Sufjan Stevens

A summer night
I find a boat
Tied to a tree
A normal home

She lost her string
I'm stepping in
I push the shore there
An act of stealth

A troubled glad without a voice
A mountain song, the boat moves on
The water runs on either side
The circle swell, a sudden light

Takes me

I fix my view
Upon the ridge
Horizon's eye
Above the gray sky

I tip my oar to raise the stroke
The wading swan, the image broke
A looming peak, a pirate size
Uprears its head, a sudden guise

Takes me

If you seek a pillow for your head
Or a fitted sheet for Christmas bed
If you see your shadow on the snow
Is it from the baby Jesus glow?
He's going to the country

Find a tree and put in your house
Put a mistletoe upon your mother's blouse
If you see a woman dressed in black
Give her up a song and then ask for it back
We're going to the country
We're going to the country
You're mom's going to the country
We're going to the country
The country

So faithful, so few
So pardon and done
And when we receive
We give a change at last

And when we are dead, we all have wings
We won't need legs to stand
And when we receive
To see a change at last

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we travel afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light

Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and Sacrifice
Alleluia, Alleluia
Earth to heav'n replies

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light

We are a servant, we have a song
The side of a beehive, a tabernacle choir
We are the sound working in wars
The bishop is gone to the acolyte shores

We save our Bibles, we pull our sleeves
The word is a guard and the guard is a cleave
We are the right, we are the stay
The accolade's gone, we are what you say

We have no language, we have no chore
The side of a beehive, the bride is a whore
We are a spite, we are at bay
The spirit is life, we are what you say

We have a sermon, we have a song
The bishop is easy, the bishop is wrong
The spirit is right, the spirit will say
We are a light, we are what you say

I always knew you
In your mothers arms
I have called your name
I've an idea
Placed in your mind
To be a better man
I've made a crown for you
Put it in your room
And when the bride groom comes
There will be noise
There will be glad
And a perfect bed

And when you write a poem
I know the words, I know the sounds
Before you write it down
When you wear your clothes
I wear them too, I wear your shoes
And the jacket too
I always knew you
In your mothers arms
I have called you son
I've made amends
Between father and son
Or if you haven't one

Rest in my arms
Sleep in my bed
There's a design
To what I did and said

I'd swim across Lake Michigan
I'd sell my shoes
I'd give my body to be back again
In the rest of the room

To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you

You gave your body to the lonely
They took your clothes
You gave up a wife and a family
You gave your ghost

To be alone with me
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
And went up on a tree

To be alone with me and went up on the tree
I've never known a man who loved me

I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S!
Ring the bell and call or write us
I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S!
Can you call the Captain Clitus?
Logan, Grant, and Ronald Reagan
In the grave with Xylophagan
Do you know the ghost community?
Sound the horn, address the city

(Who will save it? Dedicate it?
Who will praise it? Commemorate it for you?)

We are awakened with the axe
Night of the Living Dead at last
They have begun to shake the dirt
Wiping their shoulders from the earth
I know, I know the nations past
I know, I know they rust at last
They tremble with the nervous thought
Of having been, at last, forgot

I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S!
Ring the bell and call or write us
I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S!
Can you call the Captain Clitus?
B-U-D-A! Caledonia!
S-E-C-O-R! Magnolia!
B-I-R-D-S! And Kankakee!
Evansville and Parker City

Speaking their names, they shake the flag
Waking the earth, it lifts and lags
We see a thousand rooms to rest
Helping us taste the bite of death
I know, I know my time has passed
I'm not so young, I'm not so fast
I tremble with the nervous thought
Of having been, at last, forgot

I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S!
Ring the bell and call or write us
I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S!
Can you call the Captain Clitus?
Comer and Potato Peelers!
G-R-E-E-N Ridge! Reeders
M-C-V-E-Y! And Horace!
E-N-O-S! Start the chorus

Corn and farms and tombs in Lemmon
Sailor Springs and all things feminine
Centerville and Old Metropolis
Shawneetown, you trade and topple us
I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S!
Hold your tongue and don't divide us
I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S!
Land of God, you hold and guide us

If you happen to be educated
Time it marches on,
oh time it marches on.
In the end there is a sacred show
delivers every song,
delivers every song.

Mourning steps and
mourning gallivants
And mourning never shows,
no mourning never slows.
If the avatar reminds that it
will never stand at all,
will never stand as tall.

Since the water made it,
most to sail it,
made it most to song,
it made it most to song.
For the politics are not political
for what they stand,
For not what they demand.
Every senator and diplomat
combines her certain part,
A matter for the heart.
Save yourself from recognition.
selfless and quite song
To better get along.

(We love you. We Chose to.
We made to. We love you.)

If we concentrate and pull
resources to the highest poll,
To beat the highest pull, too.
Ever will we conquer grief
and find it faster to resolve
the dead, to be absolved
and fed, to restore.
If the advantageous
reprimand misgivings,
We won't grow.
We will not ever know.
We will not!
(Lift my life in healthy places!)

I live in America with a pair of Payless shoes
The Upper Peninsula and the television news
I've seen my wife at the K-Mart
In strange ideas we live apart

I live in a trailer home with a snowmobile, my car
The window is broken out and the interstate is far
I drove all night to find my child
In strange ideas he's been revived

In strange ideas, in stranger times
I've no idea what's right sometimes
I lost my mind, I lost my life
I lost my job, I lost my wife

When he took the three disciples to the mountainside to pray
His countenance was modified, his clothing was aflame
Two men appeared, Moses and Elijah came
They were at his side
The prophecy, the legislation spoke
Of whenever he would die

Then there came a word of what he should accomplish on the day
Then Peter spoke, to make of them a tabernacle place
A cloud appeared in glory as an accolade
They fell on the ground
A voice arrived, the voice of God
The face of God covered in a cloud

What he said to them, the voice of God, the most beloved son
Consider what he says to you, consider what's to come
The prophecy was put to death, was put to death
And so will the son
And keep your word, disguise the vision
Till the time has come

Lost in the cloud, a voice
Have no fear, we draw near
Lost in the cloud, a sign
Son of man, turn your ear

Lost in the cloud, a voice
Lamb of God, we draw near
Lost in the cloud, a sign
Son of man, son of God

Lost in the cloud, a voice
Have no fear, we draw near
Lost in the cloud, a sign
Son of man, turn your ear

Lost in the cloud, a voice
Lamb of God, we draw near
Lost in the cloud, a sign
Son of man, son of God

Lost in the cloud, a voice
Have no fear, we draw near
Lost in the cloud, a sign
Son of man, turn your ear

Lost in the cloud, a voice
Lamb of God, we draw near
Lost in the cloud, a sign
Son of man, son of God

All things past in the pick-up
Found my brother's badge
Abraham is live and well in the pick-up
And his wife casts no more spells
In the pick-up

Found myself in the pick-up
Seatbelt on my lap
And my sister with her braids
In the pick-up
Kissed my mother on the face
In the pick-up
Clapping with the human race
In the pick-up

Cave the Cadmus country soon
Europa's sake he drew
Till the oracle said wander

Safe libation water slew
A serpent near him knew
The dragon's teeth he threw
Till the oracle said wander

And the winter moves about Illinois
When my sister picks a fight
With the Alexander boy
And my father locks the car by the store
Still we figure out the keys
And follow him once more
Oh my God, we see it on the floor
The woman on the bed
The ankle brace she wore
Stones and sled
It could have been some other
The mind that knows itself
Has a mind to serve the other
But we run back, scratching at the door
Scratching at the door

If I'm hiding in the sleeves of my coat
When my father runs undressed
He's pointing at my throat
And my brother has fit in the snow
And the traffic stops for miles
We take him by the elbow
Oh my God, the shuffling and the floor
A mind that knows itself
Is a mind that knows much more
So we run back, scrambling for cover
The mind that knows itself
Has a mind to kill the other
(Oh my God, no one came to our side
To carry us away from danger)

Oh my God
He left us now for dead
He left us now for dead

Trouble falls in my home
Troubled man, troubled stone
turn a mountain of lies
turn a card for my life
Man of Steel, Man of Heart
Tame our ways, if we start
To devise something more
Something half ways

Only a steel man came to recover
If he had run from gold, carry over
We celebrate our sense of each other
We have a lot to give one another

I took a bus to the lake
Saw the monument face
Yellow tides, golden eyes
Red and white, red and wise
Raise the flag, summer home
Parted hair, part unknown
If I knew what I read
I'll send it half ways

Only a real man can be a lover
If he had hands to lend us all over
We celebrate our sense of each other
We have a lot to give one another

Took my bags, Illinois
Dreamt the lake took my boy
Man of Steel, Man of Heart
Turn your ear to my part
There are things you have said
Raise the boat, and raise the dead
If you take us away
Still we can say:

Only a steel man can be a lover
If he had hands to tremble all over
We celebrate our sense of each other
We have a lot to give one another

Only a steel man can be a lover
If he had hands to tremble all over
We celebrate our sense of each other
We have a lot to give one another

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum
When we come

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give our King, pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum
On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum

Oh life, with your shoulders in the mirror
From the park when Dakota ran and brought you there
In the car when your mother lost her temper
The catalog and the catastrophic smile

Let the bugles play the sermon on the raid
I kissed you on the face
I kissed you on the playground

Oh Father John, you cannot tell me
What's right and wrong
You cannot tell me
I jump before I get around you
Oh Father John

Pick it up with the band on the Ronald Reagan Tollway
(Don't give up, let's go forget about yourself)

Illinois in it ran from the Ronald Reagan Tollway
Forget about yourself and all your plans

Oh life, with your colorful surprises
Eleanor, how you put one on disguises

Oh Father John, you cannot tell me
What's right and wrong
You cannot tell me

In the mortal life
Far in the morning light
We're back from Bloomington
We let the runners win

Far in the morning light
We let the movies play
A weekend from the holiday

Pick it up with the band
On the Ronald Reagan toll way
(Don't break down, let's go: forget about yourself)

Illinois in it ran from the Ronald Reagan toll way
(If I'm wrong makes nothing right about yourself)

Snowmobile on the field where the gunners throw their weight around
Forget about yourself and all your plans

Jesus our brother, strong and good
Was humbly born in a stable rude
And the friendly beasts around Him stood
Jesus our brother, strong and good

"I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown
"I carried His mother up hill and down
I carried His mother to Bethlehem town"
"I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown

"I," said the cow, all white and red
"I gave Him my manger for His bed
I gave Him my hay to pillow His head"
"I," said the cow, all white and red

"I," said the sheep with curly horn
"I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm
He wore my coat on Christmas morn"
"I," said the sheep with curly horn

"I," said the dove from the rafters high
"I cooed Him to sleep so that He would not cry
We cooed Him to sleep, my mate and I"
"I," said the dove from the rafters high

Thus every beast by some good spell
In the stable dark was glad to tell
Of the gift he gave Emmanuel
The gift he gave Emmanuel

I can see a lot of life in you
I can see a lot of bright in you
And I think the dress looks nice on you
I can see a lot of life in you

I can see a bed and make it too
I can see a fireside turn blue
And I can see the lot of life in you
Yes, I can see a lot of life in you

When the world looks back
when the face looks after that
I can see a lot of life in you
Yes, I can see a lot of life in you

I can see a lot of life in you
I can see your bed and make it too
And I think the dress looks nice on you
Yes, I can see a lot of life in you

I can see a lot of life in you
Yes, I can see a lot of life in you

I call ye cabin neighbors
I call you once my friends
But I trust when you labor
And put my head to rest

But I was on the hatch
I was on the avalanche
And I had found my match
I was on the floor

I took a train from Virginia
To Illinois, my home
He said “I knew you had it in ya"
A mind to make its own

But I was on the hatch
Riding on the avalanche
I tried to take it back
I was on the floor

Come on, Stone!
Come on, Star!
Come on, Snow!
Come on, Car!
Come on, Hands!
Come on, Feet!
Come on, Face!
Come on, Street!
Come on, State!
Come on, Song!
Move it fast! (Take it up)
Move it along! (The Ohio River)
Come on, Life! (Take it up)
Come on, Lord! (Take it over)
Make it right! (To the Mississippi)
Make it Yours!

Going outside
Shoveling snow in the driveway, driveway
Taking our shoes
Riding a sled down the hillside, hillside
Can you say what you want?
Can you say what you want to be?
Can you be what you want?
Can you be what you want?

Our father yells
Throwing gifts in the wood stove, wood stove
My sister runs away
Taking her books to the schoolyard, schoolyard
In time the snow will rise
In time the snow will rise
In time the Lord will rise
In time the Lord will rise

Silent night
Holy night
Silent night
Nothing feels right

I call you
From the comet's cradle
I found you
Trembling by yourself
When the night falls
Lightly on your right-wing shoulder
Wonderful know-it-all
Slightly where the night gets colder

Oh, conscience,
Where will you carry me?
I found you
Star of terrifying effigies
When the night falls
I carry myself to the fortress
Of your glorious cost
Oh, I may seek your fortress

When the night falls
We see the star of wonder
Wonderful night falls
We see you
We see you

I see the stars coming down there
Coming down there to the yard
I see the stars coming down there
Coming down there to my heart

I don't care to say what
I failed to recognize
Every single day from the poker to the prize
Running out of Springfield
I worked for the Capitol Air, in the bags
Found a woman there who said
she had a mind to make
me a messenger man

If my father took his life
for the national plan, I don't care
I'm not about to stick my grave with an
apron and a bucket of plans, never ever
I can take the pillow cases
off the yellow pillows,
make a property line from the bed
In the living room, the living room,
the morning papers made the most
out of nothing at all

So we took the room
with a view of the runaway
I took off my clothes,
and she took it for a holiday
I was taken for all the things
that I never had before
Running out of Springfield
she left me with a note saying:
"Bobby, don't look back."

And if my wife took a bicycle ride
with a knife in her hand
I saw it coming
All the shad-flies run at once
with a trumpet or a train,
oh I'm running from it

Wait a minute, wait a minute,
Give a minute, lady
I can explain the aftershave
Wait a minute, wait a minute,
give a minute
Bobby got a shad fly
caught in his hair

I was the best man in a size too small
You were my best friend, going at it all
And what if I put off my inheritance?
Where is the best man? All arise us all in peace

I still know you
And I still like you, the best man
And I still owe you

Everything rises, going at it all
All the surprises in a size too small
And what if I told you I was still in love with this?
Would you surprise us in a size for all of me?

I still know you
And I still like you, the best man
I still know you, the best man
I still owe you

Oh my friends I've
Begun to worry right
Where I should be grateful
I should be satisfied

Oh my heart I
Would clap and dance in place
With my friends I have so
Much pleasure to embrace

But my heart is
Returned to sister winter
But my heart is
As cold as ice

Oh my thoughts I
Return to summer time
When I kissed your ankle
I kissed you through the night

All my gifts I gave everything to you
Your strange imagination
You threw it all away

Now my heart is
Returned to sister winter
Now my heart is
As cold as ice

All my friends, I've
Returned to sister winter
All my friends, I
Apologise, apologise

All my friends, I've
Returned to sister winter
All my friends, I
Apologise, apologise

All my friends, I've
Returned to sister winter
All my friends, I
Apologise, apologise

La la la la la...

And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you all the best
And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you all the best
And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you all the best
And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you a Happy Christmas

To wish you a Happy Christmas
To wish you a Happy Christmas
To wish you a Happy Christmas

What the water wants is hurricanes
And sailboats to ride on its back
What the water wants is sun kiss
And land to run into and back

I have a fish stone burning my elbow
Reminding me to know that I'm glad
That I have a bottle filled with my old teeth
They fell out like a tear in the bag

And I have a sister somewhere in Detroit
She has black hair and small hands
And I have a kettledrum
I'll hit the earth with you

And I will crochet you a hat
And I have a red kite
I'll put you right in it
I'll show you the sky

My sister had two babies at one time, they were Siamese twins, no they were actually, they were connected at the head, at the head, and the doctor cut them apart, and my sister said, "I have two kids now, look at me."

We didn't sleep too late
There was a fire in the yard
All of the tress were in light
They had no faces to show

I saw a sign in the sky
Seven swans, seven swans, seven swans
I heard a voice in my mind
I will try, I will try, I will try

I will try, I will try, I will try

We saw the dragon move down
My father burned into coal
My mother saw it from far
She took her purse to the bed

I saw a sign in the sky
Seven horns, seven horns, seven horns
I heard a voice in my mind
I am Lord, I am Lord, I am Lord

He said, I am Lord, I am Lord, I am Lord
He said, I am Lord, I am Lord, I am Lord

He will take you
If you run, He will chase you
He will take you
If you run, He will chase you

'Cause He is the Lord
'Cause He is the Lord

Seven swans, seven swans, seven swans
Seven swans, seven swans, seven swans

Demonstrate I was
raised from the start
By a priest and
the maid on the part.
Still know what
to wear on my back:
Michigan!
Ponshewaing!
Cadillac!

If I ever meant to go away
I was raised, I was reaised
In the place, in the place.
Still I often think of going back
To the farms, to the farms
Golden arms, golden arms
start to remind me.

If the lakes took
the place of the sea.
If the cars drove
themselves, way to be!
Opposite the trains moving in
Rivers run interstate, Michigan!

Still I never meant to go away
I was raised, I was raised
In the place, in the place.
Still I often think of going back
To the farms, to the farms
Golden arms, golden arms.
Tried to change the
Made in Michigan
I was raised, I was raised
In the place, in the place,
part to remind me

Once when our mother called
She had a voice of last year's cough
We passed around the phone
Sharing a word about Oregon

When my turn came
I was ashamed
When my turn came
I was ashamed

Once when we moved away
She came to Romulus for a day
Her Chevrolet broke down
We prayed it never be fixed or be found

We touched her hair
We touched her hair
We touched her hair
We touched her hair

When she had her last child
Once when she had some boyfriend somewhile
She moved away quite far
Our Grampa bought us a new VCR

We watched it all night
We grew up in spite of it
We watched it all night
We grew up in spite of it

We saw her once last fall
Our Grampa died in a hospital gown
She didn't seem to care
She smoked in her room and coloured her hair

I was ashamed
I was ashamed of her
I was ashamed
I was ashamed of her
I was ashamed
I was ashamed of her
I was ashamed
I was ashamed
Of her

Ring them bells, ye heathen
From the city that dreams,
Ring them bells from the sanctuaries
Cross the valleys and streams,
For they're deep and they're wide
And the world's on its side
And time is running backwards
And so is the bride.

Ring them bells St. Peter
Where the four winds blow,
Ring them bells with an iron hand
So the people will know.
Oh it's rush hour now
On the wheel and the plow
And the sun is going down
Upon the sacred cow.

Ring them bells Sweet Martha,
For the poor man's son,
Ring them bells so the world will know
That God is one.
Oh the shepherd is asleep
Where the willows weep
And the mountains are filled
With lost sheep.

Ring them bells for the blind and the deaf,
Ring them bells for all of us who are left,
Ring them bells for the chosen few
Who will judge the many when the game is through.
Ring them bells, for the time that flies,
For the child that cries
When innocence dies.

Ring them bells St. Catherine
From the top of the room,
Ring them from the fortress
For the lilies that bloom.
Oh the lines are long
And the fighting is strong
And they're breaking down the distance
Between right and wrong.

I'm taking you down
to the place in the field
and when I find you underneath the grass
I know you feel this way
You feel this way because I know you
and I feel you
and I feed you rice pudding at the benefit concert
Yeah baby, I feed you rice pudding at the concert

I never felt so safe
A line I once told her
Warm resting place
Her arm on my shoulder

you are the rock
you are the rake
you are the one when I watch myself
you are the rock
you are the rake
you are the one when I watch myself

we ran into a cave
when the wars came closer
she turned into a cave
where it turned colder

you are the rock
you are the rake
you are the one when I watch myself
you are the rock
you are the rake
you are the one when I watch myself

you are the rock
you are the rake
you are the one when I watch myself
you are the rock
you are the rake
you are the one when I watch myself

Put the lights on the tree
(Put them on the tree)

Put the ribbon on the wreath
(Put it on the wreath)

Call your grandma on the phone
(Call her on the phone)

If she's living all alone
(If she's all alone)

Tell her Jesus Christ is here
(Tell her He is here)

Tell her she has none to fear
(There is none to fear)

If she's crying on the phone
(Crying on the phone)

Tell her you are coming home
(You are coming home)

La la la la la la la

Peoria! Destroyia!
Infinity! Divinity!

For Lydia! Octavia!
And Jack-of-Trades!
The Cubs! Hooray!

The Opera House
Where Emma sang!
America! Oh will it play?

And Santa Clause!
The Great Parade!
Peoria!
You have it made!

Into the crossfire
faithfully run
Middle America,
one on one
Peoria!
we saddle the fun times

I'm not afraid of you now, I know
So I climbed down from the bunk beds this low

I can talk back to you now, I know
From a few things I learned from this TV show

You can work late till midnight, we don't care
We can fix our own meals, we can wash our own hair

I go to school before sunrise, in the cold
And I pulled the alarm, and I kicked up the salad bowls

Since the time we meant to say much
Unsaid things begin to take their toll
After school we shoveled through the snow
Drive upstate in silence in the cold

You can remind me of it
That I was lazy and tired
You can work all your life as
I'm not afraid of you anymore

If I loved you a long time, I don't know
If I can't recall the last time you told me so

Here in this house in Pittsfield
The ghost of our grandmother works at the sewing machine post
Hiding the bills in the kitchen on the floor
And my sister lost her best friend in the Persian Gulf War
There was a flood in the bathroom last May
And you kicked at the pipes when it rattled oh the river it made

Stand there, tell me that I'm of no use
Things unspoken break us if we share
There's still time to wash the kitchen floor
On your knees, at the sink once more
You can remind me that I was tired
You can work late and give yourself up
Now that I'm older, wiser, and working less
I don't regret having left the place a mess

You can remind me that I was lazy and tired
You can recall your life as
I'm not afraid of you, anymore
Anymore

Only to bring you peace
Only at Christmas time
Only the king of kings
Only what once was mine
It takes the end of time
It takes a long long time
Only one thought of mine
Only at Christmas time

He brings us peace
He brings us joy
He brings all thoughts to destroy
Only at Christmas time

To brings us peace
To brings us joy
To brings all thoughts to destroy
Only at Christmas time

Only at Christmas time
Only a tree to climb
Only at Christmas time
If you can read the sign
Only at Christmas time
Everything lost will find
Only at Christmas time
Only at Christmas time

Oh holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine

Up in the highest of heights
O'Hara blinks and fights
This land is yours; this land is mine.
I see the Captain in red,
and Cairo at his head.
This land is yours; this land is mine.

The lightning over the park,
the waters--brash and dark
We take a swim; we take a swim.
I never meant to escape
the carpet and the trade
This land is yours; this land is mine.

And when I make up my mind
I change it all the time
I take it back; I take it back.
The numbers over the dam,
Jo Davies and the band,
I count them out; I count them out.

There was a car in the bay
by the boat that swept and swayed
Whoever you are in the light
in the water that we made
I'm counting it out
I'm counting it out
I'm working it out inside
I'm counting it out
to the floor

The ferry hatches Moline
Panola Beauty Queen
She takes a bow; she takes a bow.
In Charles, we climb the hill
and Danville window sill
I take it back; I take it back.
My sister she counts the bars,
the Macon county cars,
She takes a bow; she takes a bow.

The Mississippi amends
the Carver and the bends
This land is yours; this land is mine.
My brother punches my ear.
The injured ivory deer
I call my dad; I call my dad.
We skip inside of the store
the Mason winter door
This land is yours; this land is mine.

There was a car in the bay
by the boat that swept and swayed
Whoever you are in the light
in the water that we made
I'm holding your hand by the shore
With our collars pulled up tight
I'm counting it out
I'm counting it out
I'm working it out inside
I'm counting it out

(This land is not your land
For the right hand takes what it can,
ransacks with the mad man.
For this land is not yours or mine to have.
This land was made for the good of itself.)

Up in the highest of heights
O'Hara blinks and fights
This land is yours; this land is mine.
I see the Captain in red,
and Cairo at his head.
This land is yours; this land is mine.

The lightning over the park,
the waters--brash and dark
We take a swim; we take a swim.
I never meant to escape
the carpet and the trade
This land is yours; this land is mine.

And when I make up my mind
I change it all the time
I take it back; I take it back.
The numbers over the dam,
Jo Davies and the band,
I count them out; I count them out.

There was a car in the bay
by the boat that swept and swayed
Whoever you are in the light
in the water that we made
I'm counting it out
I'm counting it out
I'm working it out inside
I'm counting it out
to the floor

The ferry hatches Moline
Panola Beauty Queen
She takes a bow; she takes a bow.
In Charles, we climb the hill
and Danville window sill
I take it back; I take it back.
My sister she counts the bars,
the Macon county cars,
She takes a bow; she takes a bow.

The Mississippi amends
the Carver and the bends
This land is yours; this land is mine.
My brother punches my ear.
The injured ivory deer
I call my dad; I call my dad.
We skip inside of the store
the Mason winter door
This land is yours; this land is mine.

There was a car in the bay
by the boat that swept and swayed
Whoever you are in the light
in the water that we made
I'm holding your hand by the shore
With our collars pulled up tight
I'm counting it out
I'm counting it out
I'm working it out inside
I'm counting it out

(This land is not your land
For the right hand takes what it can,
ransacks with the mad man.
For this land is not yours or mine to have.
This land was made for the good of itself.)