1. |
Tell Me a Story
04:00
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Tell me a story to put me down
I am a door that is revolving round
when the unwary will come out of a dream
tell me you'll stay here in sight unseen
Give me a way to remember us now
I'll find the long road to home somehow
and If I'm lost here and never to be found
tell me you'll bring me the sweetest sound
Lay me down in the water here
and I will let it carry me away from ev'ry fear
show me all that we have held and wash it here with me
send me offl with a prayer to find
a stillest dawn
a perfect peace confined
settle down into this silence fade and fly
Sing me a song now of all of our days,
did they abandon us here to stay?
find me a home, I know we've had it all along
give me a place where I might belong
Hold me up high now for all that we've made
barren and cradled and lost and frayed
I'll leave this land far behind me and be gone
sing it to me now, the sweetest song
Lay me down in the water here
and I will let it carry me away from ev'ry fear
show me all that we have held and wash it here with me
send me offl with a prayer to find
a stillest dawn
a perfect peace confined
settle down into this silence fade and fly
And I'll wait for you
here for all we own now
stay with you alone now
spin you all my stories
and I'll miss you, lonely light might lift you
stay here by my side now, leave me all your stories
Tell me a story to put me down
I am a door that is revolving round
when the unwary will come out of a dream
tell me you'll stay here in sight unseen
Tell me a story of you and of me up on the rooftops
alight and freed
ever alive and forever growing old, give me a sign and a tale untold.
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2. |
We'll Never Go To Heaven
02:42
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Automatics all
creeping through the skies
pushin’ out my dreams
radiant, alive
my creator gal
put me on my knees
pray forever more
give it to me, please
Mama said there was
a long way to go
and she told you if you fell down
you'd end up so far below
all I know
is that I’m givin' never gettin’
and I’ll never go to heaven
that’s right, I’ll never go to heaven
We can look into the
middle of the beam
get a hit of light
tell me what you’ve seen
give me everything cause
I don’t wanna lie
I never want to fade
I never want to die
Mama said there was
a long way to go
and she told you if you fell down
you'd end up so far below
all I know
is that I never will be let in
and I’ll never go to heaven
that’s right, I’ll never go to heaven
but did they tell you
We’re not gonna go
we’re not gonna go
to the sky above
to the sky above
and we’re not gonna go
we’re not gonna go
never get her love
never get above
I’m a carrier
and I’m a little vine
chokin’ all your dreams
bury us in time
I got nothing left to leave except for me
so hold onto your skirt baby
we’re off into the breeze
Mama said there was
a long way to go
and she told you if you fell down
you'd end up so far below
all I know
is that we’re never gonna get in and
we’ll never go to heaven
that’s right, we’ll never go to heaven
we’ll never go to heaven
you got that right
we’ll never go to heaven.
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3. |
Anastasia
03:56
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So she said out on the sidewalks
"there's a spark within these streets
and I can feel all the city moving
and distorting
neath these feet"
past the corner stores in delicacy
a little landmark you've got to notice when she's near
ev'ry second shining like
you've never got nothing to fear
In the morning,
nary a sight of sun
and the coldest of chill it descends
and I'll be weary
mixing my medicine
we'll be halfway back to begin
every time we go so quiet
don't you know we're holdin' history
girl and I can't ever deny it
the flickering flight all the while
She, Anastasia she hides from me
what she's left there you're never gonna see
she's got something and I'ma gonna take it for me
but if you're around then I'll be
it's a miracle now that we're alright
you and I we might make it thru the night
safe and silent and simmerin right
Anastasia, forever alight
Now I'm remembering every dizzy dream
all the tall tales up in the breeze
there's a lone road out at the edge of town
and when it all fails that's where I'll be
in a house calm as a silken song
we'll make that melody last then
close your eyes it's goin to be gone
the river the wreathes and the rays
She, Anastasia she hides from me
what she's left there you're never gonna see
she got something and I'ma gonna take it for me
but if you're around then I'll be
it's a miracle now that we're alright
you and I we might make it thru the night
safe and silent and shimmering bright
Anastasia, forever alight.
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4. |
In City We Swing
03:52
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Water warm we're gonna savor us the the sweet spot
lucrative and we're steeped in lovin' keep the seat hot
the promenade on a young spring night by the
smokestack skyline is coming into sight
as we can scheme and slay those empty lanes
What you do you wonder when you're waiting in that chill now
I'd win you back if I could wake in me the will somehow
and by and by with a raincoat grin
it's a slippery thought about all the places you are in
you're fightin' in a world that you can't explain
In city we swing where all the buses go
in autumn arriving with a broken bow
and sleeping on a window
where'm I gonna find you
In city we swim where all the roses grow
you wouldn't believe me if I told you so
so dream dear we'll settle in open ev'ry tiny trap door
dive it down and wash ashore
You relayed-
"this is that heavenly hour when all the hurt hits
electricity, she showers me where the earth splits"
so you I tell that it's just as swell
and I will take a trip east to a city we love farewell
and we can live it large in that latest sin
The pink and the grey of a highway glow
a place in your mind I long to know
together we tiptoe collect the snow
now is a fine time to find a little flow
yes I'll walk along in that bitter cold
painted and pristine these days unfold
one finest era we're gonna reach that road
we'll ride in all revelry.
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5. |
Spectators
03:33
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Some look away avert their eyes
hide the illness hide the hides
find the blind spot nest inside
arm to teeth caress the pride
the spectators are for me can't you see
the spectators are for me
a straightjacket to shelter pain
heart all ailing never seen
remote run and senses blurred
fear of silence fear of words
tie that starter to your toe
come downstairs we'll make a show
the spectators are for me can't you see
the spectators are for me
Have I a lot to give
Have I a lot to bleed
can you take him out of me
a spectator I'll be
Have I a lot to learn
Have I a lot to leave
can you take him out of me
We're in the room where nightmares breed
strangest peace come over me
stare at nation tattered torn shattered scrapped
and gray and worn
the spectators are we yeah
the spectators are we can't you see
the spectators we'll be
Have we a lot to give
have we a lot to bleed
can you lay us down in peace
the spectators we'll be
Have we a lot to bleed
have we a lot to burn
can we stand right here and be
the spectators our turn
the spectators our turn
the spectators our turn.
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6. |
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When we met gave me a ten dollar bill
told me go straight for the kill
won't you please me yeah we talked about everything
we talked about a sun swept patio
some black and white video so proper yeah
we talked about everything
we talked about never needing believing
never felt afraid of fading then freedom for you
we talked about everything
we talked about failing at all of this
about dreamin' a little tryst while I'm making a list
we talked about everything
And I knew that I'd find my way back in with you
baby there was nothing that we couldn't do
so can you see what's lost and what's left behind
can we talk about everything?
Baby now I gotta go with a minute bow
opening the window and I'm stepping out
so hold me close are we gonna keep a silent vow
when we talk about everything
when we talk about everything
We talked about waiting for all the wounds
about creepin under the moons
about cradling me we talked about everything
we talked about leaving ajar a door where it's naked and warm
didn't we mate? you know you know
we talked about everything
we told each other bedtime stories of our
first spun glories of our sweetest songs
we talked about everything
we talked about wading out in the wind
feelin' weighty weakened within without anything
yeah we talked about everything
And I knew that I'd find my way back in with you
baby there was nothing that we couldn't do
so can you see what's lost and what's left behind
can we talk about everything?
Maybe not I gotta go in a minute now
opening the window and I'm stepping out
so hold me close are we gonna keep a silent vow
when we talk about everything
when we talk about everything.
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7. |
Mama's On Her Way
03:21
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All of my dreams interwoven with yours
we arise dry to the windows on wars
dance in the red of the pale pliant sun
undress me until slumber wicked and worn
Have you heard the news today?
I know that mama's on her way
she gonna make it go away
I know that mama's on her way
We come from place that be so righteous and free
violence perfected wrap them stars over me
rain fire from on high up above
holding my hand so firm, my sister, my love
Have you heard the news today?
I know that mama's on her way
she gonna make it go away
I know that mama's on her way
I know that mama's on her way
I know that mama's on her way...
her way
she's on her way.
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8. |
They Walked Again
02:34
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They walked first with fate intact,
an upstairs room a world unpacked,
a river blind, a tower to play,
they walked first into the day
a chill of fear a morning gleam
a private tear a chaotic dream
they walked again
round that water cold
years and years to go
They walked then with the warning raids
the crimson prisons and the hearts delayed
the New York dusks in them burning days
a passageway to what they'd made
a bit of impulse bit of pain
a sealed little city and a letter lain
they walked again
round that water cold
years and years to go
They walked late and they fed the fire
gaze to constellations tired
in two sheets shined in the last
a vague old memory a battle past
a harmony a wizard wild
a calmness still a window child
they walked again
round that water cold
years and years to go
years and years to go
years and years to go.
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9. |
Only Me
03:30
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We lie alone until we plead
we bleed together we recede
there's a sleepy breeze
in these humid trees
as we lean across the years
shield our eyes from all the sun
fade and crouch from everyone
now I know you well
better than this skin
better than these hands, each and ev'ry sin
It's only me
here in all my fears
standing bare and blind
in this morning clear
it's only me
by the riverside
might I swim ashore
shamed and bathed in night
Take the wings off of my back
trace the empty island sky
deep within these bones
find a restlessness
find a bursting joy alive
In this ailing epic world
I can hardly find your trace
there be curious clouds
there be naked sound
there be dusty light all worn
In every house the lights go dim
in every child there's a hymn
with a fleeting sound
meter strong and pure
hold that harmony within
It's only me
It's only me
It's only me
it's only me
It's only me
It's only me
It's only me
it's only me.
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10. |
River Gone
03:04
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The old girls they sit at their tables
dwelling and lusting and late
there be no heater no chill and no breeze and no break
water come in
slipping and failing and pure now
frost on those banks let it shine
looking for love ever swimming
in sorrow in time
That river is already gone, my love
that river is already gone
rolling and turning and latent and long
that river is already gone
Me, I'm dancing with my child now
the night only hold us so long
who's gonna tell them?
not me let them just carry on
water row past
you can find us in the fields now
cradle to flower to fawn
walk back through winds to the waters
this tightrope we're on
That river is already gone, my love
that river is already gone
climbing and tossing and perfect as song
that river is already gone
Blue through the mountains
black in the rocks and the pines
gray rush through the cities
green let me comb you in time
That river is already gone, my love
that river is already gone
and I'll find you there in the faraway dawns
that river is already gone
that river is already gone.
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Alec Betterley New York
Alec Betterley is an upstate NY-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and music therapist. He was a founding member of the groups My Friend Other & Toys and Tiny Instruments, and supports other artists on keys when he can find the time amidst a busy schedule of corralling three youngsters. ... more
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