I see the leaves of autumn changing falling turning what was green I see a door standing open, open to curiosity we could be together tear it all apart would you ever notice what was hidden in my heart heartstrong do we ever listen closely as willows start to weep there as we stood upon the threshold who said forever was for keeps? would you ever notice what was hidden in my heart, my deep heart is reeling forward and steady on to keep, who made me miss the last ferry? who made this river so deep?
Music by 10,000 Maniacs - Lyrics by Mary Ramsey & John Lombardo
I saw time turn so much there to unlearn, you were envy you wouldn't say you tore heart strings that sorry day dark light hid the tears one for each of the years love has reasons reason never knows time turns over love overflows I should have spoken sooner on that sorry day your arms are open and I wondered why wondered why five years passed to the day time heals some people say when you hurt the ones I love you're also hurting me and time turns over turning you from me I thought you'd never reach me on that sorry day your arms were open wide and I wondered why
lyrics/music - Mimi Fariña In the quiet morning there was much despair and in the hours that followed no one could repair
That poor girl tossed by the tides of misfortune Barely here to tell her tale Rolled in on a sea of disaster Rolled out on a mainline rail She once walked tight by my side I'm sure she walked by you Her striding steps could not deny Torment from a child who knew
That in the quiet morning there would be despair and in the hour that followed no one could repair
That poor girl she cried out her song so loud it was heard the whole world round (A symphony of violence The great southwest unbound) In the quiet morning there was much despair and in the hour that followed no one could repair
That poor girl tossed by the tides of misfortune Barely here to tell her tale Rolled in on a sea of disaster Rolled out on a mainline rail
Music by 10,000 Maniacs - Lyrics by Mary Ramsey & John Lombardo
When the day ends and church bells are ringing when the valley is shroudedin snow, when you're feeling that hope somewhere vanished and there's no poetry left to console you, with the smallest step you'll find a way oh of fate borne and life is a jewel but stone will tarnish as dust will descend take a minute and wipe free the lustre, it'll mirror a day without end with the smallest step you'll feel it starts a journey your way. oh they tried to tell me but I'll learn for myself and when they tried to tell me you know the words disappeared on the wind I was running away and when the laughter echoes through you in a pale beaming ray and you'll know always and ever within you anyway.
Shards of glass cut through my gaze broken streamers hanging at my legs drunk and giddy full of fate at the cabaret smokey stares from the bar do stray bottles tumble I feel the misty spray what a perfect, perfect day for the cabaret from afar he sees Venus rise overwhelmingly beautiful he sighs the look of love was in her eyes puts his hand upon her leg looking closer his lust begins to fade what a drag the queen did say. could this be a dream I'm in? ( Fellini would be proud ) gluttony enfolds the scene give them one last round , shining faces dance away swinging skirts between the panted legs kaleidescoping then shassez in a blink the glasses fly suddenly joy becomes a fight there they tossed and turned a sight.
In the coolness of the morning sparing moments here in magical tide I would meet you without question to share a starry gaze a look through the sky from the start there was this kind of glow the start when it's right you'll know, fascinating love's a secret an ancient riddle with no reason or rhyme unpredictable the muses they play never knowing whether teasing or shy.
Music by 10,000 Maniacs - Lyrics by Mary Ramsey & John Lombardo
This was once a city harmony a common theme but these complications now make life a bit uneasy hallowed buildings scrape the sky voices ride the airwaves once a city years gone by will they still be standing in thecenturies ahead going underground little children hiding, bullets never meant for them must there be such bloodshed in our hearts, our homes, ourheads? will I be walking, walking so free? this was a city once this was once a city harmony a common theme but these complications once a city, once a dream.
Eager to please was just the way that he was though his attempts there falling short, expectation see he would tell of all his conquests, was he bragging? but in the evening all alone Ellen unplanned delays saving for someone who really cared about you invincible they say married to your name she was the kind between a child and a lady, quick was her temper like a blaze from an ember no one had measured to her standard, so in the evening all alone all alone how do I tell them to open their minds and to take a chance maybe on finding life's treasure stubborn they stay set in their ways really not wanting to be lonely not alone.
Detroit, L.A., Boston, San Francisco, first time o'er the ocean on a plane a billion stars below me lay, circle slowly JFK, so much there to see inside of a week they came looking for something new try to press it flat inside of a few days Old Dominion Saturday, Arlington's eternal flame Sunday tour Niagara Falls in the mist. Monday I'll be heading south New Orleans the Cajun sound Tuesday's Tupelo Elvis's home . . . try to press it flat inside of a few days what a wonderful stay, on a mule Grand Canyon ride on Wednesday, hope to get to Denver in a day Friday ride to Washington, in the glacial mountain sun hop a train for Canada to the east they came looking for something new try to press it flat inside of a few days what a wonderful stay
As frail hinges Pivot on a case's door Commemorative Souvenirs from places Containers change With each occasion
A cellophane encased Display of paper Certificate To credit years of service A tool of central enterprises The early hope For permanence The words The rings Consistency The social security A miracle is high tragedy
Thought mistaken For a memory Clear the dust from Smiles in boxes Pass a patterned wall Recall their voices
A local post Will list your friends In order of Disappearance The lawn scattered
Tins feed birds A portion baked for Absent guests And the mass edition icon God sent comfort Your salvation But who grants absolution For sins that Never were committed
Tension makes a tangle Of each thought Becomes an inconvenience Sound as it never penetrates As servile edges Break and Feint
Thought mistaken For a memory A dress length Assassination A fractured family tie Another christening
Steep is the water tower Painted off-blue to match the sky Can't ignore the train
Night walks in the valley silent You could swear the earth just moved Can't ignore the train
Dust to be kicked up In the crack-faced idle sinister town
Screen door to the rail station Devil in her, she ran alongside the wasted tracks Hem pins darted in her calves Can't ignore the train
One spoiled girl with the tidiest apology Somehow wedged inside her throat Can't ignore the train
Patience their virtue But I never could abide by that Dungeon life with electric light A clean towel and a basin Mantel figures mind their places And laughs where they belong
Through adventure We are not adventuresome
Rage to share with a wardrobe mirror In a room so beige and cold Can't ignore the train
Window days saw the children pick their street games on thirty, thirty Thirty afternoons
Molly, the boys are Starting in that rhyme again Teasing more and more the second daughter How she fell Young locked in some folks' prison Made to dwell Till they're braiding her gray hair Sitting in the wishing chair Sitting in the wishing chair Sitting in the wishing chair
like a weasel in the clover you tilt toss pop turn over sit down! tremble and weave like a moth by flame deceived sit down! spill with your words caught up dance in your room slide like you're buttered up roll back the tomb sit down!
bolt scuff jilt chase circle riddle shake in haste sit down!
when the thunderclouds sound ants scatter to high ground
why are some men born with minds that earn degrees the loving cups gilded plaques grace their study walls hide the cracks while their genius is turned to works of tyranny then off to market to market go selling these
with words so fiery and persuasive they steal cunningly riches no one can exceed
and why are some men born with a fate of poverty one firm bed for a swollen back year by year the bodies wracked while their obedience is had with gradual defeat by the pace by the pace and the urgency
through a muddled thought they phrase it God knows we're deceived barter for what they need
and where they go disdain and jeering for fools to call the noble peasantry
o how it puzzles me
I pressed flat the accordion pleats that had gathered in his cotton sleeves while he thumbed yes thumbed I wouldn't say caressed
the final piece a mountain's crest soon to reply assuredly
o for man aged ninety years no words to waste on sermons he'd be pleased to answer short and sincere
girl there's a nonsense in all these heaven measures it's a heathen creed so your grandma says but better to live by... drink it all in before it's dry
he ended there with a rattle cough cough I took away the long gone cold coffee cup as a trail of Camel ashes fell on the floor
( music: Robert Buck & Dennis Drew/lyric: Natalie Merchant )
dance to the sun a kiss to the earth embrace a stone
come the small black book come the brandy cask one strange disease the well worded paper signed by the drunken hands of thieves
and suddenly they were told to leave
as the snake uncoiled on a road the length was eighty miles wagons' weary horses lead the feverish exiles barefoot in the early snow on a ridge where they beheld their home coarse and barren not the haven promised by the Father
the Red Sticks first and the Dancing Ghosts were pierced with arms of fire and the weeping widows left could not avenge so the Western Star manifest its will drove them clear into the Pacific O
gone the way of flesh turned pale and died by your god's decree
for he hated me
** Cherokee name for Andrew Jackson the 7th president of the U.S.A.
( lyrics: Natalie Merchant/music: J.C.Lombardo & Robert Buck )
there was light and atomic fission swelling wind rising ash tide of black rain cement seared shawdow traces reminiscent of their last commands
instantly one thousand flames arising ill scent the burning hides surrounding a settlement debased entirely enola gay had made a casual delivery
please build a future, darling with our bomb cherish and love it for the sake of earth bound kingdom come
the undersides of fallen metal trusses evil debris of human bodies each window's glass shards pelted secure confines brittle collapse
neighbors lay beside each other unknowing faces scorched of all familiar bearing too few hands many wounds for closing marred by thirsting anguish fear lamenting
here we stand at the door to gold atomic age don't spoil your face with worry trust in earth bound kingdom come
here is the store house of Her Majesty well guarded by sentry but looks are free
call this the rayless and benighted age witches by tallow candles shifted shifted their shapes here is the pestle and mortar that ground the poison seed a lute, a suit for jousting and the poems of a balladeer when all the Latin books were copied off in golden script well hoarded away in a monastery crypt
superstition superstition beyond belief
over mountain, over dune and over sea crude map and compass lead the caravan and lead the fleet here's the loot and plunder they bore home ivory tusk inlaid with precious stone raw silk and spices by the barrel load a soft skin drum with mallets of human bone
a world wide rampage rampage of greed
so here the tour concludes The Colonial Wing the rooms of the most refined museum property an early pair of spectacles a claw footed divan ornate clocks with birds that strut on the half hours and quarter hours
