Caedmon's Call [CCM]

I am a bus driver and it's four in the morning And I'm pressing out my clothes beside my bed Fourteen years been on the job and with many miles behind Still I'm up at three thirty to make sure I'm there on time My car gets me along just fine to and from the station But my castle is this Houston Metro Bus My first stop is Ashbury. And the sign's been gone for years but all the same the people wait cause they know that I'll be there. What would you say if I told you that I won't be by today? Would you say that I'm just a bus driver and what do I know, just a bus driver and what do I know, just a bus driver and what do I know? Well, I'm always there by five fifteen and lately I've been early 'cause Judith likes to be in early to the bank. And she gives me conversation and a token good for riding. And she's happy all alone And then there's Charles in retail sales; and I hope they pay him well for the work that young man does Cause I've never seen the inside of a custom refrigerator but I know he's the first and last one there I wonder what they do all day, and their respective works. Suppose they give money and take money away. Still, I'm just orbiting this town with the post office my sun. And I'm circling again. And I wonder how this world would be if I was never here to drive this bus around from Ashbury to Main. Suppose this town would be the same but with one bus' less exhaust. But that bank and retail stores, they just wouldn't be the same. But what can I see from the limited confines of my bus driving seat Only me

When I'm cold and alone all I want is my freedom A sudden gust of gravity I stop wailing and kicking just to let this water cover me Cover me Only if I rest my arms, rest my mind you'll overcome me And swell up around me With my fighting so vain, with my vanity so fought I'm rolling over Cause in just the same way the stream becomes swollen up Swollen with cold up over the ground When my heart draws close to the close of autumn Your love (your love) abounds All this time I've been thinking, wondering how would it be To breathe in deep Guess I need to be careful when I ask for a drink Just might get what I ask for And I know just what you'd say to me That's why I don't ask you What would I ask you I'm like a bull-headed boy these days crying my toy is gone You're shiny and new Cause in just the same way the stream becomes swollen up Swollen with cold up over the ground When my heart draws close to the close of autumn Your love (your love) abounds Guess I'll drop my anger here before I float away And the chains around me An awful lot of talking, I don't leave you much to say You didn't ever leave me And my greatest fear was you'd leave me here A long time back my feet could touch the bottom

You say you want a living sacrifice Well I am a burnt offering Crawling off the alter and Back in to the fire And with my smoke-filled lungs I cry out for freedom While locking and chaining myself To my rotting desires AND I HATE THE STENCH, BUT I SWALLOW THE KEY. AND WITH IT STUCK IN MY THROAT, CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME I'M COMIN' HOME, I'M COMIN' HOME I'M COMIN' HOME, I'M COMIN' HOME, BUT I'M STILL A LONG WAY OFF I am shelled-shocked, and I have walked Through the trenches full of tears With the mortars of memory Exploding in my burning ears You stripped the trees of Lebanon And now you're stripping me Of the bark of false morality And the bite of selfish greed Can you hear me? I'M COMIN' HOME, I'M COMIN' HOME I'M COMIN' HOME, I'M COMIN' HOME, BUT I'M STILL A LONG WAY OFF WILL YOU RUN TO ME? WILL YOU COME TO ME? WILL YOU MEET ME, WILL YOU GREET ME, WILL YOU DRAG ME HOME 'CAUSE I'M STILL A LONG WAY OFF I'M COMIN' HOME, I'M COMIN' HOME I'M COMIN' HOME, I'M COMIN' HOME

I can see Jesus hanging on the cross I can see Jesus hanging on the cross I can see Jesus hanging on the cross He came looking for the lost And Love has come Love has come Love has come And it's giving me hope to carry on I can hear Jesus saying "Father forgive" I can hear Jesus saying "Father forgive" I can hear Jesus saying "Father forgive" What a thing he did And Love has come Love has come Love has come And it's giving me hope to carry on I can see Love Love is all I want to see Love can make a beggar rich and set a prisoner free I know He can do it for you And God knows He did it for me. I can see Love Love is all I want to show you. Love, Love's the only way to go. And love, Love is all a man might need to know Yes, I know You know Peter put away his sword I can see Peter puttin' away his sword I can see Peter, he put away his sword He won't fight no more

Looking back at the road so far The journey's left its share of scars Mostly from leaving the narrow and straight Looking back it is clear to me That a man is more than the sum of his deeds And how You've made good of this mess I've made Is a profound mystery Looking back You know You had to bring me through All that I was so afraid of Though I questioned the sky, now I see why Had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view Looking back I see the lead of love Looking back I can finally see (I'd rather have wisdom) How failures bring humility (than be) Brings me to my knees (a comfortable fool) Helps me see my need for Thee

So many miles behind Still I drive with the pedal down I was off the map hours back It's beneath the seat. I think It's with two pennies and a match And something else. I can't remember But in the time that it would take to fish it out I'll be another mile gone And I feel so wrong Trying to feel right In light of all the things I've passed You'd think that I'd have learned Chorus: This is not the land was promised me Even as far as my eyes can see I'm so wound up, Lord. I can't even breathe And I don't want words I just want some peace Some peace. Some peace It seems I've misplaced my faith 'Cause it's 11:12, nothing's changed Well, nothing except the channel I'm afraid And the number there No. It's the same Oh, this must be the Saviour of the month And what I must have Where's the night gone? 'Cause I'm so tired and out of shape You've gotta get me up But I can't get up today 'Cause it's been so long Since I've felt right All the rote, rehearsal, proof You'd think that I'd have learned Repeat chorus Break me, break me, break me This is not the land was promised me Gotta get out of bed, get something to read And i gotta feed my brother, not my eyes If not, then I'll be all I despise

I can't stop staring at myself My face reflected in this empty plate I can't decide if it's the devil Or if it's just something I ate 'Cause he's been down there all morning He's patiently waiting at my gate He's throwing rocks at my window "Hey won't you come on out and play with me" And everyday when I get up I see folks trading in their crowns For all the paper of plastic lives An opiate for the masses' hounds And pride like a vestige of lives lost The stench of the old folks coming around Now with the news I heard today I can't tell if this world is lost or found You go, I'll be waiting here And I'm awake, no I cannot sleep So I'll sit upon this rock is you I ain't standing up for nothing I've never seen my congressman But I can't deny that he exists 'Cause I've seen his legislation pass I've seen his name on the ballot list Same I can't deny this fallen world Though not my home it's where I live How can I preserve and light the way For a world that I can't admit I'm in 'Cause I know who you say you are But these crows can't be made to stop So I'll sit denying by this fire I ain't standing up for nothing Lack of interest leads to Lack of knowledge leads to Lack of perspective leads to Lack of communication leads to Lack of understanding leads to Lack of concern leads to This complacency denotes This approval denies The truth But I can't stop staring at myself It's my face reflected in this empty plate And I know that it's the devil So you lead, I'll be close behind So you speak, I'll hang on your words You gotta lift me from this hardened tree 'Cause I ain't standing up for nothing

i think this place is swell there's much familiar here i get my laundry done i havnt gotten phone calls in years when im feelin tired i can turn off all the lights with no one knockin on the door pretend im not alive, but daddy it's saturday and i dont wanna go outside and mow the grass today say would you love me just as much if i was just your stupid kid? i said would you love me just as much if i was just your stupid kid? well they tell me that im bright sometimes i think they're right but i guess i will enver know cuz i wont go outside some days its just so hot and others its so cold too much exposure to the sun will just make me look old but daddy it's saturday and i dont wanna go outside and mow the grass today said, would you love me just as much if i was just your stupid kid say, would you love me just as much if i was just your stupid kid well isnt it saturday sure feels like saturday so wake me saturday daddy its saturday well my watch is off to things i never seen with these walls higher than the cost of opportunity cuz im too big for my bed and ive outgrown my shoes but my fear of leaving is the one thing just cant lose but daddy its sat i dont wanna go outside and mow the grass today say, would you love me just as much if i went out and got a job if i never left your house ???????????????????????? if i never matter much more im just your stupid kid would i love me just as much if i was just your stupid kid

There's tarnish on the golden rule And I wanna jump from this ship of fools Show me a place where hope is young And a people who aren't afraid to love This world has nothing for me and this world has everything All that I could want and nothing that I need This world is making me drunk on the spirits of fear. So when he says who will go, I am nowhere near. And the least of these look like criminals to me So I leave Christ on the street This world has held my hand and has led me into intolerance But now I'm waking up, but now I'm breaking up But now I'm making up for lost time