you I don't know what it means If I played guitar for you it's lost between the strings It's the way the oldest buildings sink into the street Two church towers and a glass rose in between I consider you like a book I've read You never really had an end so it takes a little while till it all makes sense Two shadows and a glass rose on one stage Passed out in the dressing room and waiting for an instrument of change If I sang a song for you, I don't know what it means If I played guitar for you, it's lot's between the strings It's the way the oldest buildings sink into the streets Two shadows and a glass rose in between I remember you in a thrift store dress I remember you in a thrift store dress I remember you in a thrift store dress I remember you in a thrift store dress You Got Me Good
( River Bends EP ) The last thing I heard Was you're coming back And Italy's love scene Was going black The city of love Was pulling you in With 200 miles Between me, you, and him You got me good It's understood You got me good Yeah, I understand You got me good It's understood how You got me good September 6 Back in '94 I watched you walk Til I could see you no more Out of the airport All of my love In the form of a 16-year old girl You got me good It's understood You got me good Yeah, I understand You got me good It's understood how You got me good Talking to my brother yesterday He said That your new boyfriend Didn't seem that bad Long blonde hair Pushed gently back The kind that I had When you used to love me Hey you can't push away The sun and stars that way You can't push away The changing of the day You can't push away The sun and stars that wait...